sheaffer and ?

[mantel]

I’m writing instrument collector beginner. Before few days I purchased two pens and could not find information in my catalogs (only one). Could somebody tell me something about these pieces?

1. Big black and dark brown fountain pen signed WIKING and under ROYAL, nibbles is two color gold 14k with sign like eye or sun

2. Schaeffer black fountain pen signed SHEAFFER PEN co., under MADISON IOWA, U.S.A, under patented in U.S.A and last row 875

Thank you in advance

pen.doc

[Oxonian]

Hello Mantel,

 

First of all welcome to FPN.

 

The nib in the Wiking pen is I think from previous posts a Degussa nib from Germany and from the spelling of the name the whole pen is probably from there.

I have seen one Wiking pen, this was some years ago in Poland, it had a blind cap on the barrel but I couldn't handle it to see whether it was a piston filler like a Pelikan and many other German pens or a button filler which is less common.

If Kaweco, who is a specialist on German pens amongst others, sees this thread then I am sure that more information will appear.

 

The Sheaffer could be one of several pens that carried the 875 number over the years that this numbering system was in use, this indicated the sales price in US dollars when new so 875 was $8.75, without a picture or more detailed description it is hard to which one of these pens it is. If you could say what the nib is like it would help, is the nib the tubular Triumph nib or the more normal looking open nib? How wide is the band on the cap? Does the clip go over the top of the cap?

all of these will help to narrow it down.

 

Cheers, John

[mantel]

Thank You John very much,

I attached word file with photos in my post, please let see it

regards

 

[Col]

QUOTE (mantel @ Mar 13 2007, 09:17 AM)

Thank You John very much, I attached word file with photos in my post, please let see it regards

Unfortunately mantel, your .doc file does not contain any pictures. Try uploading a picture directly to the forum by using 'File Attachments - Browse', which is just above the 'Add Reply' button.

[Oxonian]

Hi Mantel,

 

Sorry about that I didn't notice,

 

The Wiking is very similar to the one that I saw in Poznan, the dating of these German pens can be a little difficult as after WW2 companies took up making pens very similar to the ones that they made before the war. It looks to be about late 1930s but could be 40s but given where you are it is more likely to be pre-war or wartime manufsacture I would think. It is a piston filler, this will probably be a cork sealed piston and will be very delicate and need treating very carefully when you work on the pen. Degussa nibs are very good and if in good condition are great to use.

 

The Sheaffer is a 'military clip' white spot model from the 1940s, probably about 41-43, The clip was made this way so that the pen wouldn't stick up in a soldier's uniform pocket and stop the button being fastened as the previous style of clip would, unfastened buttons were not allowed, it made the soldier look untidy so Sheaffer made this style. The nib is a lifetime open nib.

 

Cheers, John

[Col]

QUOTE (Oxonian @ Mar 13 2007, 09:38 AM)

Sorry about that I didn't notice

John - did you open this in Word? I'm wondering why it displayed frames but no photos here.

[Oxonian]

Hi Col,

 

When I first glanced at your first line I thought that you were asking had I opened it in this World? Thought about it, hoped that I hadn't missed a life changing event and read it again, I'll have to start using my specs to read the posts.

 

I am not sure what I opened it in, all I did was click on the link, wait a while, cancelled a pop up in the corner and there were the pictures.

I have adobe resident but didn't launch it knowingly so I assume I opened it in word.

As you might gather I am not the most computer savvy person you could find, sorry I can't help you.

 

Cheers, John

[Col]

QUOTE (Oxonian @ Mar 13 2007, 11:08 AM)

I am not sure what I opened it in, all I did was click on the link, wait a while, cancelled a pop up in the corner and there were the pictures.

Strange. Going by the .doc extension, the file appears to be in Word document format. For me, clicking the link brings up an option to open, or save the file to disk. If I save it and open it in Word, I see only frames, no pictures. If I open it directly in IE, I get the same result because Word (being the default program for opening that type of file here) simply integrates with the browser.

 

Oh well, looks like you answered the question anyway, which is the main thing.

[mantel]

Sorry about Word file, but it was not possible to attached more photos in same time.

Could somebody estimate value for mentioned pens?

thanks in advance

[meanwhile]

QUOTE (mantel @ Mar 14 2007, 09:08 AM)

Sorry about Word file, but it was not possible to attached more photos in same time. Could somebody estimate value for mentioned pens? thanks in advance

Realistically - I suspect not very well. Condition is very important and it can't be made out from these photographs. I've seen 40's Sheaffers of the same model auction for between $60 and $200+ depending on whether they are "user grade" with normal wear and tear marks or flawless museum quality specimens.

 

There are people here who can provide much better estimates than I can, but for the fun of seeing how wrong I am, assuming average user grade condition for each pen and that the Wiking is a 40's piston filler, then I'll estimate $60-$80 for the Sheaffer and $80-$120 for the Wiking, at ebay auction prices.