Eversharp Symphony Photo Thread

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

Had some questions recently about the Eversharp Symphony and thought I would post a photo of each of the three generations of this pen.

The Symphony was designed by Paris, France born industrial designer Raymond Loewy (1893-1986). Loewy emigrated to the United States in 1919 and started his own design company in 1927. Loewy designed numerous consumer goods, emphasizing streamlining and modern materials, including the Coca Cola bottle, the Lucky Strike logo, toothbrushes, radios, electric razors, the Studebaker Avanti (the only car design exhibited in the Louvre) and the streamline Electrolux vacuums, which may have inspired the Symphony's original “slipper” caps. Eversharp had high hopes that engaging this famous designer would help recreate the magic and success of the Dreyfuss-designed Skyline.

http://penhero.com/Temp/EversharpSymphony_1280_02.jpg

The first year Symphony pens are notable for the original Loewy design of the “slipper” cap, where the cap has slightly offset halves, with a pronounced “step” edge at the top. If viewed from the side, the bottom half of the cap (opposite from the clip) extends farther than the top half, giving it the distinctive asymmetrical “slipper” look. These first generation pens are the only ones with a metal thread ring in the section and "EVERSHARP SYMPHONY" and "MADE IN U.S.A." stamped just below. The clip face is angled and there is no cap band. The nib and feed is essentially the same as in the previous Skyline pens. Barrel colors were black, blue, green, and red. The fountain pen, model 500, sold for $5.00, and the matching Repeater pencil, model 1500, sold for $3.75.

Thanks!

[Ted F]

I studied the Symphony on your website and look forward to you posting photos of the Symphony generations. Or, will that be on your website?

[PenHero]

I studied the Symphony on your website and look forward to you posting photos of the Symphony generations. Or, will that be on your website?

 

 

I plan on posting an example photo of each of the three generations here. Then I will go about updating the page with new photos overall.

 

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

Thought I would show an interesting version of the Eversharp Symphony, a 3rd Generation pen with a brushed steel cap, c1951-1952.

At some time during 1951, Eversharp dropped the Loewy "slipper" cap design altogether in favor of a simpler, streamlined "bullet" cap. This last version loses the distinctive look of the Symphony and follows the design cues of other brands, such as the Sheaffer Crest and Sentinel models of the late 1940s. It is likely, due to Eversharp's deteriorating financial position, this was a cost cutting move.

http://penhero.com/Temp/EversharpSymphony_1280_04.jpg

The 3rd Generation Symphony maintained the same model numbers and price points as the 2nd Generation line, but they were no longer called Symphony in Eversharp advertising. This brushed steel cap Symphony does not appear in any of the advertisements I have. All of the examples I've seen have a smaller size 14 karat gold nib, indicating an economy pen. There is a brushed steel cap 2nd Generation Symphony, so this model is a carry over. The standard model 701 Symphony fountain pen sold for $5.00, so this pen either sold for the same or less. The late Symphony models came in Black, Blue, Burgundy, and Green.

An interesting tidbit: The chrome plated cap band is a sleeve insert that fits onto the base of the cap. Probably easier to plate the piece and attach it to the rest of the cap.

Thanks!

[Ted F]

I have a very modest collection of Symphonys as shown below. I do have one puzzle: there are two Golden Symphony sets in the box (upper left); one has the normal markings in English and the other has the markings in French and no "made in" indication, not even on the nib. Do you know why this would be? Also, I have three 1st Generation Symphonys (lower left): the red set and the blue Sphere Point pen.

 

I'm looking forward to your posts and what you put on your website.

 

 

 

[PenHero]

I have a very modest collection of Symphonys as shown below. I do have one puzzle: there are two Golden Symphony sets in the box (upper left); one has the normal markings in English and the other has the markings in French and no "made in" indication, not even on the nib. Do you know why this would be? Also, I have three 1st Generation Symphonys (lower left): the red set and the blue Sphere Point pen.

 

I'm looking forward to your posts and what you put on your website.

