Mabie Todd Swan

[Guest Gracie]

Hi All,

 

My son just bought me a Mabie Todd Swan garnet lizard pen with a number 3 nib while in London UK. I don't have it yet, but I'm trying to learn Spencerian script and I'm excited. However, I know absolutely nothing about this pen, and would love to get some input about using it (I don't even know how to fill it), taking care of it, what ink to use to keep it happy and forth.

 

As always, your help is sooo appreciated.

[demeter]

Hi All,

 

My son just bought me a Mabie Todd Swan garnet lizard pen with a number 3 nib while in London UK. I don't have it yet, but I'm trying to learn Spencerian script and I'm excited. However, I know absolutely nothing about this pen, and would love to get some input about using it (I don't even know how to fill it), taking care of it, what ink to use to keep it happy and forth.

 

As always, your help is sooo appreciated.

 

Lucky Duck! Wonderful son. Mabie Todd made great pens. I have a few. The nibs can be divine, or made to be divine with a bit of tuning. #3 would be a nice size.

Please post pictures when it arrives if you are able.

 

Andrew

[Guest Gracie]

Hi All,

 

My son just bought me a Mabie Todd Swan garnet lizard pen with a number 3 nib while in London UK. I don't have it yet, but I'm trying to learn Spencerian script and I'm excited. However, I know absolutely nothing about this pen, and would love to get some input about using it (I don't even know how to fill it), taking care of it, what ink to use to keep it happy and forth.

 

As always, your help is sooo appreciated.

 

Lucky Duck! Wonderful son. Mabie Todd made great pens. I have a few. The nibs can be divine, or made to be divine with a bit of tuning. #3 would be a nice size.

Please post pictures when it arrives if you are able.

 

Andrew

[Guest Gracie]

Hi Andrew,

 

I see you are also in the great white north. I wonder if that says anything about Mabie Todd pens.... I may not get it for a week or so, but when I do I'll come back to this stream and post photos. In the meantime, you can see it without closeups on the site for the shop where he purchased it:

 

http://www.penfriend.co.uk/vintage/MabieToddSwan/1930sandbeyond/GarnetLizard.html

 

Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm! More soon,

 

Gracie

[Beechwood]

Thats a very nice gift, I know Penfriends prices. he must think a great deal of his Mom!

 

The pen is a twist filler. The little black knob at the end of the pen is gently turned to the left, about 1/4 turn, and then turned back. If you can imagine there is a metal bar inside the pen, set at an angle, that turns with the knob that presses the sac and then releases the sac when you turn the knob back to the right.

 

The ink capacity is not so much, but its ok, particularly if you are writing just from home.

 

The #3 nib should be lovely with good flex.

 

Enjoy it!

[Guest Gracie]

Thats a very nice gift, I know Penfriends prices. he must think a great deal of his Mom!

 

The pen is a twist filler. The little black knob at the end of the pen is gently turned to the left, about 1/4 turn, and then turned back. If you can imagine there is a metal bar inside the pen, set at an angle, that turns with the knob that presses the sac and then releases the sac when you turn the knob back to the right.

 

The ink capacity is not so much, but its ok, particularly if you are writing just from home.

 

The #3 nib should be lovely with good flex.

 

Enjoy it!

 

Hi Arthur,

 

Thanks for writing. I don't know exactly what the pen cost, but from what I did hear on the phone, it seemed like it was going to be expensive. I hope they didn't charge more than the worth of the pen. On the other hand, I haven't been able to find any like it online that weren't either cracked or with an incorrect replacement nib, so I don't really have anything to compare it with. I'm assuming that a shop like that would have made sure that everything was working properly and clean.

 

Thanks for the information on filling the pen. Do I just turn the knob counter-clockwise once, or several times, to fill it as much as possible? I would never take a good pen away from home, so I'll always be near ink in any case, but it's nice to not have to refill it too often. My only other vintage pens are two Waterman 52s, one from Fountain Pen Emporium, and the other from Mauricio Aquilar, and I was very pleased with both the pens and service from each of them. Would the Mabie Todd hold about the same amount of ink?

 

Thanks again, Gracie

[Brian K]

That is one seriously beautiful pen. You have a good son, Gracie!

