Todays Find...

April 17, 2016

Not technically a Sheaffer, but a Univer which from what I can find was made by Sheaffer.

I replaced the sac, I really need to flush the pen, but it is a nice pen. The nib has some flex to it.

Size wise it is 4 9/16" capped, 5 3/4" posted and 3 3/4" uncapped, unposted. The cap is 1/2" in diameter while the barrel is 7/16".

The only markings are Univer on the clip and Warranted, 4, 14k, Made in USA on the nib.

Anyone know anything else about this pen?

April 17, 2016

It's probably from the 1930s, judging from its design (flat top with cap band and swirly celluloid-looking material). I'm not sure why discoloration only seems to spare caps.

It's a very nice pen. A proud piece of Americana. I'm not sure how one would polish the nib though, but I'm sure it can be done.

I like it a lot! I have yet to find a pen "in the rough" so to speak, but with the summer months come garage sales

April 17, 2016

Thanks for the info, lyonlover. I like it very much, too. It writes like a dream, with just enough flex to give a bit of interest to the letters. It's comfortable to hold, has no faults except a 1/2" or less small scratch on the cap. Not very noticeable--it's nearly invisible because of the marble color of the cap. We've found a few others in the wild--some Esterbrooks and a Sheaffer or two, as well as 2 sterling silver Waterman's 452 1/2 Vs for < half of what they go for, nowadays. Most are lever fills, and those needed new bladders/sacs, but other than that and cleaning them up, they were soon good to go.

I love the color of this particular pen, and I like the way it writes. I am very pleased with it :-).

April 17, 2016

Sounds as if you did very well. The antiques mall near where I live had zilch when I was there the other day (a bunch of #2 pencils, some ballpoints, and a few felt tops).

I'm not familiar with Univer pens. I do have a Craig BHR ringtop (Craig was apparently a Sheaffer sub-brand) with a music nib -- but that wasn't found in the wild, but at my first pen show. Actually my friend found it first and said "Hey, you need a pen with some flex....?" and then said "It's going home to Pittsburgh one way or the other...."

Turned out that it took the same size sacs as Esterbrook J pens do (#16) so I got a slight discount at the Anderson Pens table (which was my next stop) -- 11 sacs for the price of 10.