Summary

Baldwin Spencer's fountain pen. Inscription on top band: '1920' and '9ct' and on second band: 'W.B.S.' and '9ct'. Inscription on the nib: 'CONKLIN 4 TOLEDO'. The inscription of '1920' on the band correlates with the year that the Conklin Pen Company ceased production.

Baldwin Spencer passed away in 1929 and as the pen is inscribed '1920', its use can be dated from 1920 to 1929. Conklin was a brand of fountain pens manufactured in the USA. This is a Conklin crescent filler in black chased hard rubber. Established in 1898 by Roy Conklin in Toledo, Ohio, USA, the Conklin Pen Company produced one of the first self filling fountain pens such as this one using a sac filler. The mechanism used to deflate and inflate the ink sac used a metal bar inside the barrel which in turn was attached to a crescent shaped metal ring that protruded outside the barrel through a narrow opening. To operate, the crescent was pressed causing the metal bar inside the barrel to deflate the sac, and with its release the sac inflated drawing in the ink. The use of an outer ring with an opening that secured the crescent in place had to be turned so that the crescent could be pressed. This avoided accidents with the ink. http://www.pentrace.net/penbase/Data_Returns/full_article.asp?id=259

Physical Description

Fountain. Black, writing pen with lid. Herringbone pattern on both lid and barrel. White tape wrapped around lid several times. Clasp is missing and lid has a small crack which disappears under binding. Two gold bands top and centre of main barrel; both are inscribed. Recess containing a crescent shaped metal ring with a small ring centred around it also on main body. Nib also has company trademark and model inscribed.

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