Spencerian 38 gray
| |
| Spencerian 38 bronze | |
| Manufacturer | Perry & Co. for Spencerian Steel Pen Co. |
| Nib No. | 38 |
| Descr. | Signature |
| Tip | |
| Markings | Exterior |
| Mark 1 lateral L | Nº 38 |
| Mark 2 | SPENCERIAN |
| Mark 3 | SIGNATURE |
| Mark 4 | PEN Cº N-Y |
| Mark 5 | MADE IN ENGLAND |
 | |
Described in contemporary advertising, a Spencerian sample card (see Smithsonian Libraries Exhibit on trade literature) included a sample of the #38 Society Stub Pen among 11 samples--listing it as a "Medium stub, with a very smooth action." Another Spencerian sample card included the #38 Society Stub Pen among 26 samples. It is included in the section of the card for Stub 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 two distinct versions of the Spencerian #38 Signature Pen in the Chappy's Nibs collection:
(These version names are defined for this collection alone, and are not necessarily industry-wide terms.)
The nib pictured below is the Gray version.
Photos
Click any image for a full-resolution photo: 2200 x 640. The image with the ruler is 2300 x 1196.
