Updates to 'The Swan Pen'

 

Below are some recent finds and important items that Steve was not able to include in the book.

 

(Click on the pictures to magnify them)

1    The composite picture below shows all four sides of a bifold promotion/order form postcard of 1949, presumably from the Mabie Todd agent (or Mabie Todd's subsidiary?) in Brussels, to a stationer (?) in Bruges, detailing available models and prices.

2    Steve noted the following from a recently-discovered item (of 1964?) that may throw some further light on the 'European' slim-line pens featured on pages 323 and 324 of the book:

 

Swan Vulpen Import Rotterdam; Datum verkkoop 16/11 64; Garantie; Swan Blackbird, Silver-bird Jackdaw

3    Image (from a catalogue?), c1897, showing a Mabie Todd New York Broad Point dip-pen nib.

4    Leaflet, c1926, featuring some beautiful (and rare) Swan desk sets.

5    Leaflet, c1936, featuring some lovely Fyne Poynt pencils, see chapter 7 of the book.

 

 

 

 

6    Swan Isis nib, c1955, with non-standard, tapered section, see page 305 of the book.

 

Steve would very much like to hear from anyone who has further information (or complete pens and parts) about the Golden Swan, Swan Avon and Swan Isis.

 

7    Swan Safety Pen, aka Swan Standard Fountpen, ED-filler, c1948, in original box (noting Park Street, Mayfair Head Office) with 'directions for use' paper noting later Park Royal Head Office and Lichfield (clip etc.) factory. Images of other similar Swan Safety pens are featured on pages 315 and 316 of the book.

 

 

 

8    Measuring device to enable correct fitting of nibs and feeds into sections. The tool is numbered G648 and caters for nib sizes 1,

2, 3, 4 and 6. It is unclear as to what

'8 T' represents. Note

that the numbers on

the jig itself are not

very clear, they have

been overprinted in

white text in this photo.

 

9    Two tools for assembling and replacing the rigid presser bars in pre-1950 Swan Leverless models, numbered 189 (for Leverless with No 2 nibs) and J592 (for Leverless with No 6 nibs). A third tool, identified as J189 No 2 (not 4!) L/Less, was used on Leverless with No 4 nibs. The lower picture shows a close-up of the details of J592.

10    Angus & Coote Ltd of Sydney are briefly mentioned on page 188 of TSP. Doug Wilson recently acquired a copy of one of their advertisements, probably dating from the mid-1920s (at the time of writing, reprints were still available to buy on ebay). It is interesting to compare the Australian prices with the UK prices shown in TSP.

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