Help ID: Will the "real" National brand pen please step forward?

[mbhdesign]

Hi everybody,

 

One of my current project pens is a vintage syringe filler with a visible ink reservoir as part of the barrel assembly.

I suspect it was built sometime in the mid-late 30s to late 40s. It's marked "National" on the brass cap clip.

It has a black phenolic (Bakelite) cap and barrel with an amber (transparent) celluloid or phenolic resin (early Lucite?) ink reservoir. The section and syringe stem both seem to be phenolic also.

The nib is marked "Duraplate 14K Gold-Plate" with the only gold plating remaining is deep in the engraved lettering. It may have been a "two-toned" nib originally, but I am not certain about that.

 

Here's where I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions.

Is it a a pen built by the National Pen Company (C. E. Barrett) and marked as such?

Or possibly a "National" brand pen, but built by someone else? A "National" by München Deutsche Füllhalter-Werke Gmbh, perhaps?

 

Since I don't own any other "National" syringe fillers — or any other "National" pens at all, actually — I'm hoping these pics might spark someone's memory.

Or, if I'm really lucky, someone else might even own one of these?

 

In the meantime, I'm waiting on a replacement nitrile o-ring seal to arrive. The original rubber washer ossified in place and had to be carefully removed.

I'm also slowly removing the ink stains from the barrel reservoir — but more about that in the appropriate forum.

 

Thanks!

Michael

[Larry Barrieau]

It looks a lot like the Postal pens.  Even the clear ink barrel has ambered in the same way.  The postal has a fill with a rubber bulb to squeeze whereas your's has the push/pull fill system.  I like the push/pull system a lot.  I have it in a couple of refurbished Morrison Patriot pens and it is quick and easy to fill.  The article says that they were made in the late twenties.  I like the simple fill of both these pens.  They look similar but I don't know how different they are.

[Larry Barrieau]

Here's the article:   https://www.penhero.com/365_2010/365_012110.htm

[Larry Barrieau]

Sorry, here I am again.  That's what's so fun about this site, you break off to different and interesting paths.  I remembered that Richard Binder has a great write-up for Postal Pens.  (Of course he does!) 

 

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/profiles/postal.htm

[mbhdesign]

@Larry Barrieau Many thanks! Those Postal Pens are some very interesting and unique pens.

 

Poking around on the forums, I came across this posting referencing a "Packard" branded pen and a "Monitor." These are very similar to the "National" I have.

 

The "Monitor" is a Wahl sub-brand. The "Packard" seems to be an unknown.

Since the National Pen Company (under C. E. Barrett) manufactured and assembled pens under their own brands, as well as for dozens of others, it's very likely this is one of those.

 

Amazingly enough (or maybe not so amazing?) I came across a second "National" on that Bay place that seems identical to mine — but in a yellow/amber/bronze celluloid. It has the same nib as mine, also marked "Duraplate 14k Gold-Plated." I'll do a side by side pic once it arrives.