Go Pens August catalogue

[Darren]

I'm not a member at Go Pens so only see it after the member-release, but for those of you who are not on the mailing list Wahl Eversharp was featured this month (see https://gopens.com/catalog-96/). 

 

Special comments were from the forum's own Wahlnut and there were some great (for my tastes anyway!) examples up for sale - 80 or so in total including matching pencils.  

Highlights for me were the two Cardinal Decoband pens (yes - two of them! As well as an older oversize, tulip clip and Personal Point) and the transitional Equipose pens. I always thought Cardinal was a Waterman term and we just say RHR but stand to be corrected. There are also very interesting notes on a number of points between the trays of pens. 

 

It's well worth a look and I hope some of you found a pen for yourselves there! 

I wonder where they all came from? A single collection? I'd love to know if anyone has the background on this. 

[lionelc]

gary and myrna consistently get the nicest pens.  i guess it's the connections they have made from years of collecting.

 

[crescentfiller]

17 hours ago, lionelc said:

gary and myrna consistently get the nicest pens.  i guess it's the connections they have made from years of collecting.

 

 

 

Yes, and everything is "near mint".......!

[garif]

Yes very nice pens

[lionelc]

Wow

[Paul-in-SF]

On 8/12/2021 at 12:56 PM, crescentfiller said:

Yes, and everything is "near mint".......!

 

My experience is that this is a correct assessment for the pens that have it (although of course I have not seen "everything" in person). Their photos don't lie, although I wish they had more of them for each pen, which would of course be prohibitive. Among the vintage pen dealers I have bought pens from, this is one that I trust implicitly. 

  

1 hour ago, garif said:

Yes very nice pens

 

I noticed a couple of those pens, that is a gorgeous assortment. 

[crescentfiller]

3 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

 

My experience is that this is a correct assessment for the pens that have it (although of course I have not seen "everything" in person). Their photos don't lie, although I wish they had more of them for each pen, which would of course be prohibitive. Among the vintage pen dealers I have bought pens from, this is one that I trust implicitly. 

  

 

I noticed a couple of those pens, that is a gorgeous assortment. 

 

 

I guess we have a different understanding of the words "near mint." Teeth marks? Black and Pearl that's gone Black and Deep Caramel? Jade with black spots on cap and barrel? When there is brassing, oxidation, teeth marks, and ambering, the pen is nowhere near mint, in my opinion. Look at #77 and #79 in the current catalog and tell me those are "near mint"!

 

 

"1929 Waterman Patrician LF in Black Hard Rubber. GFT. Fine nib. Slightest touch of surface oxidation (maybe two touches on the pencil), otherwise near mint+. "

 

 

"1929 Waterman Patrician LF in Onyx (Red Cream). GFT. Fine, semi-flexible nib. Almost always found highly ambered, this is an excellent example, the cap with just slightly more darkening than the barrel (otherwise near mint). "

 

 

MINT teeth marks!

"1925 Wahl #6 “Oversize Signature” LF Set in smooth Red Ebonite (Cardinal Hard Rubber) . Quite rare. GFT, including the roller-ball clip. “Wahl Signature Pen 14K” nib ( medium, semi-flexible nib). A few teeth marks near the cap top and barrel bottom, otherwise near mint."

 

"1927 Wahl Eversharp #4 large-size Student LF set in Jade. Wahl produced two different batches of Jade celluloid in 1927; a darker one they used for pens and a lighter one they used mostly for pencils. GFT. “Wahl 4 14K” nib (extra-fine/needle-point).. Also came with a “Wahl Signature Pen 14K” nib at a $1.00 higher retail price. A touch of upper cap edge brassing and a little ambering, otherwise near mint."

