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Just Bought My First Eyedropper Yesterday.


SchaumburgSwan

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Hi,

 

I'm waiting for a about 100 years (?) old Mabie Todd Swan eyedropper from Ireland.

I found the nib fascinating... Will it be fine, much flex?

 

My pen doesn't have an overfeed, is it missing here?

 

Some photos here:

https://www.ebay.de/itm/EARLY-20th-C-SWAN-PEN-MABIE-TODD-SWAN-PEN-SWAN-METAL-POCKET-1915-/153109745032

 

Can't wait to see how it writes.

 

Best

Jens

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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The nib does not look like an overfeed was intended from the way it protrudes and is engraved.

 

Have fun with your treasure! My two safeties from around 1925 are great writers with awesome nibs, very delicate and soft and dear to me.

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I believe it should be an over and underfeed pen. Many of these feeds are intact, but have the nib inserted with both parts of the feed under the nib. No way to know until you get the pen. But the price was very good!

 

This is the fun part of on line auctions! When your prize arrives, please let us know.

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The nib does not look like an overfeed was intended from the way it protrudes and is engraved.

 

Have fun with your treasure! My two safeties from around 1925 are great writers with awesome nibs, very delicate and soft and dear to me.

 

Thanks a lot, Sina. :-)

 

Indeed the nib looks delicate... we'll see more when the old beauty has arrived.

 

LG

Jens

Edited by SchaumburgSwan

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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I believe it should be an over and underfeed pen. Many of these feeds are intact, but have the nib inserted with both parts of the feed under the nib. No way to know until you get the pen. But the price was very good!

 

This is the fun part of on line auctions! When your prize arrives, please let us know.

 

Greenie, thank you for your help.

I'll post some impressions when the pen has arrived (next weekend?).

I have expected a higher price...

Best

Jens

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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That looks to be a nice looking pen and I would say that you got it at a good price, especially as it comes with the metal holder. I think that its very possible that the over-under feeda might have been discontinued by the time yours was made. Take a look at this example that Richard posted about a while back, and his comments on ink flow are well worth noting.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/206092-mabie-todd-swan-no-2-eyedropper-c1915/

 

BTW, they've stored the pen upside down in the holder ... if you think that the holder would clip onto a shirt / jacket pocket then you can see that this is wrong.

Although we can't see the nib detail, it should have a nice bit of flex to it. Enjoy it when it arrives.

Edited by chunya
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That pen began life with an over and under feed. Whether it is damaged or wrongly fitted I can't tell from the photographs.

 

Use the Swan Metal Pocket with care. After all these years many have rusted inside and can scratch a pen. Wire wool or emery cloth will solve that problem.

Regards,

Eachan

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That looks to be a nice looking pen and I would say that you got it at a good price, especially as it comes with the metal holder. I think that its very possible that the over-under feeda might have been discontinued by the time yours was made. Take a look at this example that Richard posted about a while back, and his comments on ink flow are well worth noting.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/206092-mabie-todd-swan-no-2-eyedropper-c1915/

 

BTW, they've stored the pen upside down in the holder ... if you think that the holder would clip onto a shirt / jacket pocket then you can see that this is wrong.

Although we can't see the nib detail, it should have a nice bit of flex to it. Enjoy it when it arrives.

 

Hi Chunya,

 

well, i know that ink flow ("blub") issue from my leverless L245/60 and L212/60 Swans. My lever pens don't do that...

 

Richard's great review was a joy to read.

 

Greetings

Jens

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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That pen began life with an over and under feed. Whether it is damaged or wrongly fitted I can't tell from the photographs.

 

Use the Swan Metal Pocket with care. After all these years many have rusted inside and can scratch a pen. Wire wool or emery cloth will solve that problem.

 

Hi,

 

we will see... in a worst case I'll buy another damaged one with overfeed.

Or just live with the pen as it is.

 

To be honest, when I get a Swan with such metal pocket, I just put the case aside - I don't like them... Pens with such had more scratches then others.

 

Best

Jens

Edited by SchaumburgSwan

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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What a beautiful nib!

 

The small size of the feed (underneath) suggests that there have may have once been an overfeed?

But, if there was it has left no markings on the nib - none visible in the photo, anyway.

It looks great. Let us know how you get on with it.

 

Enjoy.

