Kokuyo’s Mistral line is so wide (and increasingly expensive) that you can’t help but try to set personal limits on what you will try to collect. First it’s ‘whatever I can find’ or ‘whatever I can budget for’. Then it’s ’sure would be nice if I could get one other form factor’… and soon you’re trying to fill in the blanks you never knew you cared about.
For me, the pinstriped PS-3-1 was never a priority. The PS-3 was more beautiful in glossy blue and red anyway! Plus, the stripes weren’t even etched… I believe they were screen printed, which means they can be scratched off.
But like I said in the beginning, time will fill all gaps. One day, I was contemplating a listing for a Pilot Hi-Tecpoint with etched stripes, like a possible match up for some of my etched Pilot and Platinum MPs. But the modern linearity of then Hi-Tecpoint was at odds with the more curvaceous 70s era designs.
Instead, it reminded me of the similarly styled Mistral. Painted on stripes be damned, they matched really nicely together! Next Mistral gap coming right up…
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I think that’s what kept me from grabbing a PS-3-1, the fact that the stripes aren’t etched. It brings down the value a lot, yet I think most collector bid prices are expecting etched lines.
Still it’s a beautiful pencil. I think my favorite from the Mistral line is the PS-100.
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I think my resistance to non-etched designs was weakened by continued exposure to cool screen printed designs like the Sharplet 500/501, the many Pilot ‘aerospace’ stripe variations, Tombow Create etc.
For Mistral, I’m more partial to the PS-3 and 4 series… they seem very nicely balanced for finishes and quality of the mechanism. PS-100s feel a bit too precious? 
Least favorite: PS-11 trio with color plastic grips… cranky pivots and too many rusty examples for sale.
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You’ve got a wonderful collection. So many interesting variants. THIS is probably my favorite from PILOT–the combination of colors and gleaming silver stripes / rings.
The PS-3 is curious… with several variants under that moniker. I don’t know why they just didn’t increment the numbers further, such as PS-5, PS-6, PS-7, etc.
The PS-100, 101, and 102 have the drawback of no deliberate effort to improve grip (such as cut grooves), but despite their smooth taper, I find grip pretty decent. For a time this series had a glut and was commonly found. I have like 3 of each now. Lately? Haven’t seen them. I search both Mecari and YAJ.
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Thanks, Gary!
Woah! 3 each of the PS-100s? Shock and awe!
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