Thema: Faber Castell Progress
Startbeitrag
Autor: Christian OSB
Dear Fountain Pen Community,
I found a lost pen case in a drawer of an old desk. There was a Faber Castell pen in it, the "Progress 66 RG". I'm guessing that RG stands for "Rolled Gold", as the black fountain pen has a golden cap. The shape of the pen is rather plain, the nib relatively small and made of 585 gold. There are fine lines going lengthwise along the cap. A black mechanical pencil goes along with it. It is engraved with the words "Faber Castell 203".
I don't really know much about the older models of Faber and I can't find very much about it on the internet. Can anyone tell me more about this writing instrument, which I would put somewhere around the 60s and 70s. The green leather case carries the company logo on the inside. Both the fountain pen and the pencil have the apparently common logo on the top of their caps – a white diamond in a white circle.
I'd be grateful for some information.
A peaceful 3rd Advent to all of you!
Christian
Osmia - Faber-Castell
Re: Osmia - Faber-Castell
Antwort 01
Autor: werner
Hello Christian,
The product name Progress is from the time when Osmia still existed. It was taken over by Faber-Castell in 1950. Osmia had already produced and sold pens of the Progress line, but that was not your question. The fountain pen Progress 66 RG from Faber-Castell was made in the late 1950s and was the top model of the product range. The Progress edition was ranged in the middle price segment. You have already mentioned the rolled gold cap. At that point of time it had already been decided not to go back to the name Osmia. That is the short and fragmentary version explanation on the Faber-Castell 66 RG.
Werner
Autor: werner
Hello Christian,
The product name Progress is from the time when Osmia still existed. It was taken over by Faber-Castell in 1950. Osmia had already produced and sold pens of the Progress line, but that was not your question. The fountain pen Progress 66 RG from Faber-Castell was made in the late 1950s and was the top model of the product range. The Progress edition was ranged in the middle price segment. You have already mentioned the rolled gold cap. At that point of time it had already been decided not to go back to the name Osmia. That is the short and fragmentary version explanation on the Faber-Castell 66 RG.
Werner
Re: Osmia - Faber-Castell
Antwort 02
Autor: Christian OSB
Good Morning Werner,
Thank you for the background info. I don't know anything at all about the "Osmia history". Now I have a better insight, also concerning the age of the pen.
Have a nice 3rd Advent!
Christian
Autor: Christian OSB
Good Morning Werner,
Thank you for the background info. I don't know anything at all about the "Osmia history". Now I have a better insight, also concerning the age of the pen.
Have a nice 3rd Advent!
Christian
Re: Osmia - Faber-Castell
Antwort 03
Autor: Frodo
Hello Christian
I can add some information to what Werner said:
Supra, Supra- Lux, Brilliant, Promotion, Compressor or Torpedo were alongside with the Progress former names for different filling mechanism variations of the company Osmia. The Progress pen was the filling method that principally matched the filling method of the Parker Vaccumatic. Osmia produced all fountain pens that Faber offered. Basically, the Faber company had always been a pencil factory. The bankruptcy of Osmia was caught by Faber Castell in 1935 by participation. In 1950, Faber took over the Osmia factory in Dossenheim. Already in 1935, one of the founders of Osmia, Hermann Böhler, left the company and founded his own company because he was not able to follow the corporate policy of Osmia. The following picture might be a metaphor for the situation of that time. The Faber figure, an advertising figure that seems to be crushing an Osmia worker…
Dossenheim Faber Osmia.jpg [please look below]
In 1953, Faber elbowed the Osmia founder Georg Böhler to retire for a pension of 1000 Marks and he had to hand out the rest of the Osmia shares. Böhler died only months later. Afterwards, Böhler's wife received a pension of only 300 Marks…
Since 1954, Dossenheim successfully produced school fountain pens and ballpoint pens. Some of the brand names were kept; however, there were only piston and cartridge fillers. In this time your Progress 66 was made. The diamond is a former Osmia symbol. The case still says Faber Castell Dossenheim by Heidelberg on it, but the instruction manual already says Faber/Stein.
In the late 70s Faber had sales difficulties and Faber saw now problem in simply shutting down the factory in Dossenheim.
Frodo
Autor: Frodo
Hello Christian
I can add some information to what Werner said:
Supra, Supra- Lux, Brilliant, Promotion, Compressor or Torpedo were alongside with the Progress former names for different filling mechanism variations of the company Osmia. The Progress pen was the filling method that principally matched the filling method of the Parker Vaccumatic. Osmia produced all fountain pens that Faber offered. Basically, the Faber company had always been a pencil factory. The bankruptcy of Osmia was caught by Faber Castell in 1935 by participation. In 1950, Faber took over the Osmia factory in Dossenheim. Already in 1935, one of the founders of Osmia, Hermann Böhler, left the company and founded his own company because he was not able to follow the corporate policy of Osmia. The following picture might be a metaphor for the situation of that time. The Faber figure, an advertising figure that seems to be crushing an Osmia worker…
Dossenheim Faber Osmia.jpg [please look below]
In 1953, Faber elbowed the Osmia founder Georg Böhler to retire for a pension of 1000 Marks and he had to hand out the rest of the Osmia shares. Böhler died only months later. Afterwards, Böhler's wife received a pension of only 300 Marks…
Since 1954, Dossenheim successfully produced school fountain pens and ballpoint pens. Some of the brand names were kept; however, there were only piston and cartridge fillers. In this time your Progress 66 was made. The diamond is a former Osmia symbol. The case still says Faber Castell Dossenheim by Heidelberg on it, but the instruction manual already says Faber/Stein.
In the late 70s Faber had sales difficulties and Faber saw now problem in simply shutting down the factory in Dossenheim.
Frodo
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Re: Osmia - Faber-Castell
Antwort 04
Autor: werner
Hallo Frodo,
That was a lot of well-founded background information….Thank you!
Werner
Autor: werner
Hallo Frodo,
That was a lot of well-founded background information….Thank you!
Werner
Re: Osmia - Faber-Castell
Antwort 05
Autor: Christian OSB
Hi Frodo,
So, thank you for the detailed information on the Osmia-Faber Castell pen and pencil. Maybe I have found a rarity after all! Only, I cannot write very well with the pen. The nib doesn't scratch, but it has the charm of a ballpoint pen.
Oh well, at least it is nice to look at.
Have a nice Sunday!
Christian
Autor: Christian OSB
Hi Frodo,
So, thank you for the detailed information on the Osmia-Faber Castell pen and pencil. Maybe I have found a rarity after all! Only, I cannot write very well with the pen. The nib doesn't scratch, but it has the charm of a ballpoint pen.
Oh well, at least it is nice to look at.
Have a nice Sunday!
Christian
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Olintonbin
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