Stephens

[eachan]

As it was raised elsewhere, I thought I might explain a little about Stephens Fountain Pens. Stephens was a long-established provider of ink, probably the most popular in Britain. Every school had a large bottle of Stephens Blue/Black and a smaller one of Stephens Scarlet which the teacher would use to point out the shortcomings in pupils' work. In 1935 the company expanded into fountain pen sales. Stephens didn't make the pens, that they contracted out to Langs of Liverpool. The model numbers reflected the price, thus the 56 cost five shillings and sixpence, the 76 seven shillings and sixpence and the top of the range 106 cost ten shillings and sixpence.

These pens were innovative. They had a patented fixed blind cap which operated an otherwise normal button filling mechanism. No blind cap to lose! Other models were introduced through the years and sales were successful. Later, they had discussions with Waterman and came close to buying the company. Instead, Jif Waterman produced many pens for Stephens in the 1960s.

Many Stephens pens, especially those of the thirties and forties, were produced in beautiful, colourful celluloid patterns. Those fetch high prices today as collectors fight over them. The plainer black chased models are appreciated too.

[FredRydr]

Pics, or it never happened!

[eachan]

These are what I can find in our archive. There are restorer's prices and collector's prices and the colourful ones usually fetched the latter. We wouldn't still be in business if we paid those prices so we didn't acquire many of the better ones. The blue marbled pen is later, made by Jif Waterman. The open view of the red marbled pen may give some idea of the operation of the fixed blind cap. They used a ball-ended clip and sometimes an arrow version. Stephens sold lever fillers as well as stud fillers.

https://images41.fotki.com/v1673/photos/2/3815032/14358355/IMGP7129-vi.gif (https://private.fotki.com/sempilch/private/imgp7129.html)

https://images34.fotki.com/v1675/photos/2/3815032/14358355/various003-vi.gif (https://private.fotki.com/sempilch/private/various-003.html)

https://images15.fotki.com/v1674/photos/2/3815032/14358355/dscf4658-vi.gif (https://private.fotki.com/sempilch/private/dscf4658.html)

https://images20.fotki.com/v1666/photos/2/3815032/14358355/imgp0865-vi.gif (https://private.fotki.com/sempilch/private/imgp0865.html)

https://images20.fotki.com/v1672/photos/2/3815032/14358355/dscf4555-vi.gif (https://private.fotki.com/sempilch/private/dscf4555.html)

https://images42.fotki.com/v1423/photos/2/3815032/14358355/dscf3896-vi.gif (https://private.fotki.com/sempilch/private/dscf3896.html)

[Jon Szanto]

Nicely done pens!

[da vinci]

Great post x 2 thanks. The design of the blind cap/filler button is good, but does it make it harder to restore/ replace the sac?

[FredRydr]

Thanks again, eachan!

[eachan]

Great post x 2 thanks. The design of the blind cap/filler button is good, but does it make it harder to restore/ replace the sac?

Replacing the sac is quite straightforward but if the button unit itself fails the repair is not trivial. That doesn't happen often and when it does it is almost always capable of repair.

[Malcolm]

A couple of Stephens' pens...

A "LEVERFILL No 106"

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51250495901_389da2e913_b.jpg

and a "LEVERFILL No 270"

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51249767677_2f30b86ee8_b.jpg

Both pens carry Warranted nibs.

[Johnny_S]

A couple of Stephens' pens...

A "LEVERFILL No 106"

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51250495901_389da2e913_b.jpg

and a "LEVERFILL No 270"

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51249767677_2f30b86ee8_b.jpg

Both pens carry Warranted nibs.

Something similar

https://ibb.co/Xkdbn04

[Jon Szanto]

Just last night I had occasion to take out FPotW by Andy L, and as I was thumbing through, looking for something, I came across a nice bit about the Stephens pens and a half-dozen in photo. The English certainly knew how to craft a handsome pen.