Best wishes to all for the holidays and for a safe and prosperous New Year.
Pen Profiles:
Mabie Todd - Swan Leverless
13449: Mabie Todd desk pencil: sterling silver, pearl taper, 14.6 cm long, uses 1.5 mm "VS" lead.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $120
15793: Mabie Todd (?) dip pen: sterling silver, 16.1 cm long excluding plated nib, scrolling deep fluted twist relief pattern, excellent quality, marked only "STERLING" but in same distinctive serif typeface used by Mabie Todd.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine • $250
15841: Mabie Todd dip pen and pencil set: sterling silver and gold filled two-tone twist pattern with pearl taper, 11.7 cm long excluding #4 Mabie Todd ventless gold nib; matching desk pencil accepts standard 2.0 mm lead though originally designed for .076".
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $425
16300: Mabie Todd Swan: early New York made black chased hard rubber straight-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.6 cm long, gold filled barleycorn overlay, Mabie Todd & Bard imprint, last patent listed is US314547 of 1885, over-under feed with twisted silver feed tail, nib is English production. Overlay has spotty losses and a couple of test marks on the cap, tool marks on section overlay; fine overall appearance.
DATE: c. 1902 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: broad semiflex • $425
11132: Mabie Todd Swan: hard rubber straight-cap eyedropper-filler with extremely rare Fleur-de-lys pattern gold filled high relief overlay; 13.5 cm long, full Mabie Todd & Bard imprint on barrel with 1880s patent dates, classic over and under feed with twisted silver wire "tail". Initial on cap, name on barrel, only a handful of examples of this design are currently known, with a silver specimen selling for over $11,000 on eBay in November 2013.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: medium stub flex • $4500
15996: Mabie Todd Swan 2 Self Filler: black chased hard rubber lever-filler, 13.9 cm long, nickel plated trim, New York production, scarce early "split" lever. Clean glossy surfaces with good chasing and imprints, two fins missing from feed (does not affect function).
DATE: c. 1916 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: medium fine flex • $225
16648: Mabie Todd Swan 4 Stenograph Self-Filler: black chased hard rubber clipless lever-filler, 13.8 cm long, nickel plated trim, New York production, scarce early "split" lever, slip-on clip is Swan-marked, English made, silver plating patchy; notable long-tined #4 nib, "STENOGRAPHY" imprint on barrel.
DATE: c. 1916 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $295
13813: Mabie Todd Swan Military Safety: uncommon screw-cap black chased hard rubber ink-tablet eyedropper-filler, 14.5 cm long, nickel plated trim, New York production but bearing retail imprint on cap top of Mark Cross of London; even fading, imprints legible, marked "PAT. APPL'D FOR", typical flakes off very end of ink compartment knob (see detail).
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: medium broad stub flex • $495
10461: Mabie Todd Swan Military Safety: rare screw-cap black hard rubber ink-tablet eyedropper-filler, 14.2 cm long, gold filled overlay. New York production, imprints and chasing crisp, some erosion around cap vent holes, 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: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $1450
15350: Mabie Todd Longshort Stylo in box: black chased hard rubber vest-pocket eyedropper-filler, 7.75 cm closed, 11.5 cm open; gold spring-loaded needle intact, imprints and chasing crisp, condition as new but for light scratch on cap cartouche; made in England, box rather rough.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine • $225
16202: Mabie Todd Swan: black chased hard rubber lever-filler, 13.9 cm long, nickel plated trim, New York imprints, scarce Toronto-marked nib. Even fading, all imprints clear, nib has cracks (see detail) and should eventually be repaired, but is usable as is.
DATE: c. 1923 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: fine flex • $175
11940: Mabie Todd Swan set in box: black hard rubber lever-filler with engine turned gold filled overlay, 13.2 cm long, New York production, with matching Fyne Poynt pencil; both would be near mint, but the pencil has a couple of scratches and bumps to the eraser cover and the pen has the typical corrosion damage to the section overlay (see details). Still a very handsome set, top quality construction and weight, pencil uses 1.1 mm lead, pen is a smooth writer.
