Wilson 21

[subbucal]

Not much is known about this company. We know that Wilson Pen Company was one of the significant pen manufacturers in India. They existed since 1939 as Wilson. They were headquartered in Bombay, India.

(I learnt somewhere that they named their company Wilson, because the nibs they imported from USA during wartime had Wilson mentioned).

During my school days, I remember Wilson was an envious brand. They used to come in many many models, introduced frequently and often high class replicates of famous Parker models. The most famous were the Wilson jotter pens & also a ball-point pen called "4-point pen" (used to write in 4 colours)

Wilson actually paved the way to many western name brands in India like Kingson, Diplomat, Artex etc.

They used to come in a plastic boxes mostly as pen sets. The boxes resembled & also open like the present day, manual mercury based "blood pressure monitoring" instrument.

I had many Wilson pens but by now have lost all of them, but the pens were always in my mind. Recently, a friend of mine told me that he had a Wilson Fountain Pen, which he never used, since he fancied ball-points only.

Thus came to my hands this beautiful Wilson 21, a deep red colour pen, with gold-plated clip and a cap band. (resembles vintage Parker)

The pen posted

 

 

The etching in the barrel "Wilson Regd" & 21

 

 

The Cap with clip & Band, "Wilson" is inscribed in both places.

 

 

The Nib..Here to "Wilson" is written in nib, feed & Section

 

 

Hope you liked reading about Wilson 21...

[hari317]

Nice post Subbucal, much appreciated.

 

Wilson along with Mhatre's Plato had a variety of Parker Clone models on the Indian market. I have an entire box of Platos waiting to be shown, let's see when.

 

I was actually expecting a 21 clone when I read the title. They also had a Wilson 45 copied down to the "buck rogers" type converter press bar and also Inlaid nibs cloning the Sheaffer.

 

Wilson's website was alive till 2011, IIRC, with a good part of their history told there by the current owner. Sadly, the website is now gone. Their factory still stands deserted in Andheri, will show you if you ever come down to Mumbai.

 

Best

Hari

[subbucal]

Nice post Subbucal, much appreciated.

 

Wilson along with Mhatre's Plato had a variety of Parker Clone models on the Indian market. I have an entire box of Platos waiting to be shown, let's see when.

 

I was actually expecting a 21 clone when I read the title. They also had a Wilson 45 copied down to the "buck rogers" type converter press bar and also Inlaid nibs cloning the Sheaffer.

 

Wilson's website was alive till 2011, IIRC, with a good part of their history told there by the current owner. Sadly, the website is now gone. Their factory still stands deserted in Andheri, will show you if you ever come down to Mumbai.

 

Best

Hari

 

Thanks a lot for the insight...I too look forward to catching up with you in Mumbai soon..

[rwilsonedn]

"Their factory still stands deserted ..."

There is a lot of that going around in our world these days.

ron

[hari317]

I could find some information:

 

http://www.indianmemoryproject.com/122/

[mohan]

Very intersting. Thanks hari..

[Sridhar]

I could find some information:

 

http://www.indianmemoryproject.com/122/

 

the story is a sad one. Indian fountain pen makers were so enterprising....

s

[subbucal]

hi all.....Let us know of Wilson models you may have which is not reviewed/shown here

[philm]

I have written a little about Wilson in the following, which I also believe has been linked in previous Wilson threads (sorry to repeat for those that have already seen these). Each contains some Wilson advertising, pens, or merchandising information. They made a Vacumatic that was very similar to Parker's which can also be seen.

 

Three Wilson Fountain Pen Posts

 

Phil

[usk15]

Anybody know a Wilson Vacumatic for sale? I would like to get one!

[subbucal]

I have written a little about Wilson in the following, which I also believe has been linked in previous Wilson threads (sorry to repeat for those that have already seen these). Each contains some Wilson advertising, pens, or merchandising information. They made a Vacumatic that was very similar to Parker's which can also be seen.

 

Three Wilson Fountain Pen Posts

 

Thanks philm for sharing these valuable info

[sherbie]

Hi, did Wilson ever make rippled hard rubber eye droppers

 

i picked up this pen with a Wilson nib many moons ago, and wondered if this pen was indeed by Wilson

 

cheers, paul