I found an article from April 1857 describing the first successful steel pen company in the US, the Washington Medallion Pen Company. The article also describes the pen making process in more detail than I've read in the couple of other similar descriptions from the period. I thought some here might enjoy it. I've also included a couple of pictures I took of a recent acquisition, actually the one that started the search that led to finding this article. Washington Medallion Pen Company was the first successful American manufacturer of steel pens. Considering the other pens in the bunch (found as the dealer was cleaning out an early Victorian era desk), I'd say the group dates from the 1860's. It included several Gillott 303's and 404's and the un-numbered Gillott I posted about in the other thread.
Anyway, here's the article. It's divided into two parts because of length. (second part here.
http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=4580.0)
United States Magazine, April, 1857, Vol. IV, No. 4, page 348-
https://books.google.com/books?id=x6HPAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA352&ots=IRSLVkodJ9&dq=Washington%20Medallion%20Pen%20company%20patent&pg=PA348#v=onepage&q=Washington%20Medallion%20Pen%20company%20patent&f=false How Steel Pens are Made: A visit to the manufactory of the Washington Steel Pen Company The Pen and the Press have together recorded the events and experiences of many centuries, and to their joint agency we are mainly indebted for the blessings of civilization. However, it is not our present intention to discuss the effects produced by these great moral engines, but briefly to trace the history of one of the the Pen and, by comparison, show the superiority of the materials used, as well as the rapidity and perfection of their construction, at the present time, in contrast with previous ages.
As long as people wrote upon tables covered with wax, they were obliged to use a style or bodkin made of bone, metal or some other hard substance; but when they began to write with colored liquids, they employed a reed; after which quills and feathers came in fashion, these finally giving way to metals steel, not only from its adaptability, but from its cheapness, being the great specialty for this purpose.
The earliest pens, such as were used for writing on papyrus with a fluid ink, appear to have been made of reeds. In our translations of the Old and New Testaments, the word pen refers either to an iron style, used with waxed tablets, or to a reed quills not having been introduced earlier than the fifth century. It is uncertain what particular kind of reed was used for making pens, but it is described as a small, hard, round cane, about the size of a large swan's quill. The supply of these reeds was obtained from Egypt, Cairo, in Asia Minor, and Armenia. Chardin and Tournefort describe a kind of reeds used for pens in Persia. These reeds are collected near the shores of the Persian Gulf, whence they are sent to various parts of the east. After being cut, they are deposited for some months under a dunghill, when they assume a mixed black and yellow color, acquire a fine polish and a considerable degree of hardness, and the internal pith dries up into a membrane which is easily detached. Reed pens are still in use, and they will suit the Arabic character better than quill or metal pens. The Arab, in writing, places the paper upon his kneed, or upon the palm of his left hand, or upon a dozen or more pieces of paper attached together at the four corners, and resembling a thin book, which he rests on his knee. The ink used is very thick and gummy.
Although the quills used for pens are chiefly from the goose, those from the swan and crow are much esteemed; and, besides these, the ostrich, turkey and other birds occasionally contribute to the supply. Most of the goose-quills manufactured are from the Netherlands, Germany, Russia and Poland. Before the general introduction of metallic pens, as many as twenty-seven million quills had been received in Great Britain, from St. Petersburgh, in a single year. Some idea of the number of geese required to keep up such a supply may be judged of from the fact that each wing produces about five good quills, and that by careful management a goose may afford twenty quills during a year. As they come from the bird, quills are covered with a membrane, and are touch and soft, so that they will not make a clean slit; they are also opaque, and the vascular membrane adheres strongly to the interior surface of the barrel. These defects are got rid of and the quills prepared for market by the operations of the quill-dressing, or quill-dutching. They are first assorted, according to the length and thickness of the barrel, into primes, seconds and pinions. They are then clarified by the removal of the membranous skins, for which purpose they are plunged for a short time into hot sand, the heat causing the outer skin to crack and peel off its removal being facilitated by scraping with a sharp instrument. At the same time the internal membrane becomes shriveled up, and falls down toward the point of the quill. The effect of the heat is also to consume or dry up the oily matter of the quill, and thus to render the barrel transparent. This process, which is often repeated many times, is called dutching, probably from the circumstance of its first having been adopted in Holland. The heat requires regulation or the barrel would be injured; but the effect of the process is to give to the barrels the color of fine, think horn, or an impure white. In some cases a uniform yellow hue is produced by dipping them in diluted nitric acid; this process also hardens them. Quills may also be hardened by steeping for a few minutes in alum-water, at a boiling temperature. The quills having been dressed and finished, a portion of the barb is stripped off, so as to occupy less room in packing, when they are counted in bundles, packed, and are ready for the merchant. Besides the above, there are several other methods of manufacturing or dressing quills.
