Conklin
Pens and Ephemera

The 1920s come roaring back to life with this senior sized Conklin Endura fountain pen. This lapis blue wonder looks pretty sharp with a little discolored darkening at the tail and near the section threads. It has no brassing. Plus, you can still most of the orange-red pin stripe painting in the cap and barrel. We restored this with a silicone ink sac to minimize future discoloration. The only trouble is that these ink sacs don't seem to hold the ink as well as the rubber ones do, and it might be a little leakier than normal. However, many might prefer keeping this pen more as a museum piece than daily user. Its 14k gold nib rides the line between fine and extra fine. Plus, it has a little feedback. 13.2cm capped.

Almost perfect but not quite. Let's get it over with. Look closely at the threads of the barrel. Yes, that is a 2mm square chunk missing. Otherwise this pen is a perfect New Old Stock Conklin Crescent 40. We restored it any way with a new ink sac. Excellent chased black hard rubber with a deep imprint. No brassing. Its 14k gold nib writes a fine to 1mm wide semi-flex line. BUT, that stupid chunk missing makes this pen a risk to break with any flex writing. The pressure could crack the barrel or worse. That is why it is $250 cheaper than the other mint and flawless 40 we have on the site. 13.9cm capped.

We aren't sure what Conklin called this pinstriped pencil made of rolled gold, but it is a very handsome taste of the 1920s. It is marked "Patented July 6, 1920." We suspect is was made a couple years later. This pen is a little more slender than the 4B and 5V models, but it is the same length. New Old Stock, it is dent and damage free. Twist the nose cone to advance and retract the 1.1mm lead. Pull off the tail blind cap to reveal a hardened eraser. Unscrew the eraser to reveal some spare leads. 13.3cm capped.

Jazz Age style and sophistication shines through on this new old stock Conklin 5V pencil. A "w" pattern flys down the barrel of this vintage pencil on finely wrought pinstripes. Marked rolled gold, all of the imprints and design features are strong and crisp. Patented on July 6, 1920, we suspect this one was made more likely in 1924 or '25. Twist the nose cone to advance and retract the 1.1mm lead. Pull off the tail cap to reveal an unused hardened eraser. Unscrew the eraser to reveal spare leads. No brassing, dents or scratches. Looks like it just left the factory in Toledo, Ohio. 13.3cm capped.

Direct from the Roaring '20s comes this green-gold Conklin 5V pencil. New Old Stock, this pencil is in mint condition and comes with its original price sticker! Its classic chevron design is dent free with minimal, if any, wear. Pull off the blind tail cap to reveal its original hardened eraser. Unscrew the eraser to reveal the spare leads. To advance and retract the 1.1mm lead, twist the nose cone to the right or left. No engravings. 13.3cm.

Lapis lazuli looks like moonlight glinting off the ocean on this stunning blue Conklin Endura Senior. A classic from Toledo, Ohio, this vintage pen has been fully restored with a new ink sac. No cracks, no brassing...only minimal wear, this pen belongs in a museum. We did not repaint the orange trim rings, and, as far as we know, it is original paint. Its original 14k gold nib writes a very firm, fine line that leans closer to extra fine. Click the headline for a great close-up photo. Its oversized zen makes for easier gripping. A phenomenal pen for use or display. 13.4cm capped.

It took us a while to track down some answers for this pen. We finally discovered, courtesy of David Isaacson's inimitable website, that this was an unnamed model Conklin pen. He calls it the Conklin Sub Endura, as it was neither a Symetrik nor an Endura. It was meant as a lesser model for those who couldn't afford Conklin's higher end pens. While he had seen many of these pens in the past, he had only seen this maroon-and-pearl-grey pen once before. Ours is fully restored with a new ink sac. No cracks and minimal wear. Its only real problem is brassing on the cap bands. Write a nice fine line with a hint of flex with this original 14k gold nib. 13cm capped.