Perhaps they do deserve a sterling reputation!

The Eversharp "Ventura" series appears on page 78 of The Catalogue.  Introduced in 1953, the Ventura was Eversharp's last attempt to produce a quality writing instrument before the company was sold to Parker in 1957.  (Note: the company did produced a lot of writing instruments that lacked quality during this period.)  

By the time the Ventura was introduced, most of Eversharp's quality marketing personnel must have already jumped ship, because when this new flagship line was introduced, Eversharp ads of the day called it the "Burp" pen -- now there's an image that calls prestige and quality to mind!  Had the company survived any longer, they might have been hocking the "fart" pen . . . anyway . . .

Here's the shot of the gold filled examples of Ventura pencils shown in The Catalogue . . .

NOTE:  This article is now included in the print version of The Leadhead's Pencil Blog, available anywhere you buy books, or also from The Legendary Lead Company.

To order, here's the link:  Volume 1 at Legendary Lead Company