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[[Immagine:Logo-Conklin.svg|center|300px|Logo della Conklin]]
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co.}}
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[[Image:Logo-Conklin.svg|center|300px|Conklin Logo]]
  
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[[Conklin]] was officially founded in [[1898]], but its founder, ''Roy Conklin'', had been in the fountain pen business since [[1891]]. The success of the company was mainly due to the invention of the [[Crescent Filler]], the first really functional automatic filling mechanism. But after its initial period the company underwent a gradual decline, completely ceasing production around the 1948. The brand was recreated in 2000 with the production of pens that reflect the design of the old models.
  
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La [[Conklin]] nacque ufficialmente come azienda nel 1898, ma il suo fondatore, ''Roy Conklin'' era stato in attività fin dal 1891. Il successo della azienda è dovuto principalmente all'invenzione del [[Crescent Filler]], il primo meccanismo di riempimento automatico veramente funzionale. In seguito l'azienda subì un periodo di progressivo declino, cessando completamente la produzione nel 1955. Il marchio è stato risuscitato nel 2000, come ''Conklin Pen Co. Inc.'' con la produzione di penne che riprendono il design dei vecchi modelli.
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The [[Conklin]] had the maximum of its success at the beginning of the '900, when it became the market leader thanks to the [[Crescent Filler]], but was not able to keep up with competitors in subsequent innovations, and although in the subsequent years it produced pens of undoubted value and excellent quality, still much sought by collectors,  success the company was no longer been able to innovate, gradually losing market share and remaining constantly behind the [[Big Four]].{{Infobox_Brand|Conklin}}
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==History==
  
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La [[Conklin]] ebbe il massimo del suo successo agli inizi del secolo, quando divenne leader del mercato delle stilografiche grazie all'innovativo [[Crescent Filler]], ma non seppe stare al passo dei concorrenti nelle successive innovazioni, e benché anche negli anni successivi abbia prodotto penne di indubbio valore e ottima qualità, ancor oggi molto ricercate dai collezionisti, dopo il successo iniziale non è più stata capace di porsi all'avanguardia, perdendo progressivamente quote di mercato e restando costantemente indietro rispetto alle [[Big Four]].{{Infobox_Marca|Conklin}}{{BrandData|Founder=Roy Conklin|Date=1898|Place=Toledo, Ohio|Country=US}}
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The ''Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co.'' was officially born with this name in Toledo, Ohio, in [[1901]], but the company was founded by ''Roy Conklin'' as ''Self-Filling Fountain Pen Company'' in [[1898]] together with C. B. Gundy. The previous year ''Roy Conklin'' had registered the patent for the first working automatic filling system created for a pen.
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== Storia ==
 
  
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La [[Conklin|Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co]] nacque ufficialmente con questo nome a Toledo, in Ohio, nel 1901, ma la ditta era stata fondata nel 1898 da ''Roy Conklin'' come ''Self Fountain Pen Co'' insieme a C. B. Gundy dopo che nell'anno precedente lo stesso ''Roy Conklin'' aveva registrato il brevetto del primo vero sistema di riempimento automatico creato per una penna stilografica.
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[[Image:1905-Conklin-Crescent.jpg|thumb|An AD's of 1905.]]
  
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[[Image:1905-Conklin-Crescent.jpg|thumb|Una pubblicità del 1905.]]
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The company strong initial success was due to the creation of the [[Crescent Filler]], which was the first automatic filling mechanism truly reliable. These [[Conklin Crescent Filler|firsts models]] were made in [[BCHR|chased hard rubber]] like other pens of the same period, but their innovative filling system led the company at the top of the market. In [[1904]], ''Roy Conklin'' withdrew from company selling all its shares, after that the ownership passed hands several times.<ref>for this event Jim Mamoulides reports in [http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Conklin/Conklin.htm this page] around [[1907]], while Michael Fultz says [[1904]], citing J. F. Vogel as new president, J. H. Doyle as vice president and H. E. Fisher as secretary/treasurer, so we decided to use his date for citing also a lot more details.</ref> In this golden period [[Conklin]] followed a policy of trade expansion, with vigorous promotional campaigns, exporting even in Europe and South America.
  
