Conklin Endura Ringtop
About This Model
Conklin was one of the early fountain pen manufacturers, starting in the late 1800s, re-forming as a fountain pen manufacturer in Toledo, Ohio in 1901 to market Roy Conklin’s patented Crescent Filler, one of the first modern designs that worked reliably. For the next twenty-plus years, Conklin produced Crescent Fillers and lever-filler pens, introducing the Endura in bright colors and fine metals in the 1920s, until they gave way to the Endura Symetrik in 1929. The Symetrik lines were essentially rounded Enduras, in response to Sheaffer's Balance. In 1931, they finally moved away from the Crescent-Filler altogether to the Nozac as their top line model. Although this first twist filler was a beautiful, successful pen, Conklin's ongoing resistance to change had limited the company’s success, forcing them to sell out in the late 1930’s.
About This Pen
Enduras were Conklin’s mainstay through the middle to latter 1920s; they were very solid, well-engineered pens. This Endura is typical: in their Mahogany color, a very substantial pen with a ringtop, not one of the more dainty ringtops. Just short of 4 1/4″ long capped and 3/8″ thick below the cap edge, this is a shorter pen but not a small pen. The marbled celluloid is quite clean, with no disfiguring marks or scratches. Enduras are easily identified by two shallow circumferential grooves on the body and two on the cap; they complement the gold trim well. The gold trim is complete and untarnished, although there is still a bit of minor scratching on the crown, from the ringtop. The imprint is complete and easily read. The nib is most likely this pen’s original, marked Conklin Endura, with the characteristic half-moon vent hole. It writes a luscious medium, quite fast (as can be seen from the writing sample), and it sings as it writes. The singing is in the metal; the nib was pretty thoroughly tuned. Even considering its age, this is a sturdy pen; it can be carried in a bag.
Price: $85 Sold