Baignol & Farjon #1129EF Vahaza Pen Nib (Vintage)

Baignol & Farjon was one of the preeminent dip pen manufacturers in France, with a wide range of models to rival any American or English competitor. The Vahaza #1129EF is one of B&F's everyday writing pens, with an upturned tip that prevents snagging and a wide, shield-shaped body that holds lots of ink. A large, baseball-bat-shaped vent hole ensures constant flow, and hand-grinding at the tip adds some flexibility.

Our research revealed the origins of this pen's unusual name—'vahaza' is a word from the Malagasy language meaning 'white person' or 'foreigner.' French colonialism lasted well into the 20th century, and Madagascar (where Malagasy is spoken) was under French control until 1958. The word was apparently familiar enough to early 20th century French people that B&F chose to name a pen after it; beyond that, we don't know much about the company's thinking on this. (By the way, Western tourists in Madagascar are still called 'vahaza' by the locals today.)

Our stock of Vahaza #1129EF pens dates to approximately 1930. Thanks to the protective coating applied to all dip pens (even new ones produced today), these pens are in excellent vintage condition. They've been checked for rust and other defects by our experts and are ready to return to service on your desk.

As with any dip pen, you will need to remove the protective coating so that ink will stick to the nib consistently. To remove the coating, simply dip your new pen in ink a couple of times and wipe it off. Repeat until the ink coats the nib completely and doesn't bead up. This process takes about 15 seconds and only needs to be done once, before you use the pen for the first time.

Sold individually. Made in France. Appearance may vary slightly since this is a vintage item.