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Fairchild Dip Pen with Esterbrook 794 Nib

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Leroy W. Fairchild
Esterbrook Pen Company
Description
This 7-1/8" pen has a steel nib, ornate gold-colored metal grip, and ridged white mother-of-pearl handle. The nib is marked: 794 (/) R. ESTERBROOK (/) MODIFIED SL[ANT]. The grip is marked: FAIRCHILD. A wooden case has rounded corners and brass hook-and-eye latches. The case is covered with black leather and lined with blue paper.
Richard Esterbrook moved from England to the United States in the 1850s and opened a factory to pens in Camden, N.J., around 1860. The company also made pen nibs, probably beginning around 1920, when it expanded into fountain pens. Venus Pen and Pencil, formerly the American Lead Pencil Co., purchased Esterbrook in 1967. Leroy W. Fairchild began making fountain pen nibs in New York City between 1837 and 1843. After the firm experienced bankruptcy, it reorganized in 1897 and began to sell fountain pens. In the 20th century, the company also offered dip pens.
Frank Terlitzky (1885–1962), who owned this pen, emigrated from Russia in 1906 and settled in Baltimore, where he and his wife worked as caterers.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of Frank Terlitzky
ca 1920-1958 (nibs)
ca 1920-1958 (nib)
ca 1920-1958
ID Number
MA.314804
accession number
210144
catalog number
314804
Object Name
pen
Physical Description
steel (overall material)
mother of pearl (overall material)
metal (overall material)
Measurements
overall: .5 cm x 18 cm x .5 cm; 3/16 in x 7 3/32 in x 3/16 in
place made
United States: New York, New York City
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Pens and Pencils
Science & Mathematics
National Museum of American History
Subject
writing implements
Record ID
nmah_904283
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a7-6505-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

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There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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