The same of course goes for my second book Fountain Pens - Their History & Art published by Rizzoli and now Enigma Books

The Price is $32.50 plus postage

1. S. Mordan & Co. Dipping pen set in 18 ct gold. Mordan was by far the most famous of the dipping pen and propelling pencil companies. It claimed to dominate the pencil market throughout the nineteenth century. The early metal replacements for the quill (which did not contain an ink reservoir) had been known as PENNERS. This non-hallmarked example which dates from the mid 19th Century may have been made at Mordan's french workshops at 19, Rue Des Pyramides in Paris.
2. 3. Scheffer's Penographic. Patented in 1819, this pen was made in 1825 and was unusual in that ink usually flowed to the nib by pulling back on a valve behind the section. On this model, the ink flows continuously. It is prevented from flowing out on filling by putting the cap on. This inserts a pin into the channel in the feed underneath the nib. The pen is filled by removal of the plug at the rear of the barrel. Ink is then poured into the pig's bladder inside with an eye dropper.
4. 1850s no name early nickel pigs bladder pen. There were reservoir pens in existence before the 1880s. However they didn't work, and were difficult to use. Now they aren't often even recognised as pens. This pen has a hole in the side of the barrel through which the sack is pressed by a finger to feed a blob of ink onto the nib. In this way it shouldn't have been necessary to keep on dipping the nib into the ink every few words as was necessary with a dipping pen. O.K. so the pen did not write properly and continuously, but one supposes it was some kind of advance over the dipping pen itself. 5. 1896 Watermans No: 48 desk pen. Although most 48 size pens are retractors, for a short period, the company utilised this number to designate a desk series. It is seen in this instance with the original cap with which it was supplied. As a convertible desk/pocket pen, it therefore predated the Parker Duofold by over two decades. As always, the last number in the Watermans numbering system showed the size of nib, making this pen exceptionally rare.
6. 1910s 18ct gold no name eye dropper pen (possibly Kaweco) with fine and elegant art work depicting a horse and woman inset with diamond chips to the outline. although unsigned, this example is so fine and extraordinarily well made that its value is very high. 5.5 inches
7. 1899 Paul E. Wirt Eye dropper, gold filled repouss‚ pattern with a repouss‚ taper cap. Wirt had patents which date back to 1873, -some decade before Waterman, although no one seems to know what they were patenting. When Waterman was selling pens in the tens of thousands and Parker had only just started production in a back room, Wirt had already sold millions. 5.25 inches
8. 1890s Paul Wirt advertisement
9. 1899 Paul E. Wirt gold filled eye dropper. This cable and twist pattern was one of the patterns which pen companies began to use in the early 1890s. The similarities between metal work of different companies shows how they used common parts suppliers. 5.5 inches
10. 1890s Watermans advertisement
11. 1900 Aikin Lambert hand engraved leaf pattern sterling silver eye dropper. Although the vast majority of metal eye dropper pens were similarly proportioned and were No: 2 size, this one is unusual in that it is significantly longer than others. 6.5 inches
12. 1900s A.A. Waterman (?) eye dropper fill snake pen. At around the turn of the century it became popular for companies to introduce a snake pen at the top of their product lines. This pen, which has also been identified as a Wirt illustrates how similar the companies' offerings were at a time when the same companies produced the metal work for A.A.Waterman, Wirt, Aikin Lambert etc. In addition many companies bought very similar feeds from the same independent manufacturers. Identification problems are compounded by lack of markings and the possibility that during the course of the century any nib may have been replaced in any pen. 5.25 inches
13. 1900s Watermans advertisement showing early fine silver filigree and black chased hard rubber eye dropper with chased gold filled bands. .
14. 1912 Watermans taper cap No:524 14kt gold Pansy design repousse taper cap and barrel. One of two known to exist 5.5 inches
15. 1912 Watermans No: 0524 gold filled repousse eye dropper with gold filled repousse taper cap. The design of this pen is referred to as the Pineapple design. Only 2 examples of this pen are known. 5.5 inches
16. 1912 Watermans No: 504 14kt gold repousse grecian scroll design eye dropper with repousse cap.5.25 inches
17. 1905 Watermans No: 0324 Patch design half covered gold filled taper cap eye dropper.5.5 inches
18. 1905 Watermans Christmas advertisement.
19. 1905 Watermans No:404 Patch design sterling silver eye dropper, Extremely rare 5.25 inches
20. 1905 Parker gold filled acid etched scroll design eye dropper. Unusual background and un-catalogued artwork (There is a similar pen in the Parker Museum) 5.5 inches.
21. 1905 Carey sterling silver eye dropper with highly repousse floral work to cap and barrel. These pens were produced in a variety of different motifs (such as acorns, figurines, etc) and are exceptionally rare.
22. 1900s John Holland floral and leaf pattern repousse gold filled eye dropper. John Holland was a small regional company based in Cincinnati which had produced dipping pens and nibs since the middle of the nineteenth century. Although they made the Mackinnon stylographic pen (which was distributed widely world-wide), after the development of the channeled feed they went over to fountain pen production, remaining a regional producer. While they may have developed the hatchet filler, (probably solely as a means of circumventing Sheaffer or Watermans patents on levers), they produced no significant further developments after the twenties.
23. 1905 Mabie Todd & Bard "Swan" eye dropper in sterling silver with rare holly-style chasing to cap and barrel. 5.25 inches
24. 1905 Mabie Todd & Bard "Swan" gold filled eye dropper. A Solid gold version of this elegant pen, with its twisted fluting and snail pattern chasing is on permanent display in the Vatican Museum. It was presented as a personal gift to the then Pope by one of his congregations. 5.25 inches
