Do you remember the “Starling” pen? I wrote about it on August 24, 2013, back here http://wp.me/p17T6K-Kf. At that time, I was convinced that it was not a Mabie Todd pen because it didn’t look like that company’s output and didn’t have a barrel imprint that stated Mabie Todd as is invariably the case.
Well, I was wrong and it wasn’t invariable. Despite not having a Mabie Todd imprint, the pen was made by that company. I know for sure because a reader of this blog kindly provided me with a “Starling” box.
It doesn’t give much away. It just states The “Starling” Pen Made in England by Mabie Todd and Co Ltd.
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Thanks for that: so interesting to the Mabie Todd enthusiast.
Visiting the page it looks as though MT & Co really wanted to distance themselves from the Starling: I noted with interest the filler lever – every other MT pen had the same shaped lever from the very beginning to the end (not counting of course the American pens) – but the Starling’s is different.
I suppose it dates from about 1930?
Paul
Or a little earlier.
Interesting, I’m a bit curious about old FP boxes myself. On a Onoto box it has a space for address of the original owner which I think it was suppose to be for repairs. Did people sent back their expensive pens in the plain cardboard boxes back then? Although it is better (as it survived 100+ years to now) than a few bubble mailers but still.
I suspect that the box went in an envelope.