Gaylord Combo Pen
1920s
About This Pen
Gaylord pens are one of pendom’s mysteries. They were probably a brand produced by National Pen Company of Chicago during the 1920s. National was a sizeable firm, noted for producing a wide range of pens for Montgomery Ward and Sears, Roebuck, and for jobbing pens and parts from many manufacturers. It’s possible that they were not actually a manufacturer, but were an assembler and jobber. At any rate, Gaylord is usually recognized for the flower on its clips, but of course not all Gaylords have them. This pen is a combination fountain pen and mechanical pencil. Unlike many, both the pen and pencil work well! Combo pens are always long to have enough space for ink and lead storage, so this pen is just short of 6″ long capped. It is in green and black marbled celluloid, one of those patterns that found its way to many inexpensive 20s pens. It is surprisingly clear and unscratched; cleaned up very well. The metal trim is all intact, perhaps protected by its decades of grunge. The nib is a 3 that looks more like a 2; it is imprinted “Warranted 14k”; it writes a very nice wet medium. The pencil end has a twist mechanism that works well; it has a piece of 1.2mm lead installed. Very nice combo, don’t travel far with it because it doesn’t hold much ink or lead.
Price: $45 Sold