Springing a Sprung nib on a Spring Day

[jbb]

I found this no-name desk pen and holder at a yard sale for one dollar today. The 14K warranted nib was badly bent, tips crossing when I got it but it seems to have straightened out well enough to write even with my primative techniques. I used a nail file and some jewelry pliers to straighten it and smooth it out. It's now re-sacced and writing smoothly. It starts a bit slow so I think I need a tad more adjustment.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4612918723_68d8fca43e.jpg

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/4612918963_3810caa750_o.jpg

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4612919325_cd0ccc0114_o.jpg

Edited May 16, 2010 by jbb

[Tommy]

Good job. I love those "dollar pens".

[Big Frankie]

Wow! Well done! Great find. Good luck with it!

 

-BF

[jbb]

Good job. I love those "dollar pens".

Thanks. I love yard sales! I was afraid to scrutinize the pen while at the sale so I grabbed a meat mallet and bought that too -- you know, to throw the seller off my scent. I didn't know if the pen even HAD a nib until I got in the car. I figured the base and holder were worth a dollar.

[Enai]

Oooo, nice restoration. Very nice color, too--the base and pen tail in the first photo are showing up as light green on my monitor.

[79spitfire]

Looks like you scored pretty good there!

 

But I'm not typing that five times fast,

 

Springing a Sprung nib on a Spring Day, Springing a Sprung nib on a Spring Day, Springing a Sprung nib on a Spring Day, Springalsjkdfytpalsdaf

 

nuts

[Tommy]

Good job. I love those "dollar pens".

I grabbed a meat mallet and bought that too -- you know, to throw the seller off my scent.

 

LOL. Did you threaten him with the mallet to get the price down to a dollar, or did he give it up easily?

 

I've found quite a few great pens over the years at sales like that. It just takes lots of time to get lucky. I wonder how much longer fountain pens will still be around in the wild like that. They're getting pretty scarce. Eventually all the old timers that were alive when FPs were popular will be gone. Their possessions will be gone too. The only place to find vintage pens will be other collectors and dealers.

[jbb]

Oooo, nice restoration. Very nice color, too--the base and pen tail in the first photo are showing up as light green on my monitor.

The base is a nice mint green and the tail is a somewhat darker medium green. The base also has thin yellow stripes in the black part of the lower base that don't show well in the photo.

[jbb]

Good job. I love those "dollar pens".

I grabbed a meat mallet and bought that too -- you know, to throw the seller off my scent.

 

LOL. Did you threaten him with the mallet to get the price down to a dollar, or did he give it up easily?

 

I've found quite a few great pens over the years at sales like that. It just takes lots of time to get lucky. I wonder how much longer fountain pens will still be around in the wild like that. They're getting pretty scarce. Eventually all the old timers that were alive when FPs were popular will be gone. Their possessions will be gone too. The only place to find vintage pens will be other collectors and dealers.

The seller paid more attention to the mallet and some odd widget my husband was buying than the pen. :roflmho:

[rwilsonedn]

Great job on that nib! I'll bet it sprang back into shape voluntarily just so it could be the pen that wrote with your wonderful penmanship.

ron

[Enai]

Oooo, nice restoration. Very nice color, too--the base and pen tail in the first photo are showing up as light green on my monitor.

The base is a nice mint green and the tail is a somewhat darker medium green. The base also has thin yellow stripes in the black part of the lower base that don't show well in the photo.

 

Thanks for the helpful visuals. Taking a more careful look, I think I do see the yellow stripes on the base. I'm curious--what's the material of the mint green part on the base?

[jbb]

Thanks for the helpful visuals. Taking a more careful look, I think I do see the yellow stripes on the base. I'm curious--what's the material of the mint green part on the base?

The base is plastic and reminiscent of a 1930s bathroom tile. One interesting feature is that the pen screws into the trumpet of the holder. I've never had a desk pen that did that before. This morning when I tested the pen it started right up and is very smooth.

Edited May 17, 2010 by jbb

[Fountainbass]

What a cool find!!

 

Springing a Sprung nib on a Spring Day, Springing a Sprung nib on a Spring Day, Springing a Sprung nib on a Spring Day, Springalsjkdfytpalsdaf

 

nuts

:roflmho: :roflmho:

[Enai]

Thanks for the helpful visuals. Taking a more careful look, I think I do see the yellow stripes on the base. I'm curious--what's the material of the mint green part on the base?

The base is plastic and reminiscent of a 1930s bathroom tile. One interesting feature is that the pen screws into the trumpet of the holder. I've never had a desk pen that did that before. This morning when I tested the pen it started right up and is very smooth.

 

Bathroom tile--again, thank you for the visuals. I did notice the threads on the pen and was wondering about them.

[Rena]

What a good looking pen, JBB — very handsome shape and pretty color. Good work!