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How Many Actual English Pen Factories Are There Today?


Hanoi

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10 minutes ago, WhiteStarPens said:

Many thanks for the link, I'll take a look.

My pleasure ;)

All the best is only beginning now...

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There are two ways of looking at this: ownership and premises.  Using 'How Many Actual English Pen Factories Are There Today?', as a guide the discussion is about where the pens are made.  In that case, the list reasonably includes, Yard of Lead, Conway Stewart, Onoto, Manuscript, and a number of smaller producers such as Worcester Pen Co.

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Ran across this thread again just now.  I picked up a Platinum "Italic Set" this morning at an estate sale company's warehouse sale.  Couldn't find any sort of date on the packaging (and the "instruction sheet" seems to be missing -- I had hoped for some sort of copyright notice).  The fine print on the cardboard insert separating the pen from the other nib units says "MENTMORE MANUFACTURING CO LTD" and then below it says "STEVENAGE/HERTS SG1 2AY/ENGLAND".

I was also amused by the warning to NOT use waterproof India inks above the "Mentmore" part.  The pen seems to be a squeeze filler -- think "Parker 21" or "Pilot Metropolitan Con-B converter".  

Did I need Yet Another™ calligraphy set?   Nb: I've never used 3 of the nib units on the Parker Vector set; and haven't even had the Sheaffer calligraphy set -- I THINK the pen is a No Nonsense -- out of the box yet, other than to inspect the condition of the four cartridges included... so, probably not -- but the Sheaffer set was eight bucks two weeks ago at the same antiques shop where I got that Waterman Exclusive awhile back; and the Platinum set was four bucks....  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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8 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Ran across this thread again just now.  I picked up a Platinum "Italic Set"

 

Platignum, no?

Add lightness and simplicate.

 

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17 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

There are two ways of looking at this: ownership and premises.  Using 'How Many Actual English Pen Factories Are There Today?', as a guide the discussion is about where the pens are made.  In that case, the list reasonably includes, Yard of Lead, Conway Stewart, Onoto, Manuscript, and a number of smaller producers such as Worcester Pen Co.

Sure, and based on its manufacturing facilities location Onoto can be still named as British pen manufacturer.

All the best is only beginning now...

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13 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Ran across this thread again just now.  I picked up a Platinum "Italic Set" this morning at an estate sale company's warehouse sale.  Couldn't find any sort of date on the packaging (and the "instruction sheet" seems to be missing -- I had hoped for some sort of copyright notice).  The fine print on the cardboard insert separating the pen from the other nib units says "MENTMORE MANUFACTURING CO LTD" and then below it says "STEVENAGE/HERTS SG1 2AY/ENGLAND".

I was also amused by the warning to NOT use waterproof India inks above the "Mentmore" part.  The pen seems to be a squeeze filler -- think "Parker 21" or "Pilot Metropolitan Con-B converter".  

Did I need Yet Another™ calligraphy set?   Nb: I've never used 3 of the nib units on the Parker Vector set; and haven't even had the Sheaffer calligraphy set -- I THINK the pen is a No Nonsense -- out of the box yet, other than to inspect the condition of the four cartridges included... so, probably not -- but the Sheaffer set was eight bucks two weeks ago at the same antiques shop where I got that Waterman Exclusive awhile back; and the Platinum set was four bucks....  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Some information on history and links of Mentore and Platignum can be found here:

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Mentmore_Manufacturing_Co

 

All the best is only beginning now...

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@ Karmachanic -- Yeah, Platinum.  Stupee autocorrect....  Thought I'd caught all of those.

@TheRedBeard. -- thanks for posting the link.  I'll check that out.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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  • 2 weeks later...

I only just learned that Yard-o-Led does their manufacturing in Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. Having moved to Birmingham 5 years ago, it's nice to know this! 

