Edward Jenkins Safety Fountain Pen

[broadws]

I used to recently own an Edward Jenkins Safety fountain pen. The pen was made in around the 40's or early 50's by Baltimore Pen maker Edward Jenkins. There was a Fountain Pen Hospital on Franklin Street in Baltimore in the 40’s and 50’s run by Edward Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins repaired pens in his lower level shop as well as turning out large hard rubber safety pens that he sold to artists. He had nibs made in England with his name on them. When he died, his pens/parts went to Fahrneys pen hospital in Washington DC. The large safety was able to handle thicker inks including my own hand-made walnut ink made from Maryland walnuts each year. ( I have plenty of ink for anyone interested, a beautiful golden brown ink very similar to the Dutch masters.)

 

I am an artist and I had my Jenkins pen for 15 years before it was stolen. I would like to replace it if I could ever find another one like it. I only know of one other and it is also owned by an artist who will not part with it.

 

The pen was large around 6.5 inches, polished black hard rubber, a hand-made silver clip attached to the cap, and stamped Jenkins Pens Baltimore on the side. The nib was stamped with Jenkins, a symbol of a cross, and Made in England on it. The pen came with two nibs - a fine writing nib and a music nib both mounted in their own separated shafts for changing out. The retracting mechanism was the later spiril type so that the nib did not turn when going in and out of the barrel. I still own the fine writing nib since the music nib was in the pen when it disappeared.

 

Attached is a picture of the writing nib in shaft which I still have and some Jenkins history- calling card and office plaque.

 

If you know of any pens which would be similar and serve as an everyday artist pen (thicker inks) suggestions would be welcomed

[pen2paper]

interesting history-hope you find a replacement, if not the original pen.

Welcome

p2p

[Univer]

Hi,

 

What an interesting pen - thanks for posting. I'm so sorry yours was stolen!

 

My initial thought is that this pen was a sort of "home grown" version of the Waterman Music/Artist pen: also a safety pen designed to be used with inks that wouldn't ordinarily work in a fountain pen. Waterman sold the Music and Artist pen as two separate models, rather than providing both nibs with the pen.

 

I believe the Waterman was a "44" size safety (I welcome correction on that point), so it would be significantly smaller than your old pen. While the Watermans were apparently in production for decades, and were available as late as the 1950s, they seem to be uncommon pens (or their owners seldom part with them!), and they command a premium when they come up for sale. I seem to recall that an Artist Pen was listed here in the FPN Marketplace not long ago, and it sold quickly.

 

Here's a brief article on the Waterman pens.

 

I hope this information is of some help. At least you have an alternative pen to search for!

 

Good luck,

 

Jon

 

PS Another pen which might offer some of the same functionality - in a very different design - is the Ackerman Pump Pen. I haven't used the Pump Pen, and so can't comment on its performance, but it was reviewed here.

[broadws]

Hi,

 

What an interesting pen - thanks for posting. I'm so sorry yours was stolen!

 

My initial thought is that this pen was a sort of "home grown" version of the Waterman Music/Artist pen: also a safety pen designed to be used with inks that wouldn't ordinarily work in a fountain pen. Waterman sold the Music and Artist pen as two separate models, rather than providing both nibs with the pen.

 

I believe the Waterman was a "44" size safety (I welcome correction on that point), so it would be significantly smaller than your old pen. While the Watermans were apparently in production for decades, and were available as late as the 1950s, they seem to be uncommon pens (or their owners seldom part with them!), and they command a premium when they come up for sale. I seem to recall that an Artist Pen was listed here in the FPN Marketplace not long ago, and it sold quickly.

 

Here's a brief article on the Waterman pens.

 

I hope this information is of some help. At least you have an alternative pen to search for!

 

Good luck,

 

Jon

 

PS Another pen which might offer some of the same functionality - in a very different design - is the Ackerman Pump Pen. I haven't used the Pump Pen, and so can't comment on its performance, but it was reviewed here.

 

Thank you so much for the information. I did recently purchase a Waterman 42 to see what I could use as a replacement for my Jenkins. Your right, it is almost half the size of the Jenkins. Since I have the spare writing nib in it's safety shaft, I am going to try and have one of the pen makers on this site turn a pen that is similar and perhaps fit my original nib shaft. Jenkins was mainly doing repairs and I have heard his nibs show up in all kinds of vintage pens. As for the artist pens, there was a large group of realist artist in Baltimore during the 50's and Jenkins made safety pens for them all on request. I got mine from an artist named Rubin Kramer, an artist who used to work at the Maryland Institute of Art. I paid $100 for it in 1972. I would give ten times more over that to have it back today. I have only seen one other, it was owned by Baltimore artist Earl Hofmann and it was sold upon his death to another artist who will not part with it. The quest continues.

[Buzz J]

Unfortunately, Edward Jenkins pens are as rare as hen's teeth. I've been looking for one for years. The closest I've come is a small nib. As you say, the quest continues.

 

Good luck!

 

John

[jar]

What is so sad is that there is likely a few old boxes sitting forgotten and forlorn in a dark closet at Fahrney's somewhere filled with the rest of Mr. Jenkins pens.

[pen2paper]

good point JAR--were it me, & important to my art/livelyhood, I'd be in contact with Fahrney's to see if they have such a box lurking about, or even remote contact with someone who might have a cache of spare parts-making an appointment to visit personally, if necessary.

Edited April 11, 2009 by pen2paper

[antoniosz]

Although it is not directly related to the initial question, the following newspaper reference is of interest:

 

"Mr. R. Earl Fahrney formerly of this city and Baltimore, is now located in Washington. D. C , as the managerr of newly opened branch of the 'Jenkins' fountain pen hospital". Mr Fahney has been connected with the Baltimore shop since his graduation from Frederick High School in 1924."

 

THE FREDERICK POST, FREDERICK, MD., TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 14,1930.

 

 

[chrisrap52]

I found some 14K nibs with Jenkins Washington Baltimore on them (no pens). Doesn't seem related as this appears to be a US company. Any ideas?

 

[pen2paper]

I found some 14K nibs with Jenkins Washington Baltimore on them (no pens). Doesn't seem related as this appears to be a US company. Any ideas?

 

Baltimore would be correct, I believe.