In 1891 Roy Conklin was granted his first fountain pen patent, and seven years later, in 1898, founded the Self Fountain Pen Co. In 1901 the patent for the Crescent Filler was registered, for what became the Conklin Pen Manufacturing Co., with additional patents being issued in 1903 and 1904. During that time the company expanded its advertising and marketing, including an endorsement by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens).