A Sad Looking Mabie Todd & Bard

[chunya]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello,

 

I picked up this early Mabie Todd & Bard eyedropper filler in a mixed lot at a local auction.It has certainly seen better days, with a few tiny dints and some of the gilt having disappeared,and the original cap missing! But apart from all of that .... it unscrews with ease and writes beautifully ... apologies for my handwriting! The lettering is still very crisp, and it has a nice No 3, 14 Ct nib (not sure if it is the original)

 

I still went for it despite the fact that it had a replacement cap, mainly because I was intrigued by the name in the cartouche, K. Szymanowski. The only Szymanowski I have ever come across is Karol, a very famous Polish composer who straddled the 19th & 20th Centuries.Wouldn't it be nice if it was his!

 

I just need to look out for a replacement cap, something nearer the original .... Is that a pig that just flew passed my window?

[jbb]

http://www.myinyokern.com/images/j0283911.gif Lovely pen and I'm on board with it belonging to the Polish composer & you finding the cap. Edited March 2, 2013 by jbb

[chunya]

http://www.myinyokern.com/images/j0283911.gif Lovely pen and I'm on board with it belonging to the Polish composer & you finding the cap.

 

 

Love your Pinky, or is it Perky?

[red52ripple]

The No 3 nib looks later, but that doesn't matter. I'd have happily bought that pen too. Nice lettering in the cartouche, and why wouldn't it be the famous composer? 'Course it is! To my mind, despite its imperfections, that's the kind of pen you can treasure.

[chunya]

Hi Deborah,

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Apparently there is a museum devoted to him, if it is his then one day they may appreciate a donated pen.

[olivier78860]

The cap isn't assorted indeed.

 

The nib and feed and section are the result of a repair too, in my opinion. These eye-droppers only came with over and under feed, and the section was gold filled as well.

 

I'm not an expert, but it seems someone found the barrel and rebuilt a pen from scratch with it.

 

Edited to add the link to a review of a similar pen I have

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/207295-mabie-todd-bard-swan-wet-noodle/page__p__2145756__hl__%2Bmabie+%2Btodd+%2Bbard

 

The issue with these overlays is that many brands had the same, I suspect they were outsourced to a third party. I have an Aikin Lambert eye dropper with an overlay similar to yours (chevrons and snails), and also already saw Waterman's pens with the same overlays.

Edited March 2, 2013 by olivier78860

[chunya]

The cap isn't assorted indeed.

 

The nib and feed and section are the result of a repair too, in my opinion. These eye-droppers only came with over and under feed, and the section was gold filled as well.

 

I'm not an expert, but it seems someone found the barrel and rebuilt a pen from scratch with it.

 

Edited to add the link to a review of a similar pen I have

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/207295-mabie-todd-bard-swan-wet-noodle/page__p__2145756__hl__%2Bmabie+%2Btodd+%2Bbard

 

The issue with these overlays is that many brands had the same, I suspect they were outsourced to a third party. I have an Aikin Lambert eye dropper with an overlay similar to yours (chevrons and snails), and also already saw Waterman's pens with the same overlays.

 

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for the info and link .... That is a lovely pen you have there!

[Ceramicist]

Beautiful pen! I'll bet you it belonged to the composer! Look at this drawing. Notice the fountain pen?