The Mabie Todd Swan Eternal pens featured a 14Ct. Gold 'Eternal' nib, this pen has the large No.4 size. The advert for the pen read:
'The Eternal Swan has a vey strong 14Ct. gold nib of wonderful smoothness, and its strength renders it almost accident proof'
This 'torpedo shaped' version of the pen, with three cap bands, a 'type B' imprint, and no model number appeared in 1945 just as the manufacturing was getting back on track after the cessation of hostilities.
At 13.8 cm. capped and a most impressive 16 cm. when posted and with a proportionate width this is a very substantial pen. Please note that there is a crack in the cap lip, as shown in the photograph, and this is reflected in the price. The pen has a good surface and a clear barrel imprint, the centrally placed Swan logo is a feature of the type B imprint found on some pens of this period.
The No. 4 eternal nib is a large and very striking affair. It is made from thicker gold than the standard nibs so is quite firm but offers a very pleasant 'soft' feel, characteristic of nibs of such quality. It lives up to the claims made in the advertising material in that it writes with a super smooth medium to broad line with the stub profile offering some line variation. I chose not to drop the pen to test the claims about it being accident proof.
It is a shame about the cap lip crack but, as a large, high quality user pen with superb writing characteristics, this Swan would take some beating.