Alex2014

A beautiful FP: Mabie, Todd & Bard straight-cap eyedropper with a Hand Hammered gold filled overlay, New York, 1900-1907 (according to Schneider, Fischler, I, p.147) I find Mabie Todd overlays to be the most beautiful in the world. Imprinting on the indicia with the 1880's patents. The under-and-over feed is composed by three pieces: a gold overfeed, the HR underfeed and a bulb ending with a long two twisted wire "tail" that can be pulled out with the finger for filling the FP with ink without unscrewing the section (US patent 631.909 from August 29, 1899).

The FP is 133 mm long and 153 mm capped. 

The fountain pen is 141 mm (5 ⁹/₁₆ in) long when capped and 173 mm (6 ¹³/₁₆  in) when posted. It is a slender ED, with a diameter of only 8 mm, and it weighs no more than 8 gr. For sure, it is a delicate pen. The cap is 60 mm long and has four vent holes (two pairs of two antipodal holes).

The ED has an uncommon but characteristically Aikin-Lambert & Co (acc. to David Nishimura) extra fine #1 nib with a round hole not connected to the slit, medium flex. The feed is a narrow keel-shaped one.

For the above pictures, I used a vintage post envelope illustrated with the drawing of the building from Manhattan where the famous jewellers had their shop in the era. 

A recently acquired Wirt  BCHR eyedropper filler, with checkerboard pattern chasing and two gold filled repoussé bands. Early production (c.1888-1900, most likely at the beginning of the period) with a two-rubber-shaft overfeed (the first overfeed patented by Wirt on February 3, 1885) and a Grecian Urn shaped section ended with a 3-rope band. 

Two-line imprinting on the barrel:

PAUL E. WIRT FOUNTAIN PEN

PAT'D JUNE 27, 1882 FEB 3, 1885

Dimensions: L_capped = 145 mm (5 ¹¹/₁₆ in), L_posted = 170 mm (6 ¹¹/16 in), D = 7,5 mm

Weight: 6.8 gr.

“An absolutely perfect reservoir pen, a pen compared with which all other pens are frank failures.” (Mark Twain). Twain bought a Wirt fountain pen from Horace M. Smith in 1886 and used it until 1904, when he received a Conklin Crescent BCHR S4 as a gratitude sign for the endorsement he wrote for the manufacturer from Toledo (Ohia). 

From all account, between 1885 and 1899, Paul E. Wirt from Bloomsburg (Pennsylvania) led the competition on the American fountain pen market. 

I definitely felt in love with Parker pre-1920 FP's. I recently got is a Lucky Curve ED #42 1/2 with a tear-drop vent hole (Lazy "S" imprint) #2 nib. I cannot but suppose it is manufactured in c.1912. Is it a way to date it more precisely? Thanks.

 

Could someone help me to identify the number of this Parker BF? I suppose it is a #99, acc. to Parker 1919, 1923 Catalogues. Please confirm or not my guess. Many thanks.

Album: Parker Jack Knife Safety #99S

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