Another Quill on Ebay

[Griffins&Quills]

I saw a different quill like that a while back which was numbered A-1384. There was a discussion in another thread about it. I'll see if I can find it.

ETA: The quill that I saw was the member's badge from 1974. And a Balfour badge.

AZ-AlphaXi gave reasoning: "Sometimes replacement quills had odd numbering. Also on occasion alumnae initiates had A followed by a number."

raelee said: "I was initiated back in 1980. The quill badge that I received after I was initiated has an A -####. I purchased a pearl quill after I graduated. It was presented to me at Province Convention in 1983. It has a B-####. Neither set of numbers is my member number."

AOII Angel gave this reasoning: "AOII went through a twenty year phase, probably while we were with Balfour, when our badges only had A- random number engraving. The letters went up to I. There is supposedly a list at headquarters that is poorly indexed matching up members with their badge number. In the late 80s, we went back to initials, chapter letters and initiation date."


I think it was determined that for the period of time when Balfour was the manufacturer of our quill, AOII's badge, and Sigma Kappa's badge, that was their numbering system

[Griffins&Quills]

And it does look like there's a Balfour mark to the left of the 10k stamp on the A-2067 quill

[XiLoveAXiD]

Thanks, that's wayyyy more info than I got from FHQ And all super helpful, too!

I ended up buying it anyway, I didn't want to see it end up in the hands of someone who would try and melt it down. Plus I really like vintage Quills, but they're usually out of my budget, so I was happy to pick up this one

[Griffins&Quills]

No problem. I was really confused about the A-#### quill I saw before too. But that's awesome! Makes me sad to see quills on ebay, and I'd love to buy some of them and donate them back to FHQ but I just can't right now. Maybe someday soon.

[ivyrose2]

Saw an old quill with a "U" shaped kind of safety closure that comes down (folds down) over the "c" clasp (the pin part just slides under the "c" piece of metal and the "u" folds over the pin/c as a safety. There is no other mark on the back of the pin. It is 14K and not jeweled, slightly smaller than a 1928 pin that the owner also had. I don't think it was hand made from the look of the pin and the lettering. The 1928 pin has a more traditional clasp/safety (the kind that can also be found on modern badges).

The clasp is much older I think than the date engraved on the pin (1933). I suppose it could it have been passed down and engraved by the second owner. It is from Eta chapter (Syracuse). Anyone else seen a quill with this type of clasp that can help date this badge?

[jolene]

I want to get the pearl quill and replace my plain one. It would be easier to go through eBay than Herff Jones.

[DubaiSis]

I went to convention with the intention of buying a new sapphire quill to replace my plain one. I got that accomplished, but lost my original plain quill somewhere between getting on the train in Kansas City and the table at Herff Jones in Chicago where I went to take it off to put on the new one. Grrrr.

[Griffins&Quills]

It's a shame that HJ puts out such poor quality badges though. I'm on my 3rd repair on a quill that's box kept and less than 10 years old.

[DubaiSis]

I know. I gave in and bought one that wasn't perfect. But especially after discovering I'd lost my old one I had to have one right then.

[tropicedge]

There will be thousands of pins/badges on ebay. deaths of family members estates has changed a lot in the last few years plenty of young money now that getting old possessions from passed relatives is looked over now why spend weeks or months going through items when others will come and auction off everything for you for a percentage of the sales.

I can probably purchase 3 pins a day as scrap gold from estate sales I end up melting down a few of them each month, the older ones that still look good go up on ebay and if they do not get a offer of 2 too 3 times scrap value after 2 months listing they go in the melt pile. I actually try to avoid buying them as scrap since scrap pendants or rings that are a quick repair have more of a market and faster turn around otherwise I would go ahead and pick up the 3 or more I could get as scrap a day.

[NinjaPoodle]

Originally Posted by tropicedge

There will be thousands of pins/badges on ebay. deaths of family members estates has changed a lot in the last few years plenty of young money now that getting old possessions from passed relatives is looked over now why spend weeks or months going through items when others will come and auction off everything for you for a percentage of the sales.

I can probably purchase 3 pins a day as scrap gold from estate sales I end up melting down a few of them each month, the older ones that still look good go up on ebay and if they do not get a offer of 2 too 3 times scrap value after 2 months listing they go in the melt pile. I actually try to avoid buying them as scrap since scrap pendants or rings that are a quick repair have more of a market and faster turn around otherwise I would go ahead and pick up the 3 or more I could get as scrap a day.

QFP

[sigmagirl2000]

Originally Posted by ivyrose2

Saw an old quill with a "U" shaped kind of safety closure that comes down (folds down) over the "c" clasp (the pin part just slides under the "c" piece of metal and the "u" folds over the pin/c as a safety. There is no other mark on the back of the pin. It is 14K and not jeweled, slightly smaller than a 1928 pin that the owner also had. I don't think it was hand made from the look of the pin and the lettering. The 1928 pin has a more traditional clasp/safety (the kind that can also be found on modern badges).

The clasp is much older I think than the date engraved on the pin (1933). I suppose it could it have been passed down and engraved by the second owner. It is from Eta chapter (Syracuse). Anyone else seen a quill with this type of clasp that can help date this badge?

Do you have a photo of said badge?

[ivyrose2]

I can upload a photo-can you help date a quill? I notice from your posting that you are not an AXiD...

[TheGreenHeart]

Sorry to lane swerve, but I saw these on the Goodwill page and thought you AXiDs may want to know:

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/50796158

[Griffins&Quills]

^ It ended at $226. I tried to buy them but was outbid