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Il grande successo iniziale dell'azienda è dovuto proprio alla creazione del [[Crescent Filler]], che è stato il primo meccanismo di caricamento automatico veramente affidabile. Questi [[Conklin Crescent Filler|primi modelli]] erano penne in [[BCHR|ebanite cesellata]] del tutto simili agli altri modelli di quel tempo, ma l'innovativo sistema di caricamento portò l'azienda ai vertici del mercato. Nel 1904 ''Roy Conklin'' si ritirò cedendo tutte le quote dell'azienda che passò di mano varie volte. In quel periodo l'azienda seguì una politica di espansione commerciale, con vigorose campagne promozionali, esportando anche in Europa e Sud America.
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In [[1916]] [[Conklin]] introduced an innovative spring clip, that can be open very easily; for its simplicity and elegance the same mechanism has been used today by modern companies like Visconti, the only patent found about it ({{Cite patent|US|1267575}}) was applied in [[1917]]. The sales of fountain pens, although declining, remained at the top of the market, also if [[Conklin]] models become to be considered a little dated.
  
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Nel 1916 la [[Conklin]] introdusse una innovativa clip a molla, capace di allargarsi senza sforzi, che per la sua semplicità ed eleganza viene anche oggi riproposta da aziende moderne come la Visconti. Le vendite di penne, pur declinando, rimanevano ai vertici del mercato, ed i modelli incominciavano ad essere considerati un po' datati.
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In fact, although functional and efficient, the [[Crescent Filler]] had its worst flaw in being unpleasant from an aesthetic point of view, and despite a strong promotional campaign that emphasized its merits (Mark Twain, taken as testimonial, endorsed the advantage of it not allowing the pen to roll down from the table) with the appearance of [[lever filler]] pens the sales began to decline increasingly, despite that the new mechanism was inferior from a purely technical point of view.
  
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Infatti benché fosse funzionale ed efficiente, il [[Crescent Filler]] aveva il suo peggior difetto nell'essere poco gradevole dal punto di vista estetico, e nonostante una forte campagna promozionale che ne sottolineava i pregi (Mark Twain, preso come ''testimonial'', ne elogiava il vantaggio di non consentire alla penna di rotolare giù dal tavolo) con la comparsa delle penne con [[caricamento a levetta]] le vendite iniziarono a declinare sempre più, nonostante queste fossero inferiori dal punto di vista strettamente tecnico.
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This is why in [[1921]] also [[Conklin]] started producing models with a peculiar [[lever filler]] mechanism, ingeniously constructed so that only half of the lever was in the open. With the introduction of the large dimension pens trend started by the [[Duofold]] also [[Conklin]] introduced  in [[1923]] the [[Duragraph]] model. The following year the [[Duragraph]] was renamed as [[Endura]] and the production was converted to celluloid. Initial model were in black or red hard rubber, but soon they were produced in celluloid, with different colors like ''Rosewood'', ''Black & Gold'', ''Lime Green'', ''Lapis blue'' and the rare ''Blue & Gold'' present only on smaller models.
  
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Per questo motivo nel 1921 anche la [[Conklin]] iniziò a produrre modelli con suo [[caricamento a levetta]], costruito ingegnosamente in modo da lasciare scoperta solo metà della leva. Con l'introduzione da parte dei concorrenti di penne ''importanti'' di grande dimensione come la [[Lifetime]] della [[Sheaffer]] e la [[Duofold]] della [[Parker]] nel 1923 anche la [[Conklin]] introdusse il modello [[Duragraph]], che l'anno successivo venne rinominato in [[Endura]]. I primi modelli erano in ebanite nera o rossa, ma vennero quasi immediatamente sostituiti da modelli prodotti anche in celluloide, ai quali si aggiunsero colori come il Rosewood, il Black & Gold, il Lime Green, il Lapis ed il raro Blue & Gold.
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[[File:Conklin-Endura-Big-Series-Colors-Capped.jpg|thumb|A set of [[Endura]]]]
  
