Vintage Conklin Endura (Toledo) - Thoughts?

[jeanvaljean27]

I've just bought a conklin endura from the 30s (red hard rubber, mottled marble pattern) off ebay, awaiting delivery of the pen. It's from conklin's toledo years (it's marked toledo) and I'm aware that they used to produce pretty decent nibs with some degree of flex but I'm wondering what sort of writers these pens were. Anyone have any experience with the nibs on these? This one has a nib marked 'conklin endura' with nothing else on it. Are they fine, medium, broad nibs? What degree of flex is there? And how smoothly do they write? I have a preference for very 'wet' writers and broad nibs generally. All insight into these pens appreciated.

 

JVJ

[jar]

The Endura nibs on the Conklin pens I have are pretty stiff. They came in about ten different styles IIRC. Mine are very smooth writers. One thing to check carefully is for micro-cracks, particularly at the lever pin and around the studs for the clip.

[Happy Harry]

If it's from the '30's and marble patterned it's celluloid. Conklin nibs ranged from flexible to firm and in a range of widths. Most Endura nibs tend to be firm due , I suspect, to the thickness of the nib. Still I have several flexible ones so you might be lucky. The Endura models are very well made and the only issue is the spring clip is prone to rusting and breaking off so exercise caution, still if it's there now it hasn't rusted much!! The lever pins Jar mentioned aren't such an issue with Endura models, but a major issue with sub Endura models. I take it this is a streamlined model and not a flat top?

[jeanvaljean27]

If it's from the '30's and marble patterned it's celluloid. Conklin nibs ranged from flexible to firm and in a range of widths. Most Endura nibs tend to be firm due , I suspect, to the thickness of the nib. Still I have several flexible ones so you might be lucky. The Endura models are very well made and the only issue is the spring clip is prone to rusting and breaking off so exercise caution, still if it's there now it hasn't rusted much!! The lever pins Jar mentioned aren't such an issue with Endura models, but a major issue with sub Endura models. I take it this is a streamlined model and not a flat top?

 

 

 

Nope, it's a flat top with a ring on the cap.

[Happy Harry]

If it's from the '30's and marble patterned it's celluloid. Conklin nibs ranged from flexible to firm and in a range of widths. Most Endura nibs tend to be firm due , I suspect, to the thickness of the nib. Still I have several flexible ones so you might be lucky. The Endura models are very well made and the only issue is the spring clip is prone to rusting and breaking off so exercise caution, still if it's there now it hasn't rusted much!! The lever pins Jar mentioned aren't such an issue with Endura models, but a major issue with sub Endura models. I take it this is a streamlined model and not a flat top?

 

 

 

Nope, it's a flat top with a ring on the cap.

 

So it's a '20's pen, generally called a "woodgrain" finish. More fragile than their celluloid counterparts, nice little pens though. I have several of those in various colors, none have flex nibs.

[JonSzanto]

Nope, it's a flat top with a ring on the cap.

 

So it's a '20's pen, generally called a "woodgrain" finish. More fragile than their celluloid counterparts, nice little pens though. I have several of those in various colors, none have flex nibs.

If it is as HH describes, I just picked up one of those a couple months ago. Great little ringtop with a Conklin Toledo #2 nib, and... it is pretty flexible. Not wet noodle, maybe, but definitely not a firm nib, and certainly not broad. And a lovely pen all-around. The 'wood grain' of this celluloid is absolutely beautiful.

[jeanvaljean27]

Nope, it's a flat top with a ring on the cap.

 

So it's a '20's pen, generally called a "woodgrain" finish. More fragile than their celluloid counterparts, nice little pens though. I have several of those in various colors, none have flex nibs.

If it is as HH describes, I just picked up one of those a couple months ago. Great little ringtop with a Conklin Toledo #2 nib, and... it is pretty flexible. Not wet noodle, maybe, but definitely not a firm nib, and certainly not broad. And a lovely pen all-around. The 'wood grain' of this celluloid is absolutely beautiful.

 

Yup, it's definitely a woodgrain pattern, and very beautiful. I've attached the ebay listing for it and as you say it doesn't look like a broad nib - more a fine/medium one. What's the going rate for these pens? I paid £70 ($107) - is that par or over? And what sort of line does it lay down, fine or medium? One last question - if it's from the 20s why isn't the nib labelled 'toledo'?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-CONKLIN-ENDURA-Woodgrain-Mottled-Red-Crescent-Fountain-Pen-/380612810059?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=IwZtU%252BfXKYeIJ1wbg76rJNd4cz4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Edited April 19, 2013 by jeanvaljean27

[Happy Harry]

Good luck with it, not a seller I'd go near with a 40' barge pole. That said if it arrives as listed ( miss description has been cited on numerous occasions here and elsewhere) then it looks a reasonable buy ( neither a bargain nor over priced), please post about this when it arrives. As i said earlier Conklin didn't just make "a"nib, they made them in a variety of sizes ( extra fine, fine, medium, broad, stub, and in flexible and firm). As to your last question, as a rule most Endura pens where fitted with nibs that simply said Endura but you will find examples with other nibs which may have been to order ( the one that comes to mind is the No.7 nib found on occasion in Senior flat tops). I don't recall seeing "Toledo" on any Conklin nibs.

