---
title: "Anterique Ballpoint Pen: Retro Click, Mach Ball Ink"
canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/anterique-ballpoint-pen/"
description: "Anterique 0.5 mm ballpoint explained: a retro click pen with ultra-low-viscosity Mach Ball ink, 142 mm and 7 g, 34 to 41 colors, refills, Mini and Brass models."
category: "Pens"
type: "Ballpoint pen"
published: 2026-10-29
updated: 2026-10-29
author: "Ellis Penhale"
publisher: "Stationery Times"
sources: 8
products:
  - name: "Anterique Stationers ultra-low-viscosity ballpoint pen, 0.5 mm, Pitch Black (ATBP1-PB)"
    brand: "Anterique"
    brand_origin: "Japan"
    made_in: "Japan"
    material: "ABS plastic body (The Journal Shop); ultra-low-viscosity oil-based ink"
    price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "Anterique Stationers (Japan)"
    model: "ATBP1"
    mpn: "ATBP1-PB"
    gtin: "4580530180015"
---

# Anterique Ballpoint Pen: Retro Click, Mach Ball Ink

> The Anterique ballpoint is a retro-styled 0.5 mm click pen from Japanese brand Anterique Stationers, filled with an ultra-low-viscosity oil-based black ink it calls Mach Ball. The Journal Shop lists it at 142 mm and 7 g in ABS plastic, made in Japan. It comes in dozens of barrel colors and takes a replaceable refill.

- URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/anterique-ballpoint-pen/
- Category: Pens
- Author: Ellis Penhale
- Published: 2026-10-29
- Updated: 2026-10-29

![Anterique 0.5 mm ballpoint in Fire Red drawn to scale at 142 mm, with a gold-colored clip, ring and push button, and an inset of the 0.5 mm tip](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/anterique-ballpoint-pen-illustration-16x9.png?v=282f18fb)

*The standard pen at The Journal Shop's 142 mm, drawn at 1 mm = 5 px.* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): <https://stationerytimes.com/images/anterique-ballpoint-pen-illustration.svg?v=fe94a7c1>. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Product facts

| Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anterique Stationers ultra-low-viscosity ballpoint pen, 0.5 mm, Pitch Black (ATBP1-PB) | Anterique (by Anterique Stationers (Japan)) | Japan | Japan | ABS plastic body (The Journal Shop); ultra-low-viscosity oil-based ink | – | $$: $5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) |

- Made in (Anterique Stationers ultra-low-viscosity ballpoint pen, 0.5 mm, Pitch Black (ATBP1-PB)): Japan. The Journal Shop gives Japan as the country of origin, The Gentleman Stationer says the pens are made by Anterique Stationers in Japan, and Hunter Paper says the refill is made in Japan. We couldn't reach a maker's website. Source: https://www.thejournalshop.com/en-us/products/anterique-vintage-oil-based-ballpoint-pen-0-5mm

## Key takeaways

- The Journal Shop lists the pen at 142 × 10 × 13 mm (5.6 in long) and 7 g, in ABS plastic, with Japan as the country of origin.
- It writes 0.5 mm in black only; the refill is the ATBP1-AB, per Yoseka, and Hunter Paper says it also fits the brass BP2.
- Yoseka listed 34 barrel colors and The Gentleman Stationer 41 on October 29, 2026; the Mini is 100 mm long.
- In The Gentleman Stationer's February 2025 comparison, Anterique ink dried faster than Jetstream and Acroball ink but wrote a little lighter.
- The name joins antique and technique: an old-style body around a modern low-viscosity refill.

## What is the Anterique ballpoint pen?

**It is a cheap, vintage-looking click ballpoint with a modern low-viscosity ink inside.** Anterique Stationers is a Japanese brand whose name, Yoseka says, mixes antique and technique: old silhouettes with new internals.

Yoseka sells it as the Ultra-Low Viscosity Ballpoint Pen, and The Gentleman Stationer as the Mach Ball .5mm Ballpoint. Both describe the same 0.5 mm black refill, model ATBP1, in a slim click body.

## Anterique ballpoint specs

**No maker spec sheet was reachable, so these figures come from retailers, as marked.** The Journal Shop's size and weight are from its two-tone listing of the same 0.5 mm pen.

| Spec | Anterique ballpoint, 0.5 mm |
|---|---|
| Tip | 0.5 mm ball (all retailers) |
| Ink | Ultra-low-viscosity oil-based, black (Yoseka) |
| Size | 142 × 10 × 13 mm (5.6 × 0.4 × 0.5 in) (The Journal Shop) |
| Weight | 7 g (The Journal Shop) |
| Material | ABS plastic (The Journal Shop) |
| Refill | ATBP1-AB (Yoseka) |
| Colors | 34 at Yoseka, 41 at The Gentleman Stationer |
| Versions | Standard, Mini (100 mm), Brass Edition |

![Anterique standard ballpoint 142 mm long next to the Mini at 100 mm](https://stationerytimes.com/images/anterique-ballpoint-pen-lengths.svg?v=3ab427c9)

*The standard pen and the Mini, from The Journal Shop and Yoseka. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*

## What is Mach Ball ink?

**It is Anterique's name for its ultra-low-viscosity oil-based ink, which flows more like oil than the sticky paste of an old ballpoint.** Yoseka says such thin ink would leak from an ordinary tip, so Anterique pairs it with a precisely made tip that has a built-in spring to meter the flow.

That puts it in the same family as the uni Jetstream and Pilot Acroball. The Gentleman Stationer ranks the darkness of the four common refills as Acroball, Jetstream, Anterique, then OHTO, and the drying speed in the reverse order.


