posted 02-15-2005 11:09 AM            

Hi all.

I recently purchased a silver fountain pen with a gold nib. I believe it is Czech (I was told this) but there are also some marks that corroborate this. I am interested in finding out if it is Czech, and the year and city of manufacture. The following are the identification details:

1. It is a 5 and 1/4 inch silver fountain pen, with art deco design, with a screw top, a see through plastic well and has a pump (located by unscrewing the bottom, pushing in and releasing to fill with ink).
   
2. The pocket clip on the cap has the words: "BARCLAY 1302". It also has a hallmark (see photo)
   
3. The cap is marked: "S1P", "9(or 8?)35" and the hallmark again. The cap and bottom both have a black resin insert, which both go to a slight point.
   
4. The pen itself has a number of marks on the band (unseen when screwed closed): "S1P", "8 (or 9?) 35", the hallmark, and in rough-ish lettering, "3/5" - the 3, the / and the 5 are all double struck.
   
5. The removable bottom cap is also marked with the hallmark.
   
6. The nib has the following marks: "14 CARAT", "R, P (with extensions to the round part of the P, a P, backwards, two vertical lines and an E". It also has "CZECHOSL".

I am uploading the pictures I took and not having a broadband, this takes a little while - so pics will follow.

Kind rgds,

TBC

posted 02-18-2005 03:12 PM            

I brought this pen into the most reputable pen shop in Dublin, Ireland, yesterday because the nib was defective. The owner/ senior person there confirmed it was central European, silver, most likely hand-made,

I am pleased, but only confirmed in what I thought. It is a nice piece of silver, and to have it confirmed that it is hand made is a bonus. As to date, my friend in the pen shop reckons that it is pre-war on account of the mechanism for filling it with ink - he's never seen a pen before with a mechanism that entails a plunger to suck up ink that is only exposed when the cap is screwed off. I've left it with him to hone the nib...we agree that it would be a travesty to replace the 14kt nib and have agreed he'd hone it as best he can to enable it write in a satisfactory manner.

My friend in the pen shop thought the ink action to be pre-war (1939-1945) but was unsure.

Thanks to Tom and others for their comments. I'd love to know the year this special pen, for me, was made.

Best rgds,

TBC

posted 02-18-2005 10:31 PM            

Ironically, I was in Prague last weekend with my wife and having been in a few antique shops, there was nothing like this or any other silver, going for a reasonable price. Any idea on dates?,

best rgds,

posted 02-25-2005 01:51 PM            

Since you've posted I had a further conversation with a pen expert. It was confirmed it was Czech. The view was that it was pre-war on account of the suction mechanism which he had not seen since then. Do you have any sense of the actual year of manufacture? It was suggested it was hand made and that the 33//55 was the actual mark of the person who made it. Any idea of the year of manufacture or City?

Hope you don't mind these further questions - if you can help, I would be very grateful.

Best Rgds,

posted 02-25-2005 02:36 PM            

If it is "handmade" I do not believe and the way it is filled with ink is one of the 3 common systems of this years. My guess is it was made somewhere in the 50's.

There are books about fountain pens on the market, so if you are interested to learn more about it, you have to read.

posted 02-25-2005 02:49 PM            

I am much obliged. Whilst I don't doubt the bona fides of my informant, I would agree that it is possible he is unfamiliar with the maker and era. His sense as to its being handmade was on account of the irregularity of the pattern, which can be seen with the naked eye. (At the risk of running foul of the guidelines - although I think I'm on the right side of them - he put a value of 6 times what I paid for it). Not that that matters as I am using it now as a work pen..and it is a beautiful writer. The nib (14kt gold), as purchased, was broken but it was filed down by the shop and now writes beautifully - the reservoir is glass and when filled with red ink sets the silver off beautifully. I justify this additional pen in my inside pocket on the grounds that I do a substantial amount of proofing and editing...hence, it has a place with my other less special black and blue fountain pens..

I will investigate the sources you suggest. Very, very many thanks

Best rgds,

posted 02-25-2005 05:31 PM            

Your fountain pen has the trademark "BARKLAY 1302", a domestic hallmark (no import mark) and is more or less anonym too (no manufacturer).

My advice: do not trust the "experts", just buy some books and see what you really have - and enjoy.

Sazikov2000

posted 02-25-2005 05:45 PM            

Very many thanks. hopefully I miught be of help to you sometime (though not for many years, I suspect!).

Kind rgds,

TBC

posted 02-25-2005 07:48 PM            

I can conclude by saying elegant pens produce better prose -- ok, so they're more fun to write with!