How Many Actual English Pen Factories Are There Today?

[eachan]

@ northlodge: I agree that the modern Onoto is a worthy pen, even though most of them are cartridge/converters rather than the plunger filler that we appreciate in the original. I can't afford them but thankfully I can manage the price of the originals.

[northlodge]

. I can't afford them but thankfully I can manage the price of the originals.

 

That makes two of us.

 

But then that also applies to the modern "Conway Stewart", "Eversharp Skyline", "Parker Duofold" ....... and probably the Esterbrook if the £120 asking price on ebay is anything to go by.

 

It seems that acquiring an old brand name is seen as a way of printing money.

[eachan]

I agree. When the second rebirth of Conway Stewart happened in the 1990s two things happened. The new company tried to claim the history of the original company as its own. Also it used the name of a company that had produced moderately priced pens to turn out pens that ran into the high hundreds and thousands. Many who were new to the hobby did not understand the history and it all became very confused in the pen discussion boards. There are those who pursue the products of risen-from-the grave pen companies. There are others, like me, who wouldn't have them at any price.

[inkstainedruth]

I do recall some RAF lads based at St Athen having T-shirts made with the slogan "English Occupying Forces in Wales" - you can imagine how it ruffled a few feathers amongst the locals.

Oh, I can just imagine!

Makes me think of the old TV series To Serve Them All Their Days. The main character was Welsh, and teaching history in a British boarding school. On his vacation, he met his first wife, while touring some castles in I guess the Marches and says something like, "Imagine -- all these castles, just to keep the Welsh out!"

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[northlodge]

Yes Ruth, it is getting well of track, but there were loads of castles built by the English to keep the Welsh in check, and it worked quite well.

 

Now, there are loads of old castles owned and operated by the Welsh, with the single aim being to squeeze £££ out of the tourists from England ;-) That also works quite well

 

I suspect there are now few on this island who cannot show ancestry from all corners of the UK (I am at least 2/16th Welsh and 1/16th Scot - and my boys could legitimately represent any of the nations at football if they were good enough to be selected).

[dapprman]

Yard-O-Led have continued lineage since being founded, just under different ownerships, and for the last 20 (?) years have been under their own control once more. Onoto there was a break and it it could be argued it is not the same company, but as others have said, they continue the spirit of the brand rather than just using the name.

 

On nibs - Onoto were Bock but have been moving to JoWo. I'm not sure how you can tell the difference between them in the #7 size as the screw in units and feed are the same (I definitely have a Bock gold and a JoWo steel, and I honestly do not know which make my final pen is aside from being a gold nib). The nibs are made to their pattern and the only visual difference between my three is the 18ct on the two gold nibs and the letter for the size (as I have two fine and one medium).

[Hanoi]

Buying new pens is actually the best way to keep fountain pen as a hobby alive for future generations. I will definitely add an Onoto and YOL to my collection soon.

[Hanoi]

Even in the poorer parts of Southeast Asia, the fountain pen is not used much by school children anymore. It already attains that luxury aura in the developing world so I totally understand why many remaining English brands price their products high. As a tool, there is no better writing instrument for long writing on paper than a fountain pen. The fountain pen just goes back to its origin as a piece of functional jewelry.

 

Yard-O-Led have continued lineage since being founded, just under different ownerships, and for the last 20 (?) years have been under their own control once more. Onoto there was a break and it it could be argued it is not the same company, but as others have said, they continue the spirit of the brand rather than just using the name.

 

On nibs - Onoto were Bock but have been moving to JoWo. I'm not sure how you can tell the difference between them in the #7 size as the screw in units and feed are the same (I definitely have a Bock gold and a JoWo steel, and I honestly do not know which make my final pen is aside from being a gold nib). The nibs are made to their pattern and the only visual difference between my three is the 18ct on the two gold nibs and the letter for the size (as I have two fine and one medium).

Edited June 23, 2020 by Hanoi

[Fermata]

Oh, I can just imagine!