25. 1908 Mabie Todd & Bard "Swan" sterling silver eye dropper. Convolvulus design, (Also gold filled) 5.25 inches
26. 1908 Mabie Todd & Bard "Swan" sterling silver eye dropper. Elegant rococo pattern with a deep "diamond cut" V pattern to the cap 5.25 inches
27. 1900s Mabie Todd & Bard sterling silver eye dropper. The unusual design and construction of this pen demonstrates that pen companies used different craftsmen to produce the decoration on their models. Neither the pen, the general design nor the method of construction features in any catalogue. It is, however, fully marked as being the product of the factory. Although it is common in collecting circles to identify certain pen as being the product of certain factories and certain pens as being produced by independent jewellers, it is doubtful that this classification has any real validity. The only really important points to look for are the quality of the workmanship and whether the art work was factory commissioned. Pens such as this one are more valuable in collecting circles because of their inherent rarity; however poor quality later (or modern) add-ons by third parties do strongly affect value. 5.25 inches
28. 1920s No name telescopic eye dropper. This intricately beautiful quality pen was not signed by the manufacturer and has a warranted nib. Telescopic pens (both as eye droppers and as lever fillers) were produced for a time principally by the U.S. Fountain Pen Company. They were sold under the companies' name as well as under the Parker name. Curiously the quality of this piece is better than either of those companies.
29. 1912 Aikin Lambert mother of pearl barreled taper cap eye dropper. This pen combines the features of having a taper cap and having a unique scalloped design in the form of long troughs in each mother of pearl panel. 5.5 inches
30. 1911 Parker No: 47 abalone barrel with gold plated floral repoussé cap. On this highly sought-after pen, the abalone barrel has bulging panels creating what is known as the "pregnant" effect.5.5 inches
31. c. 1905 Parker 15 alternating abalone and mother of pearl barrel over black hard rubber with early rounded filigree cap. The panels have an exceptionally unusual 'serrated' pattern. 5.25 inches
32. c. 1912 ladies Parker 15 mother of pearl barrel over black hard rubber with filigree turban-cap.
33. 1912 Parker No: 46 mother of pearl fluted barreled eye dropper. Of the taper cap pens, the rarest designs are the gold filled taper caps, when either repousse or filigree. 5.5 inches
34. 1915 Watermans 414POC "hand-hammered" effect sterling silver overlay eye dropper.
35. AN EAGLE
36.
37. 1903 Waterman mottled hard rubber thimble-cap No: 18. This was a curious attempt to obviate the problem of ink leakage from the join between the barrel and the section in eye dropper pens. A special section covers the join. It was extremely short-lived and therefore rare, possibly because it is not clear what keeps the covering section on the barrel when the pen is used and any pressure in exerted downwards on the barrel through that section while writing.
38. 1905 Conklin crescent filler. Red and black mottled hard rubber crescent filler with more normal locking ring and Van Valkenburgh clip.
39. 1912 Watermans No: 18 black hard rubber safety pen in rare 8 size. 5.6 inches
40. 1913 Watermans 414 sterling silver safety pen in standard 1910s American paisley design. 5 inches
41. 1920s Watermans (?) 18KR (meaning 18 carat rolled gold) safety with greek key pattern to cap and classical romantic scene around barrel. 5 inches
42. 1920s Watermans 18KR safety pen; pierced and engraved bands with chased decoration and floral crown with chased clip. Semi precious stone in clip makes this pen even rarer than otherwise. 5 inches.
43. 1920s Watermans 18KR safety pen; pierced and engraved bands with chased decoration and floral crown with chased clip. Semi precious stone in clip makes this pen even rarer than otherwise. 5 inches. Casket style box 6 inches, if that photo used.
44. 1920s Watermans 18KR safety pen; pierced and engraved two-tone spiral design with floral crown. Extraordinarily high quality of workmanship characterise the products of Watermans' Italian subsidiary, with artwork mounted over hard rubber safety pen mechanism produced in America. 5 inches 45. 1920s Watermans 18KR safety pen; pierced and engraved two-tone design with floral crown and chased clip in needlepoint case. box 6 inches, 5 inches
46. 1920 Watermans 18 KR three colour gold safety over heavy longitudinal ribbing was made by Watermans of Italy. 5 inches
47. 1915 Whitworth. Engine turned sterling silver safety pen. This company was also known as Valentine (the precursor in England of Parker) and Whitworth-Valentine, as well as Whytwarth.
48. 1920 no-name sterling silver enameled safety pen. These pens are relatively valuable despite being unsigned by the manufacturer and having no known country of origin. Although the pen resembles a Montblanc and may be a Montblanc sub-brand, the silver workmanship suggests english midlands production, possibly Birmingham. A similar pen has been identified in Nakazono as a De La Rue. 3.2 inches
49. 1905 Moore safety. slender model with repoussé sterling silver covering
50. 1902 Moore safety. slender model with repoussé sterling silver covering and early short cap.
51. 1915 Moore improved safety. Not to be confused with a sleeve filler, this was a push-type safety retractor pen. 5.4 inches
(Numbered 154) Montblanc No: 12 safety. This pen has a curled snake-type clip which was common on mid-european pens of the era.
52. 1920 Montblanc No: 0 sterling silver enameled safety pen.
53. 1920 Montblanc No: 2 safety with elegant pierced and engraved gold filled barrel and cap. This pen was produced for Montblanc of Italy by local craftsmen and is signed Montblanc on the cap. Although this confirms authenticity, german production often does not bear any signature.
54. c. 1920 Kaweco gold filled safety pen with inset diamonds and rubies in floral pattern to cap. 5 inches
55. 1926 German three colour enameled no-name safety with snake clip and sapphire eye. Despite a story that this pen was bought at the Montblanc stand at a world's fair in Hamburg in 1926, it seems unlikely that this pen is a Montblanc; it does not have the oval shaped spiral pin and does not otherwise resemble a Montblanc. It was popular to incorporate egyptian motifs on items of jewellery after the opening of the Tutankhamen tomb.
