Some other pens with unusual mechanisms:
A.A. Waterman (twist-fillers, middle-joint eyedroppers), Chilton (pneumatic-fillers), Conklin
(crescent-fillers), and John Holland (hatchet & pull-fillers)
10793: A. A. Waterman 21: black chased hard rubber twist-filler, 14.8 cm long, nickel plated clip, crisp and glossy, a few scuffs to the filling knob, #3 warranted nib is a replacement, but of excellent quality; Chicago production, with Resevo imprint. Original nib is included, in good shape but will require retipping to be usable.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: exc-near mint* • NIB: fine semiflex
• $200 
10794: A. A. Waterman Resevo: black hard rubber ringtop twist-filler, 11.9 cm long, gold filled overlay with panels of high quality hand-engraved scrollwork; clip may be a custom addition (mounting hole is roughly cut), #3 warranted nib is of excellent quality, opens up with light pressure. Brassing to overlay most extensive at end of barrel, test cut there as well; pen is mechanically sound and still very attractive.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: medium stub flex • $285
10508: Arnold Fountain Safety Razor: patented portable razor in the form of an oversized black chased hard rubber pen, complete with gold filled cap band; 15 cm long, crisp chasing and imprints, moderate fading; blade holder unscrews to allow blades (not included) to be replaced.
DATE: c. 1910 •
CONDITION: exc • $165
10789: Autofiller twist-filler: mottled hard rubber clipless slip-cap, 15.1 cm long, early model with ribbed section, narrow feed, filler knob with pointed end. Autofiller nib is very soft, opens up with light pressure but short-tined, so should not be flexed far. Strong imprints, good color, scratch on blind cap, one old sealed hairline in cap lip runs only to the trim groove, hard to see.
DATE: c. 1905 •
CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine flex • $265
10790: Autofiller twist-filler: oversize black chased hard rubber slip-cap, 15.7 cm long, crisp and glossy, bold imprints, big #8 Autofiller nib is toothy, much like a Victorian dip pen, wide double-vented feed, twist knob is a replacement copy in hard rubber to original dimensions.
DATE: c. 1914 •
CONDITION: near mint* • NIB: extra-fine flex • $600
10782: Baignol Tank 400: unusual French oversize eyedropper-filler, 14.8 cm long, originally sold with multiple interchangeable transparent Lucite barrels pre-filled with ink; original gold-plated stainless steel Baignol semi-tubular nib, truly enormous ink capacity.
DATE: c. 1948 •
CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium semiflex • $500
10736: Baker ejector dip pen: sterling silver, English hallmarks and registration number, 15.1 cm long excluding nib. The end of the taper is spring-loaded; when pushed, the nib is ejected. A few scratches to the holder, London hallmark is worn but date code easily legible, plunger finial ball is a base metal replacement.
DATE: c. 1903 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • $250
10711: Cattaraugus knife pencil: white-veined orange-brown marbled celluloid body, chrome plated trim, 12.9 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead; one cutting blade and one nail file, good snap to both, barrel imprinted "COOPER BOX, BUFFALO, N. Y.". Though very rare, Waterman did make a few knife pencils of this sort, using Cattaraugus components along with their own clips and pencil mechanisms.
DATE: c. 1937
• CONDITION: fine • $200
6864: Conklin demonstrator: rare black chased hard rubber cutaway #20 crescent-filler, 13.6 cm long, gold filled trim, crisp and glossy, hole for clip on back of cap, but appears never to have been installed (ditto for the nib and feed, as is typical for this sort of demonstrator pen); original hardened sac has been left intact.
DATE: c. 1924 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • $500
9984: Crocker Ink-Tite: black hard rubber ringtop blow-filler, 10.7 cm long, gold filled overlay with scrollwork-bordered fine parallel lines pattern; elegantly engraved monogram in indicia, #3 Crocker Boston nib. Crocker blow-fillers are uncommon, and overlay examples are rare.
DATE: c. 1910 •
CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $485
7659: Cross stylographic pen: black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 11.9 cm long, thick model with unusual chased cap; crisp and glossy, bold section imprint without patent date, has been converted to a scribing tool -- probably as a means to recycle unused but obsolete old stock (not usable as a pen).