 

This one is completely ambered! #77

“Wahl Eversharp 14K Gold Seal Signature” nib (fine, semi-flexible ). Some ambering, otherwise near mint"

 

Cap and barrel significantly ambered (#79)

"1928 Wahl Eversharp Equipoised Gold-Seal Personal Point LF in Jade. Very rare. GFT, including the roller-ball clip. “Wahl Eversharp 14K Gold Seal Flexible” nib (medium/fine, flexible ). Cap ambering at the Gold seal and mid-cap, otherwise near mint."

[gyasko]

9 minutes ago, crescentfiller said:

 

 

I guess we have a different understanding of the words "near mint." Teeth marks? Black and Pearl that's gone Black and Deep Caramel? Jade with black spots on cap and barrel? When there is brassing, oxidation, teeth marks, and ambering, the pen is nowhere near mint, in my opinion. Look at #77 and #79 in the current catalog and tell me those are "near mint"!

 

 

Agreed.  I also object to the idea that i should pay to subscribe to their listings so i get first dibs on some overpriced pens.

[Seney724]

2 hours ago, gyasko said:

 

Agreed.  I also object to the idea that i should pay to subscribe to their listings so i get first dibs on some overpriced pens.

My experience is the same.  Their pens are always very nice but generally overpriced and, often, overrated.  

 

Very reliable and honest.  No question returns if you are unhappy with your purchase.  So, if you receive a pen you believe to be overrated or not worth the money you paid you can always return it, hassle free.

 

If they can get people to pay them for early access to their newest inventory, more power to them.  There is certainly nothing ilegal or unethical about that practice.  One can make their own decision about whether or not they think it is a worthwhile use of their money.  Personally, I do not............

[Paul-in-SF]

2 hours ago, gyasko said:

I also object to the idea that i should pay to subscribe to their listings so i get first dibs on some overpriced pens.

 

Then you shouldn't do that. 

[kazoolaw]

On 8/21/2021 at 8:39 PM, crescentfiller said:

 

 

I guess we have a different understanding of the words "near mint." Teeth marks? Black and Pearl that's gone Black and Deep Caramel? Jade with black spots on cap and barrel? When there is brassing, oxidation, teeth marks, and ambering, the pen is nowhere near mint, in my opinion. Look at #77 and #79 in the current catalog and tell me those are "near mint"!

 

 

"1929 Waterman Patrician LF in Black Hard Rubber. GFT. Fine nib. Slightest touch of surface oxidation (maybe two touches on the pencil), otherwise near mint+. "

 

 

"1929 Waterman Patrician LF in Onyx (Red Cream). GFT. Fine, semi-flexible nib. Almost always found highly ambered, this is an excellent example, the cap with just slightly more darkening than the barrel (otherwise near mint). "

 

 

MINT teeth marks!

"1925 Wahl #6 “Oversize Signature” LF Set in smooth Red Ebonite (Cardinal Hard Rubber) . Quite rare. GFT, including the roller-ball clip. “Wahl Signature Pen 14K” nib ( medium, semi-flexible nib). A few teeth marks near the cap top and barrel bottom, otherwise near mint."

 

"1927 Wahl Eversharp #4 large-size Student LF set in Jade. Wahl produced two different batches of Jade celluloid in 1927; a darker one they used for pens and a lighter one they used mostly for pencils. GFT. “Wahl 4 14K” nib (extra-fine/needle-point).. Also came with a “Wahl Signature Pen 14K” nib at a $1.00 higher retail price. A touch of upper cap edge brassing and a little ambering, otherwise near mint."

 

This one is completely ambered! #77

“Wahl Eversharp 14K Gold Seal Signature” nib (fine, semi-flexible ). Some ambering, otherwise near mint"

 

Cap and barrel significantly ambered (#79)

"1928 Wahl Eversharp Equipoised Gold-Seal Personal Point LF in Jade. Very rare. GFT, including the roller-ball clip. “Wahl Eversharp 14K Gold Seal Flexible” nib (medium/fine, flexible ). Cap ambering at the Gold seal and mid-cap, otherwise near mint."

