Pollock Pen Co. - John Hancock

[reedmaven]

This particular plea is directed toward those of you who probably know much more than I about the structure of this pen, which was one of the first cartridge pens available in the early 1920's. (I will try to post pictures in the next day or two.) Specifically, I have two immediate questions, and please forgive me if I seem green.

 

1. Does this pen have a section similar to most others, that can be removed through the gentle application of heat? A relatively close examination of the pen through a loupe did not reveal any obvious seam between the section and the body.

 

2. Aside from the obvious location of a seal at the open end of the copper cartridge, are there any other seals that will need to be replaced in order to make the pen functional again?

 

I plan on fashioning a replica of the copper-tube cartridge, either out of copper or brass, the original of which still has the color of a new penny, and some minor deformations. Overall, the pen is in very good condition, still lightly shiny externally, and sports a colorful green band integral to the body. The nib is in excellent shape, with full tipping material and close to a full flex in the M-XXB range. The feed needs to be adjusted slightly, as its tip has separated a wee bit from the spine of the nib. Other than these and a good, light polishing, the pen should be capable of full functioning with a very nice variable line.

 

Any help and/or guidance would certainly be appreciated. Thanks.

 

-Mark

Edited September 28, 2010 by reedmaven

[Vintagepens]

It's a one-piece section-barrel assembly. The feed is held in place by a hard rubber crosspin in the bottom of the section lip.

[reedmaven]

It's a one-piece section-barrel assembly. The feed is held in place by a hard rubber crosspin in the bottom of the section lip.

 

Many thanks for this tip, David. I managed to remove the pin by means of a small pin drill, cleaned the the nib and feed, and reassembled for a beautifully-writing, full-flex vintage pen. With Noodler's X-Feather, the pen writes a lovely line in the F-XXB range. Although the nib is clearly stamped "John Hancock Boston", it would appear that the nib may have been made by Waterman, as the tip has the double bevel so common to their nibs of that era. I have yet to complete a brass tube replacement for the original copper cartridge, but I am working on it.