Trench pens/Military pens

[Splintercat123]

Recently missed out buying a De La Rue  Military pen. I think it was called an Pelletink pen ?  This of course opened up a whole world of pens used, and made during both World Wars.  I have seen a few examples of Parker pens, the pellet type and of course this De La Rue pellet pen but not a lot else. I am sure that Conway Stewart made a pellet type pen but all my research has come to an end I am afraid, with little or nothing much to show. Everyone seems to know that these pens whether under the title " Military, Safety or Pellet"  were made, but not much information other than that.  I suppose confusion arises because of the GAP years,  because these type of pens were introduced/made because of the effect of the WW1 and again for WW11 due to material shortages and using glass filled containers in the trenches. Were there two different types during the two Wars or did the production keep going from 1917 ish to the late 40's or have I got  it all wrong?

[Armo]

I have an old John Whytwarth safety pen that I inherited. My grandfather was a dispatch rider during 1st World War and I guess this would have been his regular carry. He died (not in action) before I was born so I will never know.

[Splintercat123]

Wow that's quite a collectors item, I read somewhere that they have nice flexible gold nibs too, and are very sought after.  I am still looking at these style/type pens, quite interesting research too. But considering that so many were made during both Wars they are still hard to find. I  haven't managed to find any for sale yet. I know most of the major players made them during both War periods, Parker, De La Rue, Mabie Todd Swan and Watermans, and have just found an article on The 1914 Bixby pellet trench pen. The trouble I find in research  is that they can be under different catagories/headings ie....... Trench pen, Ink Pellet pen, Military pen, Safety pen, and The American Inkless War pen ( introduced by The Chester Novelty Company in 1917.)

I shall however keep looking and I am sure I will find one for sale soon. As for the pellets however, that will be another chapter.

[inkstainedruth]

I just bought an old Sheaffer pen (don't know the model offhand) at an estate sale this morning, and I noticed that it has what I've seen in some other thread in the past what is referred to as a "military clip" (a much shorter clip than you'd normally see on a pen cap).  So, while probably not a "trench pen" it certainly piqued my interest when I saw it.

From what I can tell (sorry, no pix yet) it seems to be some sort of equivalent to a plunger filler(?).  

Apparently this is "Sheaffer pen" weekend, because I bought a No Nonsense as well, after getting the Sheaffer desk pen, with base and a small (matching) rocker blotter yesterday at another estate sale....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Vintagepens]

Don't overlook the Swan "Military" -- WW1 era ink-pellet screw-cap dropper-filler.
Vintage Pen Catalog: Mabie Todd has a few illustrated.

There is also a Moore safety with an ink pellet compartment at the top of the cap.
Salz made another in the shape of a 30-06 rifle round.

Believe Richard Binder has a writeup on ink pellet pens on his site.

[Penguincollector]

   Somehow didn’t see that the post above mine was exactly what I was posting.

[Splintercat123]

Thanks for the info, saw the Swans, but a little above my desirability  budget. As for reading R Binders' write up ? I am a little newbie here so no idea how to do that. One of the main points to come out of this is that there must have been more than a few million of these type pens made, if you cover both World Wars, and the passion for letter writing, but where are they?

[Karmachanic]

5 hours ago, Splintercat123 said:

 As for reading R Binders' write up ? I am a little newbie here so no idea how to do that. 

 

Easy Peasy. The internet knows.

https://www.richardspens.com/ref/history/trenchpen.htm

[Splintercat123]

Thanks.

 

[welch]

5 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

 

Easy Peasy. The internet knows.

https://www.richardspens.com/ref/history/trenchpen.htm

 

Or, as I learned when I found FPN, "Richard Binder knows all"! A delight at my first pen-show: Richard Binder and Ron Zorn having tables beside each other, cracking jokes as they worked on pens without looking, encouaging a young kid who showed them a Pelikan 100. 

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah, they had tables next to each other at one of the pen shows I was at a while back (think it was OPS last fall).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[welch]

Just now, inkstainedruth said:

Yeah, they had tables next to each other at one of the pen shows I was at a while back (think it was OPS last fall).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I listened and watched, and said to myself, "Fountain pen experts are really nice people". I also met John Mottishaw, a sculptor working on nibs, and Brian Gray, who modified one of his Edison pens to post.