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Hi Chunya,

 

well, i know that ink flow ("blub") issue from my leverless L245/60 and L212/60 Swans. My lever pens don't do that...

 

Richard's great review was a joy to read.

 

Greetings

Jens

That can happen when the sac gets twisted owing to the fact it has stuck to the paddle.

 

Worse I have come across Leverlesses with deranged paddles, caused by people lacking mechanical sympathy who have attempted to turn the knob against a sac that has gone rigid.

 

Cob

fpn_1428963683__6s.jpg “The pen of the British Empire” fpn_1423349537__swan_sign_is.jpg


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...snip...

 

Worse I have come across Leverlesses with deranged paddles, caused by people lacking mechanical sympathy who have attempted to turn the knob against a sac that has gone rigid.

 

 

 

Or simply don't understand that a simple small twist is all it takes.

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Here we go - the old beauty found its way and arrived yesterday. It is a great pen!!! Its a 3012 MED.

 

A first writing test:

 

43872518911_09abc0971c_b.jpg

 

43872518941_8ce644a22c_c.jpg

 

43872518961_82553720d3_c.jpg

 

43872518971_7b8269e3a3_c.jpg

 

42064091050_4643c13e30_c.jpg

 

the pen works perfectly, so I haven't removed the nib and section, just flushed it.

I've read (a helpful post by Cob) that it can be a bit complicating to adjust the feed/wire/nib on these pens...
I'm still not sure if here a second feed is hidden... maybe even above the nib:

 

42064091090_87efa608a7_c.jpg

 

 

Best

Jens

 



What a beautiful nib!

It looks great. Let us know how you get on with it.

 

Enjoy.

 

...



...Although we can't see the nib detail, it should have a nice bit of flex to it. Enjoy it when it arrives.

 

 



When your prize arrives, please let us know.

Edited by SchaumburgSwan

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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The overfeed is broken off and visible as a crescent of black material above the nib at the end of the section. But it certainly is not causing any problems. Goes to show you that over and underfeed was not a needed technology.

 

Enjoy the pen! Don't try to adjust it if you don't need to.

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The overfeed is broken off and visible as a crescent of black material above the nib at the end of the section. But it certainly is not causing any problems. Goes to show you that over and underfeed was not a needed technology.

 

I don't think I would agree with that assumption. I think it's unlikely that we know better than the people who made these wonderful pens.

Regards,

Eachan

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The overfeed is broken off and visible as a crescent of black material above the nib at the end of the section. But it certainly is not causing any problems. Goes to show you that over and underfeed was not a needed technology.

 

Enjoy the pen! Don't try to adjust it if you don't need to.

 

Greenie, yes, I'll leave it as it is. Ink flow is how I like it, no problems.

I'm not too disappointed about the broken overfeed.

Thinking about its benefits... maybe a protection against overflexing the nib?

 

Best wishes

Jens

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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The overfeed is broken off and visible as a crescent of black material above the nib at the end of the section. But it certainly is not causing any problems. Goes to show you that over and underfeed was not a needed technology.

 

I don't think I would agree with that assumption. I think it's unlikely that we know better than the people who made these wonderful pens.

 

 

Eachan,

it would help to know what idea made MT use the overfeed...

Anyway, this is really a wonderful pen to write with.

It doesn't leak, the thread is fine and a superb nib.

 

Best

Jens

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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Nice flexy pen! I have a 1915 Waterman 452 1/2V ring top with triple flexible nib that is a joy with which to write. Enjoy your "new" MT! :)

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Eachan,

it would help to know what idea made MT use the overfeed...

Anyway, this is really a wonderful pen to write with.

It doesn't leak, the thread is fine and a superb nib.

 

Best

Jens

Having an upper and lower part to the feed improves ink flow. It's worth bearing in mind that these feeds are very simple and lack the later improvements. Before spoon or ladder feeds came along, minor improvements were made to the over-and-under feed, like twisted silver wire to lead the ink and the later gold over-feed which helped to supply ink to the nib and may have had the additional benefit of delaying the drying of ink on the nib.

Regards,

Eachan

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Nice flexy pen! I have a 1915 Waterman 452 1/2V ring top with triple flexible nib that is a joy with which to write. Enjoy your "new" MT! :)

 

Thank You, Stephanopolous,

 

I've seen interesting Waterman eyedroppers recently...

 

Best

Jens

.....................................................................................................

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums

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