Here's a lovely vintage (actually, it's now an antique as it's 100 years old!) fountain pen that Christopher showed at our March meeting (and speaking of meetings -- don't forget our April meeting on Thursday April 20--full details here)...
(photos courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on images to enlarge)
"In Chicago during 1902, The United Drug Company was founded with the trademark branding, “Rexall”. What followed was the blossoming and spreading of what we now know as the ‘Drug Store’ all over North America. There were many different drugstore companies that followed, but it was Rexall that started the ball rolling. And one of their first quality fountain pens was the Signet. Unlike their lesser quality pens, the Signet was made by the De Witt – La France Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts with a focus on the best of the best.
This Signet is of remarkable quality for a house brand pen. The finish on the barrel and cap is 1/20th 14K Gold Filled and beautifully chased with inverted chevrons between groups of vertical lines. This is a flat top and bottom pen, and a snapfil lever filler. The cap clip looks ever so much like a Wahl clip and sports a patent on the top that attaches it to the cap. The section is long and thin and is finished in jet black plastic. Atop this grip is a stunning 14K Gold No.2 Mabie Todd flexy nib. This fine pen posts at all of 6 ¼ inches, but caps back to 5 inches. Still, to my mind, what is the best thing about this pen and really had me scooping it up was what is engraved at the top of the barrel, “Sold Only at the Rexall Stores.” I close by adding that this pen has a certain elegance which just will not let you put it down!"
Our thanks to Christopher for shining a spotlight on this beautiful antique fountain pen --- it still looks fantastic at age 100! ;)
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