Wahl Bantam for export?

[gregamckinney]

I just picked up a (faceted) Bantam in rough condition, but with markings I don't recall seeing on a Wahl before. On the barrel is an imprint,

"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." On the nib, which is marked 18k is "U S OF AMERICA."

Was this a pen meant for export to Europe? I seem to recall seeing Vacumatics with 18k nibs and slightly different imprints that were said to be for export.

 

http://gergyor.com/images/bantam_export.jpg

 

Best regards, greg

[Wahlnut]

I just picked up a (faceted) Bantam in rough condition, but with markings I don't recall seeing on a Wahl before. On the barrel is an imprint,

"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." On the nib, which is marked 18k is "U S OF AMERICA."

Was this a pen meant for export to Europe? I seem to recall seeing Vacumatics with 18k nibs and slightly different imprints that were said to be for export.

 

http://gergyor.com/images/bantam_export.jpg

 

Best regards, greg

 

 

Greg,

Only a guess, but here goes.

Domestic Wahl nibs were 14K; 18K nibs were for Europe. So I am assuming this pen was made for use in England/Europe. So my guess is that this was one or more of the following:

 

1) A souvenir pen from a US embassy or other US outpost

 

2) A give away at some kind of US Sponsored trade or fair exposition, etc like from a booth at a trade fair.

 

3) A gift item that may have been available from a US official in that land

 

4) Marked to state the pen was the property of the US Government like we have seen on more recent plastic pens.

 

Because is it a "0" size nib and "bantam" size pen, I would go with numbers 1,2 or 3.

 

But I have not seen one of these before and I have no literature on it so it is just an educated guess on my part

Syd

[Richard]

I've never seen a Bantam marked like that, but I think Syd has hit the nail squarely on the head. My guess, if one were to narrow the scope of possibilities, would be close to No. 2: A give away at some kind of US Sponsored trade or fair exposition, etc like from a booth at a trade fair. I'd say the pens were likely made as souvenirs to be sold or given away in the U.S. booth at the international exposition in Brussels (1935) or the one in Paris (1937).

Edited May 31, 2007 by Richard

[Vintagepens]

Just a quick note to point out that 18K would not have been the standard for England, Germany, Belgium, or Italy. Most likely the pen was destined for France.

[gregamckinney]

Thanks for the information, gentlemen. I tried to get a better image of the nib, but have had only mild success. The imprint to the right of the 18K mark looks like a row of flags (maybe.) Is this likely associated with the 18K- a hallmark?

 

http://gergyor.com/images/bantam_18k_nib.jpg

 

Best regards, greg