Moore Fingertip 1946-1948

by Jim Mamoulides April 6, 2002, updated March 29, 2005, and January 10, 2025

Moore Fingertip 96-B Lustre Black fountain pen 1946-1948

If Buck Rogers had a pen...

The American Fountain Pen Company was founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1898 making high quality safety pens under a license of patents from Morris W. Moore, calling them "Moore's Improved Non-Leakable Fountain Pen." Several company advertisements for the Moore Fingertip in 1946 and 1947 say “since 1900” even though the Moore Non-Leakable Fountain Pen was being advertised as early as 1899. In 1917 the company changed its name to the Moore Pen Company, aligning with the success of their flagship product. They were well-made and have avid collectors. Over the next five decades Moore was not known for being a design leader until, in one instance, with the Moore Fingertip Pen, made from 1946 to 1948.

Moore Fingertip 96-B Sunset Red fountain pen 1946-1948

When Parker introduced the 51 in 1940 it ushered in a period where pen design would become more functional and less ornate. The 51's hooded nib was a complete departure from previous designs and was very popular, making the 51 one of the most successful pens ever made. Sheaffer responded creatively with the conical Triumph nib in 1942, and many other manufacturers rushed to design hooded or tapered pens. Expressive, flexible nibs were giving way to stiff nibs that could write through carbons.

Moore Ladies’ Fingertip 76-B Vintage Wine fountain pen and pencil 1946-1948

Though the Moore Fingertip is an obvious a design response to the market leading Parker 51 and Sheaffer Triumph, its design is different enough to be viewed on its own merits, copying very little from the design leaders, but taking obvious cues from them. As is typical with Moore pens up to that date, it’s generally a well-made lever fill pen with one unfortunate and deal killing problem. This stems from the most notable element, its namesake Fingertip section, a bullet shaped nugget of solid stainless steel with the gold nib inset flush on top, like a fingernail. There is literally no other pen quite like it.

Moore Fingertip 96-B Starlight Blue fountain pen 1946-1948

The cap of the all-plastic Fingertip pens has a long narrow over the top clip attached and radial chasing cut into the bottom third of the cap above the cap ring. This gives the pen a very futuristic "Buck Rogers" look. The perfect pen for Saturday morning serials!

Four Patents!

U. S. Design Patent 140,695 awarded March 27, 1945

Charles K. Lovejoy, on behalf of The Moore Pen Company, submitted three design patents on July 27, 1944. The first describes the nib, or “pen point,” awarded as Design Patent 140,695 on March 27, 1945, clearly showing that it was intended to be mounted with attachment tabs flush onto “a pen section.” The second describes the section itself with the previous design patent’s nib sitting on it, not mentioning anything about the section’s material composition, and was awarded as Design Patent 140,696 on March 27, 1945.

U. S. Design Patent 140,696 awarded March 27, 1945

The third describes the fountain pen barrel shape and claims the section and nib as part of the overall design and was awarded as Design Patent 140,697 on March 27, 1945. This effort to protect the designs with three separate patents leads me to believe Moore thought they were onto something big with this new pen. It’s a surprise that the cap design was not also patented, but perhaps Moore had not yet settled on that design.

U. S. Design Patent 140,697 awarded March 27, 1945

Charles K. Lovejoy later submitted, on behalf of The Moore Pen Company, for a technical patent on the functionality of the design on April 12, 1945 which was awarded December 9, 1947 as Patent 2,432,112. Moore advertised the design’s lack of exposed feed as a “sheathed feed chamber.” This fourth patent brings together the functionality of the nib and section and claims improvements in “avoiding in evaporation,” “stand-by readiness for instant writing,” and “accomplishes this without annoying wastage of ink; without risk of ink occasionally becoming transferring to the outside of the finger grip.” And as many who have tried out Moore Fingertip pens have discovered that last claim may have been achieved when the pens were brand new, but examples today have a bad habit of getting ink on the user’s fingers from the edges of the nib.

U. S. Patent 2,432,112 awarded December 9, 1947

The earliest Moore Fingertip advertisement I found was in the May 7, 1946 Knoxville, Tennessee Journal showing the pen, listing all eight colors, and priced at $8.75. Moore invested in national magazine advertising in 1946 and 1947 in Colliers’s, Esquire, The Saturday Evening Post, and The Ladies Home Journal. I found more retailer advertisements in 1946 (36) than 1947 (11). Trouble must have been brewing in late 1947. A retailer in the August 29, 1947 Richmond, Indiana Palladium-Item was running a half-price sale.

