Harrison & Bradford Steel Pens

[AAAndrew]

George Harrison and George Bradford were Birmingham-trained tool makers brought to the US to start up the Washington Medallion Pen Company factory in NYC in 1856.

In 1862 they bought the dies and stamps and machinery from the Washington Medallion Pen Co. and started making the pens under contract. They also formed Harrison & Bradford and started making pens under their own name as well.

In late 1863 they realized the original design patent for the Washington Medallion Pen had run out so in 1864 they started making the Harrison & Bradford Washington Medallion Pen, and were promptly sued along with Eberhard Faber, their sole distributor. They lost.

They continued to make Harrison & Bradford pens together until 1875 when George Harrison left the company to join John Turner, another Birmingham-trained steel pen tool maker who had helped start up Esterbrook's first factory, to found Turner & Harrison Pen Company.

George Bradford continued producing Harrison & Bradford pens by himself in their Mt. Vernon, NY factory until about 1880 when he started marketing his own 1879 patent pen design under his own name.

In 1881 he sold the factory and his patent to Miller Brother's Cutlery who wanted to get into the pen business. Bradford stayed and was given the role of Superintendent of Pen Production for Miller Brothers.

[spacecoastpenny]

And I thought George Harrison left to join the Beattles!

[Tweel]

I wonder why the Miller Brothers version of the pen has a split tail.

[AAAndrew]

I wonder why the Miller Brothers version of the pen has a split tail.

Good eye. My theory is so that it could fit in different holders, but I have no proof, just conjecture.

[Tweel]

It's interesting. They even went to the trouble of making that round notch at the tail end of the slit, with a beveled entry. Some kind of click-in holder?

 

I just looked at an advertising flyer showing 32 different Miller Bros. pens, and the "Acme" is the only one with that feature.