The Moore Pen Company based in downtown Boston, manufactured quality fountain pens until the mid 1950s. The company began in 1899 as the ‘American Fountain Pen Company’ who’s claim to fame was a black hard rubber pen called the, "Moore's Non-Leakable Safety Fountain Pen."
Here’s how they started ….. The idea for this Moore-branded pen originally came from a local musician, Morris W. Moore, who really didn’t have the stomach for commercial business. Thus William Cushman, an optical salesman, stepped in and, in conjunction with a Boston stationer, Walter Cushing, they labored to create the American Fountain Pen Company, and subsequently developed Moore’s idea. They made this pen for nearly 30 years.
In 1917, the company eventually changed their name to ‘The Moore Pen Company’. In 1918, they began to make high-quality chased hard rubber lever fill fountain pens as well as the flattop Moore Life Maniflex. This line extension grew to eventually include the ornately decorated “Tuscan” model, which was very popular. The first Moore plastic pens then appeared in 1927. As times changed, Moore bravely tried to compete with the bigger, more widely known pen manufacturers. However, Moore pens, although well made and popular in the Northeast, were rarely original in their design. Only with the Fingertip Model (1946-1951) did Moore make a leap into truly creative pen design. Unfortunately, this terrific-looking pen had mechanical issues, and never reached a mass market, and the last years of the Moore Company were spent making mediocre aerometric fillers (the "Moore Specialist"). Sadly, the company gave up pen manufacturing in 1956.
The good news is that you can find plenty of vintage Moore fountain pens for sale on eBay and other online stores. I have a few myself!
Here’s how they started ….. The idea for this Moore-branded pen originally came from a local musician, Morris W. Moore, who really didn’t have the stomach for commercial business. Thus William Cushman, an optical salesman, stepped in and, in conjunction with a Boston stationer, Walter Cushing, they labored to create the American Fountain Pen Company, and subsequently developed Moore’s idea. They made this pen for nearly 30 years.
In 1917, the company eventually changed their name to ‘The Moore Pen Company’. In 1918, they began to make high-quality chased hard rubber lever fill fountain pens as well as the flattop Moore Life Maniflex. This line extension grew to eventually include the ornately decorated “Tuscan” model, which was very popular. The first Moore plastic pens then appeared in 1927. As times changed, Moore bravely tried to compete with the bigger, more widely known pen manufacturers. However, Moore pens, although well made and popular in the Northeast, were rarely original in their design. Only with the Fingertip Model (1946-1951) did Moore make a leap into truly creative pen design. Unfortunately, this terrific-looking pen had mechanical issues, and never reached a mass market, and the last years of the Moore Company were spent making mediocre aerometric fillers (the "Moore Specialist"). Sadly, the company gave up pen manufacturing in 1956.
The good news is that you can find plenty of vintage Moore fountain pens for sale on eBay and other online stores. I have a few myself!
RSS Feed
