Conklin Vest Pocket Crescent Filler

[Okami]

I'd like to share my new blog post on my recently acquired Conklin Vest Pocket Crescent Filler

 

Please see the full post with photos here: Featured Pen: Conklin Vest Pocket Crescent Filler. Following is the text of the post.

 

Some of you may recall my previous blog post about my visit to the Miami Pen Show. At that show I picked up a pen that I have been wanting for a long time - a Conklin Crescent Filler. This pen was in excellent shape but the sac was history, so I cleaned it out and installed a new sac.

 

The Conklin Pen Manufacturing Company has a long and storied history, probably most famously know as being the favorite writing instrument of Mark Twain. They produced pens from 1898 through 1955. In 2000, the company was revived as the Conklin Pen Co. and began producing pens once again. In 2009, the company was purchased by Yafa, Inc.

 

The crescent filler is a unique pen, with a unique filling system, David Nishimura of www.vintagepens.com has a very nice description of the pens and their filling system on his website. But the basics are that you insert the nib into the ink bottle and then depress the crescent which compresses the internal sac, release and count to ten allowing the sac to expand and fill with ink.

 

The photos that I'm including are not as good as I would like, I found this a very difficult pen to photograph, the gold surface is just too reflective. So if you would like to see better photos of this same model please go to this link at Rhamiels's Fountain. He also has a very nice description of the crescent on his page.

 

I would also like to direct you to some wonderful Conklin information compiled by my friend and fellow blogger, Julie, over at Peaceable Writer. She has put together information regarding the numbering system of vintage Conklin Crescents (by the way, my pen has no number) and a reading list for your perusal.

 

So, one or two last items about MY pen. It has no engravings, but does have a small ding in the cap, near the engraving plate area. They only other issue with this pen, is that unfortunately it does not have the find #2 Conklin Toledo nib which would most likely have come with the original pen, it has a Burrows 14kt fine, flexible nib, which will just have to do for the moment. #2 Toledo nibs are scarce and expensive when you are able to find one. I located one but it was almost as much as the total cost of the pen, so I'll put that off for now.

[CraigR]

Great pen! I also love your blog, have bookmarked it and will return with time to wander through it. Thanks for posting. /Craig

[LedZepGirl]

Nice pen. I have a tiny little BHR one that I need to get put back together.

[jde]

Nice review, Julie. And your blog is very informative.

-- the other Julie

[diplomat]

That is a beautiful little jewel, thanks for your review. I like how long it become when posted. Also, too bad for the nib: I wish you luck in your hunt.

 

Andre

[Okami]

You know, I found a #2 Toledo nib for this pen and decided to pass. The Burrows nib which is on it is actually a very nice nib, so I decided - if it ain't broke, don't fix it!