Eugene Adcock Sheffield Series #404 Nib (Vintage)

These rare vintage nibs are stamped "Eugene Adcock, Somerville, Mass.," a manufacturer about which very little is known. From our research, we know that Eugene himself graduated from Somerville High School in 1909 and was already selling pens to the county government by 1918.

Because there is so little historical record of Adcock pens, we have to assume they were not made for very long or sold very widely. Many such brands existed in cities across the U.S., supplying the local market with pens sometimes made on-site and sometimes commissioned from bigger manufacturers like Esterbrook and Hunt.

We don't know exactly where these were made or by whom (it's unclear whether Adcock made his own pens in Somerville.) But they are of very high quality, with a smooth chrome finish in perfect condition after 100 years of storage. They've been checked for rust and other defects by our experts and are ready to return to service on your desk.

This pen, the Sheffield Series #404, has a winged stub shape that's reminiscent of the more-famous Esterbrook Jackson Stub #442. This hand-ground nib writes smoothly and flows easily, with a hand-ground tip that flexes just slightly and lays down an even, hard-edged line.

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.