Sir:

Enclosed is the patent for the pen holder...

Nick,

This is fantastic. It's funny because when I can't carry the wooden box that my pens reside in, I used an old tin cap box to hold the nibs safely while the basic wooden holders were securely wrapped in my blanket in my Knapsack. I wonder if the inventor of this had a similar thought and improved upon it.

What to get the clerk in your life for Christmas??

" The PEN is Mightier
than the Sword."

THE GOLD PEN—THE BEST OF ALL PENS. MORTON'S GOLD PENS.

The Best Pens in the World. On receipt of any of the following sums in cash or post-stamps, the subscriber will send by return mail, or otherwise as directed, a Gold Pen or Pens, selecting the same according to descrïption, viz.:

GOLD PENS, WITHOUT CASES.

For 25 cents, the Magic Pen ; for 38 cents, the Lucky Pen ; for 50 cents, the Always-Ready Pen ; for 75 cents, the Elegant Pen ; and for $1, the Excelsior Pen. The sizes are, Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

THE SAME PENS IN SILVER-PLATED EXTENSION CASES, WITH PENCILS.

For 50 cents, the Magic Pen; for 75 cents, the Lucky Pen ; for $1, the Always-Ready Pen ; for $1.25, the Elegant Pen; and for $1.50, the Excelsior Pen. These are well-finished, good writing Gold Pens, with Iridosmin Points, the average wear of every one of which will far outlast a gross of the best Steel Pens.

The name "A. Morton," "Number," and "Quality" are stamped on the following Pens, and the Points are warranted for six months, except against accident. The numbers indicate size only: No. 1 being the smallest, No. 6 the largest, adapted for the pocket ; No. 4 the smallest, and No. 10 the largest Mammoth Gold Pen, for the desk. Long and medium Nibs of all sizes and qualities. Short Nibs of Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 7, and made only of first quality. The engravings are fac similes of the sizes and styles.

GOLD PENS, WITHOUT CASES.

For 75 cents, a No. 1 Pen, 1st quality, or a No. 3 Pen, 3d quality. For $1, a No. 2 Pen, 1st quality, or a No. 3 Pen, 2d quality, or a No. 4 pen 3d quality. For $1.25, a No. 3 Pen, 1st quality, or a No. 4 Pen, 2d quality, or a No. 5 Pen, 3d quality. For $1.50, a No. 4 Pen, 1st quality, or a No. 5 Pen, 2d quality, or a No. 6 Pen, 3d quality. For $1.75, a No. 5 Pen, 1st quality, or a No. 6 Pen, 2d quality. For $2.25 a No. 6 Pen, 1st quality.

THE SAME GOLD PENS IN SILVER EXTENSION CASES, WITH PENCILS.

For $1.50, a No. 1 Pen, 1st quality, or a Nor 3 Pen, 3d quality.

For $1.75 a No. 2 Pen, 1st quality, or a No. 3 Pen, 2d quality, or a No. 4 Pen, 3d quality.

For $2, a No. 3 Pen 1st quality, or a No. 4 Pen, 2d quality, or a No. 5 Pen, 3d quality.

For $2.50, a No. 4 Pen, 1st quality, or a No. 5 Pen, 2d quality, or a No. 6 Pen, 3d quality.

For $3, a No. 5 Pen, 1st quality, or a No. 6 Pen, 2d quality. For $3.50 a No. 6 Pen, 1st quality.

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/december/beaufort.htm

As I was looking through the Harpers Weekly papers, one of the more common ads was for pens and watches.  

I devised something similar to the bamboo carrier that Curtis describes.  I use the brass tube from a discarded Irish whistle, corks at each end (one now replaced by a wooden plug), to hold pen & holder.  Goes into my knapsack with small notebook/portfolio; travelling inkwell resides in my tin cup, inside haversack when I'm on the move.  Nothing broken or leaking yet.

Greg Renault

My latest attempt at a writing kit consists of a tin box about six inches long and an inch and a half square.  It holds a couple of short pen holders with nibs attached, a little paper with three or four extra nibs, a pencil stub, a piece of cotton fabric for a pen wipe (about double gun patch size), a small piece of blotter board, and an india rubber screwtop traveller.  It fits in either my knapsack or haversack (depends how far down I've eaten my rations).  The portfolio with paper and forms goes into the knapsack.