Makes me think of the old TV series To Serve Them All Their Days. The main character was Welsh, and teaching history in a British boarding school. On his vacation, he met his first wife, while touring some castles in I guess the Marches and says something like, "Imagine -- all these castles, just to keep the Welsh out!"

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

 

This story is quite like Goodbye Mr Chips, the remake with Martin Clunes is an enjoyable rainy Sunday afternoon watch.

 

eta the movie will make you weep, even cartridge refillers.

Edited June 23, 2020 by Parkette

[basterma]

I would disagree about use of fountain pens declining in Asia. At least not in China. Half the kids I teach use them in some form. for calligraphy, inking artwork, or taking notes. They may use other pens more, but there is always a fountain pen lurking around in the pencil case at some point in the school year. Many corner stores and small businesses sell them as well as larger supermarkets. The pens made by the newer companies like M&G, Baoke, Deli are solid pens for the money. Get on Bilibili and search for common brands of pens and you will see quite a variety of youth blogging about pens.

Going back to the original post, I do wish there were cheaper pens from YOL though.

[Karmachanic]

The fountain pen just goes back to its origin as a piece of functional jewelry.

 

 

Amazing! I was so misinformed.

Edited June 23, 2020 by Karmachanic

[northlodge]

A Google search advises that there was a "Lotus Pen Company" that commenced production in India in 2017. Someone should have told them that when re-launching a historic brand you should select a known / reputable one ;-)

 

This landed through my letter box this week, a punt of a purchase that seems to have paid off:

 

 

 

 

Above is of course said in jest. As far as I am aware this is a completely unknown company, I cannot find any record of it. The patents might be a source of investigation, but my current guess is that this came out of the Wyvern factory in 1924.

 

Any further details would be welcome!

[northlodge]

Having seen the Patent document I can report that the Lotus Pen Co was a vehicle of the Wade family (Mays, Turnstyle, Debrett's Top-lever, etc). It is almost certain that this pen was actually manufactured by Curzon / Lang.

 

The "innovation" with the cap design looks like it would not stand any regular use, and thus this 'mint' example might be the only one to have survived.

[ParramattaPaul]

You can add Manuscript pens to this list. https://manuscriptpen.com//our-products/calligraphy/ml1856

As far as I know all the current manufacturers make all their own pens, they may buy in rod stock and nibs but there is no single factory making the pens, which is what the OP asked.

 

Twiss Pens

 

http://www.handmadefountainpens.co.uk/epages/es144810.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es144810/Categories/%22Custom%20Pens%22

 

Worcester Pen Company

 

http://worcesterpencompany.co.uk/

 

Yard O Led

 

https://www.yard-o-led.com/

 

Conway Stewart

 

https://conwaystewart.com/

 

I think that there are/were plans for Mentmore to be relaunched

[Manalto]

"Actual" factories as opposed to conceptual ones?

[TheRedBeard]

Onoto still has its manufacturing in the UK though the company was taken over by Chinese in 2016.

[TheRedBeard]

On 6/23/2020 at 1:34 PM, basterma said:

...

going back to the original post, I do wish there were cheaper pens from YOL though.

YOL can't be cheap by definition and never will.. the same as Lobb's shoes, Holland&Holland guns, Sage Brown wallets, Garrard jewellery or suits from Savile Row...

[como]

20 minutes ago, TheRedBeard said:

YOL can't be cheap by definition and never will.. the same as Lobb's shoes, Holland&Holland guns, Sage Brown wallets, Garrard jewellery or suits from Savile Row...

The hammer work on YOL pens is labour intensive. I haven’t seen YOL cheap anywhere whether new or on the secondary markets any more. Beautiful pens no doubt.

[WhiteStarPens]

3 hours ago, TheRedBeard said:

Onoto still has its manufacturing in the UK though the company was taken over by Chinese in 2016.

Where did you get that information from? I'd like to have a read about that if I may.

[TheRedBeard]

18 minutes ago, WhiteStarPens said:

Where did you get that information from? I'd like to have a read about that if I may.

It can be easily checked here:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03744683/persons-with-significant-control

 

In Filing History section, please, check document Confirmation Statement dated 29th March 2017.