US Fountain Pen Co, NY/Paul W Johnson

May 6, 2007

Ok, shot in the dark, but I picked up this nice overlay yesterday in Chicago:

http://www.esterbrook.net/collection/usfp0100.jpg

http://www.esterbrook.net/collection/usfp0100nib.jpg

I'm betting the clip is a replacement, but do not know. Overlay is marked US Fountain Pen Co, NY 1/10 18kt filled. Nib could be a replacement too, don't know haven't heard of any of these names. Can anyone shed some light on my find, clip, nib, pen, or otherwise?

Thanks-

Brian

Some pen videos · May 6, 2007

For the nib check here.

The pen is from US Victor Fountain Pen Co. a New York pen (1925), see here.

Nice catch

Edited May 6, 2007 by antoniosz

May 7, 2007

For the nib check here.
The pen is from US Victor Fountain Pen Co. a New York pen (1925), see here.
Nice catch

Aaahhh, thanks Antonios! I forgot about the NY list. So the clip is correct then. I wonder what nibs the US Victor Fountain Pen Co used for a pen like this.

So I should ink it up then eh?

Thanks!

Brian

February 7, 2017

I have a Morrison's pen with a Paul W. Johnson nib. It's a flexy Fine. I suspect it was a replacement. I found it at last year's LA Pen show in a bargain basket, and I bought it for its flex, knowing nothing about its history. They're worth searching out.

February 12, 2017

I wonder what nibs the US Victor Fountain Pen Co used for a pen like this.

Brian:

A little late getting back to this, but better than never.

I have only four Victor pens, not enough to make a definitive statement about their nibs, but for what it’s worth, this is what little light I can share.

A very small, 7.9cm., 2.9 inch, really sweet ring-top ED that came with a badly mangled Warranted nib.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/Overlay%20RT/Victor%20Ovrly%20RT%20-%204_zpszg3doeh2.jpg

Knocked it out, worked it on a nib block and the metal failed. Found a replacement from Max Davis in a Peter Pan section. So now the pen sports a 14k nib marked PONY.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/Overlay%20RT/VctrOvrly%20ED%20Post%20-%203_zpsp6bqpq53.jpg

From a few years later, this telescope lever overlay, with an end cap that unscrews to hold smelling salts (Pat.#1,307,359 awarded to Edward L. Hugetz on June 24, 1919 for a Telescoping Fountain Pen) with a Waterman 79 nib. It starts out at 10.05cm., 4.0 inches capped and extends to 13.85cm., 5.46 inches open.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/1.Victor%20Ovrly%20Tele%20RT%20-%2012_zpsx7fbcqy9.jpg

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/4.Victor%20Ovrly%20Tele%20RT%20-%2008_zpsmusuilo2.jpg

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/5.Victor%20Ovrly%20Tele%20RT%20-%2004_zps5podmgz4.jpg

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/6.Victor%20Ovrly%20Tele%20RT%20-%2003_zpsrljgwdfv.jpg

From probably a few years later, this lattice overlay with a Warranted nib.

And from a good decade later, this shadow-wave bulb fill (US Pat. July 18, 33, again to Edward Hugetz Pat.#1,918,844 (Finger Press Filler) also Pat.#1,988,623). The original sac was an hour glass shape. This carries a 14k Signature nib.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/Victor%20BrnShdw%20Wave/Victor%20BwnShdw%20Wave%20-%202_zpscpvcqxz9.jpg

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/Victor%20BrnShdw%20Wave/Victor%20BwnShdw%20Wave%20-%204_zpsdsyqzntt.jpg

My conclusion??? Old Ed Hugetz got his nibs from wherever he could find them.

Interesting tho, is that based on the span of these examples, the Company was in business for a good thirty years, and there are so few of these around.

Edited February 12, 2017 by DanDeM

February 14, 2017

Nice looking pens Dan! Of course, I am partial to the earlier overlays. You going to be at the LA show this weekend?

February 14, 2017

You going to be at the LA show this weekend?

The spirit is willing, the parts that carry it say, “Whattya nuts!?!”

Have a great show, and hugs to Lisa.

February 15, 2017

Brian:

A little late getting back to this, but better than never.

I have only four Victor pens, not enough to make a definitive statement about their nibs, but for what it’s worth, this is what little light I can share.

A very small, 7.9cm., 2.9 inch, really sweet ring-top ED that came with a badly mangled Warranted nib.

Knocked it out, worked it on a nib block and the metal failed. Found a replacement from Max Davis in a Peter Pan section. So now the pen sports a 14k nib marked PONY.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/Overlay%20RT/VctrOvrly%20ED%20Post%20-%203_zpsp6bqpq53.jpg

From a few years later, this telescope lever overlay, with an end cap that unscrews to hold smelling salts (Pat.#1,307,359 awarded to Edward L. Hugetz on June 24, 1919 for a Telescoping Fountain Pen) with a Waterman 79 nib. It starts out at 10.05cm., 4.0 inches capped and extends to 13.85cm., 5.46 inches open.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/1.Victor%20Ovrly%20Tele%20RT%20-%2012_zpsx7fbcqy9.jpg
http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/4.Victor%20Ovrly%20Tele%20RT%20-%2008_zpsmusuilo2.jpg
http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/5.Victor%20Ovrly%20Tele%20RT%20-%2004_zps5podmgz4.jpg
http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/6.Victor%20Ovrly%20Tele%20RT%20-%2003_zpsrljgwdfv.jpg
From probably a few years later, this lattice overlay with a Warranted nib.

And from a good decade later, this shadow-wave bulb fill (US Pat. July 18, 33, again to Edward Hugetz Pat.#1,918,844 (Finger Press Filler) also Pat.#1,988,623). The original sac was an hour glass shape. This carries a 14k Signature nib.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/Victor%20BrnShdw%20Wave/Victor%20BwnShdw%20Wave%20-%202_zpscpvcqxz9.jpg
http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/DanDeM38/Victor/Victor%20BrnShdw%20Wave/Victor%20BwnShdw%20Wave%20-%204_zpsdsyqzntt.jpg

My conclusion??? Old Ed Hugetz got his nibs from wherever he could find them.

Interesting tho, is that based on the span of these examples, the Company was in business for a good thirty years, and there are so few of these around.

Delighted to see the last picture of the bulb filler with the Victapen name. I picked one up in an ebay batch several years back but have not found much information about the company. According to the patent information Hugetz had come up with a shaped sac to allow for greater capacity in pens. The patent description says that this design would be helpful in other filling systems besides bulb fillers.
Is anyone aware that these sacs were used in anything other than the Victapen bulb filler pens or the Victor pen in the previous picture?
The nib on my pen is a gold plate steel nib that says "Iridium Tipped" with another line of print that is buried in the section. It writes nicely.