Joseph Gillott's (pens) on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Joseph Gillott's was an
(Archive), 1 Jul 2010 In 1961, Joseph Gillott's was taken over by British Pens Ltd., becoming a
/Ref> Subsequently Gillott adapted the stamping press to the requirements of the manufacture, as cutting out the blanks, forming the slits, bending the metal, and impressing the maker's name on the pens. He also devised improved modes of preparing the metal for the action of the press, tempering, cleansing, and polishing, and, in short, many little details of manufacture necessary to give them the required flexibility to enable them to compete with the quill pen. One great difficulty to be overcome was their extreme hardness and stiffness; this was effected by making slits at the side in addition to the central one, which had previously been solely used. A further improvement, that of cross grinding the points, was subsequently adopted. The first gross of pens with three slits was sold for seven pounds. In 1830 the price was $2.00; in 1832, $1.50; in 1861, 12 cents, and a common variety for 4 cents a gross. The simplicity, accuracy, and readiness of the machinery employed enabled Gillott to produce steel pens in large quantities, and as he sold them at high prices he rapidly made a fortune. He ultimately employed 450 persons, who produced upwards of five tons per week, and the price was reduced from one shilling each to 4 pence a gross. His son, also Joseph, continued the family business of manufacturing steel pen nibs and continued to live in the Birmingham area, close to the large factory on Graham Street in the Jewellery Quarter, known as the Victoria Works.
Gillott nibs
on Scribblers website Some of them are still commercialised.
Joseph Gillott’s (WMC) — 170 WARRANTED DSC 0634.jpg, 170
Joseph Gillott’s — 290 LITHOGRAPHIC PEN DSC 9919.jpg, 290
Joseph Gillott’s — 291 MAPPING PEN DSC 9371.jpg, 291
Joseph Gillott’s — № 303 DSC 9082.jpg, 303
Joseph Gillott’s — 404 F DSC 9206.jpg, 404
Joseph Gillott’s — № 659 CROW QUILL DSC 9380.jpg, 659
Joseph Gillott’s (WMC) — 850 LONG SHOULDER CROW QUILL DSC 0546.jpg, 850
Joseph Gillott’s (WMC) — № 1068A RIGID DSC 0538.jpg, 1068
Joseph Gillott’s — 1160 SUPER FINE WRITER DSC 9964.jpg, 1160
Joseph Gillott’s — 1950 ARTIST’S PEN DSC 9073.jpg, 1950
Hinks, Wells & Cº (WMC) — 2788.jpg, 2788
A Tour Around Gillotts Pen Factory
from
The Shops and Companies of London and the Trades and Manufactories of Great Britain
', edited by Henry Mayhew, The Grand Printing and Publishing Company, London, 1865. With illustrations published in ''
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
manufacturing company
Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a r ...
based in Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
founded by Joseph Gillott
Joseph Gillott (11 October 1799 – 5 January 1872) was an English pen-manufacturer and patron of the arts based in Birmingham.
Pen manufacturing
After a brief period of schooling, Gillott began working in the cutlery trade in his home t ...
in 1827 that produced high-quality dip pen
A dip pen or nib pen or pen nib usually consists of a metal nib with capillary channels like those of fountain pen nibs, mounted in a handle or holder, often made of wood. Other materials can be used for the holder, including bone, metal and pla ...
s.More about the Pen Trade in Birmingham(Archive), 1 Jul 2010 In 1961, Joseph Gillott's was taken over by British Pens Ltd., becoming a
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...
of it. Pen lines with the Gillott's name were manufactured in the British Pens factory of West Midlands
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
,
History
Beginning and development
Joseph Gillott
Joseph Gillott (11 October 1799 – 5 January 1872) was an English pen-manufacturer and patron of the arts based in Birmingham.
Pen manufacturing
After a brief period of schooling, Gillott began working in the cutlery trade in his home t ...
was a working cutler in his home town Sheffield, but in 1821 he moved to Birmingham, where he found employment in the steel toy trade, the technical name for the manufacture of steel buckles, chains and light ornamental steel-work generally.
About 1830 he turned his attention to the manufacture of steel pens by machinery, and in 1831 patented a process for placing elongated points on the nibs of pens.Joseph Gillott Pen Maker/Ref> Subsequently Gillott adapted the stamping press to the requirements of the manufacture, as cutting out the blanks, forming the slits, bending the metal, and impressing the maker's name on the pens. He also devised improved modes of preparing the metal for the action of the press, tempering, cleansing, and polishing, and, in short, many little details of manufacture necessary to give them the required flexibility to enable them to compete with the quill pen. One great difficulty to be overcome was their extreme hardness and stiffness; this was effected by making slits at the side in addition to the central one, which had previously been solely used. A further improvement, that of cross grinding the points, was subsequently adopted. The first gross of pens with three slits was sold for seven pounds. In 1830 the price was $2.00; in 1832, $1.50; in 1861, 12 cents, and a common variety for 4 cents a gross. The simplicity, accuracy, and readiness of the machinery employed enabled Gillott to produce steel pens in large quantities, and as he sold them at high prices he rapidly made a fortune. He ultimately employed 450 persons, who produced upwards of five tons per week, and the price was reduced from one shilling each to 4 pence a gross. His son, also Joseph, continued the family business of manufacturing steel pen nibs and continued to live in the Birmingham area, close to the large factory on Graham Street in the Jewellery Quarter, known as the Victoria Works.
British Pens and present days
Nevertheless, the decreasing production of dip pens and the subsequent demise of the industry in Birmingham is often blamed on the invention of theballpoint pen
A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro (British English), ball pen (Hong Kong, Indian and Philippine English), or dot pen (Nepali) is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". ...
in 1938 by the Hungarian Laszlo Biro.
In 1920, when Hinks Wells & Co and William Mitchell came together at the Pedigree Works in Birmingham, founded a new company called "British Pens", which added Cumberland Pencils in 1921. After World War II staff from the London Jewel Company joined them and they began to produce ballpoint pen
A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro (British English), ball pen (Hong Kong, Indian and Philippine English), or dot pen (Nepali) is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". ...
s.
In 1961 British Pens acquired the pen businesses of Perry & Co. and other manufacturers like John Mitchell and Joseph Gillott's. As part of the Twinlock Group its name was changed to "Cumberland Graphics" in 1975. Byron Head, the Managing Director of William Mitchell, acquired British Pens in 1982, renaming it "William Mitchell Ltd.". The company still makes pens in the West Midlands.
Products
Gillott manufactured fine-point dip pens, suitable for drawing, mapping and calligraphy purposes. Some of the nibs models were #170, 290, 291, 303, 404, 659, 850, 1068, 1290, 1950 and 2788.on Scribblers website
Gallery
See also
* Birmingham pen trade *List of pen types, brands and companies
A pen is a handheld device used to apply ink to a surface, usually paper, for writing or drawing. Additional types of specialized pens are used in specific types of applications and environments such as in artwork, electronics, digital scanning ...
Bibliography
A Tour Around Gillotts Pen Factory
from
The Shops and Companies of London and the Trades and Manufactories of Great Britain
', edited by Henry Mayhew, The Grand Printing and Publishing Company, London, 1865. With illustrations published in ''
The Graphic
''The Graphic'' was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Ltd. Thomas's brother Lewis Samuel Thomas was a co-founder. The premature death of the latt ...
'', 1874
References
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gillott's, Joseph Manufacturing companies established in 1827 Manufacturing companies based in Birmingham, West Midlands Pen manufacturers Art materials brands 1827 establishments in England English brands