1944 Eversharp Presentation Set Vintage Advertisement

During the height of the 1940s, Eversharp cemented its status in the luxury consumer goods market by aligning its writing instruments with top-tier entertainment and sophisticated design. The central imagery of this 1944 advertisement features an elegantly dressed woman wearing a striking teal hat and a patterned plaid jacket, embodying the era's fashionable aesthetic. The primary marketing hook, "THE $64 QUESTION IS — 'Shall I Give It, or Keep It?'", is prominently displayed in a central oval cartouche. This directly references the hit CBS Sunday night radio program "Take It or Leave It" starring Phil Baker, which Eversharp sponsored. The ad also cross-promotes Milton Berle's "Let Yourself Go" program on the Blue Network, demonstrating a sophisticated multimedia advertising strategy. The technical specifications of the Eversharp Presentation Set reflect both luxury and the material realities of 1944. The pens and pencils were constructed with "14-Karat gold over Sterling silver" caps. The plastic barrels were offered in a distinctively militarized and classic color palette: Dubonnet Red, Army Brown, Navy Blue, Marine Green, and Jet Black. Eversharp promoted the mechanical superiority of their products through the "Magic Feed," designed to prevent leaking even at high altitudes in airplanes, and the "Magic Button," which allowed the Repeater Pencil to feed new graphite points "like a machine gun". At the time of publication, the complete Presentation Set was priced at

4.75. Consumers could also purchase the items separately, with the pen costing $9.75 and the Repeater Pencil priced at $5. These instruments were available in both men's and ladies' sizes. Underscoring their premium market position, Eversharp offered a "GUARANTEED FOREVER" service policy on items bearing the double check mark on the clip, subject only to a 35-cent charge for postage, insurance, and handling. The advertisement concludes with the confident sweeping slogan, "Give EVERSHARP and you give the finest!".

Category: Pens & Writing

Year: 1944

Rarity Class: A

Last updated: October 3, 2026

Paper & Print Condition

The source material exhibits excellent color saturation, particularly in the deep greens of the model's hat and the gold tones of the product photography. Registration of the black typography remains remarkably crisp.

Provenance & Rarity

While Eversharp heavily syndicated this campaign across major American periodicals in 1944, surviving copies that maintain this level of contrast without severe yellowing are highly valued by advertising historians and vintage pen collectors alike.

Rarity & Condition Summary

A superlative example of mid-40s print marketing, preserving both the aesthetic and socio-cultural zeitgeist of the era's consumer goods market. As a Class A archival piece, it represents a highly recognizable historical campaign that was widely circulated in its time, yet is increasingly difficult to source in pristine, museum-grade condition.