Mabie Todd added the Swan SF2, denoting a self filler with a number 2 nib, to their range in 1920. It was the company's first lever filler and was only made in the number 2 size. By the mid 1920s the pen had a more square ended profile.
Made in hard rubber, the pen features a 'self locking lever', in this case a very long one which locks flat when to prevent snagging on clothing when placed in a pocket.
This example has been conservatively restored and is in very good working condition. The chasing and imprint on the barrel have lost clarity but the 'Swan S.F.2' imprint on the cap, feed, and section is sharp and clear, as is white outline of a swan on the end of the cap. '2 S-F Med' is clearly stamped around the end of the barrel.
The 14 Ct. Gold Mabie Todd 2 NY nib is the correct, original nib for the pen. at the time Mabie Todd U.K. were still importing nibs from the parent company in New York. It is a long, slender nib which writes with a medium line and a modest, but effective amount of flex.
At 14 cm. capped and a huge 18cm. posted the S.F.2. is an extremely long and elegant pen. It is easily long enough to be used without posting the cap but the balance point sits exactly in the 'jaw' of the thumb and index finger when the cap is posted. This is, of course, by design, not accident. The pen was made to be used for extended periods without fatigue and the way it sits in the hand was considered crucial.
At around a hundred years old The S.F.2. is probably not best suited as a pen to be carried around as a daily writer but it would make a great 'signature pen' to be kept, on view, and used for letters, addressing, and other worthy occasions. It is a significant part of English fountain pen history.