DATE: c. 1885
• CONDITION: mint* • $125
7058: De La Rue Onoto demonstrator: classic British plunger-filler, 13.9 cm long, transparent celluloid barrel with cutaways to show filler piston and ink shutoff; gold plated dummy nib; acquired from an old Australian pen shop.
DATE: c. 1939 • CONDITION: mint • $850
10380: Eagle glass cartridge pen: nickel plated barrel with black lacquered brass cap, 12.1 cm long, one of the earliest cartridge pens made; barrel is boldly imprinted, usual wear to japanned finish of cap; untipped brass nib writes smoothly, glass cartridge also fully intact, but unrestored cartridge-section seal is shrunken and not ink-tight, so pen is nonfunctional as sold.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: VG*
• NIB: fine flex • $125
10466: Eagle Prince combination: black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 15.4 cm long, pencil end uses standard 2mm drafting lead; introduced no later than 1913, this appears to have been the first mass-produced pen-pencil combo -- the present example dating slightly later, however, with a 1915 patent date on the characteristic Eagle nickel plated clip; moderate fading, imprints light but legible, nib is smooth and gives wide line variation.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: medium fine flex
• $275
6273: Eagle (?) Pepsi-Cola advertising pen: colorful lever-filler, 12.1 cm long, gold plated trim, wear to metal clip in form of Pepsi bottle, but still one of the better specimens we've had; section with ink window, slight gaping around level opening (see detail).
DATE: c. 1939 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine
• $225
10417: Edward Todd dip pen and pencil combination: sterling silver, 16.1 cm long excluding nongold nib, end of taper twists to extend 2.0 mm lead. Nice substantial proportions, sharp scroll relief decoration, fully marked on ferrule, with engraved name "EMILY". Lead has to be pushed back, does not retract automatically.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine • $485
10258: Edward Todd telescoping ruler pencil: sterling silver, 13.1 cm long, extends to 31.8 cm; square body ruled to 4 1/2 inches, 12 inches extended. Early production version has hand-engraved numbers, full imprints with maker's mark and 1897 patent date, uses standard 2 mm lead. Initials engraved on side, one small shallow bump to side, hard to photograph.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: fine-exc •
$265
10852: Edward Todd Duplex combination in box: black hard rubber lever-filler, gold filled trim, pencil end uses 1.1 mm lead; 15.2 cm long, #3 nib has some give but is fairly firm; in original box with instructions.
DATE: c. 1926 • CONDITION: mint • NIB: fine • $265
9705: Eversharp Bantam set: red pearl miniature bulb-filler, 9.7 cm long, gold plated trim, plated #0 nib, matching 1.1 mm pencil; very lightly used, pen retains its original crimped-on rubber bulb -- very uncommon. Pen not usable as is, since the bulb is partially hardened.
DATE: c. 1933 • CONDITION: near mint
• NIB: extra-fine • $160
8796: Indian combination: brightly colored lever-filler, 13.9 cm long, nickel plated trim, cap and barrel celluloid patterned in imitation of Native American weavings of the Southwest; not an expensively-made pen, possibly marketed as a souvenir item, plated nib is a new old stock replacement.
DATE: c. 1935 • CONDITION: G
• NIB: fine • $165
10815: John Hancock cartridge-filler in box: black hard rubber, 14.2 cm long, gold filled trim, green casein trim band; original black japanned screw-in copper cartridge is present, along with three extras in their metal case. Sealed hairline crack in pen cap does not affect function, runs between cap band and inner cap, not to cap mouth (see details). Pen has name on barrel, some cartridges dented and one has damaged threads at the mouth and will not mount, all cartridges but one still unused with mouth seal intact and ink still inside.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: extra-fine semiflex
• $295
10461: Mabie Todd Swan Military Safety: rare screw-cap black chased hard rubber ink-tablet eyedropper-filler, 14.2 cm long, gold filled overlay. New York production, imprints and chasing crisp, feed shows signs of having been overheated during nib setting but the pen is otherwise like new -- was found as part of a group of mostly new old stock Swans. Plain black hard rubber Swan Militaries are uncommon; examples with overlays are rare.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine flex •
$1450
9063: Mabie Todd Swan Self-Filling: rare and unusual black celluloid lever-filler in the form of a turn of the century desk pen, 15.3 cm long, gold filled trim. A small number of similar pens were made by Mabie Todd earlier as hard rubber screw-cap eyedropper-fillers for a Pittsburgh stationer as a special order. This pen is also New York production and also not catalogued -- and at least as uncommon as the Pittsburgh pens..
