Hard lesson (or, ebonite sure ain't what it used to be!)
I keep a round 15-pen rack on my desk usually full of inked pens, and it used to be to my right where I never walk by. Some time ago I moved it to the left edge of my desktop (for reasons I don't recall) towards the door and adjacent to a closet full of pen stuff I frequent many times a day. While getting a bottle of ink, my sleeve snagged the rack and down to the floor it went, pens and all.
My modern Optima and five modern Pelikans, a '30s Balance and '50s Snorkel were unscathed, but my BCHR Conklin 40 crescent-filler didn't make it. The old brittle hard rubber barrel (one of my best for chasing) and lockring shattered. On the other hand, the crescent pressure-bar, section, feed and very-flex nib were undamaged, as well as the ornate wide-banded cap. Conklin crescent collectors know that their hard-rubber caps are notorious for being the weak link, so I consider myself lucky! The good news is I've had an identical 40 (given to me by a good friend) that was waiting for a cap, so I'll consolidate the best parts into one pen.
Such is the life of a vintage pen collector. Oh, by the way, the rack is now where it used to be.
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Originally Posted by amk
I feel your pain. 
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