Spencerian display cabinet

From: Robert E. Kirsch
Date: 07 Jun 1999
Time: 11:38:35
Remote Name: 209.215.54.161

Comments

I have in my possession a Spencerian Steel Pen nibs display cabinet that was used many years ago at and later found in the basement of my father's drug store. The cabinet measures 16" wide X 7 1/2" tall X 11 1/2" deep. It has two (2) drawers that pull out: the top drawer has the word "SPENCERIAN" across it and the bottom drawer has the words "STEEL PENS." The lettering is in a gold color with black shadowing. The top drawer has 16 small compartments to store and display steel nibs. (In fact all of these compartments have steel nibs of various sizes in them). The bottom drawer 4 dividers in it dividing the drawer into 5 compartments (presumably to store pens). The contents of the top drawer are visible from the top of the cabinet because the top of the cabinet is (or was) glass. I say "or was" because about 17 years ago the glass was broken as the result of a freak accindent while the cabinet was in the possession of a relative. The relative tells me that as he recalled the glass top had gold lettering with black shadowing on it, much as is on the front of the box. The lettering had the name "SPENCERIAN" arching across it in somewhat ornate lettering with the words "STEEL PENS" in more plain letters in a straight line. The cabinet itself is in pretty good condition, but it could use a good polishing/cleaning and one of the decorative corner pieces or molding is missing and another is off and needs to be glued on.

I am interested in rehabilitating this cabinet. I am writing to you to see if you can give me any information as to who can do such work. Also, do you have any informaton about what the glass top looked like? If I have a new glass top made I would like to get the design as close to the original as possible. Also, do you have any information about the value of this cabinet? Since it came dad's drug store I really don't want to get rid of it but I wouldn't mind having an idea what it is worth. Finally, can you give me an idea what the nibs are worth? All the nibs are imprinted with the name "REXALL" on them since my dad had a Rexall drug store. I would estimate that there are 150 nibs, some gold in color, others steel in color.

Thank you very much for your cooperation.

601 Stone's Hill Rd. Ligonier IN 46767 Home: (219) 856-4045 Office: (219) 894-3156 Fax: (219) 894-3213 e-mail: kirsch@ligtel.com