56. 1922 Goldfink safety. This german gold filled pen was produced in Berlin by a company still in existence as a stationery company. Most of their production had exceptionally flexible nibs and were otherwise styled after Montblanc safeties of the twenties.
57. 1920s No name safety light blue enameled silver over black hard rubber set with floral pattern to enameling. Box 4 inches
58. 1920s No name safety multi coloured enameled silver over black hard rubber set. Box 3 7/8 inches.
Box: 59. Mid 20s Astoria gold filled safety pen. Astoria was started in 1921 by a Montblanc production manager. After the take-over of Astoria by Montblanc in 1936, most models were continued in production. 4.8ninches
60. 1910 Swan (of Japan) eyedropper filler. This Swan company had no relationship whatsoever with the Anglo-American Swan company owned by Mabie Todd; however it registered its name in Japan before Mabie Todd tried to do so and thereby effectively shut its namesake out of the japanese market. The company still exists today and still produces fountain pens. 5 inches
61. 1930s ink-flow valve eye dropper pen with hand painted and signed by the artist tiger decoration over heavy gold dust. Japanese hand lacquered pens are generally the exception to the rule that no name pens are of significantly lower value than those which bear manufacturer's markings. This large pen (around a number 6 size) is of the highest quality and has obviously been made and painted in a grade equal to that of the Namiki factory, possibly by someone who had learned their art in that factory. During the thirties there were many individuals who practised this particular art in such a cottage industry fashion.
62. 1910 Onoto piston filler in hand engraved sterling silver. These models are particularly sought after in Europe and Japan.
63. 1910 Onoto gold plated engraved piston filler. These models are particularly sought after in Europe and Japan.
64. 1910 Onoto piston filler in heavy repoussé sterling silver. These models are particularly sought after in Europe and Japan.
65. 1910s French Onoto advertisement. De La Rue used the name ONOTO because it assimilated into the greatest number of languages.
66. 1901 Conklin crescent filler. A very early example in chased sterling silver in which the locking ring is really just a ring which fits into the indentation in the crescent.
66a 1915 Conklin crescent filler advertisement. This advertisement shows that (as with most other manufacturers) Conklin kept marketing the same designs for many years after introduction. All years of manufacture shown are, necessarily, very imprecise.
67. 1910 Conklin crescent filler. Gold filled with rare star pattern to cap and barrel.
68. 1906 Conklin crescent filler. Gold filled art nouveau filigree. Ladies size pen.
69. c. 1910s A. Nuñes Silver crescent filler Brazilian or Portuguese manufactured Conklin copy. This unusual item which features a platinum nib, has a snake type clip and intricate engraving to the barrel and cap.
in box 70.Zerollo Chameleon 140mm
in box 71. 1935 Zerolo by Omas in burgundy and black. This unusual mechanism which spirals one nib out of the barrel while the other retracts filled by means of a matchstick inserted into a hole in the barrel to depress a pressure bar deflating one of the two rubber sacks, one behind each nib section. 130mm
72. 1901 Jaxon pen. Undistinguished pen from otherwise unknown Philadelphia company with button style filler released by turning locking ring. 5.4 inches
73. 1904 Boston Safety Company Similar filling idea using locking hump much like the one in the Wirt.
74. 1905 A.A. Watermans art nouveau twist filler with heavily repoussé rococo floral pattern to the gold-filled cap and barrel. This was a very early attempt at a self filler which used a tubular sack which was fixed to the section at one end and to the turning-piece at the other. The twisting movement expelled air from the sack which inflated in the ink when unwound.
75. 1905 A.A. Watermans art nouveau twist filler. The same pen in a pattern resembling repoussé sea shells.
76. 1925 Chilton suction filler in elephant skin. These early Chilton pens had curious cap/barrel proportions because it was thought necessary to cover the sliding outer section of the barrel with the cap when closed. Later pens designed the sliding section to come out of the barrel-end rather than the middle-barrel area. 77. Chilton system in demonstrator form: note the outer section around inner section which contains the sack.
78. 1920s No: 2 Sheaffer, rococo pattern. Writers of Sheaffer books have never seen, even in catalogues.
79. 1935 medium size demonstrator (in green?) The Sheaffer lever continued largely unchanged from its invention up until the forties. In this pen the pressure bar is visible, as is the rubber sack, -shown in white. The original Sheaffer lever was attached with a short pin through the barrel. In the late twenties, Sheaffer started using a ring adhering to a channel in the inside of the barrel, shown here. 5.5 inches
80. 1935 Sheaffer senior size lever filling balanced pen in opal-lined black plastic.
81. 1917 Parker advertisement showing button filler system
82. 1927 Parker Duofold Senior button filler in black and pearl
83. 1920s Parker Duofold showing convertability of pen from pocket-clip pen into desk type pen.
84. 1927 Parker advertisement showing Mandarin Yellow Duofold, a pen which George Parker produced after being entranced with the colour during a trip to China. It never sold well and is rare (and desirable) today. The material has, it should be noted, not held up well over time and is relatively brittle, cracking especially around the cap lip
85. 1914 No:414PSF filigree coin filler. Another unsuccessful design produced when Watermans was attempting to find a model of self filler to compete with Sheaffer's lever filler. It was only produced for a year and is exceptionally rare, especially in a filigree design.
86. a. 1910s Century sleeve filler in ribbon style gold filled filigree In this pen the whole barrel is rotated to reveal the pressure bar