DATE: c. 1932 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine rigid • $500
9064: Mabie Todd Swan Self-Filling: rare and unusual black celluloid clipless lever-filler in the form of a turn of the century desk pen, 15.6 cm long, gold filled trim, imprinted "POSTING" next to the lever. A small number of similar pens were made by Mabie Todd earlier as hard rubber screw-cap eyedropper-fillers for a Pittsburgh stationer as a special order. This pen is also New York production and also not catalogued -- and at least as uncommon as the Pittsburgh pens. Like new condition, with minor shop wear.
DATE:
c. 1932 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: extra-fine rigid • $525
6000: Mabie Todd Swallow combination in box: black-veined red and amber pearl bulb-filler, 15 cm long, gold filled trim; late New York production, very flexible Mabie Todd New York nib, uses 1.1 mm lead, pencil mechanism propels and retracts; no brassing, barrel transparency like new, upper cap band shows crimp marks (from original manufacture); original petrified filler bulb has been left in place, to date we have only heard of one other bulb-filling Mabie Todd combo in collectors' hands.
DATE: c. 1932 •
CONDITION: near mint • NIB: fine flex • $650
10545: Manos Standard: black chased celluloid piston-filler, 13.7 cm long, made in Austria, replaced brass dip pen nib, piston mechanism turns but not guaranteed ink-tight or functional; usual barrel warpage, tool marks on filler knob. These pens were widely exported in the early 20th century and are found under various brand names, but are nearly impossible to repair.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: G*
• NIB: medium oblique • $45
10544: Manos Ajano: smooth black celluloid piston-filler, 13.7 cm long, made in Austria, steel dip pen nib, piston mechanism turns but not guaranteed ink-tight or functional; slight barrel warpage and swelling. These pens were widely exported in the early 20th century and are found under various brand names, but are nearly impossible to repair.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: medium •
$50
9628: Moore Non-Leakable Inktab: black chased hard rubber safety, 13.2 cm long, rare "trench pen" model with detachable ink tablet compartment with glass window on cap; crisp and glossy, responsive Moore nib, an outstanding example of a hard to find WW1-era pen.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB:
extra-fine flex • $850
10778: Moore Non-Leakable Inktab: black chased hard rubber safety, 13.2 cm long, rare "trench pen" model with detachable ink tablet compartment with glass window on cap; very clean, responsive Moore nib, an outstanding example of a hard to find WW1-era pen.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine
flex • $785
6550: Mordan eyedropper-filler: black chased hard rubber straight-cap, 13.9 cm long, unusually thick barrel with equally unusual wavy-line chasing, imprinted "MORDAN/LONDON"; ventless nib missing tipping material from underpart of one tine (not apparent from above), cap faded less than barrel (probably because smooth, and could be polished without weakening chasing); Mordan fountain pens are rare -- this is only the second we have handled.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • NIB: medium stub • $385
10792: Parker 020: rare early mottled hard rubber "Jointless" eyedropper-filler, 12.8 cm long, excellent color, strong imprints, early Lucky Curve feed without any side cuts, ribbed section.
DATE: c. 1900
• CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine • $985
10095: Parker 023: rare black hard rubber "Jointless" eyedropper-filler, 13.7 cm long, nib assembly plugs into end of barrel so as to leave no section joint exposed to the fingers in use; only slight fading, imprints good, intact Lucky Curve feed, some shrinkage to center of cap, #3 Lucky Curve nib is a fine writer, has a tiny incipient hairline from the vent hole (should cause no problems with light use, and is not noticeable without magnification).
DATE: c. 1903 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: medium fine
flex • $500
9996: Parker 70: rare gold filled telescoping ringtop, 10.6 cm long, extends to 12.3 cm (excluding cap, which is not designed to post onto the barrel); overlay is crisp and unbrassed, name engraved very lightly on the cap indicia, the inevitable two dings to the side of the bulbous barrel end. Intact Lucky Curve feed with notably smooth and calligraphic #3 Lucky Curve nib.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION:
fine-exc • NIB: broad stub superflex • $2500
8772: Parker 70: rare gold filled telescoping ringtop, 10.8 cm long, extends to 12.7 cm (excluding cap, which is not designed to post onto the barrel); fully and crisply marked, typical dings to bulbous barrel end, intact Lucky Curve feed with #3 Lucky Curve nib; note short axial hairline from vent hole.
