Stratford Late 1930S Pens

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Stratford ten sided faceted fountain pen in a spiral black and silver striped celluloid c. 1930s. Stratford was a brand of Salz Brothers Inc. It's a 4 3/4 inches long lever fill fountain pen that uses striped sheet celluloid that is rolled in a spiral to form a tube for the cap and barrel. The seam can be seen in the barrel. Interestingly, the cap and barrel were wound in opposite directions. The material is discoloring to a green tone. The clip is stamped STRATFORD and PATD indicating a patented design. The clip and trim is similar to designs found on Eagle pens. The trim is lightly gold plated and shows typical plating loss. The nib was gold plated stainless steel and instead of tipping, the tine ends are stamped into a tipped shape. Price is unknown, but probably sold below $1.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/StratfordSpiralGreen_2048_01.jpg

 

Thanks!

[shalitha33]

A really nice looking stratford . What type of filling system does your pen use?

Edited May 25, 2019 by shalitha33

[PenHero]

A really nice looking stratford . What type of filling system does your pen use?

 

It's a lever filler.

[shalitha33]

 

Ink window on this stratford has markings to indicate how much ink is in it with maximum capacity marked as 76 drops. Sadly this pen is in a very sad state with the barrel slightly bent due to how it was previously stored.

[PenHero]

Ink window on this stratford has markings to indicate how much ink is in it with maximum capacity marked as 76 drops. Sadly this pen is in a very sad state with the barrel slightly bent due to how it was previously stored.

 

Thanks for showing that. I collect Nozacs and always wanted to see one of those.

[BamaPen]

I have a Stratford bulb filler that seems to use that same clip and the wrapped construction technique. I built this pen from two Stratford bulb fillers. One had the good barrel with the capacity markings (in drops), but a ruined nib, while the other had a shattered barrel and a good nib. Both had decent caps and blind caps, so I can set this pen up in either color, Black and Pearl or Red and Black.

 

 

[PenHero]

I have a Stratford bulb filler that seems to use that same clip and the wrapped construction technique. I built this pen from two Stratford bulb fillers. One had the good barrel with the capacity markings (in drops), but a ruined nib, while the other had a shattered barrel and a good nib. Both had decent caps and blind caps, so I can set this pen up in either color, Black and Pearl or Red and Black.

Fabulous work! Thanks!

[PenHero]

Interestingly enough, the Stratford with the drop indicator was probably originally an ink maker type pen that used an ink cartridge. Ads for this pen can be seen from 1936-1938. No surprise it would make a great bulb filler and who knows, they may also have been sold that way. This ad is from the New York Daily News, May 25, 1937.

 

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Stratford fountain pen and pencil combo in a gray snakeskin celluloid c. 1937. Stratford was a brand of Salz Brothers Inc. It's a 5 13/16 inches long vacuum fill fountain pen that uses a sheet celluloid that is rolled in a spiral to form a tube for the cap and barrel. The pen probably was a syringe filler, but this example has no plunger installed. The ink view window continues the pattern and has an ink gauge that shows how drops remaining starting from 40. The seam can be seen in the barrel. The clip is stamped STRATFORD and PATD indicating a patented design. The clip and trim is similar to designs found on Eagle pens. The trim is lightly gold plated and shows typical plating loss. The nib was gold plated stainless steel but most has worn off. Similar combos were advertised for 49 cents in 1937.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/StratfordSnakeskinGrayCombo_2048_01.jpg

 

Thanks!

 

[BamaPen]

The Stratford that I rebuilt from two parts pens - see post above - came with a breather tube inserted into the feed. That pretty much eliminates the possibility that it was a syringe filler. The ad for the ink-maker mentions a "one stroke plunger" that "cleans as it fills" and with that breather tube, a plunger down into the barrel would be impossible. I think you are probably correct, Jim, in saying that this pen (with the breather) may have been sold as a bulb filler.

 

The good barrel had/has what appears to be a nipple for a bulb to be attached, but I suppose it could also have been part of an ink-maker setup where the ink cartridge slipped into place. There are no threads other than for the blind cap, so I'm not sure what would have secured the ink cartridge. It would be very interesting to see better pictures of how that ink cartridge in the ad actually worked.

[PenHero]

The Stratford that I rebuilt from two parts pens - see post above - came with a breather tube inserted into the feed. That pretty much eliminates the possibility that it was a syringe filler. The ad for the ink-maker mentions a "one stroke plunger" that "cleans as it fills" and with that breather tube, a plunger down into the barrel would be impossible. I think you are probably correct, Jim, in saying that this pen (with the breather) may have been sold as a bulb filler.

 

The good barrel had/has what appears to be a nipple for a bulb to be attached, but I suppose it could also have been part of an ink-maker setup where the ink cartridge slipped into place. There are no threads other than for the blind cap, so I'm not sure what would have secured the ink cartridge. It would be very interesting to see better pictures of how that ink cartridge in the ad actually worked.

 

Very helpful - I'll see what else I can turn up!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Stratford fountain pen and pencil combo in a solid ivory or pearl celluloid c. 1930s. Stratford was a brand of Salz Brothers Inc. It's a 5 5/16 inches long lever filler with a twist action pencil in the base of the barrel. The ball clip is stamped Stratford at the top. There are no other markings on the pen. The trim is lightly gold plated and shows plating loss. The nib is gold plated stainless steel. Similar combos were advertised for 49 cents in 1937.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/StratfordIvoryCombo_2048_01.jpg

 

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a Stratford ink gauge fountain pen in an amber and green marbled celluloid c. 1937. Stratford was a brand of Salz Brothers Inc. It's a 5 1/4 inch long bulb fill fountain pen that uses a sheet celluloid that is rolled in a spiral to form a tube for the cap and barrel. The clear ink view window has a 76 drop ink gauge that shows how many drops remaining starting from 70. Note the long breather tube inside the clear ink view barrel. The clip is stamped STRATFORD and PATD indicating a patented design. The clip and trim is similar to designs found on Eagle pens. The trim is lightly gold plated and shows typical plating loss. The nib was gold plated stainless steel but most has worn off. Similar pens were advertised for 49 cents in 1937.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/StratfordAmberGreenInkGauge_2048_01.jpg

 

Thanks!