17 February 2011

Number 4

The past Wagner Pen Clinic was a perfect opportunity to see some interesting pens. This Sailor number 4 was one of them.
The "Sailor".

It is a BCHR eyedropper with the regular safety valve operated from the culotte. It dates back, probably, from the 1930s.

The pen, closed.

Disassembled, showing the shut-off valve.

Its overall condition was excellent save for the stains on the gold plated steel nib. The embossed pattern is in perfect condition and, as many a collector favor, the original price sticker remains attached to the pen. A whopping JPY 3 was the price back in the day, but sounds like a good investment. The current owner confessed having paid a lot more for this pen at a Tokyo antique fair.

The gold plated steel nib. Its engraving says "WARRANTED / 14 KT / GOLD / PLATED / MADE IN / JAPAN".

My thanks to Mr. Furuya.

(Sailor Black Pocket Pen 21 – Sailor Black)

Bruno Taut
(Madrid, February 16th, 2011)
[labels: Sailor]

2 comments:

Trevor said...

Beautiful pen, it is a shame that there are no more opportunities to learn about the pre WWII jaànese pen industry.

Bruno Taut said...

The problem, Trevor, might lie in the obsession for maki-e-decorated pens. Interesting as they are Japanese pens were a lot more than that tip of the iceberg. But there is some information and I try to show it on these pages.

Cheers,

BT

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