DATE: c. 1912 •
CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine semiflex • $2000
6218: Parker Jack-Knife Safety: rare baby Bakelite-barreled ringtop eyedropper-filler, black hard rubber, 7.75 cm long, gold filled trim; good barrel transparency, cap imprint light but legible, tight stable hairline in cap lip (see detail), Lucky Curve feed intact, #2 Lucky Curve nib has longitudinal hairline from base up to "C" in imprint.
DATE: c. 1913 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: medium fine flex •
$585
8370: Parker Jotter saccharine dispenser: hard to find pocketable sweetener carrier, 11.4 cm long, transparent barrel, brushed steel cap, chrome 45-style clip; new old stock, minimal shop wear.
DATE: c. 1965 •
CONDITION: exc-near mint • $65
10270: Pelikan 60 pencil: dark green, 11.8 cm long, gold filled trim; singular "Knickebein" mechanism advances lead when pencil is "bent" between the fingers; a real conversation piece, quite scarce and desirable, uses 1.1 mm lead. Two hairlines in the front of the barrel next to the nose cone (see detail), do not affect function as the front part of the barrel has a brass liner.
DATE: c. 1955 • CONDITION:
VG-fine* • $400
8742: Schnell Penselpen: black and bronze pen-pencil combination, 15.2 cm long, gold filled trim, distinctive sliding "switch" filler, airplane clip; pencil end uses 1.1 mm lead, name neatly engraved on barrel; correct original nib and feed, narrow area of discoloration over lower barrel threads; a short lived and celebrated design, made by Julius Schnell, one of the most important behind-the-scene figures in early 20th-century fountain pen manufacture.
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium fine
semiflex • $850
7187: Schnell Penselpen: striking red and pearl pen-pencil ringtop combination, 14 cm long, gold filled trim, distinctive sliding bar filler, pencil end uses 1.1 mm lead; correct original nib and patent feed; sac removed to preserve near-perfect color.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine semiflex
• $800
10588: Sheaffer Craig: rare full length black chased hard rubber coin-filler, 13.4 cm long, warranted #3 nib, narrow keel feed, mechanically sound, evenly faded, more wear to barrel but imprint clear; the coin-filling system was never used by Sheaffer for its own-brand pens, and is seldom seen in their Craig sub-brand either.
DATE: c. 1914 • CONDITION: G • NIB: medium flex • $325
6520: Waterman Remex Self-Filler No. 101: one of Waterman's earliest self-fillers, and so rare that most advanced collectors have never seen a complete example; construction is all-aluminum, with a hard rubber press-fit section assembly, sleeve rotates rather than slides to expose filler bar; this example is new old stock, and the hardened sac is preserved with the pressure bar laced in place exactly according to the William Ferris patent 799,897 of 1905 (Ferris' patent 950,817 of 1910 is the one covering the usual Waterman sleeve-filler design); 14 cm long, superficial shop wear, "PAT. APPL'D FOR" imprint.
DATE: c. 1905 •
CONDITION: near mint • NIB: fine flex • $1650
10242: Waterman 12P: rare mottled hard rubber pump-filler, 13.8 cm long, good color, imprints worn but mostly legible, including patent dates and arrow on filler knob. Filler knob end has been shortened by about 5 mm, possibly due to breakage of the original end notch. #2 nib has surface roughness, but is a wonderful, soft writer; pen is mechanically sound and filler works perfectly. Waterman pump-fillers are hard to find, but are truly rare in mottled.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: fine flex •
$650
10555: Waterman 12 SF: black chased hard rubber sleeve-filler, fancy gold filled barrel band, 14 cm long, crisp and glossy, though chasing bolder on cap than on sleeve, as is typical. Feed with patent imprints, #2 New York nib opens up wide with only slight pressure, but use with a light touch as there is the beginning of a hairline just starting from the vent hole. Sleeve-fillers are not at all common in such good condition.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: fine flex • $325
10561: Waterman 16 SF: large black chased hard rubber sleeve-filler, 14.5 cm long, even wear, has been reblackened, mechanically sound, notable long-tined #6 New York nib provides great line width variation. Sleeve-fillers in sizes larger than 12 or 14 are rare.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: VG* •
NIB: medium fine superflex • $800
10832: Waterman 12 PSF coin-filler: black chased hard rubber, nickel clip, 13.4 cm long; well-used, chasing worn smooth, imprints all legible, lower clip rivet loose (clip will not snap back if ball end is pulled away from cap). Long-tined New York #2 nib has considerable flex and a bit of tooth. A good example of one of Waterman's shortest-lived and scarcest filling systems.
