This is one celluloid clearly identified with Omas. I let go of my old Milord, only to have these two sneak in.
One is a Vintage Paragon, the other a Dama. The Vintage Paragon is the firm’s homage to its own classic Paragon, a model now much sought after. This reissue has silver trim and what looks like an agate disc on the clip. It is a piston filler, although I suspect this is already the modern version which is a little more prone to wear and tear.
I have not seen too many Dama-sized pens in person. This is only the second, purchased from an FPN-P member. The first Dama I held was a gift from a friend I had not seen in decades. It is smaller than a Nakaya Piccolo.
The Vintage Paragon went to Mike Masuyama, for its stock stub to be refined into a cursive italic. The Dama has kept its original medium two-tone nib.
The Dama is a wet writer, which makes the medium nib less of a bore. The Vintage Paragon needs a touch more pressure to deliver the wide strokes, with a medium flow to match its italic grind.
You never get the same pattern lined up the same way twice, so each Arco pen is one of a kind. Add nib customization and it truly becomes a personalized treasure.
From one Omas pen, I now have five. Right, off to argue with myself if this qualifies as a “collection.”
