Winsor & Mason Dip Pen

[Dr.X]

Hello from Boston.

 

Does anyone happen to know anything about the company that manufactured Winsor & Mason gold dip nibs?

 

I'm giving one away as a Christmas gift and would love to tell the recipient something beyond "it was probably manufactured between 1850 and 1900...".

 

Many thanks.

 

Nick

[AAAndrew]

picture? Any mention of a place on the pen? (e.g. NY)?

[Dr.X]

Hi Andrew.

 

Unfortunately, no identifying marks on the nib beyond the name and size. And the MOP handle it came with has no markings on it. These are not uncommon on eBay, and I've seen them in sizes 2-4.

 

In the UK version of eBay there was a listing indicating it was an American nib. That said, at least one of those 2 names could be correlated with a manufacturer of steel nibs in the 1800s in Birmingham, UK (Josiah Mason).

 

But that's about all I've been able to figure out so far.

 

Nick

 

 

[AAAndrew]

It's a very pretty pen. Unfortunately, there were lots and lots of small gold pen makers, usually jewelers, working in all kinds of towns. That level of craftsmanship, hints at a larger city. Have you tried NYC directories for the 1880's and 1890's? That's where I would start.

 

I've gathered the directories I could find on my Research Resources page for NYC. https://thesteelpen.com/2017/11/15/research-resources-new-york-city/

[Dr.X]

How incredibly thoughtful and helpful. Thank you!!

 

So, while I couldn't search every year, a sampling through those resources failed to locate a single mention of "winsor & mason". Which suggests to me that the more likely origin of these nibs was Birmingham.

 

Sir Josiah Mason "... 's career has been described elsewhere, so only brief details will be given here. He began making pen nibs in 1827 at his factory in Lancaster Street, and grew to be the biggest pen maker in the world. Very few of his pens were sold under the Mason name, most being made for Perry & Co, but he also made pens for Gillott and Sommerville."

 

His shop was in the "Jewellery Quarter" of Birmingham in the U.K., so he may well have produced gold nibs in small numbers, as you suggest.

 

I'm still researching "Winsor". Thus far I have come across no mentions of such in relation to Josiah Mason. Of course, there is William Winsor who, in 1832 co-founded the Winsor and Newton ink company in London. While it is plausible that the two men collaborated, this remains speculation only on my part.