Searching For Swan

[Averett]

I may have already posted this....so forgive me if I have. I'm new to fountain pens, and it has become an exciting venture for me. I must say that I find Mabie-Todd and Swan fountain pens to be enchanting, if not moreso than Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman or others. Most of the discussion of this thread has concerned pens for soldiers, but I am wondering about pens on the home front during WWII. I have an abiding interest in WWII. What was Swan's situation in England during WWII? I know that England suffered much, so what happened to Swan? I know that the U.S. made great sacrifices during the war. I know that Parker switched to celluloid from Lucite. What happened with Mabie-Todd? Were they still a player in the fountain pen world? If so, how did the respond to war, both in the U.S. and in England? I never read on this thread that they were available to soldiers. Were they available on the home front? Please help a newbie!

Averett

[peterg]

The British manufacturers were placed under the control of the Ministry of Supply. The number of lines they were allowed to produce was restricted but the major control was access to materials to manufacture pens from. Most factories was also diverted to manufacture for the war effort. Detonators and such like being suitable for the type of equipment they possessed.

 

Swan's factory in Harlesden was destroyed during the bombing, so their products would have probably been in limited supply.

 

Steve Hull has a section on Conway Stewart during the war in his 'Fountain Pens for the Millions - The History of Conway Stewart, 1905-2005' from which this information has been gleaned.

[Averett]

Thanks so much. This is very enlightening. WWII is very interesting to me, and is fascinating to have as my focal point a mode of communication such as the fountain pen. Thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Averett.