[Beechwood]

PM sent

[red52ripple]

That's a superb pen. Of the various lizards, the garnet is the most sought after and hardest to come by. A real treasure.

Regards,

[Uncle Red]

That's a sweet pen. Your son did a really nice thing. I hope you enjoy it for many years.

[Guest Gracie]

Thanks for all the input. I am SO excited and can't wait to get it into my hands, and the lens of my camera so I can pass along some close up views.

 

I am wondering if you have any suggestions regarding ink? I would tend to be afraid to use anything except Waterman Florida Blue, but would love to use Iroshizuku or Aurora, or even Diamine. I just don't want to use anything that would be harmful to such an elegant elder statesman, or maybe she is so pretty that it should be stateswoman. Diamine Syrah would suit her admirably, however.

 

[buffalowings]

Congrats on the gift, any ink advertised for fountain pens would be fine (except noodlers baystate blue or any other ink notorious for melting barrels or leaving stains)

[demeter]

Hi Andrew,

 

I see you are also in the great white north. I wonder if that says anything about Mabie Todd pens.... I may not get it for a week or so, but when I do I'll come back to this stream and post photos. In the meantime, you can see it without closeups on the site for the shop where he purchased it:

 

http://www.penfriend.co.uk/vintage/MabieToddSwan/1930sandbeyond/GarnetLizard.html

 

Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm! More soon,

 

Gracie

 

Gracie

That's a beautiful pen!! I think the Diamine Syrah would look wonderful coming from its nib.

Look forward to your pictures.

 

Andrew

[Bo Bo Olson]

That is a beautiful pen.

I hope the nib will be one you want.

 

Swans made a few regular flex nibs, but are more known for making nibs with some flex.

Semi-flex, 'flexi' and easy full flex/super flex.

 

 

What a pen.

[Guest Gracie]

 

]Firstly, thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on this amazing pen, and shared my anticipation. I finally got it, and have tried to share a bit of that experience with you here. I had thought originally that it was a "super flex" pen, which isn't the case, as Bo Bo Olson pointed out.

 

Two things stand out to me for sure - the first was the astounding beauty of the pen itself, which absolutely glows in any light, and is a finish that it entirely unique for me. Secondly, the pen is certainly the smoothest that I have ever used, and seems to float just off the page. The nib seems to be in perfect shape, and there was no problem filling it.

 

I have done a little writing sample of my most flexible pens, certainly not meant to be anything professional or carved in stone, but just playing about a bit so that there is some comparison. If anyone can suggest something more efficient, or if anyone would like better photos, writing samples etc., please say so. I'm not sure I'm doing this correctly, but here goes.

 

[RodneyOK]

Absolutely beautiful! You certainly have one gem of a son. Enjoy that wonderful Swan.

[Beechwood]

It looks lovely, very nice job Gracie.

 

Please let us know how you find the twist filler.

[Guest Gracie]

It looks lovely, very nice job Gracie.

 

Please let us know how you find the twist filler.

 

The twist filler seems fine, and I'm amazed at how little distance it moves each way and yet still fills! Of course I haven't run out of ink yet, so I don't know how much it takes in. I just flushed out several large chunks of old dried ink after seeing my lovely Amaranth ink turn to a dirty purple, so I'll see if more stuff breaks away with the fresh ink. I must say that I am rather shocked to see that happen, and hope that the pen is in as good condition inside as it appears to be on the outside. I had naively assumed that the pen would have been cleaned and brought up to snuff for that price. In any case, it seems to write perfectly and is a joy to use, and is almost magnetizing in its beauty. I can see why one could become a collector of Swans. I'll try to post a photo of the end of the cap tomorrow.

[pmsalty]

Very, very, nice!

PMS

[Malcy]

I have the black equivalent, the Swan 0160 and it is a favourite but it would be hugely more favourite in the plastic that your pen is made of. One of the good things about buying Swans is hat you never know what sort of nib you will get. Looks mean nothing, the nibs can range from wet noodle to nail and look the same.

 

 

I have just snagged a Swan 1060 with a size 4 nib. It's an Eternal so will be stiff. I can't wait.

 

Enjoy your Swan, let it be the first of many.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Malcy