Some antiques from Paris.
A Sumgai experience.
An unexpected and rare find.
Last week my wife and I went to Paris for a few days to visit my daughter who is studying there at the Sorbonne. She finished her exams with excellent ratings so we had something to celebrate. For my 2 ladies and me that is: good food and lots of shopping, particularly vintage and antique shops. Fashion for the girls and (what else) fountain-pens and old watches for me
There is an area that is famous for good food as well as high fashion and nice vintage shops and that is 'Le Marais', the old Jewish Quarter in the '4e arrondissement'.
In a narrow street called Rue des Francs Bourgeois I found a little shop called 'L'Object'
In the window there was a nice collection of old engraved glass work, jewelery and some old pocket watches. Then I saw a tiny little glass, with a beautiful engraving. So: inside I went! The glass was very little, only 35 x 45 mm and the very fine engraving was superb. Price: too little to talk about! So I bought it. Just for fun. Glasswork is not my collecting area, but I like nice and old and odd objects.
I asked the 'Proprietaire' if by coincidence he had any old fountain pens in his collection. He said he did not think so, but then he was called by his wife from the back office of his little shop. Maybe this was something of interest pour Monsieur? He was going to look for me and came back with... this!
The price he asked for it was a little bit above my budget (most of the time I never pay more than a few tenners for a vintage pen), but my daughter convinced me that if I did not buy it I would regret this eternally! The nice man in the shop offered me a discount and so I did it! Uhmmmm... € 35,-- I think you can call this a Sumgai experience.
Some specs:
Manufacture: no name.
Time: probably round 1915.
Type of pen/filling system: safety pen, eyedropper.
Body and cap: black hard rubber.
Overlay: Sterling silver (hallmarked 935) with a spectacular light blue enamel coating, decorated with little enamel roses.
Nib: The tiny nib is brandless but marked 18 Ct!
Condition: There are probably more silver hallmarks, but they are still covered in dirt. The pictures I show are of the non restored pen, as I found it. Most safeties from that time are defective as the vulnerable ebonite spiral inside that makes the pen go in and out is often broken. Particularly the little models are rarely functional. This one worked! The tines of the nib are bent, as if someone used it as a little screwdriver, but (apart from the missing iridium, if ever present) it can be straightened and tuned. Even the seal in the back of the pen is probably still OK as I could not blow any air trough it. The overall condition is remarkably good, I think. I'm sure it will look spectacular after restoration.
But now for the size: I already owned a very little, miniature HR safety pen, made by SOMA (closed 85 mm) , but this one is even smaller!
With the cap closed it measures only 80 mm with a diameter of 8.6 mm over the cap. The smallest pen in my collection from now on!
Time to share some more pictures of my find with you.
After restoration of the pen I will continue this posting with some pictures of the results, and if possible, a writing sample.
Enjoy.
The pen as I found it.
Open, with retracted nib.
Open, with exposed nib.
Close up of the 18 Ct. nib. See the damage on the tines. Restorable...
Comparison with my tiny SOMA and to get a good impression of the size, a standard Parker 51.
The little French Lady and the Parker 51. Beauty and the Beast.
Once again...
Two rare miniatures...
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Jon Szanto
Bookmarks