Moore Safety Pen

December 30, 2006

Check out the cool Moore Safety Pen I got yesterday from my local vintage pen guy:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n286/mpsampson/MooreSafety1.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n286/mpsampson/MooreSafety2.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n286/mpsampson/MooreSafety3.jpg

When you uscrew the cap, the nib is pulled back inside the barrel (you fill it from the front with an eyedropper). To extend the nib, you slide the fat part at the back forward, pushing the nib out of the barrel. A gasket seals the ink inside so that it doesn't leak when you write. There's a pin inside the cap that prevents you from screwing the cap down if the nib is exposed (so you can't bend the tines) and a cork seal inside the cap that prevents the pen from leaking when the cap is screwed on.

The imprint is very strong and reads "Moore's Non-Leakable Fountain Pen Pat. Sept. 8, 1896." The imprint on the cap reads "Pat. Dec. 29, 1903."

I also bought my first ring top pen -- an old Sheaffer's black chased hard rubber with a flexible #2 Sheaffer's nib:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n286/mpsampson/SheaffersRingTop.jpg

The dealer told me it was rare and early based on the big "S"s at the front and back of the word "Sheaffer'S" in the imprint.

I love these old black hard rubber pens, especially when they have interesting filling systems.