Product Description
Type Retracting dip pen nib holder
Product Name Unknown.
Manufacturer and Year The nib is marked E. S. Johnson & Co (New York City), probably early 1900s. They went out of business in 1921. There are no manufacturer marks on the pen holder.
Length Holder: 3-1/8" closed. With cap posted, 4-3/4".
Filling System None, as it is a dip nib only. It's nicely flexible, and we'd likely call it a "wet noodle" if there were an internal ink source. You could use fountain pen ink with this, but because that is water-based, you're going to have to dip it frequently. This is going to be one of the few times we might suggest using calligraphy ink, letting the viscosity work in your favor without worrying about clogging up a feed mechanism. (You will still want to wipe the nib clean between writing sessions).
Nib EXTRA FINE FLEXIBLE E.S. Johnson & Co Warranted nib. Extra fine to medium line variation. Excellent condition, with tipping material on both tines.
Color Gold filled with a pattern of chevrons near the nib that give texture and sparkle to the surface. The cap portion is covered in black, with inlaid mother-of-pearl chips and some metal pieces in a pretty floral pattern.
Condition Excellent condition. This is a small, dainty, sparkly pen/pencil holder that is very pretty. The cap overlay may have been applied in halves, as there are long seams on either side (they resemble cracks, but we're pretty sure that's just how the piece was made). The inlaid pearl decoration is really lovely - on close inspection, some pieces are missing, though it takes a sharp eye to find them. The nib holder looks nice, with just a bit of brassing around the front end near the nib. Everything else looks great The imprints are clear.