[JonSzanto]

To the buyer: I think you paid just a bit high on it, but not a scandalous price. Here is the one I purchased a couple months ago, for what appears to be just over half that price.

 

As Harry said, the "guy with the pink stripes in the background" has a reputation for both over-pricing pens, and I've heard numerous stories of the pens being... not quite what one had expected when they arrive. I'm hoping in your case this isn't an issue.

 

As for the nib, I haven't done deep research on my pen, figuring that it is in the range of the 1920's-30's. But Harry should note the fourth photo on the auction: the nib is clearly marked Toledo, as are quite a few of their nibs (I believe).Oh, what the heck, I'll do a screen cap:

 

[Oldtimer]

if you come by this post a year later I have this question.

 

What if the nib says Conlin Custom? (Cuskor?) That is what I think this one says.

 

It is a flat top and the seller says it has a little bit of flex.

[Paul-in-SF]

To follow up on this conversation:

 

I just acquired two Conklin Endura ring-top pens, one black and one green marble. They are nearly identical other than the color, the decorative bands, and the nibs. The black one's decorative bands appear to have been yellow. The nib has an interesting design, it says "Conklin Toledo 14 KT USA." The breather hole is round, but there is a crescent moon (in the position of a smile) with vertical bars etched into it between the text and the breather hole. The nib writes a nice fine line and does have some pretty nice flexibility.

 

The green one's decorative bands appear to have been orange. The nib says "Conklin Endura" and the breather hole is a crescent (upside down, in the position of a frown). This nib is longer than the other one and is much more flexible and wet. Hard to say, but possibly a medium or even broad.

 

The engraving on the pens is the same "Trade Conklin Mark / Toledo Ohio USA / ENDURA" and on both levers is engraved "Pat. Nov 17 1925".

 

I am very happy with these pens, with one exception: the material (celluloid, I presume) on the green cap is slightly thicker than on the black cap, and I can't get the green cap to stay posted. I am considering trying to find a way to very carefully grind out a tiny bit of of the first 1/4" of the inside of the green cap, although my gut tells me it's a bad idea. Any guidance (like how to do it, I haven't a clue) gratefully received.

 

I have a couple of photos, one a closeup of one of the nibs, and a writing sample from the two nibs, but I can't figure out how to attach them. The "image" button only gives me a URL field.

 

 

[sidthecat]

We have a rigamarole for placing images...I'd look in the Uploads menu for instructions.

 

Ringtops are swell pens and often have flex nibs. Sometimes Enduras have flex nibs...most likely the early ones, because all the major makers started making nibs that were useful on carbon paper...in other words, stiffer and thicker.

 

If you like them, that's all one should care about.

[Paul-in-SF]

We have a rigamarole for placing images...I'd look in the Uploads menu for instructions.

That menu doesn't seem to include any instructions at all. In fact, as a new person here, I've not been able to find much of anything in the way of "how to" or FAQ pages.

 

While I'm asking general questions, I have clicked to follow a couple of threads, but it doesn't seem to have any effect - what should I expect from following a thread? I was hoping for some notification of new posts. That's what I get on other message boards.

[kestrel]

That menu doesn't seem to include any instructions at all. In fact, as a new person here, I've not been able to find much of anything in the way of "how to" or FAQ pages.

 

While I'm asking general questions, I have clicked to follow a couple of threads, but it doesn't seem to have any effect - what should I expect from following a thread? I was hoping for some notification of new posts. That's what I get on other message boards.

Here are some instructions Wim posted several years ago.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/blog/2/entry-22-the-images-upload-tab-what-is-it-how-to-use-it/

[Tweel]

Look at the very top of any page: "Manuals".

[sidthecat]

Try to name your files before you upload them, to avoid confusion.

[grayautumnday]

On 4/18/2013 at 7:46 PM, Happy Harry said:

 

So it's a '20's pen, generally called a "woodgrain" finish. More fragile than their celluloid counterparts, nice little pens though. I have several of those in various colors, none have flex nibs.

I'm trying to figure out which Endura a red and black mottled rubber (NOT woodgrain - more of a swirled/random mottling) NOS section and nib came from. It is for a slender width Endura, not full size, with a sac nipple so meant for a LF. I'm just not finding anything in the few online reference libraries that might indicate what pen it came from - even the patterned rubber Enduras all seem to have black sections... any tips on where to look? I've looked through all the old catalog pdfs I could find online.

[kestrel]

4 hours ago, grayautumnday said:

I'm trying to figure out which Endura a red and black mottled rubber (NOT woodgrain - more of a swirled/random mottling) NOS section and nib came from. It is for a slender width Endura, not full size, with a sac nipple so meant for a LF. I'm just not finding anything in the few online reference libraries that might indicate what pen it came from - even the patterned rubber Enduras all seem to have black sections... any tips on where to look? I've looked through all the old catalog pdfs I could find online.

The Conklin Legacy by Alfonso Mur Bohigas might help if you can find a copy.  Or try sending me a photo and I can probably give you an answer. 

The color you describe was used in some of the Endura Symetrik pens produced in the mid to late 1930s.