My humble stable: Parker Duofold Centennial GT, Pilot 823 & 742, Conway Stewart 27 Plum Hatched, Pelikan M600, Faber Castell Ambition, Platinum PTL-5000, Kaweco Classic Sport, a small herd of Lamy Safari/Al-Star/Joy, a clutch of Parker 51 aeros and vacs, and a bunch of Pilot 78G

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26 minutes ago, milkpowder said:

I only just learned that Yard-o-Led does their manufacturing in Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. Having moved to Birmingham 5 years ago, it's nice to know this! 

Yes, it is. And it is very nice thing.

 

All the best is only beginning now...

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  • 2 months later...
On 2/6/2021 at 2:14 PM, TheRedBeard said:

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

 

definitely need more info on this.  Is this like Volvo situation or Onotos now made in China? 

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1 hour ago, Hanoi said:

 

definitely need more info on this.  Is this like Volvo situation or Onotos now made in China? 

Onoto still manufactures its pens in the UK and keeps all production facilities there so far. It is only fully owned by Chinese now.

All the best is only beginning now...

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13 hours ago, Hanoi said:

Do the Chinese own any other pen companies? 

 

Are you asking about UK pen manufacturers? 

I don't know... 

I only know for sure that YOL is still owned by British. 

All the best is only beginning now...

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  • 4 weeks later...

The new Conway Stewart’s are great. I have one! They are definitely manufactured in England, not other regions of the U.K. . I highly recommend getting a modern Conway Stewart!

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19 minutes ago, collectorofmanythings said:

The new Conway Stewart’s are great. I have one! They are definitely manufactured in England, not other regions of the U.K. . I highly recommend getting a modern Conway Stewart!

I have one too. It is a Churchill with a broad nib. The fit, finish, and craftsmanship are remarkable.  The pen is well worth its cost.

 

Conway Stewart releases new style or colour pens periodically. I'll be buying another when they release the style and colour I want most.

 

 

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22 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I have one too. It is a Churchill with a broad nib. The fit, finish, and craftsmanship are remarkable.  The pen is well worth its cost.

 

Conway Stewart releases new style or colour pens periodically. I'll be buying another when they release the style and colour I want most.

 

 

Yes, they’re great. Do you think that once they run out of materials they are going to close? Many of their newer colors seems to be resins that are also used by other companies. For instance, their model 58 in Amber is the same resin as the Santini Libra in Ambra. 

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1 hour ago, collectorofmanythings said:

Yes, they’re great. Do you think that once they run out of materials they are going to close? Many of their newer colors seems to be resins that are also used by other companies. For instance, their model 58 in Amber is the same resin as the Santini Libra in Ambra. 

I'll do the unforgettable and answer your question with a question.

 

Is it reasonable to expect that the present owners purchased the original tooling and equipment, possibly supplemental with modern machinery, when they bought the materials remaining from the original, earlier production?

 

Assuming that they did, the question becomes is a '58' or 'Churchill' pen made from newly sourced materials, on or with the Conway Sterart original tooling, in an English factory, and by (assumably) British workers from a genuine Conway Stewart pen?  My answer is yes.

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37 minutes ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I'll do the unforgettable and answer your question with a question.

 

Is it reasonable to expect that the present owners purchased the original tooling and equipment, possibly supplemental with modern machinery, when they bought the materials remaining from the original, earlier production?

 

Assuming that they did, the question becomes is a '58' or 'Churchill' pen made from newly sourced materials, on or with the Conway Sterart original tooling, in an English factory, and by (assumably) British workers from a genuine Conway Stewart pen?  My answer is yes.

Thank you for your answer, but I wasn’t necessarily asking whether it is a genuine Conway Stewart. My question was do you think Bespoke British Pens is going to stop producing Conway Stewart Pens once they run out of materials or are they going to get modern resins and make new clips and such and continue the Conway Stewart brand. From what it seems like, they are doing that, but as I have not been in the fountain pen hobby very long, I wanted to know someone else’s opinions.

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