On The Subject Of Nibs...

[DanDeM]

The Edison Pen Co., circa 1910, was initially a builder of pens made with parts supplied by other manufacturers.

Here's a little ring top eyedropper I was cleaning yesterday. It's only 3½" long, capped.

 

 

 

Now here's the nib assembly

 

 

 

Look familiar?

 

Just about he right scale for an SJ, and a perfectly threaded fit.

 

 

Could Papa Esterbrook have been Edison's nib supplier?

Edited October 18, 2010 by Blotto

[kathleen]

Blotto,

Very interesting! Makes sense in the same way that Proctor and Gamble makes Tide and Gain detergents, and many store brands come from the same factories as more intensely marketed name brands. Still, there is often the small shop, solely independent , out there making a product that finds its little niche and competes with the Goliah. It would certainly require a good amount of research into the business documents of such companies to answer your question. Maybe Papa Esterbrook supplied other lines.

Regarding the Esterbrook Pen Company I read:

"This amazing company actually expanded during the Great Depression (1932-1940), while most pen companies, including the "Big 4" (Parker, Waterman, Sheaffer and Wahl/Eversharp) experienced greatly reduced sales, and many other pen companies closed altogether."

[jniforat]

that's really cool you thought to do that!

[Rabbit]

haha neat discovery there, Dan! Is that pen from 1910 too? I don't know the details about Esterbrook's history, but from what I've read on Esterbrook.net, their first US fountain pen that used renew points as we know them was sold in 1932. Not sure if that helps or not.

 

Is it safe to assume that a Renew Point will fit in the Edison barrel? That might be fun.

 

--Stephen

[DanDeM]

haha neat discovery there, Dan! Is that pen from 1910 too?

 

I dunno. Hard to find much pictorial history of Edison Pens.

 

I don't know the details about Esterbrook's history, but from what I've read on Esterbrook.net, their first US fountain pen that used renew points as we know them was sold in 1932. Not sure if that helps or not.

 

Is it safe to assume that a Renew Point will fit in the Edison barrel?

 

It tried that. The base of the collar was too long/wide to fit into the Edison barrel.

 

That might be fun.

 

--Stephen

 

 

Stephen:

I want to scratch you Avatar's ear until his back leg thumps.

Edited October 18, 2010 by Blotto

[Hobiwan]

 

Could Papa Esterbrook have been Edison's nib supplier?

 

I think "Yes". Coincidentally, I saw another copy of a little green cheapo-made no-name vest pocket pen with a tiny, simple "Esterbrook" nib on fleabay last week. The first one I saw (and had) years ago, together with a little pencil.

 

So, maybe Papa did make the nib for Edison.

 

or.....

 

If your Edison is a 1910, it predates the Esty unit by a number of years. So.....

 

Could some smart guy from Esterbrook have seen the Edison screw-in dealy (along with all the other eyedroppers) and said to himself, "Hmmmm. Good idea. But instead of screwing in the section a la eyedropper, why not just make a replaceable screw-in nib unit for one of these newfangled bladder-filled pens .... "