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Fire up your Moore


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#1 Richard

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Posted 13 December 2011 - 05:56 PM

I'm a sucker for Moore safeties, but I've been able to keep my addiction fairly well under control. But then along came this irresistible Nº 1, with a gorgeous AMERICAN FOUNTAIN PEN CO. flexible nib.

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#2 Blotto

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Posted 13 December 2011 - 07:18 PM

Richard:
Like your taste in safeties...right down to the nib.

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#3 david i

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Posted 13 December 2011 - 08:36 PM

I'm a sucker for Moore safeties, but I've been able to keep my addiction fairly well under control. But then along came this irresistible Nº 1, with a gorgeous AMERICAN FOUNTAIN PEN CO. flexible nib.

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Oh, if pull my mottled Moores....

-d
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#4 FmrLEO_GJ

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Posted 14 December 2011 - 09:53 AM

I'm a sucker for Moore safeties, but I've been able to keep my addiction fairly well under control. But then along came this irresistible Nº 1, with a gorgeous AMERICAN FOUNTAIN PEN CO. flexible nib.

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What a beautiful looking pen Richard.
Congratulations... I have always been intrigued by Moore safeties.
Never seen one in the 'flesh' but think I would like them.

The only safety I have is a Continental 18K overlay ;)
Garth
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#5 FmrLEO_GJ

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Posted 14 December 2011 - 09:55 AM

Richard:
Like your taste in safeties...right down to the nib.

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Well Blotto

A twin for Richard's... separated at birth no doubt. ;)

Would these be the bathroom tiles; or a bench-top tiled surface?

Edited by FmrLEO_GJ, 14 December 2011 - 11:46 AM.

Garth
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#6 Blotto

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Posted 14 December 2011 - 05:02 PM

Would these be the bathroom tiles; or a bench-top tiled surface?


Garth:
It's the kitchen counter top. I take the light where I can find it. And your Continental safety is super.
Dan

Edited by Blotto, 14 December 2011 - 05:08 PM.


#7 FmrLEO_GJ

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Posted 14 December 2011 - 09:20 PM

Garth:
It's the kitchen counter top. I take the light where I can find it. And your Continental safety is super.
Dan


Hi Dan

Thankyou regarding your appraisal on my safety.
I know sweet little about it really, but have some information from an Italian lady that specialises in them.
Garth
Penguin, NW Tasmania, Australia

We will be forever known by the tracks we leave behind - Sitting Bull

#8 Teej47

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Posted 14 December 2011 - 11:18 PM

I just adore anything in MHR, but that diagonal orientation to the mottling on Richard's pen is really striking. Dan's pen is pretty snazzy, too.

Gorgeous stuff, guys. Thanks for letting us see 'em!

Tim
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#9 Blotto

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Posted 14 December 2011 - 11:45 PM

Hi Dan

Thankyou regarding your appraisal on my safety.
I know sweet little about it really, but have some information from an Italian lady that specialises in them.


Rumored to be made by the same Italian craftsmen who were making safeties for Waterman, then sold at a discount to tourists who wanted swank on-the-cheap. Rather what the Chinese are allegedly doing today with Mont Blanc.
Lacking only the Waterman branding, they're well made bodies, although I understand the plumbing isn't as sturdy.

Edited by Blotto, 14 December 2011 - 11:53 PM.


#10 david i

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Posted 15 December 2011 - 12:00 AM

I don't actively collect the series, though a few have snuck into the collection here and there. Richard's is a nice example.

Here are three of my four. One in middle is pretty massive, for a mottled Moore Safety. I have a short fat mottled safety some\where or other, but could not find it for this shot.

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regards

david
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#11 FmrLEO_GJ

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Posted 15 December 2011 - 12:15 AM

Rumored to be made by the same Italian craftsmen who were making safeties for Waterman, then sold at a discount to tourists who wanted swank on-the-cheap. Rather what the Chinese are allegedly doing today with Mont Blanc.
Lacking only the Waterman branding, they're well made bodies, although I understand the plumbing isn't as sturdy.


Here is one of the replies I got regarding my Cirene safety:

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Hi Garth,
unfortunately the information I have about Cirene pens is very scant. You generally find the Cirene imprint on black hard rubber safeties and safeties with 18 KR overlay from the mid 1930s/ 1940s. Some overlays are very good quality, others are very simple. I have seen a few Cirene safeties with fantastic Toledo overlay, which is very uncommon in the Italian scenario. The most reliable ipothesis is that Cirene pens were produced on commission for some pen shop ( I expect in the north of Italy) which marketed them on its own or through mail catalogues ( Cirene pens were included in some mail catalogues of the 1940s). Production was commissioned to various workshops, as it was the rule in Italy at the time. I suppose a number of Cirene overlays were produced by Montegrappa.
Your pen is a very nice example of late 1930s/early 40s overlay. The cap top and the clip suggest it may come from the Montegrappa plant.
I do not know if Cirene gold nibs were ever produced, but to make it more compatible to your pen you could substitute the Conway Stewart nib with a "warranted 585" gold nib, which is more likely the type of nib you would find on a pen like this at the time it was marketed.
I hope this helps.

