Swan 4260
Hi all!
This is the first "nice" British pen I've used, and it is, to say the least, awesome!
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First Impressions: A short while ago, I started a topic on the Parker forum here called Oh My God II, in which I had found an eBay auction for a pretty awesome Parker 51. Manny, as he so often does, decided to make a competition out of my topic: the person closest to guessing the closing price would get a prize. The prize was the chance to try out one of his pens for a few weeks. I didn't win, but I was close so he allowed me to try one anyway. I've been wanting to try a Swan leverless (especially one of this type) for quite some time, so this was a treat! After a laborious Spanish final, it was quite nice to have this come in the mail. The pen is really delicate looking, an aesthetic I attribute to the clip and cap bands, but it isn't delicate feeling. The nib is a beauty, and the size is just right.
9/10
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Overall Design: The Leverless pens were top of the line Mabie Todds in the 1930s. Mabie Todd (the Swan is just the name of the upper cachet pens in their line) stopped production during World War II, but in the late 40s they came back, with the leverless still at the top of the line, but with a streamlined body and cap, the likes of Parker or Sheaffer pens at the time. I find it to be a beautiful, timeless, and classic pen design. The torpedo-ness of the cap and barrel is really neat, and the clip is quite stylish. The grip section is tapered in a bit, making it uncomfortable to hold near the nib if you have large hands. That said, the threads, although not subtlety executed by any means, do not dig into one's fingers, and so it is possible to hold farther up the pen if need be. The filling knob is a novel little thing with many precisely engraved (or cast?...I don't know how that sort of thing is done) lines; easy to twist and a nice detail on the pen. The barrel stamp is nicely done. The one detractor in my opinon is the grip, which is roughly made, it seems. The "swan" stamp on the nib up side seems careless, and detracts from the otherwise high quality feel of the pen.
8/10
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Writing Experience: For a pen called "Swan," I couldn't imagine a better nib: The 14k semi flex nib is a dream. It is not the smoothest nib in the world, but it is very fun to write with and seduces the writer into writing more than they originally planned. (half joking there.) The heart-shaped breather hole is a nice touch, as well as the "swan" engraving. The tipping is sparse, unlike most modern pens, the swan only has the tipping it needs. The pen seems to write pretty wet and I have yet to experience any skipping with Diamine Ancient Copper. My only comment is when using the flex, it sometimes seems a bit dry; no railroading, but I think this specific nib is on the lower range of semi flex (lower as in less flexy). I think it is important, though, to stress that this nib performs wonderfully: there is no skipping, no hard starts, not droplets of ink, just beautiful flexy lines. A true writer's pen.
9/10
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writing sample on Tomoe River paper:
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Filling System: When Mabie Todd released the Swan leverless pens in the 1930s, it was probably a way of "keeping up with the Joneses." Big names like Parker, Waterman, and Pelikan had released new top-of the line pens with innovative filling systems, and Mabie Todd released the lever less pens as a entry in that market. Here's how it works: "The sac was compressed by being wrung out by an internal entangling bar, shown enlarged above, attached to a knob at the end of the barrel. Turning the knob counterclockwise emptied the sac; turning it back clockwise then allowed the sac to straighten out and fill." --David Nishimura of vintagepens.com. The leverless filler was a new twist (ha!) on the tried-and-true button filer or lever filler, and in that way, "Unlike earlier twist-fillers such as the A. A. Waterman, the Leverless used a conventional sac, which made servicing as simple as for any conventional lever-filler. " So finding one of these pens in the wild is not a problem. Good to know. I think it is a nice idea and the ease of service is a huge plus.
8/10
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Price: These are pretty affordable, often found user grade or excellent for less than $100, and the larger sizes (4660) for under $200. For a first tier well made beautiful vintage pen with a flexible nib, this is a good deal. This isn't, however, a "best buy" sort of thing, there are cheaper 1950s flex pens out there, but the style and filling system on the leverless 4260 is what sets it apart. If you want a nice 1950s british pen to use daily, I think this might be a viable option.
8/10
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Size comparison with Parker Slender Vacumatic
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Conclusion: This is a great pen! It is stylish, addictive to write with, and charming all around. I will keep my eyes out for one!
8.4/10
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Originally Posted by KrazyIvan
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