Mark Twain

[FredRydr]

I love those early black hard rubber Conklin crescent-fillers. Such an anachronism! Of course, it helps that Samuel Clemens (a/k/a Mark Twain) endorsed them. But did you know that for years he sang praises of Wirt pens made in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania before his famous support of the brand from Toledo, Ohio? He was hurting for money at the time, and he did what he had to do...and switched allegiances.



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[Chrissy]

Thanks Fred. No I didn't know about this switching of allegiances. (I didn't know his real name either.) :)

[Chuck Naill]

Funny the ad said "all your hands and ingenuity" I guess that covers all the folks with more than two hands.....LOL!!

[KrazyIvan]

Could it be that the self-filling mechanism won him over? The Wirt looks like an eyedropper.

[Chuck Naill]

Perhaps Twain was an opportunist. I judge him not. :)

[FredRydr]

If you don't have the time to read his two-volume autobiography, watch the documentary about him by Ken Burns, and you'll learn about his financial binds in the latter decades of his life. I imagine he would've endorsed whoever paid, no matter which filling system.

[Kaputnik]

Could it be that the self-filling mechanism won him over? The Wirt looks like an eyedropper.

You'll notice in one of the Conklin ads that he mentions it being a "profanity saver" because it won't roll off a desk. That's a secondary function of the protruding crescent, particularly before pocket clips became common.

Until a few years ago there was a "TimeExpo" museum in Waterbury, CT, run by the Timex company (it's closed now). There was a letter there from Mark Twain to the Ingersoll watch company, ordering one of their "dollar watches". Ingersoll was one of Timex's corporate ancestors, and like Timex, made cheap watches for the masses. This article (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/mark-twains-quest-bring-affordable-watches-masses-180972813/) gives a bit more information on Mark Twain's interest in watches. Before he bought that Ingersoll, he was involved with another company which proposed to bring out a "Mark Twain movement".

I have four functional vintage Conklins, all of which write well, as I recall. I keep meaning to ink one again, but it's been well over a year, maybe two. I've never seen a vintage Wirt; how many are still out there? The only Ingersoll watches I've seen were the ones in that now defunct museum.

[penwash]

Could it be that the self-filling mechanism won him over? The Wirt looks like an eyedropper.

You'll notice in one of the Conklin ads that he mentions it being a "profanity saver" because it won't roll off a desk. That's a secondary function of the protruding crescent, particularly before pocket clips became common.

Until a few years ago there was a "TimeExpo" museum in Waterbury, CT, run by the Timex company (it's closed now). There was a letter there from Mark Twain to the Ingersoll watch company, ordering one of their "dollar watches". Ingersoll was one of Timex's corporate ancestors, and like Timex, made cheap watches for the masses. This article (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/mark-twains-quest-bring-affordable-watches-masses-180972813/) gives a bit more information on Mark Twain's interest in watches. Before he bought that Ingersoll, he was involved with another company which proposed to bring out a "Mark Twain movement".

I have four functional vintage Conklins, all of which write well, as I recall. I keep meaning to ink one again, but it's been well over a year, maybe two. I've never seen a vintage Wirt; how many are still out there? The only Ingersoll watches I've seen were the ones in that now defunct museum.

To complete the lore, that same Ingersoll family, a member of the brothers, later started to also produce fountain pens using the same principle (cheap for the masses), and such that their pens was also called "Dollar" pens. Ironically, their nibs were 14k gold, they are thin and a lot of times exhibit excellent flex quality.

Speaking of Wirt fountain pens, I've encountered a few of them. Mostly eye-droppers with a distinct nib with a wreath engraving, and had no breathing hole.

[FredRydr]

Yes, Wirts are findable if not common. My last one had a lovely big flex nib.

[StormKnight]

I'll have to watch that Ken Burns special. All his video series are good. I really like his series on the Civil War.

[wingwiper]

I love those early black hard rubber Conklin crescent-fillers. Such an anachronism! Of course, it helps that Samuel Clemens (a/k/a Mark Twain) endorsed them. But did you know that for years he sang praises of Wirt pens made in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania before his famous support of the brand from Toledo, Ohio? He was hurting for money at the time, and he did what he had to do...and switched allegiances.



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OK............I'm a sucker and love me some Samuel Clemens, old Mark Twain movies (Mickey Rooney, etc.), his writings. My first Conklin I ever purchased was bc of my fondness for Mark Twain as I am a reader and hand write a lot.

My grail Conklin I purchased from Fred (TY again) definitely tips the scales with a hot cup of tea, late at night in the wee hours of the morning writing with my Big HR 75 Conklin with it's huge flexy nib:big_boss:

BTW.........Wirt's are great pens when you can find them.