## How does it compare with the Jetstream and Acroball?

**It trades a little darkness for speed of drying, according to one reviewer's comparison.** The Gentleman Stationer's February 8, 2025 test called fast drying Anterique's biggest selling point.

| | Anterique | uni Jetstream | Pilot Acroball |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ink | Mach Ball low-viscosity | Low-viscosity oil | Acro low-viscosity oil |
| Darkness (Gentleman Stationer) | Third of four | Second | Darkest |
| Dry speed (Gentleman Stationer) | Second fastest | Third | Slowest |
| Tip sizes | 0.5 mm only | Several | Several |

For the Japanese mainstream picks, see our [uni-ball Jetstream RT](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-rt/) and [Pilot Acroball](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-acroball/) guides, and our [best ballpoint pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-ballpoint-pens/) roundup for the wider field.

## What other versions are there?

**Three bodies share the idea: the standard plastic pen, a 100 mm Mini, and a Brass Edition.** Yoseka lists the Mini at 100 mm (3.9 in) long in nine colors, and says it takes its own ATR-BP10 refill.

The Brass Edition has a machined brass barrel and takes the standard refill; The Gentleman Stationer launched it at US$29 in April 2023, against US$5.50 for the plastic pen. Hunter Paper also sells an Anterique Retro 0.5 mm that takes an R-BP50 refill and lists a 156 × 8.4 mm size; its different refill code suggests a different body from the ATBP1, so check the code before you order.

## Can you swap parts and colors?

**Yes: The Gentleman Stationer says the parts are interchangeable, so you can build your own color combination.** It also sells two-tone and tricolor versions alongside the plain ones.

The Well-Appointed Desk's September 4, 2023 review found no rattle or wobble when writing and noted a wedge-shaped push button, not a round one. It likened the refill to a D1 with wings and said it would be easy to replace.

## Where is it made, and what does it cost in the US?

**In Japan, per The Journal Shop and The Gentleman Stationer.** Hunter Paper also says the refill is made in Japan.

On October 29, 2026, Yoseka listed the standard pen at US$6 in 34 colors, The Journal Shop's US store at US$6, and The Gentleman Stationer at US$5.50. Refills are sold separately; we couldn't read JetPens or Amazon, which block our tools.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is the Anterique pen a gel pen?

No. It is an oil-based ballpoint with an ultra-low-viscosity ink, the same family as the Jetstream and Acroball, not a water-based gel ink.

### What refill does the Anterique ballpoint take?

The standard pen takes the 0.5 mm black ATBP1-AB refill, per Yoseka, which Hunter Paper says also fits the brass BP2. The 100 mm Mini takes the ATR-BP10.

### Does Anterique make other tip sizes or ink colors?

Not for this refill: The Gentleman Stationer says the Mach Ball refill comes only in 0.5 mm black. The barrel colors change, not the ink.

### Can an Anterique refill go in a vintage BIC Clic?

Often, says The Gentleman Stationer, which has refilled many vintage Clic pens with it; some need the refill trimmed or extended. We haven't tried it.

### Is the Anterique pen good for left-handers?

The Gentleman Stationer says the ink dries almost instantly, but The Well-Appointed Desk found it smudged on Tomoe River paper. Paper matters; our test will check it.

### Is there a metal Anterique pen?

Yes, a Brass Edition with a machined brass barrel, which The Gentleman Stationer launched at US$29 in 2023. It takes the same refill.

## Sources

- [Yoseka Stationery: Anterique Stationers Ultra-Low Viscosity Ballpoint Pen, 0.5 mm (34 colors, Mach Ball ink, spring tip, ATBP1-AB refill; read October 29, 2026)](https://yosekastationery.com/products/anterique-stationers-ultra-low-viscosity-ballpoint-pen-0-5mm)
- [Yoseka Stationery: Anterique Ultra-Low Viscosity Ballpoint Pen, Mini, 0.5 mm (100 mm long, ATR-BP10 refill)](https://yosekastationery.com/products/anterique-stationers-ultra-low-viscosity-ballpoint-pen-mini-0-5mm)
- [The Journal Shop: Anterique Vintage Oil-Based Ballpoint Pen, 0.5 mm (W142 × H10 × D13 mm, 7 g, ABS, country of origin Japan)](https://www.thejournalshop.com/en-us/products/anterique-vintage-oil-based-ballpoint-pen-0-5mm)
- [The Gentleman Stationer: Anterique Mach Ball .5mm Ballpoint Pen (Standard, 41 colors; made by Anterique Stationers in Japan; read October 29, 2026)](https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/the-curated-shop/anterique-stationers-mach-ball-ballpoint)
- [The Gentleman Stationer: Comparing low viscosity ballpoint pens, Jetstream vs Acroball vs Anterique vs Ohto (February 8, 2025)](https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2025/2/8/comparing-low-viscosity-ballpoint-pens-jetstream-vs-acroball-vs-anterique-vs-ohto)
- [The Gentleman Stationer: New Arrivals, Anterique Ballpoints and Lamy Pico (April 11, 2023; interchangeable parts, standard and Brass Edition prices)](https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2023/4/11/new-arrivals-anterique-ballpoints-and-lamy-pico-pocket-pens)
- [The Well-Appointed Desk: Pen Review, Anterique Ballpoint Pen (September 4, 2023)](https://wellappointeddesk.com/2023/09/pen-review-anterique-ballpoint-pen)
- [Hunter Paper Co.: Anterique BP1 Ballpoint Pen 0.5mm Refill (fits BP1 and BP2 brass; made in Japan)](https://hunterpaperco.com/products/anterique-bp1-ballpoint-pen-0-5mm-refill)