 

Nice collection!

 

I'll be posting a 2nd gen tomorrow. The website update should be in the next two weeks. Lots of photos to update.

 

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is the Eversharp Golden Symphony, a 2nd Generation model, number 705 in Burgundy, c1949-1950.

http://penhero.com/Temp/EversharpSymphony_1280_06.jpg

The Golden Symphony sold for $12.75 and came in Black, Blue, Brown, Burgundy, and Green. These were darker colors than the first generation pens. The bright red of the original pens was replaced with a darker burgundy, for example. The matching Repeater pencil sold for $6.00.

The primary differences in the 2nd generation pen from the original Loewy design were a softening of the edges of the cap to a more rounded design, finishing the cap in a high polish, flattening the clip, adding the words "Made in USA" to the clip top, and simplifying the section, leaving out the stamping. Eversharp added trim rings and gold plate to the cap finishes, creating a lineup of six total models. The pencil gained a small ring engraving in the cone tip.

Thanks!

[Ted F]

As I mentioned in my earlier post I have two sets of Golden Symphonys: one made in the USA and the other possibly France. The French pen and pencil both say "DOUBLE OR LAMINE" with a hallmark above it and at the top of the clip where it normally says MADE IN USA. The photos below illustrate this and I'm curious about the origin of the French version.

 

 

[PenHero]

I was not aware Eversharp made the pen in France. That stamping I believe means gold filled.

[Ted F]

I was not aware Eversharp made the pen in France. That stamping I believe means gold filled.

 

I believe you're right. The literal translation of that inscription is DOUBLE GOLD ROLLS. In Europe, they call gold filled Rolled Gold. I got this set from Sweden and it had a price tag (hand written) of 141 Krona which is $15.67 in today's exchange. So Eversharp did have a history of manufacturing in Europe.

 

I looked at David Nishimura's website and he lists an Eversharp pen where he says in the description: "these pens appear to have been made in France using US-made nibs and feeds, for European market testing."

 

So Eversharp did have a history of manufacturing in Europe. The nib on my French Symphony says EVERSHARP 14Cts (not 14K) and does not have the MADE IN USA on it.

 

The other set I have I got from Canada and it had a price on it of $15.75 Canadian.

Edited May 26, 2017 by RoyalBear

[PenHero]

That is very interesting! Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a second generation Eversharp Symphony, the Deluxe model 703 fountain pen with model 1703 pencil, in black c. 1949-1950. This 5 1/2 inch long lever-fill model has a polished stainless steel cap with a wide gold filled cap band insert and gold filled trim. The second generation cap has more rounded edges than the original Loewy design and the clip is flatter on the face. The clip is stamped MADE IN U.S.A. over EVERSHARP on the face. It was was offered in five colors: Black, Blue, Brown, Green, and Dubonnet. These pens have a long breather tube that extends from the end of the section into the ink sac. The nib has the banner stamping with EVERSHARP over 14K over MADE IN U.S.A. It sold for $8.75 and the matching injector pencil sold for $4.00.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/EversharpSymphony_1280_08.jpg

Thanks!

[Ted F]

Somewhere you posted a photo of the Symphony Sphere-Point and the cap had a thin band. The one on your website is like that. Below is a photo of my Sphere-Point and it has a plain cap, no band. I didn't know they came two ways.

 

[PenHero]

Somewhere you posted a photo of the Symphony Sphere-Point and the cap had a thin band. The one on your website is like that. Below is a photo of my Sphere-Point and it has a plain cap, no band. I didn't know they came two ways.

 

 

 

Wow! Nice - I did not know about that version!! Is it possible that your pen has the first generation cap rather than the Sphere Point cap?

[Ted F]

Is it possible that your pen has the first generation cap rather than the Sphere Point cap?