87. b. 1910s Aikin Lambert chased gold filled sleeve filler. View shows section around barrel which rotates. In 'closed' position barrel interior is often plain and can be utilised for initials.
88. c. 1914 Watermans 0515 sleeve filler, plain gold filled. View of rear of barrel.
89. d. 1915 Watermans No:412SF filigree sleeve filler$2,000
90. 1914 No:0512PSF filigree pump filler. Note the long, thin barrel which housed the pump mechanicals in the end. Another unsuccessful design produced when Watermans was attempting to find a model of self filler to compete with Sheaffer's lever filler. It was only produced for a year and is exceptionally rare, especially in a filigree design.
91. Early 1900s piston fill pens: Black hard rubber Post accounting pen, marked WHS (probably the retailer). This was the early piston system resembling a syringe in operation. Like the 1890s Waterman "pump filler" it seems to have been based on a marriage between the 1832 John Jacob Parker and the channeled feed. Late developments (especially by Pelikan in the late 1920s) involved enlarging the ink supply from under a half to almost the whole barrel by making the puller a telescopic twist mechanism. Post: 4.9 inches assembled
92. sterling silver repousse Perry (SIMILAR) 6 inches
93. 1905 John Holland pull filler. Early idea by Cincinnati company to collapse sack by pulling on a "saddle" outside the barrel. Note the price sticker still on barrel indicating that this pen is new old stock, having never been sold by the original retailer. 4.25 inches
94. Aurora-Edacoto hatchet filler deco band 133mm
95. 1936 Chilton wing-flow suction filler in cherry red. These enchanting pens featured inlaid gold-filled metal work
96. 1940s Sheaffer Snorkel. Mass produced during the forties/fifties, this pen is often found by collectors. It can be identified by the small tube coming out of the underside of the hooded nib. Although it was very well made by a company which did not compromise quality even when the right materials were difficult to find, it's mechanism was so complex that it left little room for the ink supply. 5.6 inches
Materials:
97. 1920s Security cheque protector. This unusual cap arrangement contained an inked wheel with serrated edges which was immediately rolled over a signature (and presumably the amount) on a cheque to prevent later alteration.
98. 1925 Wahl-Eversharp medium size lever filler in rosewood 5.4 inches
99. 1920s Watermans No: 58 ripple. Although attempt was made to match caps and barrels on the production line, this pen shows slight differences in the ripple element. The top of the cap is black ripple over red, while the bottom of the barrel is red ripple over black. Some pens have even been found which are ripple at one end, match at the barrel/cap intersection and become woodgrain at the other end. 6 inches
100. late 1920s Watermans No: 94 series ripple advertisement.
101. 1912 Watermans No: 12v cardinal red check book pen. Although tiny, this pen had a No: 2 nib, as did most american Watermans. The bulging cap crown was designed to fit into the spine of a check book.
102. Aurora. Hard rubber No:1 size cardinal red safety was one of the first pens produced by the company. 110mm
103.104.105.106. Late twenties Parker Duofold Petite in pastel coloured permanite. These pastel colours were only sold in this size.
107. 1920s Tortoise lever filler. This pen, which has only been found in one example and which was manufactured by an otherwise unknown company, was constructed entirely of tortoise shell. Although tortoise shell was popular in England during the first half of the twentieth century, the pen has very high quality solid gold trim which seems to be styled after Conway Stewart but has markings resembling Japanese copies of the Watermans Ideal globe.
108. Early 1930s Swan No: 2 Eternal in green-lined black plastic
109. Early 1930s Swan No: 2 Eternal in coral plastic
110. Early 1930s Monroe senior size. Art Deco style stepped cap and barrel ends made this relatively undistinguished pen stand out in the crowd.
111. 1930s Conklin Symmetrik jade green with black veins, senior size lever filler
112. 1935 Sheaffer senior size lever filling balanced pen in red-veined grey and black marbled plastic.
113. mid 1930s Sheaffer lever filling balanced pen advertisement.
114. 1935 Parker Vacumatic medium size green shadow-wave.
115. 1933 Parker Depression era button filler in an unusual blue and onyx-lined golden colour. In general Parker did not buy from the central plastic-producing combine for their major models. This less expensive depression model was however found in plastics often found in models of many other manufacturers. It was not marketed widely.
116.117. 1935 Carter medium size set in black with lime green veining
118. Early thirties Conklin junior size Endura lever filler in a tiger-tail red/orange/white/black.
119. 1932 Wahl-Eversharp Deco band senior size lever filler in green and bronze
1920s-1930s Leboeuf celluloid pens. Leboeuf was probably the first company to experiment with celluloid, sometime after 1919. They were able to do so because they patented a method of manufacturing pens out of tubing with the end either plugged or with a screw-in blind-cap. For this reason the colours used were completely different from other manufacturers models
