Another 1940s Conklin Glider-like Pen c. 1942-46

by Jim Mamoulides, January 5, 2024

Conklin Glider-like pen in gray striped celluloid c. 1942-1946

Here We Go Again!

This recent pen show find looks a lot like the 1944-1946 Conklin Glider, with some very distinct differences. This 4 15/16 inch long Conklin pen is similar in shape and size to the slender size Glider and the cap and barrel can be swapped between the two pens. The cap and barrel ends are rounded rather than the more pointed ones on the Glider. And then the differences start to show.

There are enough 1940s Conklin pens in existence so similar to Gliders that they can create confusion for collectors and beg the question, “Just what exactly is a Conklin Glider, anyway?” The only known pens Conklin called Gliders are the striped pens featured in Conklin company ads from 1944 through 1946. Gliders are discussed in detail in my article, “Conklin Glider 1944-1946.” The rest of the "Glider-like" pens, even those illustrated in advertisements from 1942-1946, are called neither Gliders nor by any name other than simply “Conklin fountain pen.” What I could find out about the Glider-like pens is in my article, “The Other Conklin Gliders? c. 1944-1946.”

For clarity in the text below, the model name Glider will refer only to the four colors of striped pens with 14 karat gold nibs Conklin advertised as Gliders from 1944-1946. "Glider-like" will refer to pens nearly identical to Gliders with new and different color celluloids than Gliders and those pens are predominantly found with gold plated stainless steel nibs.

Conklin Glider-like pen in gray striped celluloid c. 1942-1946

A Glider, or Something Else?

Back to the pen at hand! The first visual difference this pen has from Gliders and Glider-like pens is the squared top, blade shaped clip, a design not seen on any previous Conklin or Conklin sub-brand. Conklin is stamped toward the tip of the tapered blade rather than near the top as on most other Conklin clips. The faux triple cap band, actually a single band with enamel filled grooves, does not appear on any other Glider or Glider-like pen and is more like cap bands found on lower end brands. Conklin did use this band on a few very uncommon tapered flat top pens from the 1940s, as seen on page 249 of The Conklin Legacy, by Alfonso Mur.

The pen has no barrel imprint, which does appear on every Glider or Glider-like. The lever is plain, straight, and square ended, a kind also commonly seen on cheaper pens. The gold plated stainless steel nib is a generic type, appearing on some of the Glider-like pens, indicating this may be a standard Conklin nib for lower price point pens. It's stamped Iridium over TIPPED over MADE IN over U.S.A. A reminder here that Gliders came with 14 karat gold Cushon Point nibs.

There are only two colors known for this model, each in the same striped celluloid. The gray seen on this pen and a burgundy striped example shown in The Conklin Legacy on page 249. The fit and finish is on par with Gliders, meaning everything fits well, but the parts are cheap and lightly gold plated, which easily wears off.

Conklin Glider-like pen in gray striped celluloid c. 1942-1946

As stated in the other two Glider family articles, I’ve had no luck finding any Conklin price lists or catalogs later than 1938, when the company was purchased by a Chicago syndicate and operations were eventually moved to Chicago. The Chicago Conklin names for their various Conklin models, other than the Glider itself, and their pricing are unknown. I did another search of ads and point of sale materials from 1938 to 1946, and this pen does not appear in the few that exist. Retailers from 1938 were focused on moving closeout models well into 1942 and any new Conklin models are barely mentioned.

The similarities of the Glider, its Glider-like cousins, and this pen point to a common base pen with different trim and nib levels. The differences lead me to think this was possibly made starting a year or two earlier as a low price point pen. It appears to be turned and threaded at nearly the same production standard as the slender Glider so it would look like a more expensive Conklin, but with cheaper parts. Who knows? I'm going to date it c. 1942-46 until I find better information.

Conklin Glider-like pen in gray striped celluloid c. 1942-1946

I would very much like to expand this article with a photo of the known burgundy stripe pen and any others if they exist. If the reader would like to send images or loan pens for photos it would be appreciated.

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References

Advertisement, Buffalo Evening News, December 21, 1943, page 10

Advertisement, Chicago Tribune, June 12, 1938, page 15

Advertisement, Daily News, March 8, 1942, page 62

Advertisement, Daily News, December 19, 1943, page Q1

Advertisement, Detroit Evening Times, September 27, 1942, page 17

Advertisement, The Lincoln Star, January 19, 1942, page 3

Advertisement, The Evansville Courier, July 25, 1943, page 14

Conklin Glider 1944-1946, by Jim Mamoulides

The Conklin Legacy, by Alfonso Mur, Graficas Santacruz S. A., Madrid, Spain, © Copyright 2013, page 245-253

The Other Conklin Gliders? c. 1944-1946, by Jim Mamoulides