Yours Truly/Gibson Pen/MR&S ?????

September 15, 2005

I recently got a surprise in a lot of pens:

http://www.esterbrook.net/funpics/BigRed.jpg

The clip is marked "Yours Truly", the barrel is marked "Gibson Pen", the lever is marked "Special" and "MR&S"

It's Big, OS, lined HR with MHR cap and barrel ends and section, with a Sheaffer lifetime nib. Did I mention it was Big?

Four questions:

1) What is it?

2) The clip doesn't look to have been replaced, but could this be correct?

3) MR&S???

4) What would be a correct nib? Warranted perhaps?

It's a great pen, very heavy, but comfortable in the hand.

Thanks!

Brian

September 15, 2005

Very interesting pen. The combination of rhr and mhr is very unusual.

The combination of markings is aparently correct.

http://enter-net.de/auktion/s62.htm shows a similar pen. That one has a warrented nib

Large fountain pen, made of red and black hard rubber.
The wooden marbling of this pen is much nicer in real than the scan can show. A very representative pen !
One broad cap band with engraving "14 Kt. Gold Filled", Large clip and lever engraved "Yours Truly", round lever endpiece enfgraved "MR&S", maybe the company which made this pen and sold it under the private label "Yours Truly". Restored with new rubber sac. All in all this pen is in nearly perfect shape.
Oversize length closed 5 3/8 inches, open a whooping 6 5(8 inches ! Ø at cap band 5/8 inches.

September 15, 2005

Thanks for the link. Interesting to note so many different markings on the very same pen. Now the big question looms, who is MR&S?

I like mine better than the one for sale.

Brian

September 16, 2005

Market Research & Services? http://www.mr-s.com/english/index.html

M. Rosenblatt & Son, Inc. ? http://hudson.dl.stevens-tech.edu/ONRNNR/i...ry_partners.htm

A computer company? http://www.mrsnj.com/

September 16, 2005

You could throw it up on the "Pens Past" forum on Lion and Pen.

John

Edited October 12, 2005 by Johnny Appleseed

October 12, 2005

Check out the "Your's Truly" pen on ebay here.

It appears that the MR&S stands for "M. Ratner and Sons Pen Company, NY."

Not as nice as yours, however.

JA

Edited October 12, 2005 by Johnny Appleseed

October 13, 2005

Wow, thanks for the lead. I may follow this one. Like the red top on it.

Now the big question, Who is M. Ratner & Sons Pen Co?

Thanks-

Brian

October 14, 2005

Brian - You know it wouldn't be worth it. Probably a junker pen - and it has nothing to do with Esterbrooks. I'm sure there are a few rare reliefs out there that would be more worth your time.

Besides, my pen budget right now probably won't allow me to be able to outbid you

John

October 14, 2005

Don't worry JA, I've got me eyes on something else.

:ph34r:

Best-

Brian

October 14, 2005

It doesn't matter - got out-sniped anyway.

Sigh. . .

Oh well - I should pay for this nifty little Olympus I just bought before I buy any more pens.

John

Edited October 14, 2005 by Johnny Appleseed

June 30, 2006

Reviving an old thread with an additional bit of info to add about M. Ratner and Sons:

From the New York Times, June 3, 1922, page 19, "New Incorporations"

"M. Ratner and Son Pen Co., Manhatten, $15,000; M. and J. Ratner, M. G. Kantrowitz. (Attourney, D. J. Rosen, 350 Broadway"

(ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2003).

So the pens date from after 1922. Now if I could just find the dissolution date or bankruptcy notice, we could have an end date (wanna bet it's around 1929 - 1930?)

John

October 2, 2023

I just got a Ratner&Son 'Your Truly' at the Dallas Pen Show, and came here for research. It has a nib that says "Special Alloy," so I planned to replace it, but nope. This is one of the nicest writing oldies I have, and I ain't worried about breaking it. Really happy to have it. Sorry there isn't more info.

October 2, 2023

AHA! Found this in 'The Jewelers' Circular' from 1927. Also, my pen says "yours truly" on the clip and the lever and "yours truly m. rather & son pen co n.y." engraved on the barrel. It's just full of sincerity.