STERLING SILVER WRITING INSTRUMENTS

HAND CRAFTED IN ENGLAND, SINCE 1934

Our story spans nearly 200 years, trends may come and go but our attention to detail and excellence in craftsmanship never waivers.

  • Sampson Mordan, the favourite apprentice and assistant of John Bramah, the locksmith, and an associate of Michael Faraday, sets up as an independent goldsmith in London.

    1816

  • On 20th December Sampson Mordan patents his “ever-pointed” propelling pencil. He first registers his unique hall-mark on 26th June 1823 and another with his partner Gabriel Riddle on 30th April 1824, from 22 Castle Street, City Road, London.

    1822

  • Edward Baker & Company of Birmingham gain recognition with a range of silver and gold propelling pencils, swizzle sticks, tooth picks, and other small items.

    1856

  • Ludwig Brenner, who had reached London from Pforzheim, Germany before the first world war and had established his business in Charterhouse Street , near Hatton Garden , the centre of the London jewellery trade, registers his patent on an improved propelling pencil mechanism. His patent expands that of Sampson Mordan to allow the pencil to hold 12 three inch leads thus making a yard of lead length. For this new product he establishes The Yard-O-Led Pencil Company.

    1934

  • Frank Tufnell gains a majority shareholding in the Yard-O-Led Pencil Company Limited and also acquires Edward Baker & Company, thus gaining the patents and intellectual property of Sampson Mordan.

    1952

  • Tim Tufnell, Frank’s son and a qualified jeweler and silversmith, joins the business in which his father and grandfather had worked before him.

    1972

  • Filofax Group acquire Yard-O-Led with Tim Tufnell continuing as Managing Director.

    1988

  • A new Yard-O-Led atelier is established in Spencer Street Birmingham, in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter.

    1994

  • Imperial Yard Limited acquires the atelier, trade and intellectual property of Yard-O-Led, Sampson Mordan, Edward Baker, LF Brenner and other historic writing instrument pioneers. Tim Tufnell accepts the role of Honorary President.

    2015

  • Our Workshop In Birmingham, England

    Signifies company name European Convention Mark Signifies parts per 1,000 of sterling silver Symbol of Birmingham Assay Office Lion signifies sterling silver Letter indicates year of manufacture

  • ‘I like the idea that our pens are handed down through the generations’

  • ‘They have a lovely feel to them, when you write with them, they’re beautiful to write with’

  • ‘There are very few pens left in the world that are made by hand’

  • ‘We take our time and we know full well it’s quality when it goes out the door’

  • ‘You start off with a piece of silver but when you see the end product you can’t believe what you’ve actually made.’

  • 'Everything is done by hand, not machine. Some of the tools here are 50 to 60 years old’

The Diplomat

The Perfecta

The Viceroy Pocket

The Viceroy Standard

The Viceroy Grand

The Northumberland

The Shropshire

Limited Edition

to purchase an exquisite writing instrument

and start a life-long love affair with Yard-o-Led

Visit one of our handpicked stockists

Yard-O-Led Online Shop

Unit 12, 15 - 17 Regent Place, B1 3NL

www.yard-o-led.com

Pen Friend

Burlington Arcade & Fleet Street

The Pen Shop

Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle & Trafford

Harrods

87-135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL

Fortnum & Mason

181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER

Smythson of Bond Street

40 New Bond St, London W1S 2DE

Pen & Paper

13-17 Royal Arcade Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, CF10 1AE

Connard & Son Ltd

421 Lord Street, Southport, PR9 0AG

Jespers of Harrogate

14 Oxford Street, Harrogate, HG1 1PU

Write Here Ltd

10 High Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1SP

Airline International Luggage

18701 Montana Ave. El Paso, TX 79925

Altman Luggage Co.

135 Orchard St. New York, NY 10002

Appointments

441 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202

Atlas Stationers

227 W. Lake St. Chicago, IL 60606

Bittner

Ocean Ave. Carmel, CA 93921

Dromgoole's

2515 Rice Blvd. Houston, TX 77005

Fahrney's Pens

1317 F. St NW, Washington, DC 20004

Fountain Pen Hospital

10 Warren St. New York, NY 10007

Goods for the Study

50 W 8TH St. NY, NY 10011

Goods for the Study

234 Mulberry St. NY, NY 10012

Press Information

Emma Field

Director

emma@fieldcommunication.co.uk

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Handcrafted with care

Experience Quality

Diplomat Collection

Made the same since 1822

Perfect Balance

Viceroy Grand Collection

For the dedicated pen connoisseur