Moore Fingertip 96-B Woodsman Green fountain pen 1946-1948

Macy’s ran an even better deal in the November 14, 1948 New York Daily News saying they made “a special purchase of a discontinued model” and “bought the entire output of these pens to save you money.” Though the “Famous Moore pen” is not mentioned by name, the photo shows a solid color Fingertip, and it’s described as “featuring [a] 14K gold ‘finger-tip’ point.” Only white, black, red, and blue pens were being offered, at $1.98 each or $2.98 for a pen and pencil set. The original prices were $8.75 for just the fountain pen and $12.50 for the fountain pen and pencil set. The colors offered sound like Eiderdown White, Lustre Black, Sunset Red, and Starlight Blue colors were included. This sale and the lack of Moore or retailer full price advertising after 1947 is why I think the Fingertip was discontinued as early as 1948. By 1949 and 1950, other retailers were heavily discounting the pens, further confirming that they were either discontinued or Moore needed cash.

Moore Fingertip 96-B Eiderdown White fountain pen 1946-1948

With all the effort on its design the pen was not a sales success, probably helping lead to the demise of the company. Moore followed the Fingertip with a cheaply made metal capped pen called the Specialist, made from 1950 until Moore ceased making pens in 1956.

Identification guide and features: Fingertip, Model L-96B

Moore Fingertip 96-B Autumn Pearl fountain pen 1946-1948

The standard size Fingertip pen came in eight colors, including molded plastic and striped celluloid. It’s the most common type found, and the solid color pens are more common than their striped siblings, with the striped pens commanding a significant premium. The plastics seem to hold up very well with age, except for the Eiderdown White, which is very prone to discoloration and ambering. Some Fingertips have a single heart shaped breather hole in the nib, while other ones have a second round breather hole closer to the tip of the nib. Production dates and reasons for the two nib styles are not known.

• Plastic cap and barrel in solid colors including Lustre Black, Sunset Red, Vintage Wine, Starlight Blue, Woodsman Green, and Eiderdown White
• Striped celluloid plastic cap and barrel in Autumn Pearl and Seaspray Pearl
• Stainless steel gripping section
• 1/8 inch wide gold filled cap band
• Gold filled over the top ear clip stamped "MOORE" on the tab
• Threaded cap
• Barrel imprint on three lines: MOORE PEN CO. over BOSTON 96-B MASS. over PAT.D. 140695, 6-7 OTHERS PEND.
• Flush inset 14 karat gold nib and stamped MOORE over 14 over KT
• Nib grades available are unknown, but probably included extra fine, fine, medium, and broad
• About 5 inches long capped and 6 3/8 inches posted
• Lever-filler
• Fountain pen sold for $8.75, matching injector type pencil sold for $3.75, and pen and pencil sets sold for $12.50
• Sold in paperboard boxes

Identification guide and features: Gold Cap Fingertip, Model 87-C

Moore Gold Cap Fingertip 87-C Sunset Red fountain pen 1946-1948 with a Sunset Red standard pencil

A slightly smaller, gold plated metal cap Fingertip pen that is decidedly different looking than the larger all plastic standard model but more expensive. There is little information on this model so much is derived from observation. The section on the Gold Cap Fingertip is shorter. Unlike the larger Fingertip pen, the Gold Cap Fingertip has a pull off cap and a "derby" cap top.A slightly smaller, gold plated metal cap Fingertip pen that is decidedly different looking than the larger all plastic standard model but more expensive. There is little information on this model so much is derived from observation. The section on the Gold Cap Fingertip is shorter and has radial grooves. Unlike the larger Fingertip pen, the Gold Cap Fingertip has a pull off cap and a "derby" cap top.

• Gold plated metal cap and plastic barrel
• Barrel in solid colors probably including Lustre Black, Sunset Red, Vintage Wine, Starlight Blue, Woodsman Green, and Eiderdown White
• Stainless steel gripping section
• Radial chased cap band area
• Slip on friction fit cap with distinct "derby" top
• Gold plated ear clip stamped "MOORE" at the top
• Barrel imprint on three lines: MOORE PEN CO. over BOSTON 87-C MASS. over PAT.D. 140695, 6-7 OTHERS PEND.
• Flush inset 14 karat gold nib and stamped MOORE over 14 over KT
• Nib grades available are unknown, but probably included extra fine, fine, medium, and broad
• About 4 7/8 inches long capped and 5 5/8 inches posted
• Lever-filler
• Fountain pen sold for $10.00, matching injector type pencil sold for $3.75, and pen and pencil sets sold for $13.75
• Sold in paperboard boxes

Identification guide and features: Ladies’ Fingertip, Model 76-B

Moore Ladies’ Fingertip 76-B Vintage Wine fountain pen 1946-1948

A smaller, metal cap Fingertip pen that is decidedly different looking than the larger all plastic standard model. There is very little information on this model so much is derived from observation. The section on the Ladies’ Fingertip is shorter than the Gold Cap Fingertip and also has radial grooves. The Ladies’ also sports a pull off cap and has a "derby" cap top.