While quills were in vogue, the occupation of a pen-cutter, or maker, was one of considerable importance; not one in five of those who used pens, could make one; and scarcely a quarter of a century has elapsed since a certain house in Shoe-lane, London, disposed of over 6,000,000 quill pens per annum. It was also quite common at that time to cut the barrels of quills into several pens, each being affixed to handles when used, as is now done with metallic pens.
From the softening of the quill pen by the ink, and the wear of the points by friction, frequent mending was required, or very bad writing was the result. The first attempts to render pens more durable consisted in arming the nibs with metallic points. Pens were also constructed of horn, tortoise and other shells, and also of glass the nibs in some cases being formed of precious stones. Probably this last operation was first practiced some forty years since. The horn and shell pens, after being cut in shape, were softened in warm water, when small pieces of diamond, ruby, etc., were imbedded into the points by pressure. Thin pieces of gold or other metal have also been attached to the tortoise shell. The modern gold pen has its points tipped with rhodium, iridium or osmium although in some cases rubies and other jewels are employed. Pens have also been made of palladium, gold and silver allow, silver, and other precious metals; being pointed as above, and as the ink cannot act upon them, they are almost indestructible by ordinary usage. They, however, are very costly, easily liable to injury from accident, and in many cases are entirely deficient of the elasticity and freedom required to give ease in writing. All these difficulties are readily overcome by the use of a well-constructed steel pen. From the nature of the metal, when properly tempered, the tensibility is regulated by the will of the operator; it discharges the liquid promptly, and in every respect is undoubtedly the most desirable material adapted to the purpose. In an economical point of view, the effect is also most striking. A jewel-pointed gold pen costs more than five hundred steel pens. Allowing each of the latter to continue in use for one week we often use one a whole month it will take about ten years to consume them. It is, undoubtedly, utterly impossible to find the individual that ever used a single pen, of any kind, one-third of that time.
The first notice that we find of steel pens for writing is in 1803, when a Mr. Wise, of London, constructed barrel- pens of that metal, mounted in a bone case for carrying in the pocket. These pens were expensive, and not very successful; they however served a good purpose, by opening the way for a better article. About the year 1822, Mr. Gillott, of Birmingham, England, who had long experimented the manufacture of steel pens, became so successful in their production, that he at once determined on making them an article of commerce. The time was most propitious; a demand was readily created, and from that moment the manufacture became an important accessory to the useful arts. Birmingham is the great workshop for steel pens; many firms are now engaged in the business, and from the adaptation of machinery the products have not only been greatly perfected, but their cost has been reduced in the ration of a gross now to a single pen former. It is stated that during the year 1855 over 500,000,000 steel pens were made in Birmingham, and that 300 tuns of metal was required for their construction.
About the year 1840, steel pens having become in considerable demand in this country, and the fact of their almost universal adoption being already apparent, the cupidity of certain parties was excited, and they resolved to present steel pens of home manufacture for the public favor. The first effort was by a company in Massachusetts, who perfected some fair specimens for that early day; but, owning to inexperience and the absence of proper tools, tool makers, and a knowledge of slitting, tempering and finishing, their products lacked uniformity of quality; thus the enterprise failed. Soon after, two or three of the principle dealers in stationery in this city experimented in steel pen manufacture. We remember one of them who commenced operations in Brooklyn, and who, after expending some $15,000, followed in the wake of the Eastern Company. Another erected his works in New Jersey, and for some months battled manfully for success; finally he "felt" he must follow his illustrious predecessors. The late C.C. Wright, long known as a prominent engraver and die-sinker, made a most strenuous effort to permanently establish this manufacture. Through his influence, aided by J. C. Barnett, since well known as the treasurer of Burton's Theater, a company was formed and a capital amounting to $200,000 expended. A large factory was erected on Fifth street, in this city, the most approved machinery and fixtures procured, operations commenced, and ten or twelve varieties of pens produced, many of them of excellent quality; yet, notwithstanding the impetus with which the affair was started, it met with no better success than those before mentioned. We learn of no attempts to resuscitate the business until 1852, when some Birmingham men, who claimed to be experts, induced certain capitalists in New Jersey to "try their money" in the operation. One after the other, two or three companies expended large amounts, each with no better pecuniary results than had been before arrived at.
