4 replies to this topic

[david i]

Will try to post image in few days, but in the recent pen hoard purchase I found a Keene pen manufactured in NY. Looks to be of good quality, and this one is nicely preserved. Odd filler arrangement. Will post pics soon I hope (been swamped, what else is new?), but have vague recollection the Keene name was affiliated with some other better known manufacturer?

Info appreciated.

-d

[Hugh]

Hi David,
The odd Keene I've come across on ebay have all looked to be high quality, and sold very well from memory (at least for what I assume was a rather obscure maker). The last one was a large flat top and wasn't black, brown (?) from memory but may have just faded and a lever filler(?) from memory. Look forward to the photos.

Regards
Hugh

[J Appleseed]

Keene was associated with Eclipse. The relationship is documented in the John Roede articles onm Eclipse in Pen World (summer of 2007? I can't remember the exact date now). The Keene pens were probably made by Eclipse.

Can't remember much more than that without the reference. I know they had a cosy relationship, with Mr. Keene taking Finestone's secretary on a cruise or something along those lines. Keene pens often have the Klien clip, but I think they usually have a Keene nib.

I have a RMHR Keene with a broken clip and a RHR Keene with a cracked barrel. Both large, high-quality pens, with excellent nibs. I would speculate that they are early production for Eclipse, before Eclipse went to hard-core rolled celluloid production (Finestone I believe had a patent for a method of rolling sheet-stock into tubes, allowing them to push inexpensive celluloid flat-tops) but they may have made hard-rubber pens alongside the rest.

John

[philm]

I agree with the Eclipse similarity and relationship. Thank you for the Pen World reference....I will have to start searching. Here is one that I have that seems to be the most common that pops up.

The Manhattan Pen Makers Project lists their address as 180 / 189 Broadway in 1920 and 1925.



Regards,

Phil

[david i]

I agree with the Eclipse similarity and relationship. Thank you for the Pen World reference....I will have to start searching. Here is one that I have that seems to be the most common that pops up.

The Manhattan Pen Makers Project lists their address as 180 / 189 Broadway in 1920 and 1925.



Regards,

Phil

Nice.

Mine is earlier. Might be grabbed by a pen friend in Boston, but believe I shot it first. Need to find images.

d