Product Description
Type Early safety-fill fountain pen with a retracting nib.
Product Name Midget Safety. Midget is printed on the middle of the barrel.
Manufacturer and Year The Moore Co., made in USA -- probably 1920s. The pen was produced from the late 1890s on for around 30 years but around 1917 the company name was changed from American Pen Co. to Moore.
Length Capped: 3-7/16"; Posted: 4-3/16"
Filling System This is a variation on the safety pen. To fill you unscrew the cap and fill the pen reservoir like an eyedropper or Waterman safety pen, then push the bottom part of the barrel towards the section to extend the nib. It is slide based. This early version DOES NOT have the pin in the cap to push the nib down if the user forgets to retract the nib before attaching the cap. You need to remember to slide the nib back into the barrel before capping. The system has been disassembled, restored, and tested. It is working well.
Color Black chased hard rubber with a checkerboard design. It also has a gold filled ring top ornament with draping band at the edge.
Nib FLEXIBLE EXTRA FINE Gold nib, marked American Fountain Pen (which was the precursor to Moore branding). Line variation from extra fine to medium. Please see the writing sample below.
Condition Excellent condition with no cracks, chips, dents, or dings. This is a shiny dark black pen with clear chasing and with excellent color consistency. The cap has some light scratching with microscratching on the surface. The chased barrel and mid-section loos excellent with just some light microscratching. The barrel end piece has marks caused by posting. The top gold cap piece has moderate microscratching, a few small dots of plating wear (see top edge). The ornate draping looks good. The imprints are clear.
