Search the Community

On 1st October 2012,I wrote the "The Fountain Pen Used By Professor James Moriarty" at the section of "Picture & Pen Photography". At that time I watched the movie "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" by Warner Bros. Pictures and Road Show Entertainment,momentary I was drawn intention on the Professor James Moriarty's writing instrument,in my mind: "Is this a fountain pen?". I. At the scene,Professor James Moriarty sign on his book during the tour at Paris,France. II. At the scene,Colonel Sebastian Moran passed him this paper note before the ticket of Paris Opera for Don Giovanni. III. At the scene of weapons factory in Heilbronn,Germany.Holmes was captured,Professor Moriarty ask Holmes,"Who was it sent to?"The telegram that Watson sent to Mycroft. After these 3 pictures shown,it is quite obvious,isn't?A fountain pen,maybe I should start do research about it,perhaps?Couple month later,after check all the fountain pen collectors book and materials I can get,the progress still zero.Without despair,I keep going on research,surfing at Internet,"google" and type in almost the fountain pen brands that stuck in my head and flows it all out.Similar to Archimedes once he found out the "Archimedes' Principle",cry out loud,"Eureka!",whilst Archimedes actually forgotten to dress and get excited by his discover,eventually walked on the streets naked. "It is a Swan!" So the clue is evidently,finally I found a blog that tell a lots story about that pen.The blogger is a pen collector and restoration,known as Deborah or redripple52 in eBay.The pen's barrel marked 'THE "SWAN" PEN',known as "Chatelaine",a ladies' pen,eyedropper,manufactured by Mabie Todd & Co.Her collection was a 102 years old pen,tells from a commercial paper shown by her. IV. A Mabie Todd & Co.'s commercial paper,taken from Deborah. For me,it is hard to tell the pen is made in 1910,unless the proven from any document or paperwork.Product of "Swan" fountain pens appears to begin in 1890,Mabie Todd & Bard reverted to Mabie,Todd & Co. around 1907,when it was incorporated in New York.[1] The earliest model is made from 1900,so I throw out a question: "The movie Sherlock Holmes:A Game of Shadows plot was set in 1891.So,could this pen produce at the time around 1891?" My favorite most reply is from Beechwood,"When fiction becomes truth then all things are possible.",he say. True indeed,after a month later,a lady replied.She is call Jadie,what surprised me is,she bought the exact same pen from Deborah,the owner of the blog I found most of the story about the pen.And I tell Jadie,I'm going to get such pen on reply. Almost 6 month passed,in 21th May 2013,I decided to write a message to Jadie to propose on purchase the pen.She replied,"It's very interesting you should PM now, because last night I was just organizing my pens to sell for funding a new pen purchase. Fate works in funny ways."Then I let her to make an offer,honestly,fair price to me.She shipped out the pen to me before payment,it's shocked me,which I promised to pay on 1st of June 2013.And there's happened some trouble on payment and finally done it after received the pen 4 days later. I felt grateful and thankful that she trust on me,and I owned this pen!Now I'd belong this pen for a years and still haven't write a review,but without a decent quality camera,I'm going ruin the picture of this pen.In addition of slack and busy,delay for a years. Here it's ladies and gentleman,proudly presents : This pinhole actually make the ink dry. A writing sample,Pelikan 4001 Black Ink: For me it's suitable for writing at home or office where the ink were around with.The ink dry easily,carrying a ink bottle with,this style sounds like Colonel Hans Landa,from the Tarantino's movie.The pen same as Jadie described to me in reply,"a very slim and delicate pen with nice flex.But...I thought it was designed with ladies in mind?"However,Professor James Moriarty use this pen as well,in the movie scene. The pen's barrel marked: A Swan's logo front of these word, THE "SWAN" PEN MABIE TODD&CO NEW YORK,U.S.A. As David Moak said,around 1907 Mabie Todd & Bard reverted to Mabie,Todd & Co. and incorporated in New York.So,the pen is after 1907,or maybe Deborah was right? Thank you for reading this,hope you all enjoy! [1] Mabie Todd in America: Writing Instruments from 1843 to 1941,in various iterations on CD-ROM,David Moak.