Turner & Harrison #176 Silver-Plated Fine Stub (Vintage)

Firm, subtly stub-shaped (i.e. the tip is not quite pointed, but cut off to form a flat writing surface), and plated in smooth silver alloy, the #176 was a premium pen in Turner & Harrison's midcentury lineup. It's an outstanding writer, quite easy to maneuver on a variety of paper types, and because of the very fine stub, the lines are both sharp and precise.

The silver plating process actually involved several different metals—the base steel pen was first plated with copper and then plated "with a heavy coating of Silver Alloy," as the 1917 Turner & Harrison catalog puts it. The result is an unusually shiny and smooth pen, with a superior feel and longer life than similar pens in steel.

The #176 pens in our stock were made between 1910 and 1940, and the maker's mark varies slightly with different production batches. This nib has no grinding or groove stamping, no side cuts, and a very simple straight shape with large rectangular vent hole.

As with any dip pen, you will need to remove the protective coating so that ink will stick to the nib consistently. To remove the coating, simply dip your new pen in ink a couple of times and wipe it off. Repeat until the ink coats the nib completely and doesn't bead up. This process takes about 15 seconds and only needs to be done once, before you use the pen for the first time.

Sold individually. Made in the United States.