Nikko 5
| Nikko 5 | |
| Manufacturer | Nikko |
| Nib No. | 5 |
| Descr. | |
| Tip | |
| Markings | Exterior |
| Mark 1 | NIKKO PEN K.K. |
| Mark 2 | [logo] NIKKO |
| Mark 3 | MADE IN JAPAN |
| Mark 4 lateral R | Nº 5 |
 | |
The Nikko 5 nib appears to be of Czech origin. I cannot find any information about it. However, I did find photos of a pair of wooden calligraphy nib holders, stamped with the name "Nikko" and "MADE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA". This would suggest that Nikko is a Czech manufacturer involved with the production of calligraphy pens and nibs. That would make Nikko the manufacturer of this nib.
This is just an assumption. The nib markings seem to suggest a different story:
- Pražské Bankovní Pero translates to Prague Bank Pen. Although many manufacturers produced a nib called a "bank pen," the shape of this nib is nothing at all like other bank pens, which are consistently short, straight-sided and rigid (well-suited to maintaining bank ledgers). However this nib is shaped like a traditional spoon nib. More precisely, it is shaped like a pinched-spoon nib, especially with the side cuts coming in towards the center vent hole. This suggests that Prague Bank Pen is more like a manufacturer's name, rather than a descriptor.
- The „Nikko” marking is notably shown inside quotation marks--which is quite rare for a manufacturer's name. However, it would not be surprising to find that a manufacturer would use quotation marks if Nikko was simply the nib's name--similar to the way Esterbrook named its famous 442 nib the Jackson Stub.
Other markings are more straightforward:
- P.B.P. - is almost certainly the initials of Prague Bank Pen, regardless of whether that's the manufacturer or pen name.
- Č. 5 ZJ - Č is the abbreviation for Number, meaning that this is nib No. 5. I have guessed that ZJ are the Czech initials for the nib point, similar to EF for Extra Fine.
Versions
There is only one version of the Nikko 5 nib in the Chappy's Nibs collection. The nib pictured below is Nikko 5.
Photos
Click any image for a full-resolution photo: 2200 x 640. The image with the ruler is 2300 x 1196.
