Low-Tier Clearance

April 5, 2009

I regard the money spent on acquiring, cleaning up, renovating and writing with these pens to count as part of my tuition in the school of fountain pens. At the same time, if someone cares to help rebate some of that tuition, I will gladly make available the following pens for your own collections. I have filled and written with all of the except the Jumbo (I have dipped that one, but not tried to master the intricacies of the eye-dropper filling system).

Each has its virtues, but since I've learned to love other brands and models more, these will get no more fond attention 'round my place any more.

First,then, the Jumbo pen. I picked it up on a whim, before I knew any of the history of Jumbo pens, and it's clearly not at the forefront of the domain: no painting, and the lacquer is mottled. I haven't tested the filling mechanism -- I haven't even quite figured it out. But I've dip-tested the pen, and the nib functions adequately for its category. I'd like $12.50 for it, including shipping CONUS.

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As for the rest --

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The first is a Grodin lever-filler. The furniture is handsome and the material would be a lovely translucent cream, except that the interior has been stained (I thought I could clean it all up, but could get only most of it clean by application of elbow grease; if you have an ultrasound cleaner, you may be able to spruce it up more). The nib is very nice, and someone who's good at flex may be able to extract flexion from it; that's just not the way my hand works, so I simply appreciated its line. $12.50 including shipping CONUS.

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Next is a no-name red marbled syringe filler. $10 shipped CONUS.

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Third: it's unfair really to call this a low-tier pen, since it's a Sheaffer Award. It's nicer than a student pen, but not by any means a fancy pen; I don't see the Awards circulating much, so if you hanker for a modern dark green cartridge/converter filler from Sheaffer, this is a golden opportunity. $15.00 shipped CONUS.

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Fourth, a beautiful Wearever lever-filler with rich brown striations. Medium iridium nib, I don't see any brassing on the furniture, as nice a commodity Wearever as I've seen. $15 shipped CONUS.

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Fifth, a Wahl-Oxford lever-filler, brown-red-amber cracked ice celluloid, with a small Wahl-Oxford 2 nib. The lever is a bit loose, and there's not much sign of gold plating left (if this ever was gold-plated), but it's a handsome pen with rich celluloid, from a distinguished company. $20 shipped CONUS.

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Sixth, a blue Pelikan Future. The cap has never posted steadily on this, but it's a sturdy, reliable writer with a medium-fine steel nib. I'll include the three Pelikan black ink cartridges I have left (though it does fine with paired International carts). $15.

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Seventh, a rose-swirled Arnold lever-filler. The celluloid is the nicest part of this one; the furniture is quite brassed, and the small visualaated part is somewhat stained. $10 shipped CONUS.

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Eighth, a somewhat blobby amber no-name lever-filler; the celluloid reminds me of butterscotch candy with the sort of fruits and nuts mixed in that make one hesitate to pop it into one's mouth. Inkstain at the very point of the cap. $15 shipped CONUS.

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And last of all, a no-name amber marbled button-filler. Supreme gold-plated nib, visulated section. $15 CONUS.

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I've tested all of these for at least a short time each (again, excluding the Jumbo) and all functioned satisfactorily. Since they're old and humble from the start, I can't make far-reaching warranties; on the other hand, there's nothing particularly fancy about them or their mechanisms, so you can probably fix them if they begin misbehaving.

April 5, 2009

PM sent on Wearever

April 5, 2009

Wearever on hold.

April 6, 2009

I would like the Grodin and the last no name one if possible.

April 6, 2009

Sheaffer Award is on hold pending conclusion.

April 6, 2009

Wahl-Oxford and Amber butterscotch on hold.

Jumbo, Grodin, Rose syringe, Pelikan, Arnold, and amber button-filler still available.

April 6, 2009

Grodin and Amber Button-Fill sold.

Jumbo, rose marbled syringe-filler, Arnold, and Pelikan available; Sheaffer Award still on hold.

Edited April 6, 2009 by AKMA

April 7, 2009

Morning bump; inexpensive pens for precarious economic times. Jumbo, Rose syringe-filler, Pelikan Future, and Ah-nold available; Sheaffer Award on hold.

April 8, 2009

Bump, with reductions:

Jumbo pen, $10

Rose syringe-filler, $7.50

Sheaffer Award, $12.50

Arnold, $7.50

April 8, 2009

The Arnold is taken, with two on the waiting list (!). Jumbo, Sheaffer, and syringe-filler still available. Make an offer for the group!

April 8, 2009

Great photos AK! They make me want to buy the lot! But alas, it is still Lent and I've done my best to abstain, failing only twice! Ooops, forgot about the Atlanata Pen Show purchases; do they count?

The Arnold is taken, with two on the waiting list (!). Jumbo, Sheaffer, and syringe-filler still available. Make an offer for the group!

April 8, 2009

Thanks, Pendleton! I am not a judge or divider among people when it comes to Lenten discipline -- I can neither acquit nor indict you.

As to the photos, I can see vividly some problems; my camera seems set on underexposing, which I have to remember to reset every time (and I don't always remember); and it doesn't permit me to get as close as I'd like to the pens. The color temperature's a problem, too; the two bulbs I bought, each of which advertises full spectrum natural light, clearly generate different colored light. But that, too, is part of the tuition.