Truepoints don’t turn up very often so it’s a matter of interest when they do. To remind you, the Truepoint is one of those post-war pens that probably came from what had been a wartime munitions machine shop.
It’s a common story, except that the Truepoint was an exceptionally good pen, well designed and made. It bears a distinct resemblance to the British Duofold of the day.
In Britain the ballpoint was already beginning to bite into the writing instrument market and several of the old stalwarts of fountain pen making were beginning to feel the pinch. At a time when there were excellent pens like Parkers and Swans available, would you risk your hard-earned money on an unknown pen like the Truepoint? It was the hardest of hard times to try to break into a saturated market and the Truepoint failed, sadly for us because of its quality. One might wonder whether someone from one of the major manufacturers was involved in its design but I don’t suppose we’ll ever know now. It’s a hard rubber pen, very unusually at this late date. All the other manufacturers had given up that material except Mabie Todd. Which makes one go hmm…
The clip of the Truepoint usually bears a coat of arms. This one has the letter “K” instead. Unless any other explanation appears I would assume this is a replacement clip that happens to fit extremely well. It’s very like the original Truepoint clip – which is, of course, very like the Duofold clip. Which other pens of the day had a “K” in their name? Kingswood perhaps, and Kenrick Jackson. Maybe others that don’t come to mind right now. All the more conservative pen makers were still copying the Duofold though others had moved on to trying to replicate the Parker 51. In any case, there would be plenty of that style of clip around.
Many thanks to Jerry Symonds for photos and information.
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How weird, I have just bought one on E-bay because of the shield on the nib! The photo was to indistinct to see what is on the clip.
That’s quite a coincidence, Peter!
And I have just received a green marble one (they are normally solid colours I find), shield clip but warranted nib – I wonder if they had a bit of a hand to mouth existence and put pens together with whatever they had to hand?
I heard Andy R was taking an interest in Truepoint so I hope we will get more detailed and first rate research on the company at some time soon
I have found quite a few K nobs on Summits
Simon
PS Jefferson, not Jackson
or nibs even
Yes, the ‘K’ clips remain rather a mystery. It would be good to get more information about this brand. Much of what I’ve said is just guesswork.
Also congratulations on finding one with mixed colours. I’ve never seen that.
Simon, are you sure your green marble is an English Truepoint, not a Trupoint, which is probably American and a different kettle of fish, though similar in appearance? If it is really the English version, I am very jealous, I have never seen anything other than plain coloured in real life or advertised!
You are right, I have a research interest in (and small collections of ) Truepoint, as well as other small English makers of the early 1950s such as Selsdon and Hightime. As far as I am aware, Truepoints were only made in black, maroon, dove grey and ivory white, the first two being the most common by far. They date from 1948 to c1952, though there was a Truepoint (London) company still in existence (though dormant) right up to the mid 1990s. All of my Truepoints seem to be high quality, and I think the advent of ballpoints was the main reason they stopped manufacture, unlike Selsdon and Hightime who both tried to embrace the ballpoint, with not too much success. From memory (can’t find my research notes just now), they originated from a company called Kessler’s Ltd who were a manufacturer of electrical insulators in the 1930s. They were based in Stoke Newington, quite an enclave of small pen companies in the first 50 years of the 20th century.
Steve Hull and I are currently working on books looking at many of the smaller, often virtually unknown English pen manufacturers. Volume 1, 1895-1925 is well underway, hopefully to be ready by the end of this year. Volume 2, 1925-1960, which would include Truepoint, Selsdon and Hightime as well as many pre-war companies from that era will follow in due course, all being well.
Thanks for that, Andy.
3rd time lucky, clips not nibs
Although not in such good condition my pen is the same as yours. BHR with a ‘K’ on the clip. The nib makes me think that it is a Phillips product. It is a really smooth medium to broad flexi.
Steve Hull noted that Truepoint ‘was Kesslers Ltd’.
Thank you, Peter.