Spencerian 2 v2
| |
| Spencerian 2 v2 | |
| Manufacturer | Perry & Co. for Spencerian Steel Pen Co. |
| Nib No. | 2 |
| Descr. | Counting House |
| Tip | F |
| Markings | Exterior |
| Mark 1 lateral L | Nº 2 |
| Mark 2 | SPENCERIAN |
| Mark 3 | PEN Cº N-Y |
| Mark 4 | COUNTING HOUSE |
| Mark 5 | ENGLAND |
 | |
Described in contemporary advertising (Zanarian) as: "Spencerian Steel Pens. No. 2 (Counting House Pen). A larger pen than No. 1 (College). Fine pointed: adapted to the use of correspondents. Excellent for the bookkeeper." Another advertisement (Digital Commonwealth) offers a similar description: "For Business Purposes: Point fine; adapted for the use of Correspondents." A Spencerian sample card (see Smithsonian Libraries Exhibit on trade literature) included a sample of the #2 Counting House Pen among 11 samples--listing it as a "Fine point. Excellent for bookkeeping. Holds plenty of ink." Another Spencerian sample card included the #2 Counting House Pen among 26 samples. It is included in the section of the card for Fine Pointed nibs.
The Blam Nib site says that The Spencerian Steel Pen Co. was formed In 1858 as a subsidiary of the Ivison Phinney Publishing Company, later known as Ivison, Phinney, Blakeman, & Co., and finally in 1869 as Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor, & Co. The New York City-based pen company (Spencerian Steel Pen Co.), was a pen distribution company that purchased its nibs from an English manufacturer, having no factories of its own. The Spencerian pens were made in Birmingham, England, by Sir Josiah Mason for Perry & Co. This explains why many Spencerian nibs have markings for both New York, N.Y. and England.
Versions
There are three distinct versions of the Spencerian #2 nib in the Chappy's Nibs collection:
- Version 1: Counting House Pen, gray finish
- Version 2: Counting House Pen, dark finish, adds a lateral endcap that says England
- Version 3: Dominion School Pen, dark finish, all markings are on the interior
(These version names are defined for this collection alone, and are not necessarily industry-wide terms.)
The nib pictured below is Version 2.
Photos
Click any image for a full-resolution photo: 1925 x 560. The image with the ruler is 2300 x 1196.
