Vintage Sheaffer Ringtop

[MT4]

Hi all,

 

Some time ago, I got a Sheaffer's vintage small pen. It's about 10cm long, quite thin, lever-filler, hard rubber, gold plated (most probably, I don't think it's solid gold) overlay with some chasing/filligree, solid gold #2 nib, screw cap.

 

The point is: Nib is wrinkled (most probably beyond my quite limited straightening abilities), tipping is non-existant, feed is broken (with some missing parts) and I am not being able to find the parts locally (yet?). Overlay is quite dull, but just some buffing might be enough. What would you do? Sell it as it is? Re-sac it and grind it to an italic untipped? Buy the nib abroad (if so: How much would you pay for it?)? Vintagepens.com has some pends near this one (different overlay, but mostly the same) ranging from about USD 200.- to over USD 400.-, but I am most probably not going to be able to get such a price by myself (let alone locally), just in order to give you a value orientation.

 

TIA

 

Martin

[Roger W.]

Martin;

 

Filigree or overlay - they are two different things. Overlay is solid metal and, in your case, rolled gold (or it would be marked 14K if it were solid). Filigree is a pen where the metal is pierced and Sheaffer made two types only the scroll and the slotted. I'll assume you are talking about an overlay as they are the more common.

 

A really clean overlay will bring $50 to $100 so they usually aren't worth repairing unless you can do the work yourself. A nib feed a section can be had for $20 (but I don't know if people are bidding these up for the price of gold now). So your larger concern is what shape is the overlay really in? If you have the less common filigree then we are talking $250-$500.

 

http://www.sheafferflattops.com/images/Ringtop1.jpg

Scroll, sterling, 14K gold and gold filled overlays

 

http://www.sheafferflattops.com/images/Ringtop5.jpg

More overlays - I'd make a guess that yours is the style on the right.

 

Roger W.

[MT4]

Dear Roger,

 

Nice pics! They kind of lessens my hopes of this pen to be scarce...

 

My pen is definitely overlay, then. There is no hard rubber to be seen, escept a very small "collar" around the nib. Even the section is "overlaid". Chasing is not deep, so it would be about 2-3-7 in your first picture, or 10-11 on the second one. I'll check at home.

 

Thanks again

 

Martin

[MT4]

Pics added!

 

 

Rgds.

 

Martin

 

 

[Roger W.]

Nice! A less usual overlay - 28NM circa 1925 in green gold fill originally $6.50. Code 28=regular green gold filled N=Brocaded M=Midget.

 

Roger W.

[MT4]

Thanks for your input. Going back to my first post in this thread: What would your advice be?

 

Thanks again.

 

Martin

 

 

[Roger W.]

When we get to these all metal ringtops from the mid 20's they are usually in pretty good shape. The overlay is a little less common and you should be able to find a No. 2 nib and feed reasonably. Being that it is an easy repair I'd find the nib and feed and fix it up, promote the fact that it is a little out of the ordinary and $60 or so could be achieved maybe a little more.

 

Roger W.