The "Classic"
I have decided to call the above illustrated pen "Classic", since it embodies, I think, many of the qualities you find in the Big Ben pens; beautiful colours, flexible nibs and a piston filling system. What I show you above, are the colour variants I have in my collection. It is highly likely that more colours were produced, and I would be very interested to hear about it, should know of any.
Please note that the pen to the right is made of hard rubber, probably testifying to the fact that this line was among the first to be produced under the brand name Big Ben.
In 1937 (according to advertisement represented in Holten/Lund 2013) a senior pen demanded the hefty price af 58 'kroner', around 450 - 500 current dollars. Not a cheap pen!
This is the inscription you find in the "Classic". The inscription is found on the cap and only in rare cases (maybe only on hard rubber pens) you also find an inscription on the body. The patent number refers to the piston filling system that often came as an aluminium screw and rod, see pic below.
Below two pencils from the "Classic" line
Below you find "Classics" with two or three narrow cap bands. They are just a thad thinner than the pens displayed above, and my guess is, that they have been offered as specials at a slightly more modest price than the classic "Classic". You also find pics of similar sized piston fillers with swirl design in brown and green.
Above, senior and junior sized caps from the "Classic" range of pens.
Note that in the versions with two or three narrow cap band the cap itself appears to be a bit tampered. This is also true of the swirl-pens you find further down the page.
