Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 353

You're in for a treat today! Christopher came back from his Hawaiian vacation with some great vintage fountain pens that he wanted to share with us, starting with this historical piece below. Our thanks to Christopher for sharing this terrific acquisition on our club's blog!

(all photos & text below courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on images to enlarge)

Christopher writes: "Late in the day, the ‘pen division’ of the Wahl Eversharp Company, which had sold out in its entirety to the Parker Pen Company by 1958, developed a new plastic nib pen, backed up with a standard ink cartridge. They called their pen, the Point 7 and as with most things Eversharp, it was a real advance in design. The Point 7 was marketed as a Eversharp pen, even though it sported the Parker branding logo of the day but with the E for Eversharp at the top of the clip. It also, save the nib, had somewhat of the appearance of a Parker 45, so a real marriage of the two companies. The release of this pen was during 1965, but shortly after that, the White House in Washington approached Parker for a number of special pens to be used by the current president, Lyndon Johnson, for his signing of his federal government bills and for LBJ to give to visiting dignitaries. Parker/Eversharp filled the bill with one smart writing instrument - a special Point 7, in a magnificent presentation box. The box carried the White House presidential seal and the president’s signature, which was also imprinted on the barrel of the pen. The box had a lift-out tie down card that allowed for 4 ink cartridges and an instruction manual to be included underneath the pen.

 Last month my wife Chris and I had our annual vacation in Hawaii, which included attending the Honolulu Antique show. Although there was not much to write home about regarding vintage pens at this event, I did walk away with a mint and boxed Presidential Parker/ Eversharp Point 7. Now I should mention that although these special pens do have a value regarding the ones that LBJ gifted to visiting dignitaries, the ones he personally used for the signing of bills (if they have their provenance ephemera slip in the pen box) are much more desirable and do have a greater value. Thankfully mine is the latter and the provenance slip tells it all. As for the pen, it is finished in a very attractive deep midnight blue, that allows the imprinting to really stand out on the barrel. Due to the fact that my mother’s side of our family were American and my grandfather served as President Eisenhower’s aide after WWII, I am really proud to have this bit of real US pen history and will use it with great respect ongoing."

(above: Point 7 with the Tip-Wic  plastic nib, shown in its original blister pack)

(above: US President Lyndon B. Johnson handing Lady Bird, Claudia, the pen used to sign the Highway Beautification Act. dated October 22, 1965, having used one of these Eversharp Point 7 Presidential pens)

We'll be featuring more of Christopher's Hawaiian treasures in the next few days, so stay tuned :)