This Is The Univer Prosperity Pen

[3rdlakerobert]

One day a couple weeks ago I found two unusual pens on eBay: a Univer Prosperity Pen and a WASP pencil in Green Pearl (Screaming Souls in Purgatory pattern).

 

Another thread shows a few pictures of the green Screamer pencil. This will give you an idea of the Prosperity Pen as looks now. It was in "as found" condition and came from a seller in Winfield, BC, Canada. Prosperity Pens was a Sheaffer Canadian subbrand.

 

I removed a wad of unknown material from the cavity that originally housed the cap finial. I don't know what the original looked like, but I assure you what I removed looked nothing like it. I turned a replacement finial and in a beveled shape to match the bottom of the barrel. I think I read here on FPN or perhaps on another board that some of the Canadian Sheaffers had black beveled cap finials.

 

The nib as you can see is original but broken, and I installed a new sac.

 

You can see pictures of the pen "as found" if you search on eBay:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380941829961?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Edited November 11, 2014 by Robert111

[Helen350]

Reminds me of my Parker Parkette--same color and style. Clip is a bit different. Looks like you did some interesting work in restoration.

[3rdlakerobert]

Reminds me of my Parker Parkette--same color and style. Clip is a bit different. Looks like you did some interesting work in restoration.

 

 

As a matter of fact, I restored a Parco in very similar material. I remember reading that when celluloid was introduced, manufacturers often used identical material. I think this comment was in a discussion on LeBeouf celluloid, which is famous for its beauty. And the same thing may be going on today. I think I've seen Bexleys and Conway Stewarts in material I'd guess is identical.

 

Well, I'm torn about the work I did because I really have no idea what that finial looked like and no one wants to confuse a future generation of collectors with a poser (I won't say Frankenpen because that's not accurate). I'm hoping someone will post a picture of the original and I'll change the finial.

 

I've left "Univer" out of this discussion, and that's an oversight. I've read some earlier FPN posts in an effort to find a photo of the pen I'm "restoring," and I don't recall if anyone has stated that Prosperity Pens was always a Univer "imprint" (a term publishers use for a different brand done in-house). Of course, "Prosperity Pen" as a brand was well researched by Daniel K and we know of its checkered past.

 

I will say in my own defense that I do have misgivings about tinkering with this pen. Some I know would decry a number of things I've done, like polishing. I can only hope that by laying down my tracks so conspicuously here in FPN, I'm heading off the charge that I've created a pen that's going to confuse the hell out of future Sheaffer historians.