Bexley Jitterbug!

What does a pen designer, who has an affinity for classic fountain pens, do when he has access to a limited number of art deco clips that are around 80 years old? He designs a pen to fit the clip! Not the norm, yet that is exactly what Howard Levy, chief “cook and bottle washer” of Bexley Pen did when designing and manufacturing the Jitterbug! in the early 2010’s.

Art Deco was an eclectic style that combined traditional craft motifs with Machine Age imagery and materials. The style was characterized by rich colors, bold geometric shapes, and lavish ornamentation. Historian Bevis Hillier defined Art Deco as "an assertively modern style [that] ran to symmetry rather than asymmetry, and to the rectilinear rather than the curvilinear; it responded to the demands of the machine and of new material [and] the requirements of mass production".

Two American buildings represent Art Deco—New York’s Chrysler Building and Radio City Music Hall. The Chrysler Building was designed by architect William Van Alen between 1928 and 1930. He initially worked for William Reynolds (cigarette tycoon), but his plan was later acquired by Walter P. Chrysler (automotive tycoon). For a short time, this 77-story skyscraper dominated the Manhattan skyline and enjoyed fame as the world’s highest building.

  Take a look at the clip

Do you see a repetition of the architectural design? Did you add the Jitterbug! to your collection?