Hinks, Wells, & Co. #1872F Legal Pen (Vintage)

This bouncy, medium stub pen strikes an excellent balance between boldness and control. The Hinks, Wells, & Co. Legal Pen was part of a distinguished class of "judge's pens" and "lawyer's pens" with stub tips and elongated shapes. These were thought to be suitable tools for early 20th century attorneys, who needed to write voluminous texts in style.

Made in Birmingham, England at the height of dip pen production there, this pen is stamped from stainless steel and hand-ground at the tip for improved ink handling and retention. The blue finish comes from a specific temperature used during the tempering process. It brightens from very deep blue-black to a brighter metallic blue after the first thorough cleaning—as you can see in our photos, the color can be very bright! It does vary between nibs, so expect a range of bluish tones in different Legal Pens.

We estimate that this pen is 90-100 years old. Thanks to the protective coating applied to all dip pens (even new ones produced today), they are in excellent vintage condition. They've been checked for rust and other defects by our experts and are ready to return to service on your desk.

As with any dip pen, you will need to remove the protective coating so that ink will stick to the nib consistently. To remove the coating, simply dip your new pen in ink a couple of times and wipe it off. Repeat until the ink coats the nib completely and doesn't bead up. This process takes about 15 seconds and only needs to be done once, before you use the pen for the first time.

Sold individually. Made in England.