Nibs of the 1960s: Sailor, part I

TL;DR: In this series of posts, I explore the nibs of the 1960s. First up: the nibs produced by Sailor, starting with their pocket pens.

Next in the series: Nibs of the 1960s: Sailor, part II.

Nib types(*) present in this post:

Type 1: The Sailor “Beak” nib,
Type 2: The Sailor “fingernail” nib,
Type 3: The Sailor “carton box” nib,
Type 4: The Sailor “kite” nib,
Type 5: The Sailor “long claw” nib.

(*) All nib types are named. The nomenclature is not standard but proposed here.

Background: After much back and forth, we now know that the first (modern) Japanese pocket pens were designed and manufactured by Sailor, under the Sailor Mini brand. The other contenders, Platinum, Pilot, and a host of smaller manufacturers, each tried to copy, give hommage, and innovate their pocket-pen lines. The main beneficiary was the consumer, as the variety of nibs (and other pen parts) showcases.

Type 1: The Sailor “Beak” nib (Figures 1a, 1b, and 1c).

Sailor 1960 - 1G Mini - 14k - Nib Overview — **Figure 1a**. Nib overview of a first-generation Sailor Mini, the pen that started the Japanese pocket-pen rush. Remarkably, this pen is dated “CH”, or August 1960.

Sailor 1960 - 1G Mini - 14k - Nib Underview — **Figure 1b**. Nib underview of a first-generation Sailor Mini, pen as in Figure 1a.

Sailor 1960 - 1G Mini - 14k - Nib Sideview — **Figure 1c**. Nib sideview of a first-generation Sailor Mini, pen as in Figure 1a.

Type 2: The Sailor “fingernail” nib (Figures 2a, 2b, and 2c).

Sailor 1963 - 2G Mini - 14k - Nib Overview — **Figure 2a**. Overview of a second-generation nib for the Sailor Mini, dated 1963. (The generation is identified by Richard Binder, but other nibs have been used between the first and this generation, notably, in the Sailor Mars/Magna-L Mini pens.)

Sailor 1963 - 2G Mini - 14k - Nib Underview — **Figure 2b**. Underview of a second-generation nib for the Sailor Mini, 1963, pen as in Figure 2a.

Sailor 1963 - 2G Mini - 14k - Nib Sideview — **Figure 2c**. Sideview of a second-generation nib for the Sailor Mini, dated 1963, pen as in Figure 2a.

Type 3: The Sailor “carton box” nib (Figures 3a and 3b).

Sailor 1964 - 18k - Luxury Cap - Nib Overview — **Figure 3a**. Overview of a 1964 nib for the Sailor Mini with luxury cap.

Sailor 1964 - 18k - Luxury Cap - Nib Under- and Sideview — **Figure 3b**. Under- and sideview of a 1964 nib for the Sailor Mini with luxury cap, pen as in Figure 3a.

Type 4: The Sailor “kite” nib (Figures 4a and 4b).

Sailor 1965 - 18k - Matte Black - GT - Nib Overview — **Figure 4a**. Overview of the 18k nib for a 1965 Sailor Mini with matte black cap and body, and gold trim.

Sailor 1965 - 18k - Matte Black - GT - Nib Sideview — **Figure 4b**. Sideview of the 18k nib for a 1965 Sailor Mini, pen as in Figure 4a.

Type 5: The Sailor “long claw” nib (Figures 5a, 5b, and 5c).

Sailor 1967 - Light Blue Mini - 14k - Nib Overview — **Figure 5a**. Overview of the nib for a 1967 Sailor Mini with matte gray cap and bright light-blue body.

Sailor 1967 - Light Blue Mini - 14k - Nib Underview — **Figure 5b**. Underview of the nib for a 1967 Sailor Mini, pen as in Figure 5a.

Sailor 1967 - Light Blue Mini - 14k - Nib Sideview D — **Figure 5c**. Sideview of the nib for a 1967 Sailor Mini, pen as in Figure 5a.

To conclude:

The 1960s led Japanese fountain-pen manufacturers to rapid iteration, and partially innovation. Sailor led the creation of a successful line of pocket pens, the Sailor Mini, but was quickly rejoined by Platinum, Pilot, and many smaller pen-makers, leading to increased market competition, and more iteration and innovation. Nibs were diversified quickly. There’s quite a bit to explore here, so… To be continued.

Enjoy the day!

Nibs of the 1960s: Sailor, part I

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