Anyone Seen One Of These Before?

[chunya]

Hi,

Has anyone ever come across a silver pen with a crown featured on the cap end? I recently found this pen, it's hallmarked for 1936, is a button-fill, with a standard 14 Ct warranted nib, so no indication of who the manufacturers were. I know the Civil Service were very fond of putting Crowns on absolutely everything (even toilet rolls!) but this might possibly have been a bit too classy for the CS?

 

 

 

 

 

[Manalto]

It looks like a nice pen.

Edited February 14, 2017 by Manalto

[Cob]

Hullo. That is clearly special and interesting. The crown on the cap looks like that which used to be used by the General Post Office. I wonder if it belonged to some big cheese at the GPO?

 

Best,

 

Cob

[Pickwick]

Might be worth investigating further because Edward taking the title Edward VIII was crowned as king in 1936, and your pen is hallmarked for that year. Edward didn't abdicate until the end of that year, so the pen may have been made in commemoration of that event. It is common practice to manufacture souvenir items during a coronation year.

[chunya]

Thanks all .... I've still got to give it a clean, get a new pressure bar for it, and then give it a try. I think that this might be a keeper if it writes well. The GPO did cross my mind, but I never thought of it being a commemorative pen, it's certainly a thought. I'll keep on searching.

[Cob]

Might be worth investigating further because Edward taking the title Edward VIII was crowned as king in 1936, and your pen is hallmarked for that year. Edward didn't abdicate until the end of that year, so the pen may have been made in commemoration of that event. It is common practice to manufacture souvenir items during a coronation year.

That is a good suggestion.

 

Wyvern were famous for making commemorative items, but this pen does not look like a Wyvern product - especially the clip.

Cob

[ralfstc]

It really is a lot like the GPO crown- here's a pic of a restored telephone box with the very thing-

 

http://c8.alamy.com/comp/B5BX2A/uk-england-k6-phone-box-restored-telephone-sign-crown-B5BX2A.jpg

Edited February 15, 2017 by ralfstc

[chunya]

Hi ralfstc,

Thanks for the great photo and I think it is looking like an old GPO pen. As cob suggested, maybe some big cheese.

I've contacted the Postal Museum, let's see if they come up with anything.

 

Just to add to the mystery, I discovered this morning that in the same batch was a silver pencil. It is odd in that it's clearly stamped 'Made in England', but no hallmark just 'Sterling Silver'. I'd say that it's from the same period, the finish is similar to the pen, but not identical, but what it has is a Crown for a turning knob.

 

 

Edited February 15, 2017 by chunya

[AntonyRibo]

Hmm looks peculiar. Try to ask UK collectors, They will be pleased for sure

[soapytwist]

Can you elaborate on what the hallmarks says? Which assay office (see below), and what the maker's initials are?