120. 1927 No:8 tiger eye lever filler 5.5 inches 121. 1927 No:8 gray swirl lever filler5.5 inches 122. 1929 No:8 gray pearl translucent sleeve filler 5.5 inches 123. 1929 No:8 orange swirl translucent sleeve filler5.5 inches 124. 1931 No:8 white pearl sleeve filler with black ends 5 inches 125. 1929 No:8 purple and black pearl with black ends (unique) 5 inches
126. Late 1930s Montblanc green marbled piston filler set.
127. 1930s Conklin pen/pencil combination. These implements were popular as curiosities for a short period during the thirties and were made by most american manufacturers. Production did not last long as it was soon found that they were a compromise with neither a great ink capacity nor a particularly large lead supply. In addition, the public found them ugly; very low quality examples can be found in flea markets today in large numbers as well as gold or gold filled examples in jewelers stocks of unsalable merchandise
ITALIAN PENS
128. 1927 Stilus Italian pen Modeled after the Duofold Junior 116mm
129. 1935 Omas Extra Lucens; grey pearl three band round pen The pen was called Lucens because light showed through the barrel to see remaining ink inside. 135mm
130. 19 Olo, white with brown stripes 133mm
131. 1936 Omas Lucens Blue transparent Junior size 100mm
132. Caesar Extra in red 126mm
133. Zemax Deco band in orange 128mm
134. Tabo. This Parker Vacumatic look alike was made in Bologna in the thirties 140mm
135. 1930 Omas Extra in black and pearl 129mm
136.Montegrappa red streamlined lever filler 136mm
137. 1940 Ancora red streamlined with clip similar to Watermans first year of production 100 year pen 137mm
138. 1934 No:8 size Eugene LeBoeuf holy water asperge in gray and pearl 5 inches assembled
139. 1936 Montblanc 128 PL. The largest of the rare and highly desirable Montblanc Platinum-lined series, this twist filler was made of a special celluloid produced by Bayer and was advertised as being exclusive to Montblanc. It was, however also used by Omas, amongst or the companies.
140. Omas extra Lucens in similar platinum lined series. 5.2 inches
141. Mid 1930s Gold Bond plunger filler. This inexpensive pen was produced to satisfy a thirties fad for pens with ink shut-off mechanisms, which can be seen as a spring mounted above the nib. Generally these systems for obviating leakage on non-pressurised aircraft did not work and (especially in the case of Wahl-Eversharp) the companies producing them were forced by the Federal Trade Commission in the U.S to stop claiming that they did.
THIRTIES SAFETIES< TRANSPARENT SECTIONS
142. 1930 Ibis. Pelikan also used the twist filler system in their higher-end Ibis line. During the thirties, german jews wanting to escape the Nazi regime had only a limited range of goods which they could take out of the country with them. For some reason fountain pens were permitted and a large number found their way to Palestine and South America. Because of the instability of the plastic material, not many have survived. 4.5 inches
143. 1939 Vacumatic Maxima silver.
143a. 1937 Watermans ink vue demonstrator. The Ink Vue was Watermans' late 30s attempt to make their pens more complicated, and therefore possibly more attractive technologically. Instead of the lever activating a pressure bar pressing on the sack directly, the lever splits in half, and pumps a diaphragm inside a separate end-section. This pumping action draws up a small amount of ink through a breather tube into the barrel. All very complicated to describe, manufacture and use, -for no noticeable benefit. The diaphragm system is very similar in concept to the Vacumatic system used by Parker.
144. 1935 Aurora "Etiopia" trench-filler. This pen was produced for Italian officers in the Ethiopian campaign of 1936. It contains ink pellets in a compartment in the blind cap at the end of the barrel. These pellets are inserted into the barrel which is then filled with water to make ink. 120mm
145. 1917 Moore safety trench pen. This pen carried a windowed container for ink pellets in the separating cap section. These were inserted into the barrel which was then filled with water to make ink. It was designed for soldiers in the trenches who would not have had access to supplies of ink and was extensively advertised in the home markets as presents for departing loved ones. 5.225 inches
Aerometric
146. Mid 1930s Pelikan model 100 blue-lined This twist filler pen was the mainstay of the Pelikan line, surviving in substantially the same form from 1928 until it was finally phased out in the late forties.
DESIRABLE:
147. 1905 Watermans No:418 fine silver filigree eye dropper. About 1902 floral patterns started to appear worked into the filigree pattern. This is one of the earlier floral designs, the floral pattern on which changed frequently. Most of the fine silver designs had the same design filigree on the barrel. 5.6 inches
148. 1910 Watermans No: 218 sterling silver half covered overlay with etched floral pattern 5.6 inches
149. 1910 Watermans No: 418 cardinal red sterling silver filigree. Exceptionally unusual in the No 8 size, this was the more common style of filigree utilised from about 1903 to 1920. 5.6 inches
150. 1912 Watermans No: 418 silver filigree