Regards

Letizia Iacopini

Edited by FmrLEO_GJ, 15 December 2011 - 12:16 AM.

Garth
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#12 Blotto

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Posted 15 December 2011 - 05:02 PM

Garth:
I assumed (incorrectly) that your pen is un-branded and made some of my comments based on this article titled Waterman In Italy:

http://xoomer.virgil...pi/waterman.htm

The light was pretty good here this morning. Here's some snaps of my unbranded Waterman wannabe.

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It has an 18k Warenteed nib

Dan

Edited by Blotto, 15 December 2011 - 06:37 PM.


#13 FmrLEO_GJ

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Posted 15 December 2011 - 09:17 PM

Garth:
I assumed (incorrectly) that your pen is un-branded and made some of my comments based on this article titled Waterman In Italy:

http://xoomer.virgil...pi/waterman.htm

The light was pretty good here this morning. Here's some snaps of my unbranded Waterman wannabe.

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It has an 18k Warenteed nib

Dan


G'day Dan

Beautiful example indeed :) Far superior to mine.

Having said that, yours is the closest in design to mine I have seen. I found one other Cirene named pen, but the cap and pattern were very different; whereas the 'jewel' on the cap fo yours is very close to mine, yet your clip is ornate, but still a ball end. Wonder if this makes yours a possible Montegrappa overlay also.

Regards
Garth
Penguin, NW Tasmania, Australia

We will be forever known by the tracks we leave behind - Sitting Bull

#14 FmrLEO_GJ

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Posted 15 December 2011 - 09:28 PM

I was just sitting here wondering why a question I had regarding the Moore safeties and my example hadn't been answered? ... hmmm :blink:
Reason: I hadn't asked it in my post a whiles back :unsure: what a dope.

What i was wondering is HOW the Moore safety operates to draw ink, and if the nib is concealed and 'screwed out' to operate?
Garth
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We will be forever known by the tracks we leave behind - Sitting Bull

#15 Blotto

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Posted 15 December 2011 - 10:46 PM

I was just sitting here wondering why a question I had regarding the Moore safeties and my example hadn't been answered? ... hmmm :blink:
Reason: I hadn't asked it in my post a whiles back :unsure: what a dope.

What i was wondering is HOW the Moore safety operates to draw ink, and if the nib is concealed and 'screwed out' to operate?


Garth:
With the pen held vertically, nib opening up and the nib retracted, load the pen with an eyedropper. Ink will flow down into the barrel. When loaded, project the nib, wipe off any excess and Bob's your uncle.
To clean the pen, fill it with water. Keep the nib retracted and shake the water out. Repeat until the water runs clear. And that's why I've never used a Safety.
Best,
Dan

#16 FmrLEO_GJ

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Posted 15 December 2011 - 10:55 PM

Garth:
With the pen held vertically, nib opening up and the nib retracted, load the pen with an eyedropper. Ink will flow down into the barrel. When loaded, project the nib, wipe off any excess and Bob's your uncle.
To clean the pen, fill it with water. Keep the nib retracted and shake the water out. Repeat until the water runs clear. And that's why I've never used a Safety.
Best,
Dan


Hi Dan

I assume this is the same procedure for the Moores? I was aware of that with our style safeties - having said that, I have only ever dipped mine - but [as said] I have never seen a Moore in reality, and have only ever seen them with nib shown, posted or capped, but not in transition.

Thanks for the explanation though. Am thinking the safeties we have would be horrors if one had them in a pocket?
Any activity, like running for a bus, could result in shaking the ink out? Yes? No? :o
Garth
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We will be forever known by the tracks we leave behind - Sitting Bull

#17 Blotto

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Posted 16 December 2011 - 12:41 AM

Any activity, like running for a bus, could result in shaking the ink out? Yes? No? :o


Garth:
A person with a Safety like yours doesn't run for a bus.
When needed, an Alfa Romeo growls up to the curb.

More tmmrw. The sun is going down; cocktails beckon.
Dan

Edited by Blotto, 16 December 2011 - 12:41 AM.


#18 Blotto

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Posted 16 December 2011 - 06:31 PM

Garth:
To paraphrase Richard's excellent summary of safeties would be gilding a lily.

http://www.richardsp...gn/safeties.htm

Waterman (on whose design our overlays were built) and Moore had slightly different techniques for preventing the pens from leaking when in transit. I can only assume, that since these pens had a design life of 40 years or so, the design worked. But I find it hard to disbelieve that from time to time one would likely find a puddle of ink in the cap.

Dan

#19 FmrLEO_GJ

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Posted 16 December 2011 - 09:49 PM

Thanks Dan for the link to Richard's pens.
Re the Alfa Romeo, I would much prefer something like a Maseratti if that can be arranged? :)
Garth
Penguin, NW Tasmania, Australia

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#20 djohannsen

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Posted 20 December 2011 - 03:36 PM

Any activity, like running for a bus, could result in shaking the ink out? Yes? No? :o


American Fountain Pen Company (makers of the Moore's safety) had such confidence that their pens wouldn't leak that they made it part of their advertising campaign that:

...every Moore pen is filled at the factory and shipped to all parts of the world without leaking a drop, and we don't use "This side up" labels, either.

See, for example, this ad.


Dave




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