This Blackbird fountain pen was made, by Mabie-Todd, in England around 1930, the clip style suggests it may be a little earlier. It is constructed in celloloid, one of the first of it's kind, with a nickel plated clip and filler lever and a 14 Ct. gold nib.
This is a very fine example. The surface is excellent and the barrel imprint identifying the pen and carrying the 'Blackbird' logo is clear and crisp. The slight step where the cap meets the barrel has been left alone in the spirit of conservative restoration, it may have been there since birth. The ball ended clip carries the Blackbird logo along with the word 'Blackbird', which is repeated on the cap, section, feed, and nib.
The original nib, stamped 'Blackbird 14Ct. Made in England' has flex and gives line variation, there is as suggestion of a slight kink at the end but this doesn't affect performance so the nib has been left undisturbed in the section during restoration. Someone with a decent 'hand' would achieve impressive results with this pen.
At 13.5 cm. capped the pen grows to a very impressive 16.3 cm. when posted for use and weighs in at only 17g. When the pen was made, over 90 years ago, lightness was an essential attribute for a pen that could have been used for long periods at a time.
The Mabie Todd Blackbird was made in a variety of sizes, this pen, second only to the 'Big Blackbird' in length, is a long, elegant version with a good deal of presence.
Very old pens with flexible nibs aren't recommended as every day writers to be carried around but are perfect for letter writing or simply for the joy of writing with style.