Introduction

I have been a fan of the Pilot Capless/Namiki Vanishing Point fountain pen since I bought my first Vanishing Point 11 years ago.  Nine years ago I started collecting the early Vanishing Point and Pilot Capless (the predecessor to the Vanishing Point) pens, and I started to keep a file of all the information I found on these great writing instruments.

What's New  
 

  Want to Trade - For all you Capless Vanishing Point collectors:

I want to trade my pink w/ brushed aluminum barrel 1965 short body Pilot Capless for another color and finish that I do not have.  Here is a link to a picture of the color and finishes that I already have. http://carmenriverapens.com/trade.htm
 
I am interested in regular length or short body.  The pink color is the hardest color to find.  Even harder to find in the short body.

(May 22, 2009)  Just got 3 prototype Vanishing Points: two lightish reds and one lightish blue.  The three pens with the tags on the pocket clip in the picture below are the regular production, released in the U.S., pens.  The red pen with no tag and the two with round stickers are the prototypes.  I was told that the stickered VPs are trimmed with chrome rather than rhodium.  Looking at them I can't tell the difference.  All three of the prototypes have 14K gold nibs dated 1998 or 1999.  Thought I saw a while back a picture of a lightish red with gold trim VP for sale in Japan, but I have never seen the lightish blue or red with chrome (or rhodium) trim.

(May 15, 2009)  Just uploaded over 40 pens for sale to my Web site.  Most are very desirable limited editions from the '90s.  I have a nice selection of Montblancs, Viscontis, Auroras and Pelikans, among others.  I even have a Pilot Mandarin Yellow Vanishing Point for sale.  

You can see them all at the new Carmen Rivera Pens for sale list of fountain pens, ballpoints and rollerballs.

(February 1, 2009)  I have added four new beauties to the Pilot Namiki Capless/Vanishing Point fountain pen history page.  First is the first model Pilot released after it stopped producing the still popular plastic-faceted barrel pen.  This lacquered enamled barrel with gold trim was first released in 1998 in Japan before it was released to the American market.  The Japanese version has 18K gold nibs, the American version has 14K gold nibs.  

Next is the long-overdue picture upload of the gun metal gray.  Released in November 2007, this gray is a beautiful dark metallic gray.  It is the exact same color as the Sesenta gray.  The nib is 18K yellow gold.

The next VP is the purple limited edition released in August 2008.  2008 pens were made in purple, 900 were released in the U.S.  The pen came in a lovely purple box with a magnetic clasp.  The nib is rhodium-plated 18K gold.  

Finally, Pilot has released another yellow VP (September 2008).  This yellow is NOT like the May 2003 limited edition Mandarin yellow Vanishing Point.  This yellow is a little lighter than the "mustard" yellow VP that was released in December 2000 in Japan.  The Mandarin yellow is more of a lemony yellow.  The nib in the new yellow VP is 18K yellow gold, the Mandarin yellow has a 14K yellow gold nib.  

For those who are interested in seeing the different shades of yellow (alongside the orange) that Pilot offers in their Vanishing Points I have added a picture below to illustrate the differences.  While I was at it, I decided to add VPs in the various grays, silvers, rhodium, and chrome that Pilot also released.  Below the picture I listed the official colors of the fountain pens.

From left to right: 1) gray (released in Japan); 2) slate gray (the exact same color as the previous gray); 
3) gun metal gray; 4) gray (Decimo, Japan, the exact same color as the previous gun metal gray); 
5) rhodium (all rhodium plated); 6) silver (Japan, w/ alloy nib); 7) chrome (the exact same color as the previous silver); 8) diamond silver (Fermo, Japan, less sparkly silver than the previous two silvers); 
9) orange; 10) deep yellow (unoffiallly known as "mustard yellow" here in the US, Japan, w/ alloy nib); 11) yellow; 12) Mandarin yellow.

ORANGE CRUSH (October 2007)
Pilot released its first numbered limited edition Vanishing Point pen in September 2007.  Only 2007 pens were made in the orange, 900 for the U.S. mcasearket and 300 for Japan (I am still looking for other market info).  I love the orange color and the orange  it came in.  Most retailers are already sold out.  If you find one for sale, grab it before somebody else does!!!  For those of you who are interested in the smallest minutia of this model ... this was not the first time Pilot released the VP in orange.  Back in March 2005 Pilot issued a very limited release in the orange, along with the turquoise, to Tokyo-area stores.  These pens were NOT numbered and did not come with the fancy orange case.  So some of you folks might run into orange Capless pens that are not numbered.

SESENTA
Another limited edition is released by Pilot Japan, but not numbered.  The new (June 2007) Pilot Sesenta Capless comes in red marble (100 pens), blue/green marble (100), and brown (400).  At first I was not too impressed with the brown marble, but it has now grown on me.  I believe the blue/green is officially listed as blue, but the pen has enough green in it to make it more of an aquamarineish, tealish, cyanish-kinda color.  Also, the trim is made of chromium, not rhodium like the more recent models.

ICED PILOT (January 1, 2007)
In November 2006 Pilot USA released the new "Ice Blue" limited edition Vanishing Point pen.  Only 1500 pens will be made and will only be available with a medium nib.  I expect the Ice Blue will be as popular as the Mandarin Yellow.

PILOT IS TWISTING THINGS UP
I just added pictures of the new Pilot Capless Fermo (green).  Pilot has made a big change in their modern design by using a barrel-end twist mechanism that has not been used since 1966.  At the moment this pen is only available in Japan.  The Capless Fermos are available in black, blue, green and silver with 18K gold nibs.

New colors, narrower pens!!!   
I have just added six more pens to the Pilot Vanishing Point Pen History page.  Almost all are the Capless pens that were released only in Japan in the past seven years.  The newest and most significant change in the Capless line is the Pilot Decimo.  The pen has a narrower barrel, with three new vibrant colors, and a rhodium-plated 18K yellow gold nib (not a white gold nib).  Decimos come in dark blue, dark gray, harvest yellow, pearl white and champagne pink.  The champagne pink-colored Decimo is now my favorite modern Capless.  On July 15th, 2006, Pilot USA will release the less vibrant color of slate gray to the current U.S. line.  Tough to get excited about slate gray when you have had a taste of champagne pink!
    

                 
 

  
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Updated: June 5, 2009
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