My Vintage Conklin, Finally Showing It Off Proper

[KBeezie]

Finally getting around to showing it off proper.

Got this Conklin Crescent Filler (20CNL) a while back, but never got around to taking a picture to show it off, except in quick camera phone pics when restoring it ( https://i.imgur.com/gTuka2L.jpg ) (was previously re-sac'd but seemed like the sac was already getting old) , or showing off how the original nib came cracked from the previous owner advertised as flex, but was just sadly abused ( https://i.imgur.com/5uMI6Ns.jpg ).

Did eventually buy a replacement nib of the same exact markings to keep it original to the pen which was a pretty standard firm fine nib, nothing special but made me happy to know I had a nib original to the model that I wouldn't have fear of ending up further cracked.

As it turns out, it's a pretty common #2 size of the time (which I also discovered previously with the nib off my Mabie Todd Swan 205/60), so I took the Wahl Semi-flex 14K needlepoint from my little Wahl pocket pen (I don't know what it would be called officially) and have been loving it in my Conklin.

One of the biggest reasons I'm happy about this particular BCHR (black chased hard rubber) pen, is because unlike most I've owned in the past, it's on the long size making it more comfortable to write with unposted. And I've always been amused/intrigued by the stupidly simple filling system. I've had a few BCHR/HR pens in my first year of getting into pens, but most were too short or skinny to my liking, or the nib/feed combination didn't quite grab me. Eventually I would like to find a C/F (or similar style of hard rubber pen, especially an old Eversharp in rosewood) in a larger body and nib size, but I imagine that will cost me in the long run.

Dated to about mid-to-late 1920s.

The designation is built by :

* 2 (#2 Nib)

* 0 (No Cap band or trims)

* C (Clip on cap, suffix used after 1920)

* NL (Non-leaking, has an inner cap)

* Flat ended caps puts it mid-to-late 20s

13.5cm capped

17cm posted (to nib tip, 15mm to section edge)

12.5cm uncapped (to nib tip, 10.5mm to section edge).

[drumley]

Very nice, I've always wanted a vintage Conklin crescent fill.

[sidthecat]

Nice fellow...I've managed to get my greedy mitts on a few Crescents; ringtops, of course, which are somewhat undervalued but those nibs! I'd like to see a match race between a good, flexy Crescent and a Waterman Pink. My first (and you always remember your first) I bought by mistake because of a misplaced decimal point in an auction, but it's a wonderful pen, even though it desperately needs reblackening.

[Estycollector]

THank you for posting. I've been drawn to these pens since learning it was using by Mark Twain. The only downside that I see is the filler button getting in the way.

[Addertooth]

Yep, I picked up a Conklin the other day. But It will have to arrive before pictures can be posted of it.

A lesson was learned on posting "great finds" on the internet; some sellers can trip across your posting, and realize they

sold their pens too cheaply... and then have "shipping issues".

[Addertooth]

This is the "Great Find" I got. It was listed as a Waterman drip pen. Because it was mis-categorized, It went for a very low price.

 

 

[sidthecat]

What a beauty! Well-played!

[Arkanabar]

Something in BCHR is on my "I'd like to have one of those some day" list. But given my generally strong preference for piston and syringe fillers, I doubt I'll ever get one.

[Addertooth]

SidTheCat,

Yep, I am pretty happy with it. It will likely get the sac replaced today.

 

Arkanabar,

Normally, I would not look for a Conklin. It was priced so low I could not resist. I would have been pleased to get a Hard Rubber version for this price. It is one of the early ones, before they stamped "Conklin" on the crescent. I was shocked that I could find no brassing on it.

 

Post Script. Disassembled, ultrasonically cleaned, and re-sacked.

 

Edited March 1, 2020 by Addertooth