This is my mom's pen, my dad believes it is from the 80's. She could see "4K" and from reviewing posts here it seems that it is an Imperial. I find there was a bewildering number of variants. I'm trying to find out more about this one (model, I assume that is a converter, etc.) and if there are any tips for the care and feeding of it beyond the usual. And of course an idea of the value (apparently this is more used than any of my pens :-)

First, the pen disassembled:
Click to view attachment

A closeup of the underside of the nib, lightened and such to try to show some detail:
Click to view attachment

Finally, the top of the pen, assembled this time:
Click to view attachment

Thanks!

Edited: pictures out of order, sorry!

This is an Imperial IV Touchdown pen, c1961-1962. The "converter" you are seeing is actually the sac protector, a metal cover to protect the rubber ink sac while the plunger is used. This pen can only be filled from a bottle. This pen fills by unscrewing a cap at the end of the barrel and pulling out a plunger and pushing it down to create a vacuum in the sac, which fills the pen. You will likely need the pen restored to get it to work. Here's a bit more:

Imperial IV - Of all Imperials, the Imperial IV is probably the best known and is probably the "top of mind" pen when Imperials are discussed. The Imperial IV is the image of the PFM III and was offered in sets with the PFM III and a matching ballpoint or pencil. One of the most popular Imperial models, Imperial IV pens are probably among the easiest to find, as they were made from the beginning, through the Lifetime period, and afterward. Every revival of the Imperial line over the last 40 years includes a model similar to the Imperial IV.


Sheaffer Imperial IV Advertisement 1961 - Scan Courtesy Frank Dubiel (from the PenHero.com article)

You might find this article of interest:

Early Sheaffer Imperials 1961-1962

Cheers,

Jim Mamoulides
www.PenHero.com

Great, thanks!

My mom surprises me by digging up fountain pens I didn't know she (or my dad) had, and good ones (she has a nice Targa, too). Hopefully she next finds a PFM with a nice gold nib :-)


Understood. She had to soak it for a good while to get enough dried ink out to be able get it to the point seen on the photographs.


I had actually sent her the PenHero inlaid nibs article. I had though the rubber boot was similar to an aerometric converter, I'm pleased to find out it is touchdown filler.

A note about PenHero: As I searched through articles trying to narrow down what the pen was (fortunately I recognized the white dot and could read the Sheaffer on the body) I found several helpful posts from PenHero. This was after I had ordered some items for my mom's Targa from penhero.com. They were out of stock on one of the items and promptly offered an equal-or-better, more costly, substitute at the lower price. I can't say my experience is typical, but so far I'm impressed.