Conklin Endura 

The Conklin Endura, introduced in 1924, was the company’s flagship flat-top fountain pen and one of its most successful models. It evolved directly from the Duragraph of 1923, following the market trend set by oversized flat-tops like the Parker Duofold. Unlike earlier Conklins made of hard rubber, the Endura embraced the newly fashionable celluloid, which allowed for striking color patterns and finishes. It was offered in multiple sizes—vest-pocket, standard, and senior—giving buyers a choice between portability and statement pieces.

Designs included classic black hard rubber in the earliest examples, but quickly expanded into colorful celluloid marbles and mottled finishes such as lapis blue, rosewood, and green/black combinations. Priced as a premium line, the Endura was joined by a more affordable “Three-Fifty” model, which echoed its styling but at a lower cost. Throughout the 1920s, the Endura established Conklin as a serious competitor to Parker, Sheaffer, and Waterman, blending durability with fashionable aesthetics.

Although sales began to decline in the 1930s as lever fillers and new streamlined designs overtook flat-tops, the Endura remains a defining pen of the era. It showcased Conklin’s shift into celluloid and helped cement the company’s reputation for high-quality writing instruments before its eventual decline in the late 1930s and closure around 1948. Today, vintage Enduras are prized by collectors, and modern reissues pay homage to this classic line.