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[[Image:Conklin-Endura-Colors-Set.jpg|thumb|Gruppo di [[Endura]] di diversi colori]]
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The [[Endura]] was the top model of [[Conklin]], with the name put on the nib and the body, produced in three version, a short vest pocket, a standard and senior senior size. In the same time were also produced an economic model for students, that so collector are calling [[Conklin Student|Student]] (but mentioned in and advertisement as "''Three Fifty''" by their price in dollars, $3.50), with the same shape and dimension of the [[Endura]] standard model, also produced in pastel colors.
  
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L'[[Endura]] era il modello di punta dell'azienda, portando il nome inciso sul corpo e sul pennino. Venne prodotta in tre misure, una versione da taschino corta, una misura standard e la senior. A fianco di essa l'azienda introdusse una serie di penne economiche per studenti, con la stessa forma ma in unica dimensione pari al modello standard, che vennero prodotte in colori pastello a tinta unita.
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[[Image:1924-08-Conklin-Endura-Student.jpg|thumb|left|An [[Endura]] AD's of 1924.]]
  
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[[Image:1924-08-Conklin-Endura-Student.jpg|thumb|left|Pubblicità della [[Endura]] del 1924.]]
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At that time however the company was no longer a market leader, but was merely following trends set by the others companies. An example of this is the introduction in [[1929]] (or in [[1930]]),<ref>different source reports both dates.</ref> of its ''[[streamlined ]]'' model, the [[Symetrik]], following the new trend launched by the [[Sheaffer]] [[Balance]]. The sales were in constant decline and the company suffered heavily from the effects of the great recession of '29. Around [[1930]] [[Conklin]] started an economy line named [[All-American]].
  
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A questo punto l'azienda però non era più un leader di mercato, ma si limitava a seguire quanto fatto dagli altri. Un esempio di tutto questo è l'introduzione, fra il 1929 ed il 1930,<ref>da diverse fonti sono riportate entrambe le date.</ref> del suo primo modello ''[[streamlined]]'', la [[Symetrik]], seguendo la moda lanciata dalla [[Balance]] della [[Sheaffer]]. Le vendite risultavano in costante declino e l'azienda subì pesantemente gli effetti della grande recessione. Intorno al 1930 iniziò anche la produzione di una linea di penne economiche sotto il marchio [[All-American]].
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The last [[Conklin]] important model was the [[Nozac]], designed by ''Louis Vavrik'' and introduced in [[1931]]. [[Nozac]] is the only American pen equipped with a [[piston filler]]; it had a transparent tank with large ink capacity (further highlighted, since [[1934]], by the ''word gauge'', a scale that measured the number of words remaining). The pen, produced in beautiful color and with a multifaceted body, is one of the best model of that time, but the mechanism, derived from that one of a mechanical pencil, was not particularly robust and efficient and the pen did not have the success that it would have deserved. In [[1937]] a [[plunger filler]] version of [[Nozac]], called [[One Stroke]], was produced.
  
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L'ultimo modello di punta della [[Conklin]] è stata la [[Nozac]], disegnata da ''Louis Vavrik'' ed introdotta nel 1931, unica penna americana dotata di caricamento a stantuffo, dotata di serbatoio trasparente e grande capacità di inchiostro (ulteriormente sottolineata, a partire dal 1934, dall'introduzione del ''[[word gauge]]'', una scala che misurava il numero di parole restanti). La penna, con i suoi bellissimi colori ed il corpo sfaccettato, resta uno dei vertici della produzione di quel tempo, ma il meccanismo, essendo stato ripreso da quello di una matita meccanica, non era particolarmente robusto ed efficiente e la penna non ebbe il successo che avrebbe meritato. Nel 1937, praticamente per solo un anno, venne prodotta una versione con caricamento a [[siringa rovesciata]] denominata [[One Stroke]].
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[[Image:1937-12-Conklin-Nozac.jpg|thumb|A [[Nozac]] advertising from 1937.]]
  
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L'azienda perseguì nel suo declino e nel 1938 tutti i beni della [[Conklin]] vennero ceduti alla ''Chicago Interests''. L'anno successivo gli impianti di Toledo vennero chiusi e la produzione venne spostata a Chicago. I modelli precedenti rimasero in produzione ma durante la guerra vennero prodotte poche penne. In seguito la produzione continuò a spostarsi su penne sempre più economiche e di fascia bassa, per finire con una penna a sfera di basso costo. Benché alcune di queste penne, come la [[Glider]], restino di interesse collezionistico, la produzione della [[Conklin]] si ridusse progressivamente di qualità e quantità, per cessare completamente nel 1948 (o 1955?).
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The company was still declining and in [[1938]] all the [[Conklin]] assets were transferred to the investor group ''Chicago Interests''. The following year Toledo plants were closed and the production was moved to Chicago. The previous models remained in production during the war but few pens were produced. In the following years the production continued to move towards the low end of the market with economic fountain pens to and a low cost ballpoint. Although some of these models, like the [[Glider]], have some collectors interest, the [[Conklin]] production progressively reduced in quality and quantity, to completely cease in [[1948]] (or [[1955]]?).
  
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Ad oggi, come accaduto per molti altri marchi storici, la [[Conklin]] è stata rifondata ed opera dal 2000 come ''Conklin Pen Co. Inc.'', le sue penne (stilografiche e non) sono sostanzialmente delle repliche dei modelli di successo degli anni d'oro, e come per la maggior parte delle penne moderne, non hanno nessuna qualità particolare che le distingua rispetto alle penne d'epoca.
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Today, as it happened for many other historical brands, [[Conklin]] was rebuild in 2000 and operates now as ''Conklin Pen Co. Inc.'' Its pens are essentially some replica of the successful models of the brand golden years, but as it happens for most of the modern pens, they have no particular qualities that can distinguish them from other pens, especially when compared with their beautiful ancestor.
  
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{{CronoMarche}}
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{{ModelList|Conklin}}
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|-
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{{BrandChrono|Conklin}}
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| 1897 || ''Roy Conklin'' brevetta il [[crescent filler]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1898 || ''Roy Conklin'' fonda la '''Self Fountain Pen Co'''
 
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|-
 
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| 1901 || La '''Self Fountain Pen Co''' diventa la ''[[Conklin|Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co]]''
 
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|-
 
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| 1903 || Una aggressiva campagna pubblicitaria vede protagonista Mark Twain
 
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|-
 
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| 1916 || Viene brevettata la caratteristica clip a molla
 
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|-
 
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| 1921 || Introdotti i primi modelli con [[caricamento a levetta]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1923 || Viene introdotto il modello [[Duragraph]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1924 || Viene introdotta la celluloide e la [[Duragraph]] diventa la [[Endura]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1925 || Viene dismesso il ''[[crescent filler]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1929 || Viene introdotto il modello [[Symetrik|Endura Symetric]] (o 1930?)
 
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|-
 
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| 1929 || Viene ritirato il modello [[Endura]] classico (o 1930?)
 
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|-
 
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| 1930 || Introdotta la linea economica [[All-American]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1931 || Viene introdotto il modello [[Nozac]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1934 || Sulla [[Nozac]] viene introdotto il ''[[Word gauge]]''
 
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|-
 
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| 1937 || Viene introdotto il modello [[One Stroke]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1938 || Viene introdotto il modello [[Glider]]
 
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|-
 
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| 1938 || Gli impianti di Toledo chiudono e la produzione si sposta a Chicago
 
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| 1948 || La [[Conklin]] chiude la produzione
 