[Seattleite]

Somewhere around here I have a Wirt Hump Filler. Doesn't roll. One of many variations on the crescent theme. Guess that they couldn't get Mark to come back. The Wirt-hump may well have been marketed post-Clemmons which may explain his rigor.

Its funny to see how the Conklin ad points out that one just needs to press the crescent, with no mention of that pesky locking ring. Takes some sleight of (one) hand to avoid using two. Actually, that third hand could come in...handy!

I also have a 75. If your going to have a dinosaur, it may as well be a big one!

Bob

[Ray-VIgo]

The Crescent filler is not a bad mechanism. It's a little clunky, but it works well enough and adds a little unique variation compared to the more common lever filler. The old Conklins had good nibs to add to that. They're collectible for good reason. I recently bought a new "Mark Twain" crescent filler because one of the online retailers had gotten them below $100. I figured, "why not?" The filler works, the pen is very attractive (if a little oversized), but the modern nib is no match for the originals. The originals often had well-made, nibs with the characteristic flex of that time period. The modern Conklin nibs, at least those I've had, all had "baby's bottom" and hard-starting issues. It's a shame because a nice, black chased crescent filler is a classic like the Ford Model T is a classic.

[Seattleite]

I didn't know that they were making Crescent fillers these days. I'll have to take a look. The modern pen offerings are certainly diverse. The idea of re-visiting an old design with modern materials and manufacturing technology is pretty cool. 2020 Model "T", anyone? Its funny that so many mention the nib as the disappointing feature of even the well-made and spendy modern pens. Yes, the (I guess I have to start using a modifier) "original" Conklin Crescent fillers can often be had with nice flex, even in the larger sizes.

Bob

[Kaputnik]

This thread has finally motivated me to take out and ink one of my four vintage Conklin Crescent fillers. They may all be post Mark Twain models, as they have the screw caps which were introduced only a year before his demise. And the nib on this one is a broader version than the ones he would have been familiar with. The number 4 nib is actually a bit of a nail, but it puts down a nice fine line, and writes smoothly.

It took a hefty drink of Namiki Blue this morning, so I expect I'll be using it for a while. Mostly at home, but it's a pretty sturdy pen which I might take around with me, depending on where I'm going.

[Ray-VIgo]

Probably because the old nibs were meant for workhorse writing, whereas the newer ones typically see less use. A fair number of the people I've come across who use fountain pens today do so only for signatures. If a modern pen is old looking, old-style filling, and is just a so-so writer, then it probably works for that. In past times, when fountain pens were the main writing instrument, a good, 14k nib was the standard because it had more demanding work.

The modern Conklin Mark Twain pen has the look and the filler (it's very large by 1900s standards though), but the nib is thoroughly a rigid, modern-type ball nib. Like other modern Conklins I've owned, the nib is over-polished to a degree, making it somewhat hard-starting. Of the modern pens I've owned/own (admittedly not every single brand available today), the Pelikan M200, M400, and the Waterman Phileas have been the most reliable. This isn't to scare anyone away from the modern Mark Twain, but it is to say - you're not getting a direct copy of a 1900s crescent. You're getting a modern interpretation, albeit with a really interesting filling system.

[Kaputnik]

Probably because the old nibs were meant for workhorse writing, whereas the newer ones typically see less use. A fair number of the people I've come across who use fountain pens today do so only for signatures. If a modern pen is old looking, old-style filling, and is just a so-so writer, then it probably works for that. In past times, when fountain pens were the main writing instrument, a good, 14k nib was the standard because it had more demanding work.

The modern Conklin Mark Twain pen has the look and the filler (it's very large by 1900s standards though), but the nib is thoroughly a rigid, modern-type ball nib. Like other modern Conklins I've owned, the nib is over-polished to a degree, making it somewhat hard-starting. Of the modern pens I've owned/own (admittedly not every single brand available today), the Pelikan M200, M400, and the Waterman Phileas have been the most reliable. This isn't to scare anyone away from the modern Mark Twain, but it is to say - you're not getting a direct copy of a 1900s crescent. You're getting a modern interpretation, albeit with a really interesting filling system.

Not sure whether you were referring to my post, or your earlier one, but the Conklin that I pictured is in fact an old one, not the modern replica. The others that I have, two with #2 nibs and one with a #3, do have more flex. But not all vintage gold nibs are flexy, some can be quite rigid. Still good for writing at length, though.

And I do have one of the modern ones, but have not used it in a long time. The nib on it is quite disappointing, and it's also a bit larger than I like. That's another thing I like about vintage pens; the makers didn't see a need to make them over-large and impressive. :)