 Watermans 420. Early teens eye dropper filler. The largest, most desirable and rarest of the standard production filigree pens, this is known in only about four examples world wide.

 1920s Dunhill Namiki giant eye dropper. Horseman against mountain background with trees

 1930 Swiss (no name) senior size watch pen. This high quality craftsman produced twist filler has a watch mounted in the crown and is marked CB on the cap and Bucherer on the dial, Bucherer was the original retailer. Although still in existence, they are not a company which keeps records of history or manufacturers of items bought in.


 1905 Moore safety in ultra-large jumbo size.

 1910 Watermans No: 20 mottled eye dropper

 1912 Parker Black Giant Eyedropper in plain black h/r

 1898 Watermans No: 424 taper cap snake pen. One of the most desirable of all collectors pens (most snake pens are made by Parker), this is one of only four known to exist. This work has overlay made by Heath and the pre-1898 three fissure feed.
 1912 Parker No: 60 gold filled "new Awanyu" Aztec indian design pen. This catalogued model is one of the most sought after of the Parker eye droppers and is only known in two examples.5.25 inches

 1920 Watermans 452 Sterling silver lever filler tree trunk design. This unusual design which doesn't resemble any other Watermans design exists in about eight examples in collections although it cannot be found in any Watermans catalogue or literature.

 1920s Unusual and elegant no name gold plated safety with cupids pattern to cap and snake clip with sapphire eye. 4.5 inches

 1920 Watermans 18 KR (meaning 18 karat rolled gold) cupids design. This model with its ornate frieze panel work over intricately pierced and engraved bands was produced by Waterman of Italy.

 1930s Dunhill Namiki No:20, 18ct nib with clip. Top level, abalone inserts and gold leaf, -including gold leaf and artwork to clip and band. Birds over fisherman walking home

 1930s Dunhill Namiki No:3 18ct nib, with clip. Top level, abalone inserts and gold leaf background, including gold leaf to clip Birds over flowers and garden fence

 1920s Pilot No:6 Top level with abalone inserts and gold leaf background.
Samurai warrior. The gold leaf background is so strong that the pen acquires a red sheen, and the signature is embodied within a red panel.


 1932 Dunhill-Namiki hand painted, signed by the artist lever filler with floral/bird scene Maki'e decoration in one of the highest grades.

 1932 Dunhill-Namiki hand painted, signed by the artist lever filler with garden scene Maki'e decoration in highest grade. The highest grade of generally available Dunhill-Namiki pens had the maki'e work over gold dust with inset abalone speckles.

 1927 Dunhill-Namiki cardinal red, hand painted, signed by the artist lever filler No: 2 size ladies pen; rural scene with pagoda on Maki'e decoration Namiki only made about one twentieth as many red hard rubber pens as black ones. 4.25 inches

 1931 Dunhill Namiki No: 3 lever filler with rural scene against red sky on gold leaf background. This magnificent pen us one of the highest grades of Namiki maki'e pens, having the hand painting work over a gold leaf background.

 1910s Watermans No: 16 eye dropper with hand painted three colour gold-leaf floral work. This pen which pre-dates Maki'e painting is the only one of it's genre to have been found.

 1900 A.A. Watermans Sterling silver art nouveau filigree eye dropper with inset miner-cut diamonds. 5.1 inches

 1937 Eversharp Coronet. This gold plated lever filler pen was one of the most beautiful pens produced during the thirties and featured inserts in either black or burgundy coloured Pyralin. A solid gold model was produced with diamonds set in the pyralin which was presented to heads of state. None have surfaced. 5 inches

 1920 Watermans 18 KR (meaning 18 karat rolled gold) Jesus Christ pen. This probably unique pen was also produced by Waterman of Italy and is marked with the initials of the craftsman who executed the work (LM).