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|-
 
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|}
 
  
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{{LegendaModelli}}
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== External references ==
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* [http://web.archive.org/web/20080126091833/http://www.penbid.com/Auction/showarticle.asp?art_id=16] Article on the company's history
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| [[Endura]] || 1924 ||
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130429200151/http://www.billspens.com/billspens/conklin/conklin.htm] Conklin page on Bill Aker website
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|-
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* [http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Conklin/Conklin.htm] Page on the company's history
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| [[Nozac]] || 1931 ||
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* [http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=120053] A discussion on the numbering
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|-
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* [http://www.conklinpen.com/] Website of the new Conklin, with some historical information
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|}
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==Notes==
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==Note==
 
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
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==Riferimenti esterni==
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{{CategorizeBrand|U.S.A.}}
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* http://www.conklinpen.com/
 
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* http://www.penbid.com/Auction/showarticle.asp?art_id=16
 
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* http://www.billspens.com/billspens/conklin/conklin.htm
 
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* http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Conklin/Conklin.htm
 
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* http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=120053
 

Versione attuale delle 21:03, 8 ago 2023

Conklin Logo

Conklin was officially founded in 1898, but its founder, Roy Conklin, had been in the fountain pen business since 1891. The success of the company was mainly due to the invention of the Crescent Filler, the first really functional automatic filling mechanism. But after its initial period the company underwent a gradual decline, completely ceasing production around the 1948. The brand was recreated in 2000 with the production of pens that reflect the design of the old models.

The Conklin had the maximum of its success at the beginning of the '900, when it became the market leader thanks to the Crescent Filler, but was not able to keep up with competitors in subsequent innovations, and although in the subsequent years it produced pens of undoubted value and excellent quality, still much sought by collectors, success the company was no longer been able to innovate, gradually losing market share and remaining constantly behind the Big Four.

Conklin
Brand pages
Brand advertising
Brand photos
Patents

History

The Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co. was officially born with this name in Toledo, Ohio, in 1901, but the company was founded by Roy Conklin as Self-Filling Fountain Pen Company in 1898 together with C. B. Gundy. The previous year Roy Conklin had registered the patent for the first working automatic filling system created for a pen.

An AD's of 1905.

The company strong initial success was due to the creation of the Crescent Filler, which was the first automatic filling mechanism truly reliable. These firsts models were made in chased hard rubber like other pens of the same period, but their innovative filling system led the company at the top of the market. In 1904, Roy Conklin withdrew from company selling all its shares, after that the ownership passed hands several times.[1] In this golden period Conklin followed a policy of trade expansion, with vigorous promotional campaigns, exporting even in Europe and South America.

In 1916 Conklin introduced an innovative spring clip, that can be open very easily; for its simplicity and elegance the same mechanism has been used today by modern companies like Visconti, the only patent found about it (nº US-1267575) was applied in 1917. The sales of fountain pens, although declining, remained at the top of the market, also if Conklin models become to be considered a little dated.

In fact, although functional and efficient, the Crescent Filler had its worst flaw in being unpleasant from an aesthetic point of view, and despite a strong promotional campaign that emphasized its merits (Mark Twain, taken as testimonial, endorsed the advantage of it not allowing the pen to roll down from the table) with the appearance of lever filler pens the sales began to decline increasingly, despite that the new mechanism was inferior from a purely technical point of view.

This is why in 1921 also Conklin started producing models with a peculiar lever filler mechanism, ingeniously constructed so that only half of the lever was in the open. With the introduction of the large dimension pens trend started by the Duofold also Conklin introduced in 1923 the Duragraph model. The following year the Duragraph was renamed as Endura and the production was converted to celluloid. Initial model were in black or red hard rubber, but soon they were produced in celluloid, with different colors like Rosewood, Black & Gold, Lime Green, Lapis blue and the rare Blue & Gold present only on smaller models.

A set of Endura

The Endura was the top model of Conklin, with the name put on the nib and the body, produced in three version, a short vest pocket, a standard and senior senior size. In the same time were also produced an economic model for students, that so collector are calling Student (but mentioned in and advertisement as "Three Fifty" by their price in dollars, $3.50), with the same shape and dimension of the Endura standard model, also produced in pastel colors.

An Endura AD's of 1924.

