Impulse buy on ebay

[diplomat]

Hello guys,

 

I am completely new to Eversharp, but today I was browsing the net for some early 20s Eversharp... and somehow I liked this Skyline and put there an offer. Finally now I received confirmation (I almost forget about it :embarrassed_smile: ) that my bid was the winning one. Ops!

 

Now: may I ask advise from you experts on what is it (approx year, colour, rarity...) and if the price paid is ok or too high (25£)?

I see there is the sac to replace, but that's ok: if the section is not too difficoult to part from the barrel tha's a small repair I am used to do.

 

Here's the auction: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...:EOIBSA:GB:1123

 

And here's a pic: http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4271/weskyline.jpg

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

Andre

 

[rhosygell]

Nice pen, I have an identical specimen myself. Made anytime between 1941 and 1949 ish, not hugely rare but absolutely superb to use nonetheless.

[Pepin]

Hello guys,

 

I am completely new to Eversharp, but today I was browsing the net for some early 20s Eversharp... and somehow I liked this Skyline and put there an offer. Finally now I received confirmation (I almost forget about it :embarrassed_smile: ) that my bid was the winning one. Ops!

 

Now: may I ask advise from you experts on what is it (approx year, colour, rarity...) and if the price paid is ok or too high (25£)?

I see there is the sac to replace, but that's ok: if the section is not too difficoult to part from the barrel tha's a small repair I am used to do.

 

Here's the auction: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...:EOIBSA:GB:1123

 

And here's a pic: http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4271/weskyline.jpg

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

Andre

 

Price is high. I've seen ( on more than one occasion) identical set with pencil and box go for less than $25, and one time at $16 USD.

 

[tablaman]

Hell There, Pretty pen. Important to keep in mind on these old Skylines is that the barrel threads are fragile. You should soak this puppy until the section can be removed rather easily. At the price you paid you definitely do not want to rush the restoration.

Enjoy!

 

 

Hello guys,

 

I am completely new to Eversharp, but today I was browsing the net for some early 20s Eversharp... and somehow I liked this Skyline and put there an offer. Finally now I received confirmation (I almost forget about it :embarrassed_smile: ) that my bid was the winning one. Ops!

 

Now: may I ask advise from you experts on what is it (approx year, colour, rarity...) and if the price paid is ok or too high (25£)?

I see there is the sac to replace, but that's ok: if the section is not too difficoult to part from the barrel tha's a small repair I am used to do.

 

Here's the auction: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...:EOIBSA:GB:1123

 

And here's a pic: http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4271/weskyline.jpg

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

Andre

 

Price is high. I've seen ( on more than one occasion) identical set with pencil and box go for less than $25, and one time at $16 USD.

 

[diplomat]

Thank you very much for the early replies.

I was imagining that the price could possibly be high compared to the USA market. But on the other hand you have to chose between a low price and a quick and safest delivery.

And the advice on the barrel thread is much appreciated too... are the threads cemented with shellac? Should I use some hot air to help unscrew?

 

Is the double check on the clip somehow helping in dating the pen towards the early 40s? I remember that this symbol was dropped in late speciemen...

 

Cheers,

[Wahlnut]

Skylines came in a number of different styles and price ranges from what we might today call student models all the way up to solid gold. The upper end pens that came with a "lifetime guarantee" all had double checks, the lower end pens like the Skyliner for example did not all have the double check lifetime guarantee. Yours being a gold filled cap model I think that the equivalent of $40 is a very good price even if it needs a new sac. If the nib is original, sometimes the design of the embossing on the nib can be helpful in dating the pen. But so many nibs have been replaced that unless the pen is known to be unchanged since new it is hard to date the pen absolutely by nib However, there were as many as 5 different nib styles over the almost decade the pen was in production, and they can sometimes point to right time frame.

 

Syd

[penmanila]

jim mamoulides has a great piece on skylines here:

 

http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Evershar...harpSkyline.htm

 

i have a few of them myself--very nice writers! i didn't realize that they (the later models) used breather tubes inside the rubber sac (like parker vacs) until i took a good one apart. be careful not to break it--it won't work as well, otherwise.

Edited June 30, 2009 by penmanila

[ToasterPastry]

If that pen writes as smooth as oil-on-teflon-coated-glass (avoiding the words 'buttery-smooth')--which many Eversharp Skylines have been known to do--then 25-pounds is a steal. With many e-Bay purchases there can be 'hidden costs' of restoring a fountain pen. Surprisingly everyone who sells fountain pens on eBay has absolutely no idea whether it works or not, but always seems to know a good starting price for them. Syd is right about the various nib options. I have 3 of them, and they all write differently. I prefer the 5-1/4-inch size like you're getting. Beware, as 'tablaman' stated, the plastic barrel has been known to crack when changing out the sac.

[JulioPB]

Andre:

 

I am not an expert but you made a great buy for this nice pen at a very good price,

 

¡Congratulations!