 

I'm guessing you didn't credit the term "otherwise" in each of the descriptions you quoted and highlighted.

[Seney724]

1 hour ago, kazoolaw said:

 

I'm guessing you didn't credit the term "otherwise" in each of the descriptions you quoted and highlighted.

I understand the point you are making and I think you are correct.  The "otherwise" does serve as a disclaimer, I suppose.

But, at least to me, "near mint" is "near mint."  And if there are findings present such as tooth marks, oxidation, etc., etc. a pen is not "near mint" and should not be characterized as such. 

Such a comment is, at the least, misleading....... and might be viewed by some as deceptive.

 

[Fermata]

5 hours ago, Seney724 said:

I understand the point you are making and I think you are correct.  The "otherwise" does serve as a disclaimer, I suppose.

But, at least to me, "near mint" is "near mint."  And if there are findings present such as tooth marks, oxidation, etc., etc. a pen is not "near mint" and should not be characterized as such. 

Such a comment is, at the least, misleading....... and might be viewed by some as deceptive.

 

 

Agreed, the accuracy of the description is very important for the buyer and is central to the contract between buyer and seller.

 

This is how Go Pens defines the condition comments

 

M	Mint	No signs at all of use
NM	Near Mint	Slightest signs of use
EX	Excellent	Imprints good, writes well, looks great
ExF	Extra Fine	One of the following: some brassing, some darkening, or some wear.
Fn	Fine	Used, parts show wear
G	Good	Well used, imprints may be almost gone, plating wear
F	Fair	A parts pen

 

[crescentfiller]

9 hours ago, Seney724 said:

I understand the point you are making and I think you are correct.  The "otherwise" does serve as a disclaimer, I suppose.

But, at least to me, "near mint" is "near mint."  And if there are findings present such as tooth marks, oxidation, etc., etc. a pen is not "near mint" and should not be characterized as such. 

Such a comment is, at the least, misleading....... and might be viewed by some as deceptive.

 

 

Yes, Seney, that was precisely my point. For instance, imagine you went to your doctor and she said, You have 206 broken bones, all your skin has fallen off, your eyes have popped out, you have no internal organs, your blood has turned to vinegar, and you've stopped breathing; otherwise, you're in perfect health, near mint!

 

Near? Only if Minsk is near Miami.

[crescentfiller]

4 hours ago, Fermata said:

 

Agreed, the accuracy of the description is very important for the buyer and is central to the contract between buyer and seller.

 

This is how Go Pens defines the condition comments

 

M	Mint	No signs at all of use
NM	Near Mint	Slightest signs of use
EX	Excellent	Imprints good, writes well, looks great
ExF	Extra Fine	One of the following: some brassing, some darkening, or some wear.
Fn	Fine	Used, parts show wear
G	Good	Well used, imprints may be almost gone, plating wear
F	Fair	A parts pen

 

 

 

OK. NM=Near Mint=Slightest signs of use.

Now, look at the samples I quoted above and see if "oxidation", "brassing", "discoloration", etc., jibe with "slightest signs of use." "Use" does not mean wear. I would say that if a pen were fresh  out of the box, but dipped and written with once or twice, it would fit the NM definition, because that is "slight use." Brassing, oxidation, ambering, does not fit. I mean, just look at ExF; by definition, they can't be NM.

[kazoolaw]

Are you agreeing that, but for the specifically mentioned flaws, the remainder of the pen conforms to the definition of terms on the site?

[crescentfiller]

No

[Seney724]

1 hour ago, crescentfiller said:

No

I agree with @crescentfillercompletely.  

 

Even the definition of "near mint" by the seller on his web site disqualifies them from being characterized as "near mint."

 

Explaining this practice away by pointing out the "otherwise" in the description does not make it ok.  At least IMO.

[kazoolaw]

7 hours ago, crescentfiller said:

No

 

What other flaws do you identify in #77?