Yard o' Red is a British writing instrument brand that is still in production today, famous for its artisan-made pure silver pencils.
Although it is a slightly unusual name, it is deeply engraved with the origins of the brand and the passion that our craftsmen have for their writing instruments.

In this article, we will explain the history of Yard O' Red and the features of its products.

1. Relationship with Sampson Morden

The story of Yard O' Red begins with a silversmith named Sampson Mordan , who was active in the early 19th century.

As a young man, Mordant apprenticed under the famous inventor Joseph Bramah and in 1822 was co-inventor of the world's first retractable pencil, the Everpointed, which was patented.
A "retractable pencil" is a writing instrument that has a built-in lead that can be extended as needed; in Japan they are called "mechanical pencils."
Up until then, pencils needed to be sharpened when the lead got short, but the retractable pencil could be used simply by refilling the lead, making it a revolutionary invention.

After that, Modan and his descendants produced pencils using this patent, as well as other products with practical mechanisms befitting an inventor, such as card cases and postal scales.
However, Morden's company ceased operations after its factories were bombed during the London Blitz during World War II, and the rights to his invention were later acquired by Edward Baker & Co.
This would later have a deep connection to the birth of Yard O' Red.

On the official website of Yard O' Red, it is stated that the brand was founded in 1822, but this does not refer to the year the company itself was founded, but rather to the fact that the brand has inherited the lineage of Modern's inventions. In other words, Yard O' Red is a brand that has inherited Modern's innovative spirit and technology and is passing it on to the present day.

(Product of Sampson Morden)

2. History from the company's establishment to the present

At the beginning of the 20th century, a goldsmith named Ludwig Brenner emigrated to London from Pforzheim, the heart of the German jewellery industry. He brought the craftsmanship he had cultivated in his hometown to London, where he created a groundbreaking writing instrument that established his name.

It was a retractable pencil that could hold twelve 3-inch (approximately 7.5 cm) leads, for a total of 36 inches, or one yard. This unique, high-capacity mechanism was patented in 1934.
This is where the name Yard-o-led comes from.

That same year, Brenner partnered with Frank Tufnell Jr. to officially establish the Yard o' Red Pencil Company in London.
The connection to Sampson-Mordant seems to have arisen because Frank Tufnell Jr.'s father worked for the company.

Tragically, both the Brenner and Morden factories were destroyed during the London Blitz during World War II.
Sampson-Mordant later went out of business and its patents were transferred to Edward Baker & Co., but Yard O' Red survived.

In the 1950s Frank Tufnell Jr. acquired a majority stake in the company and subsequently acquired Edward Baker Ltd, bringing Modan's legendary patents under the Yard O' Red umbrella and consolidating a significant British pencil manufacturing heritage.

In the 1970s, the company began to focus on developing new writing instruments, such as ballpoint pens and fountain pens, in addition to pencils.
In addition, writing instruments began to be made out of a variety of materials, including rolled gold (gold-plated) and alloys, in addition to pure silver.

(Yard-o-Red writing implements from this era)

In 1988, Yard O' Red was acquired by the Filofax Group, best known for its personal organizers and system organizers.
Following the acquisition, Tim Tufnell, a family member who founded the company, remained in his role as managing director, ensuring continuity of the brand.
The acquisition introduced Yard O' Red to the Filofax customer base, broadening its reach beyond pen enthusiasts.

In 2015, Yard O' Red was acquired by Imperial Yards Limited.
The new owners are the English brothers, founders of British watch brand Bremont, and they are using their experience building a premium British manufacturing brand with Bremont to position Yard O' Red more aggressively in the luxury market.
As a result, Yard O' Red's current lineup of writing instruments is centered around products in a much higher price range than their predecessors.

3. Features of Yard O'Red writing instruments

The greatest feature of Yard O' Red's writing instruments is, without a doubt, the materials they are made from and the craftsmanship that goes into their craftsmanship.

Yard O' Red's writing instruments are primarily made of high-quality 925 sterling silver. Sterling silver is a silver alloy that contains 92.5% silver, and is characterized by its beautiful shine and durability.
Since the 1970s, gold-plated, alloy and resin writing instruments have also been produced, but sterling silver writing instruments remain the norm.

Since the 1970s, the brand has also produced ballpoint pens and fountain pens, but it is still its retractable pencils that are most representative of the brand.
Most modern mechanical pencils are knock-type and have thin leads such as 0.5mm, but Yard O' Red pencils have a mechanism that inserts and removes a thicker 1.18mm lead by rotating the pen barrel.

Yard O' Red writing instruments are created from tubes of sterling silver that are cut and shaped in a process called "swaging" before being forged, shaped, hand polished (with traditional abrasives) and carefully assembled.

Although the word "handmade" is often used to describe the manufacturing process, it is in fact a combination of skilled manual techniques (chasing, polishing, assembly) and traditional machines (swaging, guilloche engraving, etc.).
Rather than being entirely hand-forged, it combines industrial revolution-era craftsmanship with hand finishing.

summary

Yard O' Red is a long-established British writing instrument brand with roots in Sampson Modan's invention of the retractable pencil in 1822.

The writing instruments are made of sterling silver and are made by artisans using traditional techniques. In particular, the intricate decorations created by hand chasing are one of the great attractions of Yard O' Red.

Because of their commitment to handcrafting, Yard O' Red produces only a small number of pens, and compared to famous writing instrument brands such as Montblanc and Parker, they are less well known and are a brand that only a few people know about. However, Yard O' Red writing instruments are not just writing instruments; they can also be considered works of art that embody the pinnacle of British craftsmanship.

Since SILVER-LUG mainly deals in British silver products, we carry a large selection of Yard o' Red writing instruments.

Check out Yard O' Red's work here