Silver Swan

[Cepasaccus]

A Mabie, Todd & Bard with a robust sterling overlay. Wrote out of the box. The nib is an unusual nailish one. The price when new was 30 shilling or a bit more what I see on advertisements. I would date it to 1900 - 1905. The chemistry book is from 1897. It was used by an assayer of the mint in Belgium.

 

Cepasaccus

[Cob]

Absolutely beautiful

 

Thank you

 

Cob

[sidthecat]

What a pretty thing! Sorry about the nib - if not for the history I'd swap it out for a flex one.

[chunya]

What a lovely pen... It is early pens such as these that really grab my interest nowadays

[Parcival]

I think these two bands of the cap and barrel are placed later, but not original. I have several such pens and some are split in these parts. It is possible that these bands are placed there to strengthen.

[Cepasaccus]

That might very well be. The overlay is not soldered and has a slit the whole length. The rings are at the weak points.

[Parcival]

I think there was a lack of silver overlay and placed those rings.

No original pen with such rings.

[Cepasaccus]

Upload still doesn't work with me. So I can't show you a photo of the cleavage in the overlay, which probably someone wanted to fix with these rings.

[Cepasaccus]

I have reached my attachment limit and have to use uploads.

 

[Parcival]

I have a book MT&Co and numerous catalogs Bonhams. I've never seen such a pen with rings, although the cap ring is sometimes used in other models.There pens with two rings of the barrel - in the beginning and at the end /not steling silver/. But it's always possible to detect unknown model of an old pen. Yes, these splits rings appear to be authentic. It may be a special model. Worse is that there are defects, but in this model /barleycorn pattern/ are very common ones.

[Vintagepens]

Splitting/opening along the seams is all too common on these overlays.

[KBeezie]

Are Mabie Todd & Bard a US production? (thought Mabie Todd was British, but I guess & Bard would be a partnership?)

 

It's a very nice/sleek design, and I would not have thought it to be early 1900s at first, bet that sterling silver feels nice in the hands after a few minutes.

[Cepasaccus]

Mabie-Todd started as a New York company. In 1915 they split into a US company "Mabie, Todd & Co. Inc." and a major UK company under the name "Mabie, Todd & Co. Ltd.". This is the UK company you have in mind.

 

Yes, the silver pattern feels nice indeed.

[Ursus]

Nice design!