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Are There Any Examples Of Early Eyedropper Pens By Dip Pen Manufacturers.


KandyPenz

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In late 1800s Brands like Leroy Fairchild, John Holland, Aiken Lambert had nice dip pens with nice scroll work. when eyedropper pens started to develop did they all transition or were they holding on to their dip pens until it was too late? I can see pens from john holland and aiken lambert that are eyedroppers. but they are all from the 1900s and on. was there ever an attempt made by them to make a viable fountain pen in 1800s?

 

Given they were in the business of making pens and had the equipments and expertise surely they would have had the upper hand compared to waterman etc. Are there any examples of earlier eyedroppers by big dip pen manufacturers.

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I assume you're talking about the gold pen makers, as the three makers you mentioned all made gold pens. I'm less familiar with them than I am about the steel dip pen manufacturers.

 

Among the steel pen makers, Eagle made a viable fountain pen in the late 1880's. It used a glass cartridge. They can still be found periodically, not too rare. Eagle made fountain pens of various kinds. I'm not so familiar with them, so don't know if they made an "eyedropper" model or not.

 

Esterbrook got into the fountain pen game a bit later (turn of the century?), but they only made the nibs, the bodies and such were made by others. They only began making their own pens (the more widely know Esterbrook Dollar, J's and such) in the 30's.

 

The steel pen makers were mostly too busy in the 1800's growing their dip pen business to worry too much about these new-fangled things that leaked and were a niche market. When they did get into the market, they tended, at first, to focus on what they already knew a great deal about, making a good nib.

 

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Gold nib makers did make early fountain pens but not in any big volume. Also the stylo people such as A.T. Cross, Mckinnon / Caw made fountain pens. some of them look more wired than others.

 

Following is a John holland. Overfeed is built in to the section itself. underfeed is split.

 

fpn_1601413670__img_20200922_140644.jpg

fpn_1601413694__img_20200922_140713.jpg

fpn_1601413717__img_20200922_140315.jpg

 

 

Aiken lamberts may have dealt with wirt at this point in time as well. there "mercantile" pens are marked as "made under wirt and stone patents" .

 

fpn_1601414532__img_20200428_122902.jpg

fpn_1601414553__img_20200428_123822.jpg

 

 

As for Leroy w Fairchild, they had a pen called "fairchild's unique". sadly i dont own one :(

 

 

they are supposed to have a rather strange nib. Mckinnons continuation in to fountain pens would have been Caw.

fpn_1601413812__img_20200921_144551.jpg

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  • 5 weeks later...

I have a couple of John Hollands, but no Aiken Lamberts. A Fairchild fountain pen was auctioned about three weeks ago, but the price quickly rose out of sight. Mabie Todd seems to have made the most successful transition.

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