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Help Identifying A Mystery Pen Found At A Flea Market


theodore94

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Hi Everyone,

 

I'm a fledgling pen collector, and I recently took a risk at a local flea market: I bought an unmarked pen for $15. The pen has a really nice weight to it (1.2 oz) and it has a screw top and when the top is removed, it screws onto the bottom (see pictures). This makes me think it could be something special. But I can find no marking on the pen (nothing on the inside of the clip, either). Can anyone help me identify this pen?

 

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post-105752-0-98432800-1408414520.jpg

post-105752-0-64532800-1408414521.jpg

 

If you need any other picture angles, please let me know. Even if its nothing brand-name, it's still a pretty cool pen. Thank you all for your help! I appreciate you all!

 

 

 

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Posted Images

Here are a few more pictures. The pen came in a very nice set with a few name brands (Wearever, Parker, Alvin, Schaefer, etc.)

 

post-105752-0-33919200-1408415194.jpg

post-105752-0-45148000-1408415195.jpg

post-105752-0-50594500-1408415196.jpg

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It looks to be a kit pen that someone has made. It looks to be a nice piece of acrylic! How does it write, that's the most important part.

Increase your IQ, use Linux AND a Fountain pen!!http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk11/79spitfire/Neko_animated.gif
http://fedoraproject.org/w/uploads/5/50/Fedorabutton-iusefedora.png

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Could you please put your camera on macro (it will have an icon that looks like a flower) and take a close-up photo of the nib so that we can see its details?

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I'm trying to take a few pictures of the pen now. I only have an iPhone camera which doesn't have a macro feature, but I'm going to try to use a DSLR from a friend. The nib says "IRIDIUM POINT GERMANY". I don't know if that means the whole pen was made in Germany or just the nib. There's also a "K" in a circle on the opposite side of the nib. I'll try to get more pictures and post them as soon as possible. I'll post the rest of the pens I bought from the same dealer as well, in case that gives us any clues.

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Okay.... I know these pictures aren't great, so I'll do my best to describe them.

 

This is the pen's nib. It is silver in color at the top and gold on the bottom. There are some fancy scrolls on the nib (if that means anything, I don't know).

 

post-105752-0-75634300-1408461649_thumb.jpg

 

This is the only real design on the pen. It's on the bottom of the cap (the screw section). I don't know if this will help anyone identify the pen.

 

post-105752-0-85050000-1408461650_thumb.jpg

 

This is pen #2. It's marked "ALVIN" on the clip and "Reform MADE IN GERMANY" on the base of the cap. The nib says "Reform IRIDIUM POINT". I'm not really sure what this pen is, either.

 

post-105752-0-88887800-1408461651_thumb.jpg

 

This is pen #3. It's marked "WEAREVER" on the clip. The barrel is a blue-gray color. The nib says "MEDIUM WEAREVER 8363 US"

 

post-105752-0-93300100-1408461652_thumb.jpg

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This is pen #4. The nib says "040851 SHEAFFER Feather Touch MADE IN US 5". The pen is marked on the barrel: "W.A. SHEAFFER PEN CO. FORT MADISON IOWA, U.S.A. U.S. PAT'S.RE.19.167+D-78,795 OTHER PAT PENDING" It's engraved with the name: "JANIE HOWARD" and the bottom of the pen comes out (not sure if that means its broken).

 

post-105752-0-19150900-1408461657_thumb.jpg

 

This is pen #5. Marked "SHEAFFER" on the clip and "SHEAFFER'S 304 MADE IN U.S.A." on the nib.

 

post-105752-0-16274700-1408461658_thumb.jpg

 

Just FYI: I paid USD$75 for the set ($15/pen).

Edited by theodore94
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79spitfire -- I didn't recognize the cartridge (and I didn't have anything that looked the same), so I borrowed a trick from my Waterman C/F and refilled it using Waterman ink and a hypodermic needle. The pen writes well -- smooth, the feed doesn't seem to have any problems. Whatever it is, it is a finely crafted pen (and probably worth my $15!)

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Reform was a company in Germany that made fountain pen's among other things, ALVIN would be the pen type.
I have a reform 1745.

I am trying to remember what city Reform was in.

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Black Spot... sorry this is off-topic... do you happen to know how to refill the Reform Alvin pen (the nib doesn't unscrew and there doesn't seem to be a way to suck the ink in)? Is it made of resin, lacquer, or plastic? Do you know if I overpaid?

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If I might, all of the Reform pens I have from the 50s-60s are piston fillers. Is there an ink window above the grip section?

 

Will

-----------------

 

Will von Dauster

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Yes there is an ink window.... (I tried to show it in the pictures but I guess it didn't come out well). How do you refill yours?

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The black end at the top of the barrel is the piston knob on mine. With the nib pointed away from you, I believe you turn the knob counter-clockwise to lower the piston, then clock wise (with the nib in ink) to fill it. These are old plastic pens, so try not to use excessive force. Once you've started the process, the piston knob should turn easily.

 

These tend to be fun pens to write with, a little bit of "tooth" (scratchiness) with the nib, but not too much.

 

Will

-----------------

 

Will von Dauster

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Hi Will, Might you be able to take a picture of your pen and post it on here? I don't see any kind of knob or anything on my pen. The barrel doesn't have anything that moves. Actually, when you put the cap on the back of the pen, the clip rotates around, but I'm not sure if that's doing anything or if that's just because the clip was loosely attached to the pen. I'd like to see what yours looks like to see if mine refills in the same way. Thank you for all your help!

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I'll take a stab at this.

The first is most likely a kit pen. Comes with all parts premade except the barrel, leaving choice for body material to you. In this case acrylic. Looks like someone made a great choice!

#2 Alvin/Reform probable piston fill

#3 WearEver cartridge pen

#4 Sheaffer Balance Vac Fill

#5 Sheaffer School Pen with F nib, cartridge fill.

 

These are just semi educated guesses, but the best I can do with the info before me.

 

Paul

"Nothing is impossible, even the word says 'I'm Possible!'" Audrey Hepburn

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Hi Will, Might you be able to take a picture of your pen and post it on here? I don't see any kind of knob or anything on my pen. The barrel doesn't have anything that moves. Actually, when you put the cap on the back of the pen, the clip rotates around, but I'm not sure if that's doing anything or if that's just because the clip was loosely attached to the pen. I'd like to see what yours looks like to see if mine refills in the same way. Thank you for all your help!

 

Unfortunately I don't have a Reform pen with me at work. I will try to remember this tonight, and take a quick snapshot.

 

Will

-----------------

 

Will von Dauster

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Funny enough I know very little about Reform pens.

Reform is not well known in Germany because the company concentrated on exports.

i do know they made a variety of pens varying from very good quality to very poor quality.

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Kidde thanks so much! that's a huge help. I might not have gotten the most valuable pens from this purchase, but I'm still glad I made a contribution to my collection and all the pens work really well.

Vondauster, I actually showed the Reform to a friend and they were able to show me the piston refill system. I'll give it a try later tonight.

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