 1910s Watermans No: 214 Heavy repoussé rose design in sterling silver. This is an exceptionally rare and desirable half covered design.

 c. 1914 Parker 15 alternating abalone and mother of pearl barrel over red hard rubber with filigree cap. Red overlays dated from late in No:15 production and are exceptionally rare.

 1935 Aurora "Etiopia" trench-filler. Only known in 2 examples in any colour other than white. 120mm

 1920 Montblanc No: 00 safety. This pen with it's exceptionally rare spider design filigree work has unfortunately been much copied recently.

 1900s No: 404 heavy lily design of repoussé sterling silver work. Only one example is known to exist in collectors hands.

 1920s Montblanc No: 4 sterling silver filigree. Montblancs with lever filling systems are extremely rare, especially with filigree work of this calibre.

 1920 Montblanc No: 2 safety with artist-signed (MEAZZA) repoussé art nouveau gold filled barrel and cap. This pen was produced for Montblanc of Italy again by a local craftsman and is signed Montblanc on the cap. Although this confirms authenticity, German production often does not bear any signature. 4.5 inches

 1910 Onoto art nouveau enameled over sterling silver "filigree-effect" piston filler.

 1915 Conklin crescent filler in engine turned 14 kt gold. This is the only solid gold crescent filler in collectors hands.

 1900s Parker No: 11 taper cap eye dropper. During the first decades of the 20th century Parker produced these aluminium barreled pens, few of which have survived. This one has the design cut into the aluminium which is black-anodised. Aluminium was considered a precious metal in the early 1900s 5.5 inches

 1902 Wirt "curlicue" design sterling silver filigree taper cap eye dropper. In the last decade of the 19th century Paul E Wirt was the largest manufacturer of fountain pens, producing more than almost all other companies combined. Their patents date back to 1873. 5.5 inches

 1920 Anglo-American "Dante Alghieri" 18KR safety pen. This unique work (signed by the artist) has a depiction of Dante meeting Beatrice on a Florentine backdrop on the cap and the three muses (art, music and literature) represented around the barrel. 5 inches

 1945 Omas Colorado. A relatively late attempt at a two colour or two nib pen, characterised by the tiny post-war style nibs. 140mm

 1907 Moore safety in 14 kt gold with hand engraved floral pattern.

 1920s Montblanc No: 6 safety with "alligator skin" finish to the sterling silver. 5.5 inches


Filigree:

 1900 Moore gold filled filigree safety pen. The earlier Moore pens had this short cap which (like the later type, -as well as the Watermans) was designed to fit onto the end of the barrel. Although the filigree is not quite as fine as the Watermans or the Parker filigree, it's beauty is exceptional. 5.6 inches

 1898 Watermans No:412 fine silver filigree eye dropper. The earliest designs featured long flowing lines (or occasionally short curlicues) on the fine silver;

 1906 Watermans cardinal red fine silver filigree. As well as being cardinal red, this model was made in fine silver. This was relatively unusual because the silver did not wear well. Note the graceful art nouveau long swirling lines to the design.

 1905 Watermans fine silver filigree over black Relatively unusual in fine silver because the silver did not wear well. Note the graceful art nouveau long swirling lines to the design.

 1902 Carey middle joint filigree eye dropper. This exceptionally rare pen has fine silver filigree work overlaid on red and black mottled hard rubber. Filigrees over anything but black are very rare and desirable. It also has a Van Valkenburgh clip. This was the first clip which was designed for attachment to the pen cap, and until they designed their own, most major pen companies in America used the Van Valkenburgh clip.

 1910 Moore safety pen in gold filled filigree.

 1906 Conklin crescent filler. Gold filled art nouveau filigree. Ladies size pen.

 1908 A.A. Waterman gold filled filigree twist filler. This photograph shows that as well as Heath, there were other companies making filigree work for various pen companies.

 1900 Aikin-Lambert Sterling silver art nouveau filigree. Another unusual use of repoussé work on the metal filigree, this time made rarer by having an equally unusual ribbon scroll design

 1915 Parker No: 14 sterling silver button filler 4.5 inches

 1915 Parker No: 14 sterling silver button filler 4.5 inches

 1900 A.A. Watermans gold filled art nouveau filigree eye dropper 5.25 inches.

 1910 Watermans advertisement

 1908 No:16 Jack-Knife safety gold filled filigree eye dropper baby pen

 1908 (?) Watermans 514 14kt eye dropper in a repoussé (chased) filigree design. A few examples of this type of pen have been found although Watermans catalogues of the era do not describe it. It does, however, feature in their advertisements.

 1912 Watermans No: 12v sterling silver filigree check book pen. Although tiny, this pen had a No: 2 nib, as did most American Watermans. The bulging cap crown was designed to fit into the spine of a check book.

 Late 1940s Watermans plastic presentation box. During a period when Watermans was trying to go significantly down market with designs of such poor grade that they eventually killed off the company, someone managed to design this presentation box which must have outshone any fountain pen which the company could have produced to fill it. 7.5 inches.

