Fountain pens come in a vast range of designs and styles, but there are some generic – some might say classic – design types that are frequently seen and frequently copied.
Another point which distinguishes pen designs is the nib. Nibs may be traditional – fully exposed – or they may be hooded or semi-hooded. Lastly, they can also be integrated with the pen body.
Further distinguishing features are the material the pen is made of. Pens may be plastic, metal or wood or a combination of these. The material may be coloured with a single colour or patterned. The plastic may be translucent or completely transparent – otherwise known as ‘demonstrator’ pens. The transparency is sometimes confined to the ink tank.
Many pen makers will often brand their pens with their distinctive logos or patterns, usually on the end cap or clip. Examples include the Mont Blanc ‘snowcap’, the Parker arrow, the Conway Stewart diamond, the Visconti ‘bridge’, the Pelikan pelican bill clip, the Sailor anchor, the Sheaffer ‘white dot’, the Nettuno trident and the Jinhao chariot.