Looking for info on vintage fountain pen

[shalitha33]

I'm looking to find out a bit more about this vintage fountain pen.

I have the box and instruction sheet but they don't mention the maker as such.

 

Only hints I have are : 

 

• The letters  S.S.C. London printed on top of the box
• Address 2, Kingly street, London stamped inside the box.

 

 

 

This pen is a twin feed (over under feed) pen with a Mabie Todd Swan like thread going with the feed.

 

 

 

 

Instruction sheet also doesn't mention a brand or any other address as such.

 

 

Any assistance is greatly appreciated. 

 

 

[peterg]

Possibly a product of the Star Stationery Company who sold pens 1900 - 1911 but there is no reference to Kingly Street.

[mizgeorge]

It would have to have been made after 1906, as Kingly Street was known as King Street until then.

 

I can find a reference to "Supply Company" providing envelope addressing etc at the right address in 1910, but that's about it on a quick look.

[andyr7]

This is an example of one of many 'addressing envelope' (and similar) scams involving the supply of fountain pens and stylos that I have researched from the early part of the 20th century. The fraudster advertises for home workers to address envelopes in local papers across the country, and basically, you have to buy a fountain pen or stylo before you receive the envelopes to address. When you return the addressed envelopes they are simply burnt. The fraudster makes their money from the difference between the very small wholesale price they pay for the pens and the amount the homeworker pays in the first instance.

 

SSC were 'The Stylo Supply Company'', the fraudster behind them was a Mr Charles Edgar. The pens were actually manufactured by 'The Fountain Pen Manufacturing Co', a reputable company. Edgar bought 16,416 pens from them in total, at wholesale prices between 41/2d and 1s 2d, depending on the grade. This looks like one of the cheaper versions, rather dated by the time the fraud began. This particular scam operation ran from about 1909 to 1910.

 

Edgar was found guilty after a 2-day trial at the Old Bailey in May 1910, and having had proven previous convictions, he was sentenced to 18 months hard labour.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by andyr7
typos corrected

[shalitha33]

Thank you all for the very helpful info  

Never knew about these early scams and now i'm really interested in finding out more on these :P.

 

It makes perfect sense as there is basally no reference to a company or an address printed on the box or in the instruction sheet.

Most other pens of this era tells the user where to send the pen and how to send it (if there is any need for a repair etc). This one basically says nothing other than that "Every pen is guaranteed".

 

Thanks again

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t19100426-40&div=t19100426-40&terms=the_Stylo_Supply_Company#highlight

[mizgeorge]

Fascinating! Thank you for the research @andyr7

[andyr7]

This was probably the last of these scams to be prosecuted directly. Later scammers became more savvy about the failings of earlier cases and modified the claims they made to prospective homeworkers accordingly. Similar 'envelope addressing' scams from the 'Waterman Speciality Co' and the 'Onto Manufacturing Co' c.1912 were only terminated after De la Rue took them to court for infringement of their Onoto trademark (see Steve Hull's book 'Onoto The Pen' for further details). Subsequent scams were simply called out by crusading newspapers, such as 'Truth', who warned their readers about the folly of replying to these advertisements. More details of some of these  scams will be included in a forthcoming book about the early manufacturers of English fountain pens and stylos.

[LizWrites]

Wow. Yes, really fascinating. When will the book be out, @andyr7?

[andyr7]

Can't say for sure when the book will be out, Liz, but likely to be another 12 months at least, I'm afraid.

 

If you are interested, I suggest you check into https://www.englishpenbooks.co.uk/ every so often, new publications will be announced there as and when they become available.

[LizWrites]

Thanks, andy. I will.

[como]

@andyr7 What a terrible but fascinating story that I didn’t expect to read on FPN. Thank you for sharing!