 

I don't think so. A 1st Generation Cap won't fit. It won't engage the Sphere-Point's threads. Also, I just looked at some Eversharp ads from 1948 in which they introduce the Symphony. They don't specifically illustrate the Sphere-Point but all pens illustrated have plain caps and they list the Sphere-point as the "Matching Symphony Sphere-Point Pen...$3.75"

Edited May 15, 2018 by RoyalBear

[PenHero]

 

I don't think so. A 1st Generation Cap won't fit. It won't engage the Sphere-Point's threads. Also, I just looked at some Eversharp ads from 1948 in which they introduce the Symphony. They don't specifically illustrate the Sphere-Point but all pens illustrated have plain caps and they list the Sphere-point as the "Matching Symphony Sphere-Point Pen...$3.75"

 

Aha! Can you post a scan of them? I'd love to have them as references and update my article. Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a second generation Eversharp Symphony brushed stainless steel cap fountain pen and pencil set in blue c. 1949-1950. This 5 1/2 inch long lever-fill model has a brushed stainless steel cap and chome plated trim. It does not show in most Eversharp advertising and the smaller, plainer nib indicates a lower priced model. The second generation cap has more rounded edges than the original Loewy design and the clip is flatter on the face. The clip is stamped MADE IN U.S.A. over EVERSHARP on the face. It was was offered in five colors: Black, Blue, Brown, Green, and Dubonnet. These pens have a long breather tube that extends from the end of the section into the ink sac. The nib is stamped EVERSHARP over 14K.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/EversharpSymphony_1280_09.jpg

Thanks!

[Ted F]

This is the ad I was referring to. I don't know if it's large enough for you to see. A larger version can be seen at: http://www.fountainpen.it/Categoria:Eversharp_Ads

The text and illustrations I mentioned are in the upper right of the ad. I always thought that the Sphere-Point was part of the 1st generation because it used the metal threads. Also, if you look at my Sphere-Point's clip it is identical to the 1st generation clip and cap. Compared to the 2nd generation my Sphere-Point's clip is higher on the cap and shorter.

 

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a first generation Eversharp Symphony in green c. 1948. It was designed by Paris, France born industrial designer Raymond Loewy (1893-1986), who emigrated to the United States in 1919 and started his own design company in 1927. He designed numerous consumer goods, emphasizing streamlining and modern materials, including the Coca Cola bottle, the Lucky Strike logo, toothbrushes, radios, electric razors, the Studebaker Avanti (the only car design exhibited in the Louvre) and the streamlined Electrolux vacuums, which may have inspired the Symphony's original “slipper” caps. Eversharp had high hopes that engaging this famous designer would help recreate the magic and success of the Henry Dreyfuss-designed Skyline. These first year pens are notable for the original Loewy design of the “slipper” cap, where the cap has slightly offset halves, with a pronounced “step” edge at the top. If viewed from the side, the bottom half of the cap (opposite from the clip) extends farther than the top half, giving it the distinctive asymmetrical “slipper” look. These are the only Symphonys with a metal thread ring in the section and "EVERSHARP SYMPHONY" and "MADE IN U.S.A." stamped just below. The clip face is angled and there is no cap band. The nib and feed is essentially the same as in the previous Skyline pens. Barrel colors were black, blue, green, and red. The fountain pen, model 500, sold for $5.00, and the matching Repeater pencil, model 1500, sold for $3.75.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/EversharpSymphonyGreen_2048_01.jpg

 

Thanks!

[Addertooth]

I wondered why they didn't do better with this pen. But then, perhaps it wasn't them doing badly, it was simply the Parker 51 enveloping the market.

There are a lot of new in box set still floating around of these pen. This is a "Golden Symphony set (models 705/1705 in the box)

I struggle with my set, as the desire to polish it up to a mirror sheen is at war with the desire to leave it untouched, and with the stickers and tags in place.

This set was recently acquired for a bit under $60. I will admit to really liking the deep green and gold combination.

I had to place the pens on a black background for the green to photograph, they looked black in the other photos.

The photograph is actually a lighter green (when shot against a black background) than they are in real life.

 

Edited September 21, 2019 by Addertooth