• Gold Plated or Steel cap and plastic barrel
• Barrel in solid colors probably including Lustre Black, Sunset Red, Vintage Wine, Starlight Blue, Woodsman Green, and Eiderdown White
• Stainless steel gripping section
• Radial chased cap band area
• Slip on friction fit cap with distinct "derby" top
• Gold plated ear clip stamped "MOORE" at the top
• Barrel imprint on three lines: MOORE PEN CO. over BOSTON 76-B MASS. over PAT.D. 140695, 6-7 OTHERS PEND.
• Flush inset 14 karat gold nib and stamped MOORE over 14 over KT
• Nib grades available are unknown, but probably included extra fine, fine, medium, and broad
• About 4 1/2 inches long capped and 5 1/2 inches posted
• Lever-filler
• Fountain pen sold for $8.75, matching injector type pencil sold for $3.75, and pen and pencil sets sold for $12.50
• Sold in paperboard boxes

Performance

Moore Fingertip 96-B Seaspray Pearl fountain pen 1946-1948

Years ago, I had the opportunity to buy a Starlight Blue Moore Fingertip and jumped at it. This particular Fingertip had a very stiff, almost manifold medium nib which was very much in the smooth nail category. The pen size is deceptive, at only about 5 inches long capped but a very long 6 3/8 inches posted. The over the top clip makes it ride deep in the pocket.

Moore Fingertip 96-B Starlight Blue fountain pen nib section

The blue plastic can be polished to a really nice shine. The fit and finish is quite good and gives a very strong quality impression. The fingertip section is always very cool to the touch when first used but does warm up in the hand. The cap posts only on the very end of the blunt barrel, snug, but not deep enough for me, though it does feel like it will stay put.

Left to right, Moore Fingertip 96-B fountain pens in Vintage Wine, Woodsman Green, and Starlight Blue

It fills easily with a stroke of the lever. One caution: wiping the section requires some care to avoid inky fingers. Ink seems to like to get in the spots next to the nib inlay and will wick up and give your fingers a new color. This is annoying and belies the otherwise well-made presentation of the pen. Over time I began to notice like the edges nib seem to always be a bit wet and found the pen not acceptable as a daily user. Hearing that others have the same experience tells me that the design fails to keep ink under the nib where it belongs, either through age or they were always that way, which would be a sales disaster.

Left to right, Moore Fingertip 96-B fountain pens in Lustre Black and Eiderdown White

It has a very stiff but very smooth writing nib and was a very wet writer with consistent lines and typical lack of character that stiff nibs show. I wished for carbon paper to see how it would fare on it.

Detail showing Moore Fingertip 96-B and 87-C sections and both nib types

In spite of the solid color, the pen does visually stand on its own side by side with competitive pens from the same period. The striped Fingertip pens are especially attractive and eye-catching. I find the metal capped pens are more of an acquired taste.

Moore Fingertip 96-B fountain pens in Eiderdown White

The rarity of Moore Fingertip pens and its visual interest make them pricey to acquire, similar to Sheaffer PFMs, for example, with the striped pens and the metal capped pens getting much more than the solid all plastic pens. If you decide to collect Moore Fingertips, expect to invest some serious money. Some colors are rarer than others and the Eiderdown White is very prone to discoloration. I don’t recommend them as daily users due to the inky fingers problem.

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Acknowledgements

A BIG thanks to Ross McKinney of RossPens.com for background information, pens to photograph, help understanding them, and advertisement scans. Ross’ excellent Pennant article on the Moore Fingertip is in the Spring 2019 issue. Ross knows more about Moore than I ever will.

Thanks to Richard Binder for an update on the Specialist. He pointed out that the squeeze filling system is not an aerometric type.

References

Advertisement, Colliers, June 14, 1947, page 117

Advertisement, Colliers, May 17, 1947, page 68

Advertisement, Colliers, November 22, 1947, page 64

Advertisement, Community News, Zion, Illinois, June 27, 1946, page 6

Advertisement, Community News, Zion, Illinois, July 4, 1946, page 10

Advertisement, Daily News, New York, New York, November 14, 1948, page 58

Advertisement, Palladium-Item, Richmond, Indiana, August 29, 1947, page 15

Advertisement, Syracuse Herald-Journal, Syracuse, New York, December 1, 1946, page 9

Advertisement, Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Florida, October 18, 1949, page 5

Advertisement, Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Florida, March 29, 1950, page 4

Advertisement, The Bookseller, Newsdealer and Stationer, May 19, 1899, page 208

Advertisement, The Knoxville Journal, Knoxville, Tennessee, May 7, 1946, page 3

Advertisement, The Memphis Press-Scimitar, Memphis, Tennessee, June 17, 1949, page 14

Advertisement, The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, Kansas, June 2, 1946, page 4

“The Moore Fingertip” by Ross McKinney, Pennant, Spring 2019, the magazine of the Pen Collectors of America

United States Design Patent 140,695, awarded to Charles K. Lovejoy on March 27, 1945 and assigned to The Moore Pen Company

United States Design Patent 140,696, awarded to Charles K. Lovejoy on March 27, 1945 and assigned to The Moore Pen Company

United States Design Patent 140,697, awarded to Charles K. Lovejoy on March 27, 1945 and assigned to The Moore Pen Company

United States Patent 2,432,112 awarded to Charles K. Lovejoy on December 9, 1947 and assigned to The Moore Pen Company