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Saturday, September 11, 2010

More from the medicine chest...

In a box I purchased over the summer, which was labeled "Medical Equipment,"  I continue to uncover numerous interesting items. I have written about several already, but this one was different from the rest.
Rather unremarkable despite having several "marks" on it. At first I thought it was a pattern, only after opening the case did it become clear what the box was for...



O.K. maybe only somewhat sure of what it was for. This being among medical items I am thinking that it is another kit for diagnosis of some odd malady. Small knife, thermometer holder, small ruler. What's that pointy thing next to the ruler?
It's a writing kit, very apropos for a doctor to have carried one around. Bottom to top the kit contains a pen that may or may not have a fountain (there is room for it, but it would have been a inking mess), a pencil with a couple of leads, small ruler for drawing short straight lines, and a blade which might have been for sharpening the pencil.  Typically, there is very little printed on the pieces to give an idea of its true origin and purpose. The nib of the pen held some information:
The picture came out fuzzy, but the information reads "C.M.Clinton's Double Pointed Nickel Pen." Not much help because a search for that phrase or even CM Clinton gives 0 results. I can't even find other similar writing kits to compare this with...Can you?.  I got the only other hint from the magnifying glass:
  Pat. Feb 13, 1883 appears on 3 of the four pieces.  So, is this really a 127 year old writing kit, or is this like finding an old book with a similar year, only to flip the page to see 16th printing? It's cool. I like it, and the design on the case seems to have been made by the owner using it as a way to de-gunk the pen nib while writing.  I just wish he'd left something a little more legible.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Greg. Enjoyed the story. A quick check found the following link to a Clinton Check-Hook Co. Maybe a connection?

    http://www.journalstandard.com/lifestyle/x441549163/Holtum-Manufacturing-Co-made-its-mark-in-Freeport-history

    ReplyDelete

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