Mabie Todd introduced the Swan 6260 in 1939, but by 1941 the British Board of trade issued strict limitations on the number of pens that could be produced as the factories were turned over to producing munitions for the war. The 6260 was made for a short time and was known as an 'austerity pen'. In fact, there was nothing 'austere' about it, it is a high quality, hard rubber pen with all the characteristics required for a pen that was made to be used for extended periods of writing.
The pen is finished in classic black with Gold filled clip, cap bands and filler lever. It has a deep shine with a very crisp barrel imprint and swan logo on the end of the cap. The model number, '6260', is carried at the end of the barrel and the word 'Swan' is imprinted on the nib section and the feed. The style of barrel imprint is only found on these wartime pens. The Gold filling to the clip, filler lever, and cap bands has held up extremely well.
The pen has been fully restored and tested. The new ink sac fills with a single operation of the lever and the 14 Ct. Gold nib is a very impressive writer. It writes smoothly with a firm, fine to medium line but a little 'give' produces a pleasing 'soft' feel.
It is a very comfortable and 'easy' pen to use, when capped it has an impressive length of 16.1 cm. (6.5 inches) with a balance point just where the pen fits in the 'jaws' of the hand. This, along with the light weight, is one of the features of a pen produced for extended periods of writing, as alluded to earlier.
The box is new and of high quality, it suits the pen well and will serve for transportation, protection, and display.
The early years of W.W.2. were difficult times for pen manufacturers. Demand was at an all time high, due mainly to the millions of soldiers posted overseas who needed to communicate with families. Coupled with the wartime restrictions on production, this led to a thriving black market with pens being sold at hugely inflated prices and a number of robberies of pen manufacturers properties.
When full production was resumed, Mabie Todd changed to more streamlined 'torpedo' shaped designs so the 6260 is one of the last Swan 'flat tops'. At about 85 years old, this example is clearly of collectable quality but it is also a practical pen, robust enough to make an excellent every day writer.