Here’s another snakeskin (or is that lizard skin?  I’m never sure unless I have them side-by-side) Swan.  It’s not the usual type, which is a little more tapered and has a black hard rubber lever.  I suspect that this shape and style is a little later than those ones, perhaps running into and through World War II.

I love to grab these whenever I can because they are so beautiful, but restoring them can be a task fraught with anxiety.  The plastic that these pens are made from has a tendency to shrink – only very slightly – but enough to make removal of the section a protracted business with much heating and reheating.

It’s always worth the effort, and this one is especially nice.  It has no number on the base of the barrel but it would be an SM1/88.  That reminds me that 88 is “Green Lizard”, so that solves that problem!  There isn’t, so far as I am aware, a green snakeskin though there is a blue/green snakeskin.

Yes, for once, that pointy nib does indicate flexibility.  I haven’t had time to write test it yet but just pushing against my finger suggests it’s a full flex.