Wwii Military Fountain And Dip Pens

[AAAndrew]

These threads about surrender pens from WWII bring up a question I have.

 

Dip pens were common, as well as the newer versions with the fountain pen feed, like the Esterbrook Dip-less or the Morrisett Pen Ink Unit.

 

I have an Esterbrook 407 Dip-less set (pen and ink well) engraved with "Air Force US Army", which places it squarely during the war, in army brown vs. the normal black.

 

I also have a black Morrisett set engraved with the flying anchor and shield of the Navy air corp and "San Diego" underneath, which places it at the San Diego Naval Air Station, and the dates of the ink well would place it during, or at most, just after the war.

 

I have seen several Esterbrook 444 bases with USN and the fouled anchor symbol.

 

I'm wondering if there were other pens or desk sets engraved for other branches, or even for specific units, during or right after the war? I seem to remember seeing a 444 engraved with USMC, the Marines. I'm sure there may be others.

 

And how about for other countries?

[welch]

I've seen (and once owned) a wide-bottomed and shallow ink-well that was made for the US Navy. It had a black plastic cover with a round opening just big enough for a fountain or dip pen. It was NOS around 2008, in a box saying it had been made for the Navy by a company in Washington, DC, during WW2. The company was not one we know among pen or ink makers, so I guessed they were a glass-making company that got a contract from the Navy Department. I gave it to a colleague who owns a good-sized sail-boat.

 

Clearly an ink-well designed to avoid tipping over.

 

I think I remember a scene in "Run Silent, Run Deep" in which one of the stars is shown writing, aboard his submarine, at a small table that has a short railing around the edge. The ink bottle will not fall over and the rail keeps it from falling to the deck.

 

It must have come from EBay. The cap and opening have an indented ring, so that ink will not spill even if tipped sideways. It's called "The Non-spill Ink Well". Not a clever name, but accurate.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Non-Spill-Navy-Contract-Ink-Well-in-Box-UNUSED-/262902034687?hash=item3d362eb0ff:g:Lq4AAOSwdGFYzv0w

Edited April 12, 2017 by welch

[Drone]

I'm wondering if there were other pens or desk sets engraved for other branches, or even for specific units, during or right after the war? I seem to remember seeing a 444 engraved with USMC, the Marines. I'm sure there may be others.

 

It's not exactly a desk set, but a fairly common item is a WWII U.S. Navy issue "The Non-Spill Ink Well". These ink wells with their large base, low center of gravity, and non-spill opening were well suited for use at sea. Some are molded with raised "U.S. Navy" marks. They pop-up for sale from time to time. I've seen them go for as low as ten bucks each.

 

* Here's a link with some good pictures of "The Non-Spill Ink Well":

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/navy-w-ii-non-spill-inkwell-138005659

 

One example from the link above which has more pictures:

 

 

* Here's a civilian version of "The Non-Spill Ink Well". Link with pictures:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/18054-non-spill-inkwell-question/?do=findComment&comment=1733180

 

* Here's a different U.S. Navy issue version (not the "The Non-Spill Ink Well") with raised marks:

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-s-navy-inkwell-military-glass-26652191

 

Two examples from the link above, which has more pictures:

 

 

 

Enjoy, David

[AAAndrew]

Very cool inkwell! I like the ball-in-socket design. I wonder how well it actually worked in a rolling ship.

[Penzo]

That looks very interesting

[CS388]

 

 

 

Enjoy, David

 

Excellent design. Never seen anything like it (ie in the pen world. Ball and socket principle at work in many other places, including our bodies!) Very cool.

 

As AAAndrew points out, whether it actually worked at sea is another question.

 

Thanks for sharing

[BamaPen]

I believe that is a SWIVODEX, made by the Zephyr American Company, New York, NY. I have an almost identical one, same ball/inkwell part, slightly different socket part, with that label molded into the inside of the socket.

Edited August 25, 2017 by BamaPen

[rwilsonedn]

As to how these ball-and-socket inkwells would perform in a seaway, I believe they had a special function. In close actions, such as those involving torpedo boats or destroyers, and for naval aviators, there was always a risk that personnel would end up in the water and be picked up by the enemy before they could be retrieved by friendly rescue. The War Department never developed a camo style that was effective in the water. But in the Pacific theater, it was discovered that a randomly-mottled blue and black was highly effective for concealing men afloat. This camo suit was produced by assigning at-risk crew to write letters home while their vessel was making speed in a seaway, using these inkwells and wearing their dress whites. By the end of a few letters, the individual had produced a suit that was virtually undetectable in the water unless he rolled over to expose the white back of the uniform.

ron

[AAAndrew]

As to how these ball-and-socket inkwells would perform in a seaway, I believe they had a special function. In close actions, such as those involving torpedo boats or destroyers, and for naval aviators, there was always a risk that personnel would end up in the water and be picked up by the enemy before they could be retrieved by friendly rescue. The War Department never developed a camo style that was effective in the water. But in the Pacific theater, it was discovered that a randomly-mottled blue and black was highly effective for concealing men afloat. This camo suit was produced by assigning at-risk crew to write letters home while their vessel was making speed in a seaway, using these inkwells and wearing their dress whites. By the end of a few letters, the individual had produced a suit that was virtually undetectable in the water unless he rolled over to expose the white back of the uniform.

ron

 

[PAKMAN]

Some neat designs!

[inkstainedruth]

I have one of the Navy Non-Spill inkwells. I've never used it, though, because I wasn't actually sure whether or not it was just for dip pens -- or desk pens -- and also how well it would keep the ink from drying out in it when using non desk pen.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Argee]

There is a Swivodex on the table at the Japanese Surrender ceremony on the USS Missouri.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_of_Japan#/media/File:Shigemitsu-signs-surrender.jpg

[AAAndrew]

Here's another WWII ink well. This one is USN and it's a fairly rare inkwell in that they didn't make too many of these Regal Reservoir Pen Sets. They were the only non-pen anything I've ever found manufactured by Turner & Harrison. As far as I've been able to tell, they were made in the 1940's only. (T&H went out of business in 1952) It uses an upside-down glass jar similar to other inkwells like the Morriset. The top anchor is in great shape and the ink well overall is in very good shape.

 

 

I've seen other USN inkwells, mainly Esterbrook Dipless, but not sure of the dates. This is only the second Regal ink well I've ever seen, and the other one is blank. (and it's sitting on the shelf beside this one)

[Ink Stained Wretch]

It's not exactly a desk set, but a fairly common item is a WWII U.S. Navy issue "The Non-Spill Ink Well". These ink wells with their large base, low center of gravity, and non-spill opening were well suited for use at sea. Some are molded with raised "U.S. Navy" marks. They pop-up for sale from time to time. I've seen them go for as low as ten bucks each.

 

I have one of those. Here's this morning's photograph of it:

 

 

I got mine in the '70s. I paid 40¢ for it. Unfortunately, I only got one. Wow, if I'd bought 100 of them @ 40¢ ea. and sold all of them for a mere $10 ea. today I'd have a tidy sum. It would almost pay for my last ambulance trip .

 

My impression is that these ink wells were intended for use with dip pens. I'm not sure that most fountain pens would be able to get the end of the section immersed in the ink, and so getting suction to draw the ink up would be unlikely.