At that time however the company was no longer a market leader, but was merely following trends set by the others companies. An example of this is the introduction in 1929 (or in 1930),[2] of its streamlined model, the Symetrik, following the new trend launched by the Sheaffer Balance. The sales were in constant decline and the company suffered heavily from the effects of the great recession of '29. Around 1930 Conklin started an economy line named All-American.

The last Conklin important model was the Nozac, designed by Louis Vavrik and introduced in 1931. Nozac is the only American pen equipped with a piston filler; it had a transparent tank with large ink capacity (further highlighted, since 1934, by the word gauge, a scale that measured the number of words remaining). The pen, produced in beautiful color and with a multifaceted body, is one of the best model of that time, but the mechanism, derived from that one of a mechanical pencil, was not particularly robust and efficient and the pen did not have the success that it would have deserved. In 1937 a plunger filler version of Nozac, called One Stroke, was produced.

A Nozac advertising from 1937.

The company was still declining and in 1938 all the Conklin assets were transferred to the investor group Chicago Interests. The following year Toledo plants were closed and the production was moved to Chicago. The previous models remained in production during the war but few pens were produced. In the following years the production continued to move towards the low end of the market with economic fountain pens to and a low cost ballpoint. Although some of these models, like the Glider, have some collectors interest, the Conklin production progressively reduced in quality and quantity, to completely cease in 1948 (or 1955?).

Today, as it happened for many other historical brands, Conklin was rebuild in 2000 and operates now as Conklin Pen Co. Inc. Its pens are essentially some replica of the successful models of the brand golden years, but as it happens for most of the modern pens, they have no particular qualities that can distinguish them from other pens, especially when compared with their beautiful ancestor.

Model list

The table below lists pages devoted to Conklin models, with a production start date and a discontinuation date; keep in mind, however, that in many cases these dates, particularly the discontinuation date, may simply be indicative.

 Production startedProduction ended
Conklin Crescent Filler18981924
Conklin Lever Filler19211924
Endura19231938
Nozac19311938
Glider19381948

Chronology

Year Event
1898 the company is founded by Roy Conklin in Toledo, Ohio as Self-Filling Fountain Pen Company
1901 the Self Fountain Pen Co. is renamed as Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co
1903 the company hires Mark Twain as testimonial in its advertisement campaign
1904 Roy Conklin retires selling his quotes on the company (or 1907)
1907 the Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co was renamed Conklin Pen Company (do not match with patent data)
1909 the company starts imprinting "trade mark crescent filler" on the crescent of crescent filler
1916 the company introduces its spring clip
1918 the company starts imprinting its brand name Conklin on the other side of crescent filler cescent
1920 the company removes the addition of the Saxon genitive "'s" to the name
1921 the company introduces the first lever filler models
1923 the company introduces the Duragraph
1924 the company introduces the Endura
1925 the company retires the crescent filler
1929 the company introduces the Black and Pearl color on the Endura
1930 the company introduces the All-American sub-brand for economic production (uncertain date[3])
1930 the company introduces the Streamlined Endura Symetrik
1930 the company retires the Endura Flattop version
1931 the company introduces the Nozac
1932 the company introduces the Word gauge on the Nozac
1937 the company introduces the One Stroke
1937 the company introduces the Cushon Point nibs
1938 the company introduces the Glider
1938 all Conklin assets are sold to a Chicago investor group
1938 the company retires the Endura Symetrik
1938 the company retires the Nozac
1939 Conklin production is transferred to Chicago
1948 the company ceases operations

External references

  • [1] Article on the company's history
  • [2] Conklin page on Bill Aker website
  • [3] Page on the company's history
  • [4] A discussion on the numbering
  • [5] Website of the new Conklin, with some historical information

Notes

  1. ↑ for this event Jim Mamoulides reports in this page around 1907, while Michael Fultz says 1904, citing J. F. Vogel as new president, J. H. Doyle as vice president and H. E. Fisher as secretary/treasurer, so we decided to use his date for citing also a lot more details.
  2. ↑ different source reports both dates.
  3. ↑ All-American models are shown in the 1930-31 Conklin catalog.
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