 1940s Conway Stewart blue herringbone lever filler. Although attractive, the low-grade gold plating shows in significant wear and pitting to the clip lever. 5.1 inches

 1940s Wahl Eversharp Skyline set in blue striation. This pen was one of the better offerings during a difficult time for pen producers. Although attractive in some eyes, it is clear that the manufacturer was having difficulties getting materials during the War for this series of pens. Often found in worn-out gold filled with parts shrunk and ill-fitting, the material often became brittle and tends to crack unprovoked around the lever and barrel threads.

 1940 Parker 51. This pen survived in various forms for two decades and was one of the most popular pens produced by Parker. Technologically advanced when it was introduced (the number 51 marks the 51st anniversary of the company's foundation) it had the Vacumatic-type filling system in which a diaphragm is repeatedly depressed, each time drawing a small amount of ink through a breather tube into the barrel. Later Parker went over to an aerometric type filler similar to the sleeve filler used forty years earlier. Although they write well for a pen which always had a rigid nib (apparently for speed of drying of the ink), these pens are not often of high value to the collector. Few models or colours were rare. Those to look for include this example, with aluminium jewels at both ends (later ones used a pearl-type plastic jewel) and solid gold cap models, including a two-tone one with the coloured design resembling the shape of the Empire State Building in New York. Pre-production models were test marketed in Venezuela prior to the 51's general introduction in the U.S. and these are very rare. They differ from the first-year models mainly in colour. 5.3 inches

 Mid 1940s Parker 51 with gold filled cap. Note the hooded nib which was revolutionary when first introduced.

 1940s Conway Stewart lever filler. 5.2 inches

  1940s Montblanc 244. set Similar to the pre-war PL series, this post-war striped piston filler set demonstrates that during the first half of this century, even during times of relative chaos, when the company was in effect being administered by Allied forces of occupation Montblanc would not compromise quality. Especially in it's striped guise, this pen is much prized by collectors today even though it did not carry the Meisterstück designation. 5 inches

 Late 20s Parker Duofold in lapis blue, ultra-rare Zaner Blouser model. This peculiarly shaped pen was produced by the factory for the Zaner Blouser calligraphy school. It was made to their design in order to facilitate drawing and calligraphy. Few have survived.
 1920 Parker No: 32 Lucky Curve sterling silver acid etched floral pattern full size ladies/vest pocket (ring top) pen. Until the early twenties it was fashionable to wear vest pocket pens on a cord or chain. It is therefore often difficult to differentiate between vest pocket pens and ladies pens.

 1925 No:4 safety in gold filled with floral bands and crown, brocade/key pattern design

 1925 No:2 safety in niello sterling with leaf design

 1929 No:2 vest pocket with clip in 14KT gold barleycorn design

 1938 Montblanc No: 25 ultra rare 12 sided in black and platinum (similar to PL)

 1934 Montblanc No: 124 Meisterst ck 14 kt engine turned push-knob filler. During the late 1920s Montblanc used a button type filler which was activated by unscrewing the blind cap at the end of the barrel. This did not come off the pen, but was merely pushed to activate the pressure bar. It was an improvement over the ordinary button filler in that as the blind cap did not come off, it could not be mislaid. 4.5 inches

 1939 Pilot hand painted, signed by the artist eye dropper with Japanese lady Maki'e decoration. A very late example using the clip with which pilot standardised high quality production after the War.

 1936 Dunhill Namiki hand painted, signed by the artist eye dropper. New old stock No: 3 size
pen with traditional ink-flow valve at the end of the barrel and bird of paradise decoration.

 Early 30s Dunhill Namiki advertisement.

 1936 Dunhill Namiki hand painted, signed by the artist eye dropper. New old stock No: 3 size pen with traditional ink-flow valve at the end of the barrel and bird of paradise decoration.

 1940s Kaweco Dia 25.

 1927 Wahl Eversharp advertisement

 1920s Wahl Eversharp Sterling silver "brains pattern" vermeil lever filler. Of the numerous models of metal pens produced in the late twenties by Wahl, the two-tone vermeil pattern is the most sought-after. Box 6.25 inches

 1927 Grieshaber. This baby pen was made by this Chicago company during the twenties when it was fashionable for a short time to enamel over hard rubber or (sometimes) silver.

 1930s Conway Stewart multicolored lever filler. This pen has an earlier style of lever and shows overall a remarkable degree of quality for this manufacturer 4.6 inches

 early 1930s Conway Stewart lever filler. 3.78 inches

 1930s Conway Stewart Dinky lever filler. Shows overall a remarkable degree of quality for this manufacturer 3.78 inches, box 4.1 inches

 1920s Peter Pan lever fillers. Made by Salz Brothers, these are often found in unusual materials and colours. Even when quite intricate, such as those pictured with affixed floral decoration (even to the satin sash) or 'standard-type' three or four leaf floral filigree work, the basic pen was of relatively low quality. Pens 3 1/8 inches, Box 4 inches

 1930 Wilrite No 6 size. Gold filled filigree over red hard rubber -a very unusual colour combination.