An Interesting John Whytwarth Resurrected

[chunya]

I recently picked up this John Whytwarth silver overlay safety, not only because it seemed to be an interesting pen but also because it seemed to have an interesting provenance (which I'm currently trying to research). The hallmarks, if I recall correctly, date it to 1923, but the engraved dedication is for 1934.

 

It was in a bit of a state, the nib was badly bent and it looked as if someone had previously tried a DIY on it. There was a great chunk of BHR missing from the cap lip, and it was leaking like billy-o from the rear of the barrel. I put it into the very capable hands of Eric Wilson and he did work a little miracle on it, in fact the AFTER photos don't really do it justice. Not only did he construct a new section for the cap lip, but also did a wonderful job on sorting out the nib and replacing the seals. Thank you Eric

 

BEFORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFTER

 

 

[Cob]

That is wonderful work indeed.

 

You have a truly interesting pen in lovely order now.

 

Cob

[PaulS]

a stunning pen and sterling renovation by Eric Wilson - great find. Can't see the hall marks too clearly, but appears there is an anchor for B'ham - but I could be wrong, and can't read the date letter, probably worn ............. most of the addresses I was seeing for this maker were in London.

The Sterling date letter for 1923/24 ........... for B'ham is lower case 'y' with serifs, and for London it's a rather gothic looking lower case 'h'.

Seems Whytwarth had a lot of problems in the early 1920s - this model might have been one of the later pens they did.

Inscriptions can be added at any given later date, probably.

Edited August 23, 2017 by PaulS

[chunya]

The hallmarks weren't too clear in that photo, and although rubbed aren't too bad at all considering the amount of handling the pen will have experienced over the years (97 years old!) . It's a Leopard for London and a small i for 1924.

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by chunya

[PaulS]

don't some people make our lives difficult I've looked at date codes many times, and not noticed that most years are in fact represented by two consecutive letters of the alphabet. You're correct insofar as 1924 can be lower case 'i' - it can also be lower case 'h'.

Date letters for 1923/24 are shown as 'h' ................ for 1924/25 are shown as lower case 'i'.

 

London sounds more likely - can now see the leopard's head in your picture - although it seems that in their very early days there was some connection with manufacture in B'ham.

[barriep]

Beautiful restoration by Eric, congratulations. Stephen Hull wrote a fascinating article on Whytwarth in the WES journal, Number 90, Spring 2011. It seems that John Whytwarth was invented as a name to promote an "all-British" pen after the First World War, a great example of marketing hype!

 

[PaulS]

thanks - sounds very interesting ..... copies of back issues of WES Journals are available, usually, at the London Pen Show in Bloomsbury (this year on Sun. 1st October, I think) -- although whether they will be offering from as far back as 2011 I don't know - could be too far back possibly.

[mallymal1]

That IS an interesting looking pen, and I'm so glad you had it restored.

 

Fine work by Mr. Wilson and a wonderful piece saved.

[chunya]

Beautiful restoration by Eric, congratulations. Stephen Hull wrote a fascinating article on Whytwarth in the WES journal, Number 90, Spring 2011. It seems that John Whytwarth was invented as a name to promote an "all-British" pen after the First World War, a great example of marketing hype!

 

 

 

Very many thanks for this .... I had read somewhere that John Whytwarth had never really existed, but I'm impressed by the detailed information that Steve has managed to unearth about this fairly obscure company.

This pen came accompanied by a letter from the then Viscount Vesci to Penfriend (Burlington Arcade) which was sent around 1973. I'm still trying to find out whether the letter and pen belong together and who the initials on the inscription may have belonged to.

[eckiethump]

I don't have a web site and only have an advert in the Writing Equipment Society Magazine, I am told this advert is also going to be in the new Pen Repair 4th Edition, J K Marshall & L C Oldfield book. It is very gratifying therefore when customers publicly express their pleasure at the work I have carried out, thank you. Eric

[peterg]

If you carry on like that Eric I might be forced to dig out my silver Whytworth and get you to restore it!

[PaulS]

thanks for the news regarding a 4th edition of the Marshall & Oldfield repair manual - do we know anything yet regarding its revised format - larger perhaps?

[BT_Summers]

thanks for the news regarding a 4th edition of the Marshall & Oldfield repair manual - do we know anything yet regarding its revised format - larger perhaps?

 

 

Have you seen this Mr S

 

http://pentooling.com/books.html

 

This is from a US site and shows some of the books contents.

 

Readily available from UK sellers including Pen Practice of course.

 

http://www.penpractice.com/

[amberleadavis]

Great job with the restoration and what a beautiful nib.