18 Carat Swan

[rustynib]

Hi all,

 

A friend of mine has this unique Swan.

 

Very nice pen.

 

rustynib

[Cob]

Very nice: New York, early 1920s.. "Pat 1915" clip I expect.

 

I have just sold a rolled gold version; it has a wonderful nib. Those MT NY nibs from that period are usually (but sadly not always) lovely.

 

 

Cob

Edited October 4, 2016 by Cob

[rustynib]

WOW !

 

rusty

[PaulS]

rustynib - your friend's pen is very desirable. Forgive the ignorance - is the entire pen 18 ct. including the nib, and presume hallmarked.

 

I have something very similar to Cob's pen with '1915 patent mark' on the clip, although possibly a slightly different chased pattern on the body, and the pen body lacks any indications of fineness, although I assume it's either r.g. or g.f., and not solid.

When I first had the pen, and being very new to such things, I assumed with was a London made piece as indicated on the inside of the case, but having bought a loupe it's then easy to see it was made in U.S.A.

I've since read that these examples where the entire pen is covered with plate, there is frequently a loss of gold at the very front edge of the section, and you can see this effect in one of the attached pix - either it's the ink that causes the problem, or simply the fact that gold on an edge is prone to lifting.

Wouldn't say the nib have massive flex, but certainly has some. I've a New York Waterman from a similar sort of date, and presumably a 14 ct. nib - and that has massive flex to the nib - and writes beautifully, as you'd imagine.

[Cob]

The one I wrote about last year had lost plate at the end of the barrel, owing of course to posting.

 

As for your London box, I suspect that for some time, metal pens were imported from MT NY for sale in London. You are unlucky in that the nib is not flexible; at that date this would seem to have been the exception rather than the rule.

 

Cob

Edited April 10, 2017 by Cob

[CS388]

Very nice pens. I especially like that PaulS' pen has a gold section, even with the caveat mentioned in his accompanying post - the black section on gold pens is often a disappointment (to me), when I remove the cap. (purely aesthetically, of course)

 

Congratulations to all the owners.