Mabie Todd Blackbird

[Fermata]

If this Mabie Todd Blackbird cost 12/10 are you able to suggest a date when it might have been made.

 

 

[Bill Nick]

Pre-15th February 1971,that's the date decimal currency was introduced in the UK.

[PaulS]

According to the books, the final model of Blackbird pen was made c. 1956, though what it cost and whether it had a name I've no idea. There looks to have been some reasonable activity in the way of introduction of new Blackbird models c. 1940, so my uneducated guess for this pen would be some time in the 1940s to very early 1950s, but hopefully others will have a more accurate assessment to give. Obviously variants of the Blackbird were made between 1956 and 1911 when the first of this line were produced, and short of having the relevant advertising for this particular pen it's probably a non-starter as to knowing the exact date.

Do we know if the o.ps. pen has a model designation i.e. BB something or another? The BT series was available, apparently, until the end of 1940.

Other factors influencing the retail price of pens was the level of trim, chrome or g.f. etc., and to some extend the type of nib.

 

All the above information courtesy of Steve Hull's indispensable book 'The English Fountain Pen Industry - 1875 to 1975'.

Edited November 11, 2018 by PaulS

[Fermata]

According to the books, the final model of Blackbird pen was made c. 1956, though what it cost and whether it had a name I've no idea. There looks to have been some reasonable activity in the way of introduction of new Blackbird models c. 1940, so my uneducated guess for this pen would be some time in the 1940s to very early 1950s, but hopefully others will have a more accurate assessment to give. Obviously variants of the Blackbird were made between 1956 and 1911 when the first of this line were produced, and short of having the relevant advertising for this particular pen it's probably a non-starter as to knowing the exact date.

Do we know if the o.ps. pen has a model designation i.e. BB something or another? The BT series was available, apparently, until the end of 1940.

Other factors influencing the retail price of pens was the level of trim, chrome or g.f. etc., and to some extend the type of nib.

 

All the above information courtesy of Steve Hull's indispensable book 'The English Fountain Pen Industry - 1875 to 1975'.

 

 

An old thread, the pen has now been sold. It was an interesting 1940s pen, never been used and the sac was still in working order.

 

Being born in inflationary times I thought it might be possible to estimate the year of production to the price of the pen.

[PaulS]

on the face of it an assumption with much to recommend it, though in reality unworkable. Though most of the first half of the C20 was reliable in many ways re longer periods of fiscal stability and an absence of the inflation you mention, assessing accurately a date for twelve shillings and ten old pennies, for a f.p., doesn't work without some reference to original paperwork which we don't have. Difficulties are a combination of the unknown model of pen and the fact that evaluating historic cost isn't an exact science.

Makes me think of the 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' line ……………… "if I take this cheap watch bought in the market for $2 and bury it in the sand for a thousand years, it becomes priceless".

 

Hope you made a buck or two on the deal - Blackbirds in general don't seem to make the same money as many of their Swan brethren.

[cunim]

 

 

An old thread, the pen has now been sold. It was an interesting 1940s pen, never been used and the sac was still in working order.

 

Being born in inflationary times I thought it might be possible to estimate the year of production to the price of the pen.

 

Sold to me, thank you very much. Model 5262.