Antique Pen Research.

[ggreco70]

Hello... I'm very new to this forum, and logged on because I'm trying to do some research on an antique pen we recently found.

 

The pen looks to be made of sterling silver, and is very unusual in that the tip / cartridge section of the pen is extracted from the base of the pen and then reversed and reinserted in the base for writing. Furthermore, the base has a telescoping back section. The outer shell of the base looks to have been knurled. There are no marking on the pen of any kind, other than a logo at the base of the tip which says "Henry A".

 

I would appreciate some suggestions on how to research this pen's history or if anyone has information on the maker that would be wonderful as well.

 

Thank you,

[MicheleB]

First off, welcome to FPN. We are a friendly and helpful bunch and I am sure many would like to help. It would be most helpful to us if you could post some pictures. An overall shot of the entire pen, a closeup of the top of the nib then of any markings at all are a good start. Here's a thread on posting pics. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/1839-how-to-post-pictures-on-fpn/

[jbb]

Welcome to FPN. If you can post a picture that would be helpful. From your description it sounds like you might be describing a dip pen, not a fountain pen. To give you a point of reference, I've posted a picture with some Henry dip nibs and a telescoping dip pen holder.

 

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6099/6394505027_75521b575c_b.jpg

[ggreco70]

That is great JBB.... I think you've hit the mark. The one we've got is not identical to the picture shown, but it is very, very similar.

I'll post picture as soon as I can....

[jbb]

That is great JBB.... I think you've hit the mark. The one we've got is not identical to the picture shown, but it is very, very similar.

I'll post picture as soon as I can....

I believe those sorts of dip pens are late 19th century. I look forward to seeing a picture.

[Dimitrios_P]

Great job

[ggreco70]

Some pictures. Sorry if they are too large, I wanted to make sure I got enough resolution to allow a bit of zoom in.

 

 

[ggreco70]

More pictures...

 

[ggreco70]

Last picture....

Using a Jeweler's eye loupe... The markings say "Henry A"

 

Edited November 29, 2011 by ggreco70

[jbb]

Do you think the nib it 14K gold? It reminds me a some older nibs I have that are gold and have nice flex for writing. It also looks like it's both a pen and a mechanical pencil.

[ggreco70]

Don't know anything about the pen and therefore, I don't know what the materials are. I think it's plausible that the nib is gold.

 

Comment on the pencil is interesting... I was wondering why rotating the back of the "lead holder" (forgive me, I don't know the proper names of the components) extended and retracted the wick (or at least what I've been calling a wick).

[Shangas]

Hi Greco.

 

What you have here is a rather nice Victorian-era pen/pencil combination. These were very popular in the days before fountain pens.

 

This is a GUESS. But I believe your pen was manufactured by Aikin Lambert & Co. One of the founding members was a Mr. Henry A. Lambert.

 

From Richardspens.com:

 

A pen manufacturing company located in New York City. Founded as jewelry maker J. C. Aikin & Co. in 1864 by James C. Aikin and Henry A. Lambert, the company began making gold pens (dip pen nibs) to supply the burgeoning demand after the American Civil War. In the late 1880s the product line expanded to include fountain pens made under license using Paul Wirt’s patents, and in 1889 the company was incorporated as Aikin Lambert & Co. by Aikin and Lambert along with John B. Shea and James C. Wakefield. Shortly thereafter, Aikin Lambert began supplying gold nibs of very high quality to L. E. Waterman; the relationship continued and led to Waterman’s 1915 acquisition of Aikin Lambert. Aikin Lambert pens were of high quality; among the company’s best known brand names are Mercantile, Capitol, and The Pet. Most of Aikin Lambert’s later own-brand fountain pen nibs are imprinted ALCO. Waterman continued to use the Aikin Lambert name for such models as the Skywriter, finally subsuming it in about 1931.

Edited December 2, 2011 by Shangas

[ggreco70]

Yea... I had found that reference as well. Wish I could find some images or other conclusive reference data to help prove the origin.

 

Anyone know of any books that I might find at a library or else where to help with identifying this combo Nib / Pencil?

[jbb]

Yea... I had found that reference as well. Wish I could find some images or other conclusive reference data to help prove the origin.

 

Anyone know of any books that I might find at a library or else where to help with identifying this combo Nib / Pencil?

The book "Pen, Ink & Evidence" by Joe Nickell makes a brief reference to retractable dip pens on page 13... placing them in the last half of the nineteeth century. I assume there is no patent number on your pen, right? If there is you can search Google patents and sometimes see schematics of the mechanism.

 

Here's a retractable pen/pencil from 1870:

 

http://www.google.com/patents?id=RPIeAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA2&dq=september+1870+pencil&hl=en&ei=GWLRTpDWLoGjiALbyoXLCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=september%201870%20pencil&f=false

Edited December 4, 2011 by jbb

[ggreco70]

No patent numbers that I could find. The only writing of any kind is the "Henry A." on the nib.

 

Anyone know of someone that could authenticate this pen and/or tell me more about it?

[rhr]

Try pulling the nib out just a little bit. Then you might be able to see the surname. As well as Henry A. Lambert, it might also be Henry A. Brown, a very early penmaker, or Henry A. Reed, or Henry A. Walke, all early pensmiths.

 

George Kovalenko.