DATE: c. 1913 • CONDITION: G*
• NIB: fine flex • $465
8439: Waterman Remex sleeve-filler: black chased hard rubber, 14.1 cm long, unusual Canadian-made subbrand version of Waterman's pre-lever self-filler, apparently assembled out of obsolete parts; no imprints, feed is square-sectioned Aikin Lambert style, nib is typical Canadian Remex, with "14 KT./R" in a diamond, "2" below, even the globe logo on the pressure bar has been effaced; originally clipless, comes with a contemporary nickel plated slip-on clip (easily removed, if desired).
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: fine
• NIB: fine stub flex • $300
4243: Waterman pencil: black chased hard rubber with a most unusual left-handed mechanism; 13.2 cm long, gold filled trim, early clip with large rivets, marked "18KT FILLED"; hard rubber chasing worn, but no brassing to metal, imprints all strong. Externally similar to the earliest Waterman pencils, introduced in 1922, but no lead reservoir, lead can be advanced by turning either the nose cone or the top end of the barrel. We have seen only two or three similar examples to date.
DATE: c. 1921 • CONDITION: fine • $275
10402: Waterman 52 combination: rare hard rubber lever-filler with sterling silver overlay incorporating a retracting propelling pencil in the end of the barrel; 13.5 cm long, barrel end twists to extend Mordan-mechanism pencil (uses VS lead); full London hallmarks, maker's mark for Mappin & Webb, though overlay identical to others bearing Waterman's FDW mark. Fine barleycorn pattern, multiple scattered shallow dings, dent to clip ball, soldered patch to front edge of barrel overlay (see detail), smooth and responsive #2 Canada nib.
DATE: c. 1933 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: fine flex • $1650
10806: Waterman cartridge-filler: black celluloid with sterling silver Art Deco overlay, 12.35 cm long, rare French-made design uses glass ink cartridges (one included, can be refilled with an eyedropper or syringe). Smooth-writing 18K nib has the slightest beginning of a stress crack from the vent hole, probably from overflexing, but should be stable if not abused -- writes with a beautifully shaded line. Scattered light bumps to the silver, hairlines in cap liner, section seal has been replaced, pen fully functional.
DATE: c. 1939 • CONDITION: G-VG* • NIB: fine semiflex •
$600
8097: Wirt Safety: mottled hard rubber clipless screw-cap eyedropper-filler, 12.7 cm long, unusual reciprocating ink shutoff valve actuated by a central post inside the cap (covered by US patent 978,419); Wirt ventless #2 nib with narrow gold underfeed, slightly toothy but very flexible; Wirt Safeties are uncommon, and most are found in the vest-pocket size.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine flex •
$485
9700: unmarked middle-joint eyedropper-filler: clipless black chased hard rubber slip-cap, 13.65 cm long, no maker's name but could be A. A. Waterman or Sterling, cap marked "PAT.APPLD. FOR"; narrow feed, #3 warranted nib of fine quality, good writer with plenty of line variation; owner's name on barrel, surface slightly granular on close inspection due to chemical reblackening. For more on middle-joint eyedropper-fillers, see our Pen Profile.
DATE: c. 1905 •
CONDITION: VG • NIB: medium flex • $165
7189: unmarked dummy display pen: heavy solid rubber, 13.9 cm long, looks like slip-cap eyedropper-filler but does not open.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: exc • $75
10697: unmarked crescent-filler: orange-red celluloid, nickel plated trim, 12.25 cm long, made in Japan, glass nib; many such pens were retailed in the USA by the SPORS company, but this example is marked only "MADE IN JAPAN". Not a high quality pen, however condition is outstanding. The sections on these pens were originally glued in place, making repair risky; this one has been successfully opened and serviced.
DATE: c. 1935 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: medium rigid • $105