 

You will feel the nib and I am sure you will enjoy it,

 

Julko

 

[Kelly G]

First off - you have a fair deal - sometimes you can get a Skyline dirt cheap - other times not so much. You did good. I have a slew of these pens - I can't resist them. My experience is they will restore well.

 

The caution on the plastic is real - my suggestion is: use 145 degree F. heat on the barrel threads to relax the plastic and soften any shellac that might be there. There shouldn't be any shellac, but you never can tell with an old pen. What ever you do, don't become impatient with this pen. Heat is your friend, heat the barrel to remove the section and heat the barrel to re-insert it. I've cracked the threads on one of these getting in a rush.

 

Properly restored, these are wonderful pens and the nibs are great.

 

Good luck with your pen.

[diplomat]

Thank you all for your kind comments!

 

The penhero link is great stuff: looks like I have a Standard Presentation 1943/48 like the one which is pictured there. And - Syd - from the same source seems that the nib is original too: it has the trasversal engraving and the long breather hole like the one in pictures.

 

From what I read looks like it's a reliable pen with loads of variants. For sure a nice pen to collect.

 

Best,

[Shari]

I only have a couple of Skylines, but they are both wonderful writers. Very nice nibs. One of them is similar to yours and is the last pen I bought from Al Mayman. His price was higher than what you paid, and my latest Skyline, a blue moire, was quite a bit higher. If the pen writes as well as mine, I think you did quite well for yourself. Congratulations!

 

[framebaer]

careful or the skyline bug might bite!

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2009 by framebaer

[diplomat]

careful or the skyline bug might bite!

 

Ops! I did it again! :embarrassed_smile:

 

After spending some time reading the links you have in the pinned topic of this sub forum and because of the anticipation I have for the first Skyline, I am afraid yesterday night I was weak...

 

http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...em=350217645779

 

Thank you enablers...

[diplomat]

Some pic from the auction:

 

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/9734/weskylineblue2.jpg

 

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4176/weskylineblue1.jpg

 

Ciao,

[Rena]

Good going on the newest additions! Yeah, one of the nice things about Skylines is that there are so many varieties to choose from. Thought I'd help your new-found addiction along and show you mine (only 2 here, unlike framebaer's healthy collection).

 

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k313/Cankapopa/SkylineBurgundy.jpg

 

 

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k313/Cankapopa/SkylineBrownMarranMoire.jpg

[diplomat]

That striped celluloid is gorgeous. And that is said by someone fond on Balances and Pelikans!

[diplomat]

A quick update.

 

I received the pens a few weeks ago, but I started to clean them yesterday. I opened both carefully, and they separated (section from barrel) quite easily. Externally both pens looks in good to excellent conditions, nib included.

 

Inside, I've found that both have problems (well, one was caused by me! :-0)

 

• The Brown Presentation had a twisted sac, like someone got inside a sac bigger than allowed, and most of all had the inner lever mechanism broke next to the lever. However the sac seemed in good preserved condition and went out quite easily. The section is fine.
• The Blue one had a terribly stuck sac, it was like cement... when trying to remove it, I broke the section mouth my bad. The barrel (and lever mechanism) is perfect and has a good resilience.

 

Yesterday evening I made several UC cycles and now they are drying. My goal now is to use the brown section (which is complete) in the blue pen, so that I can use it. In the same time I'll go on with repairing the blue section. If my attempt will work, I'll switch back the section in the blue pen.

But I am afraid that I am not able to repair the lever mechanism in the brown pen. I'll try to find some spare on ebay, the back up solution is to use it as a pump filler...

 

 

Overall I like the design of the pen when in hand, well balanced and with the right "curves". The quality also looks ok. they've must be user pens, but externally they are in great conditions.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Andre

[Akumar]

A quick update.

 

I received the pens a few weeks ago, but I started to clean them yesterday. I opened both carefully, and they separated (section from barrel) quite easily. Externally both pens looks in good to excellent conditions, nib included.

 

Inside, I've found that both have problems (well, one was caused by me! :-0)

 

• The Brown Presentation had a twisted sac, like someone got inside a sac bigger than allowed, and most of all had the inner lever mechanism broke next to the lever. However the sac seemed in good preserved condition and went out quite easily. The section is fine.
• The Blue one had a terribly stuck sac, it was like cement... when trying to remove it, I broke the section mouth my bad. The barrel (and lever mechanism) is perfect and has a good resilience.

 

Yesterday evening I made several UC cycles and now they are drying. My goal now is to use the brown section (which is complete) in the blue pen, so that I can use it. In the same time I'll go on with repairing the blue section. If my attempt will work, I'll switch back the section in the blue pen.

But I am afraid that I am not able to repair the lever mechanism in the brown pen. I'll try to find some spare on ebay, the back up solution is to use it as a pump filler...

 

 

Overall I like the design of the pen when in hand, well balanced and with the right "curves". The quality also looks ok. they've must be user pens, but externally they are in great conditions.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Andre

 

 

By the way what is diplo in your signature?

[diplomat]

By the way what is diplo in your signature?

 

Simply the short for diplomat... why?

I just hope that there is not a bad meaning in some foreign language!