You dont have to spend too much money to have fun with vintage fountain pens. Part II: The Ayer pen

[antoniosz]

How to have fun with pens at $10 or less (almost ), following along the same lines as a previous post of mine...

 

Some time ago when I asked about women in fountain pen history, George K. was kind to point to M. Isabel Ayer of Boston.

Few days ago, I got this nice pen from ebay for $9.38 Yes there was a chip on the barrel but so what ?

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/P7060131-a.jpg

 

A rather thick ( 0.59" ; 15mm) cap diameter ) short (3.7"; 94mm) capped pen marked "The Ayer Pen" (as per trademark 155,136 of May 16, 1922 in use from Dec 1, 1920) with an Ayer BOSTON nib.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/P7060130-a.jpg

 

Time for repair which in most cases means just resacking I was expecting a joint line at the thread but a minor effort did not produce any sounds or gaps so I thought I should play it say. X-ray to the rescue. And lucky I was... as the joint want not next to the threads but rather close to the bottom of the section. Other nice things that the x-ray showed - a typical Wahl pressure bar and lever (patent 1,585,805), and the use of a metal wire for securing the sac.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/x-ayer-all.jpg

 

So knowledge is power and as I new where to push, the section gave up easily.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/P7060129-a.jpg

 

The lever is indeed a Wahl lever.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/P7060140-A.jpg

 

Lets try the nib. Long tines, sounds like it is going to be fun

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/P7060133-A.jpg

 

Fun indeed.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/P7060136-A.jpg

 

BTW M. Isabel Ayer was more known for her puzzles than her pens.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/IsabelAyer.jpg

 

and from http://www.oldpuzzles.com/Examples/collection.php?creator=1

 

http://www.oldpuzzles.com/Examples/Images/1663.jpg

[Tsujigiri]

Nice find. Also, very cool that you can x-ray your pens, that's a good tool to have at your disposal.

[Tommy]

Note to self: Pick up an x-ray machine next time I'm at Home Depot.

 

[Maja]

Wonderful post, Antonios! :clap1: Thanks so much for taking the time to photograph this charming little pen and giving us an enjoyable history lesson as well. The bit about Miss Ayers' puzzles preventing epidemics of nervous prostration had me chuckling...

[EventHorizon]

Very nice...Thanks.

[antoniosz]

Note to self: Pick up an x-ray machine next time I'm at Home Depot.

 

:roflmho:

Of course I did not count the cost of the x-ray machine in the cost of the fun

BTW the lab only charges $10 per shadow (unless it is a pen and then we do it for free )

[Pepin]

very cool. Thanks for sharing.

[Zekay]

It is indeed very cool that you X-rayed your pen! I bet you can only find stuff like this on FPN! Thanks for a very fun and interesting post.

 

Greetings,

 

Zekay

[stevlight]

Cool X-ray and a cool little pen.

[Ondina]

Great post, Antoniosz, the X-Ray trick is a brilliant one!. Sweet nib, indeed....

[Tweel]

An early 20th century "long cap" from a Boston puzzle-cutter? Nice!

 

-- Brian

 

[rahulg]

*jaw drops* That is one seriously sweet nib. Never knew the Long cap concept trailed back so long. Congrats!

 

-Rahul

[Tommy]

I found one! Only $99.99!

 

http://www.hgrindustrialsurplus.com/sub/pr...;searchNAP=true

 

[ZeissIkon]

I found one! Only $99.99!

 

http://www.hgrindustrialsurplus.com/sub/pr...;searchNAP=true

 

Looks like an airport security unit -- resolution probably isn't good enough for images like the one at the top of the thread, and it probably requires external controls and monitor that don't look to be included. Could be a nice spare if you run an airport, but then you'd be with TSA and they'd handle all of that for you (and take six months to get a new one when an old one breaks, instead of keeping a spare in storage to just swap in).

[pen2paper]

exciting find..history, my favorite! I see one of M. Isabel Ayer's puzzles sold for $45 last year...

love puzzles!

sorry too excited-forgot to mention the Pen! the cool xray! and the best part of all, your writing sample-sigh...

Edited July 12, 2009 by pen2paper

[Garageboy]

Wait, how did you get the feed out? Very cool, I love stubbies

[antoniosz]

Wait, how did you get the feed out? Very cool, I love stubbies

 

I did not. But it would not be a problem. The regular way...

[antoniosz]

Well about three years later another Ayer pen crossed my path. I got it from ebay for the whooping price of 3-4 venti cappuccinos.

This was a crescent filler! A bright red plastic looks nice under the copper crescent.

The process of opening is now known as it was quickly clear that the section was similar to the previous one that I had.

With a lot of patience, heating, wiggling, re-heating, and re-wiggling the section is out. The sac is completely ossified. Note the surface of the sac (not smooth).

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/IMG_3053.jpg

 

The copper filler slides easily out.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/IMG_3055.jpg

 

Quick resac (#17). I was a little conservative with the length of the sac as I dont like blobs.

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/IMG_3056.jpg

 

My, my!... Another, totally sweet flex nib. Did I tell you how much I love this hobby?

 

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b325/azavalia/IMG_3059.jpg

[terminal]

Lookit your writing... drool...

[pen2paper]

welcome back to an excellent thread !!!