5 replies to this topic

[AndyR]

..... and it never has been.

 

I note from other discussions floating around this forum about possible distinctions between Waterman Doll pen, Doll's pen and World's smallest pen. Most of this discussion goes over my head, but what I am about to relate applies equally to all these variants!

 

I have often seen the claim that these pens were made for, or at least exhibited in, the Queen Mary's Dolls' House made in England in the mid 1920s and now on show at Windsor Castle. This claim has recently been repeated on 'the other' board. Unfortunately, this has absolutely no basis in fact and it seems to be yet another example of the 'it is quoted on the internet so it must be true' school of research that seems to be all too prevalent today.

 

The only make of fountain pen exhibited in the house is a Swan pen, clearly marked. This information was confirmed to Steve Hull some time ago by the curator of the exhibition, who also sent a picture on the understanding that it wouldn't be used elsewhere. So, though I have been lucky enough to see the picture, unfortunately I cannot share it with you. The cap has been lost over the years, but the pen is truly remarkable, just half an inch long with a 14ct nib, and reputedly a fully functioning eyedropper.

 

There is apparently a store of 'back up' items for the house but there is no record of there ever having been a Waterman pen in there either. Apart from this, the scale of the 'Doll' pen would have been hopelessly wrong. Everything on display is very strictly scaled 1:12, ie one inch to one foot. I'm not sure of the size of the Waterman's pens but I'm guessing they are comfortably in excess of one inch which would correspond to an actual pen 12 inches long or more, so there is no way such a pen would ever have been accepted for inclusion in the house! Even at half an inch, the Swan pen would be a fairly substantial fountain pen in real life, at about 6 inches long.

 

A little more information may be found in Steve's forthcoming article for the WES Journal on 'Novelty Pens & Stylos'.

 

Andy

 

Edited to add apologies for getting the apostrophe in the wrong place in the title!

Edited by AndyR, 08 January 2014 - 12:52 PM.

[David Nishimura]

Thank you for putting this correction out. The claim that a Waterman was in the Doll's House was prevalent even before the Web, though I do not know where it originated.

It is a pity that the picture of the miniature Swan was not publicly released, as I do think that would have drawn sufficient attention to correct the situation.

[Paul M]

Andy

 

I was fortunate enough to see and touch one of the two Dolls' Pens that recently sold at auction down in the South west. I would describe it as being the size of a matchstick (which on your scale might mean it was intended for a miniature highland games  ) It was a charming item.

[Penprophet]

The eyedropper doll pen is 1 3/8 inches and the safety doll pen is slighty longer

[Jim B]

Whether in the doll house or not, Waterman doll pens are cool.

[Penprophet]

I made a typo-  the pen is 1 5/8 inches long-  sorry