Jump to content

More Information On This 105/60?


Megabound

Recommended Posts

Hello everyone! I'm new to Fountain pen restoration and picked up this lovely Mabie Todd Swan self filler, but don't know a whole lot about it. Things I do know, it's a number 1 nib with a special trim level, but can anyone fill me in on what year it may have been made and whatnot?

 

post-133834-0-72525300-1483574817_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-08977700-1483574825_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-72908400-1483574832_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-05153600-1483574922_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-39313600-1483574873_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-13055200-1483574885_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-19363600-1483574935_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-00196100-1483574941_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-65750700-1483574946_thumb.jpg

 

post-133834-0-94388200-1483574953_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 18
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Cob

    7

  • Greenie

    4

  • butchixanhdo

    3

  • Megabound

    2

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

That's very interesting; I have seen the odd SM205/60 but never a 105/60 - this one is in delightful order with what looks (typically for a Mabie Todd) to be a lovely nib. People erroneously describe these as being made of black chased hard rubber, which they are not; they are made from Celluloid. The filler lever, section and feed of course are of black hard rubber.

 

The clip dates the pen to the mid to late 1830s; I would guess around 1936. You are fortunate to have found such a nice example; I hope it will give you plenty of writing pleasure as I sure it will..

 

Best wishes

 

Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, thank you kindly Cob, no wonder it was so hard to track down. 105/60 was returning 0 useful results, but a post of yours that went into the numbering convention got me all the info I could get.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad to help. I should clarify what i wrote late last night. What I meant about the clip is that that type of clip first appeared around the mid-1930s. It (or in fact one very like it) was used on the majority of Swan models up to around 1954.

 

Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

That's very interesting; I have seen the odd SM205/60 but never a 105/60 - this one is in delightful order with what looks (typically for a Mabie Todd) to be a lovely nib. People erroneously describe these as being made of black chased hard rubber, which they are not; they are made from Celluloid. The filler lever, section and feed of course are of black hard rubber.

 

The clip dates the pen to the mid to late 1830s; I would guess around 1936. You are fortunate to have found such a nice example; I hope it will give you plenty of writing pleasure as I sure it will..

 

Best wishes

 

Cob

 

 

Are Celluloid swans hard to find?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Are Celluloid swans hard to find?

 

Not at all! IMHO, they made the most beautiful celluloids, and often with wonderful nibs.

 

Check out the 142 and 242 series, and the snakeskin and lizard skin patterns. And the SM series.

 

At work. Can't post pics right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I agree (of course) 100% with what Greenie has written. The 142 and 242 types were perhaps better known in the USA rather than in England although as a matter of fact I have a 242/54 here at presnet stamped "Made in England" - probably quite unusual.

 

Other Celluloids tolook out for from the 1930s are 47 (Mosaic) 52 (blue/black marbled), 57 (blue/bronze), 58 ("Marine bronze), 59 (Italian Marble), 62 (Red/silver marble) 63 (Russet/Jade) 64 (Brown amber).

 

Here are a few pictures.

 

First: Brown amber

 

fpn_1461578449__l300_64.jpg

 

Heres the 52 colour:

 

fpn_1441210653__l212_52.jpg

 

Here's the 47 = Mosaic

 

fpn_1491858102__done.jpg

 

And finally, perhaps my favourite, the 62 pattern:

 

fpn_1491858211__l245_62j_2pg.jpg

 

Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


Link to comment
Share on other sites

omg, the blue one look awesome!

Yes, well there is usually a problem with that particular material. The barrels go dark, probably due to outgassing from the rubber sac. That example in my picture wasn't too bad but you can see that the barrel is darker than the cap. The pattern is rare anyway and one in good colour very rare indeed.

 

Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK - I swear that this is not to be a show off. But our new friend asked about celluloid Swans.

 

So, now for a quick peek at celluloid swans - focusing on volume and definitely not quality of the pictures!

Sorry for the stray Blackbird and mottled hard rubber in the way.... :)

(and for the fans, I believe I have all the 142/242 colors, first picture, in order from X42/49 second from the left, to X42/55 blue with black vein, just prior to the Blackbird and moire ringtops).

 

fpn_1491871040__swans_01.jpg fpn_1491871048__swans_02.jpg fpn_1491871055__swans_03.jpg fpn_1491871065__swans_04.jpg fpn_1491871078__swans_05.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK - I swear that this is not to be a show off. But our new friend asked about celluloid Swans.

 

So, now for a quick peek at celluloid swans - focusing on volume and definitely not quality of the pictures!

Sorry for the stray Blackbird and mottled hard rubber in the way.... :)

(and for the fans, I believe I have all the 142/242 colors, first picture, in order from X42/49 second from the left, to X42/55 blue with black vein, just prior to the Blackbird and moire ringtops).

 

fpn_1491871040__swans_01.jpg fpn_1491871048__swans_02.jpg fpn_1491871055__swans_03.jpg fpn_1491871065__swans_04.jpg fpn_1491871078__swans_05.jpg

 

WOW, such an awesome collection, sir! How many year did it take you to collect all these? And I believe that you have many more swans beside these. I am wondering if these trays ever or will appear at a pen show? :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, there are two more trays of Mabie Todd :blush: . Hard rubber, metal pens, and misc other "birds".

 

No plans to take these to market for the foreseeable future! I have a pretty big collection overall, but these are absolutely my favorites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree - very mouthwatering. I also have a 62 in the red/bronze/silver colours - the bronze and silver really do sparkle - but mine has an accommodation clip as opposed to a fixed riveted clip, and I did wonder whether this was a problem with originality, bearing in mind that both Cob and Greenie have examples of this pen with a fixed clip. But it seems not - the Swan list does show this model having a clip and clipless, with a date of c. 1927 - so guess it was at that period when clips were optional. As is often the case, the model No. is on the butt end of the blind cap. The cap rings on this model are very attractive too - especially with the milled pattern on the centre ring.

 

Apropos of nothing in particular, for some reason I was looking at a small ring top States made jade green l.f. pen recently - and being very ignorant of such matters - was surprised to see what must be an unusual method of linking between the lever and pressure bar. It looks to be the fourth pen from left in Greenie's first picture - and regret don't know the model No. etc., but would assume date is again somewhere in the 1920s, but could be wrong. Was this system peculiar to M.T., and would be interested to know more about that particular pen. Thanks :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are so far off topic! Oh well.

 

PaulS,

 

1. The red and silver leverless is seen with a single band and with a triple textured band. It is also commonly seen clipless as well as with a clip.

2. the Swan levers of this period have the bar attached with the sliding mechanism

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes with the triple bands, your pen is L245/62; with a single band it would be L205/62. Swan offered a clip fitting serivce for a very small charge - sadly no longer: I have just bought a clipless L245B/60, This leverless is just a little shorter than the standard L205/245 models - the B denotes this.

 

Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


Link to comment
Share on other sites

many thanks for the information - very much appreciated, and yes, sorry, will try to remember not to stray off-topic :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

...

Here's the 47 = Mosaic

 

fpn_1491858102__done.jpg

 

 

Dear Cob,

 

wow, that is a fascinating pattern! Thank You for presenting it. :-)

 

Best wishes

Jens

Edited by SchaumburgSwan

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...

 

Dear Cob,

 

wow, that is a fascinating pattern! Thank You for presenting it. :-)

 

Best wishes

Jens

Glad you like it.

 

I no longer have it, nor do I have the /62. I like to keep them for a while though. And the /64 is staying!

 

C.

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33474
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26573
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...