DATE: c. 1926 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: medium fine semiflex • $450
10205: Mabie Todd Swan set in box: beautiful and solid New York-made lever-filler in 1/5 18K gold filled, 13.1 cm long, crisp rings chasing pattern (usually found on Edward Todd pens, but very uncommon for Mabie Todd). Matching 1.1 mm Fyne Poynt pencil, both pieces bear a neatly engraved 1928-dated inscription on their barrels. Nib is set tight, so writes a very fine line, but the tip is large enough that it could be adjusted to a medium fine if opened up. Set is like new with attractive age toning, no brassing but usual Mabie Todd seam lines visible where end caps soldered on pen.
DATE: c. 1928 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $685
15755: Mabie Todd broker's pencil: gold filled, engine turned, 13 cm long, New York production, uses 5.6 mm lead, propel-repel mechanism. Clip loose, wiggles side to side, fine overall appearance and function.
DATE: c. 1928 • CONDITION: VG* • $150
14539: Mabie Todd No. 20 Cygnet stylographic pen: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 10.3 cm long, made in England, spring-loaded gold needle. New old stock, never filled, ready to use; minor storage wear, several available. This model was manufactured unchanged from c. 1910 through the 1920s with remaining stock sold for decades after; it is only the font of the barrel imprint that indicates a later production date.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: medium • $68.5
11657: Mabie Todd Starling pencil: uncommon late New York City production ringtop, 11.4 cm long, nickel plated trim, octagonal barrel, jade green with white-lined black trim section; uses 1.1 mm lead, two stained patches (see detail), usual gapping due to age shrinkage of celluloid over metal liner.
DATE: c. 1932 • CONDITION: VG • $60
16311: 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 not catalogued -- and at least as uncommon as the Pittsburgh pens.
DATE: c. 1932 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: needlepoint • $465
16068: Mabie Todd Swan set in box: black hard rubber lever-filler, full 14K gold filled overlay in bold Machine Age Deco style, 12.9 cm long, matching pencil uses 1.1 mm lead. Late New York City production, top quality, seldom seen.
DATE: c. 1938 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine stub semiflex • $850
16330: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: grey twist-action with black top, 11.6 cm long, gold filled trim, made in England, distinctive clip, made to match the short lived "Lady" pens c. 1939-40, uses 1.1 mm lead; new old stock with slight shop wear, a few available still wrapped in original cellophane sleeves but with some tarnish to the trim (the unwrapped example is shown after polishing).
DATE: c. 1939 • CONDITION: near mint • $75
13702: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: grey-green with black cap top, gold filled trim, 11.6 cm long, matches Blackbird pen; made in England, uses 1.1 mm lead, new old stock, minimal shop wear, several available.
DATE: c. 1945 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • $50
9495: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: deep burgundy, gold filled trim, 12.6 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, made in England, new old stock, typical very slight shrinkage at top of cap.
DATE: c. 1948 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • $40
9451: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: black, gold filled trim, 12.5 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, made in England, new old stock, but some shop wear and slight shrinkage at top of cap.
DATE: c. 1948 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $40
9442: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: black with gold filled cap, 12.8 cm long, new old stock, uses 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1948 • CONDITION: near mint • $60
9437: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: dark green, gold filled trim, 12.5 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, made in England, new old stock, but some shop wear and slight shrinkage at top of cap; a few available.
DATE: c. 1948 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $45
15533: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: red with gold plated cap, 12.5 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, crisp imprint, unused eraser, but plating wear to nose cone and general handling wear.
DATE: c. 1950 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $45
9511: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: dark green, 12.4 cm long, chrome plated trim, uses 1.1 mm lead, made in England, new old stock.
DATE: c. 1953 • CONDITION: near mint • $50
9449: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: dark blue, 12.3 cm long, chrome plated trim, uses 1.1 mm lead, made in England, new old stock, minimal shop wear, some dullness to plating; a few available.
DATE: c. 1953 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • $45
9439: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: black, 12.3 cm long, chrome plated trim, uses 1.1 mm lead, made in England, new old stock, minimal shop wear.
DATE: c. 1953 • CONDITION: exc • $40
