What is it?

[Arthur Pewty]

I've just bought this button-filler pen online. The seller says it's Italian celluloid from the 1940s, but doesn't identify the maker. There's no name on the clip, although it is distinctive with that broad arrowhead tip. The other clue I can see is the intriguing symbol on the nib. I can't be sure that's original though. Any ideas?

 

I hope the seller won't mind my borrowing these photos from the listing. They're far clearer than anything I would get with my camera.

[DvdRiet]

It’s got a lovely Degussa nib, but that’s about all I can tell you, sorry

[OMASsimo]

Looks like a beautiful pen and the Degussa nib should be great. But what indication does the seller have to think it is Italian? It could also be a German export model, maybe late 1940s or more likely 1950s.

[fabri00]

I agree, there are no sign distinctive of an italian production on that pen.

[Arthur Pewty]

I don't know how the seller decided it's an Italian pen. Was I mistaken in thinking the clip was a clue?

 

Now I'm curious: was it ever common for some makers to leave their pens as it were anonymous, with no name or logo? If a pen was made for a store, was it left to the store to brand it themselves?

[OMASsimo]

At least on the German market, there were countless pen makers selling their pens unbranded. There was a thriving industry for pen parts and all you had to do was making a barrel. So, every jeweller or stationer could make their own pens from standard parts and sell them cheap on the local market. It might have been similar in Italy with many local artisans making pens. They didn’t need to brand them, the most important thing was that they were cheap and worked well. I have both unbranded pens and a pen that was branded for a local stationer.