Probably these latter failures were caused more by the mode of business management than imperfections in the manufacture. Instead of giving their products originality, the parties aimed only to duplicate the shapes and trade marks of the English pens. As in railroad iron and many other products, the foreign capitalists were bound to undersell and drive the others out of the trade. Having a great advantage in the price of labor, this end was readily accomplished; and when the market was again clear of impediments, they would bring forward an inferior article as a much increased price, and thus make good their losses. This mode of operating has finally been "played out." During the last two years not only has the acme of excellence been produced in the manufacture of American steel pens, but their decided superiority is rapidly checking importations, thus distributing among our own people over one million dollars per annum that formerly went abroad.
This national triumph has been accomplished by a number of able and spirited individuals, who associated themselves together, according to the General Manufacturing Law of New York, under the title of "The Washington Medallion Pen Company." They commenced operations by erecting a substantial factory on Thirty-seventh street, between Seventh and Eighth avenues, in this city. After securing "competent artisans," they, at an early day, discovered the rock on which all their predecessors were wrecked adherence to English styles and trade-marks which necessitated a competition in the market at the prices at which English pens were offered; presenting no new feature to the consumers, they could not attract the notice of the people or engage the interests of the merchants. To sail clear of this rock the efforts of this Company were directed. Adopting the principle that variety is not a necessity with the consumer but, on the contrary, uniformity in excellence and designation would more certainly meet the great public desire it instituted thorough experiments with all known styles of steel pens, and made several entirely new shapes, with the view to ascertain what shape would produce the most natural and generally agreeable action. With this view, and after fully six months devoted to experiments, they perfected a pen of unrivaled shape and excellence to protect which from infringement they adopted as a trademark a medallion head of Washington; this is secured by letters patent, and is stamped on every pen. Thus fully comprehending the underlying principles of this important branch of manufactures, and boldly striking out a new path in accordance with them, this Company has firmly planted this new interest on American soil.
In our perambulations a short time since we visited this establishment. Finding the manufacture much more extensive and intricate than we had supposed, while at the same time it was exceedingly interesting, we determined to present our readers with a pictorial description.
There are about twenty separate operations, several of which are distinct trades, in the manufacture of a steel pen; each of these departments require a master workman at its head. We will endeavor to follow the process as pursued at the establishment of the Washington Medallion Pen Company. The pens progress through the factory in "lots" of about one hundred gross. Each "lot" is accompanied by a ticket, on which is recorded all the operations and other remarks during their progress. Thus when a lot is finished, although it has been from twenty to thirty days in the course of manufacture, the date each process was performed, the names of the operatives in each trade, together with the weight of the lot, are recorded. As we proceed the great value of this system will be made apparent.
The steel is received at the factory in sheets; after being cut in strips of the desired dimensions, it is immersed in "pickle," a weak solution of acid, to remove scales and dirt. It is now subject to the rolling process, which is accomplished, as shown in the illustration, by being passed between chilled rollers until it acquires the requisite thinness. Thus an ugly black plate of steel is transformed into delicate metallic ribbons, beautifully bright and supple, so as to move about on the hands like nothing we can think of but twining snakes.
rolling the steel by
Andrew, on Flickr
These ribbons of steel are taken to one of the long rooms in the upper story. These rooms are filled with drops and presses; before each machine a female operative is seated. As in all steel pen factories, there is an abundance of light; and warmth, ventilation and cleanliness are fully attended to. The work is admirably fitted for females, as it is light and wholesome, and requires that delicate manipulation and attention for which the sex is remarkable.
Continue to Part 2:
http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=4580.0
