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. Albert G. Bagley background:

Albert G. Bagley apprenticed under pioneer pen makers Levi Brown and worked alongside John Rendell. In 1840, Albert G. Bagley Gold Pens was located at 1 Front St. in Brooklyn, and also 189 Broadway, New York, NY.  Brown was an original producer of gold pens with Hawkins'  trade secret iridium tipped gold nib and both Brown and Bagley were recognized separately for their quality gold pen products in 1843 at the Fair of the American Institute. The report states that "Levi Brown, 61 Nassau street, Brooklyn, for the best gold pens Silver medal. A. G. Bagley, 189 Broadway, for the second best gold pens". Bagley began advertising his gold pens in The Scientific American in 1845 and continued through the 1840's. Bagley also advertised in the New York Evening Post newspaper in 1847, and continued other advertising during various partnerships through at least 1859 in newspapers throughout the northeastern United States and south into the Carolina's.

When Scientific American publisher Rufus M. Porter began publishing in 1845, he and Mr. Bagley became friends. Bagley pen products were advertised in Scientific American from1845 until at least 1850. In 1847, the Bagley operation was moved to 277 Broadway, New York, NY. William Marion joined Bagley’s firm in 1852 as a journeyman and worked at the Bagley firm until 1880 when the manufacturing operation was purchased by Edward Todd. [A.G. Bagley´s 1847 Metallic Pen patent for forming metallic pen barrels by drawing, number 4991, was cited in a 2014 patent filing with an ultimate patent award for a Cerus Endovascular aneurysm occlusion device.]

At least as early as 1852, Bagley was a member of the Masons Metropolitan Lodge No. 273 and is listed as Senior Warden and in 1854 as Master.

In 1852, Albert G. Bagley may have also contracted the manufacture of firearms, evidenced by a breech-loading, percussion rifle marked on the barrel “Albert G. Bagley March 1852”.

Mr. Bagley was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Western Department.

“In 1856 perhaps in part as retribution for prospering even after the earlier scandal, Bagley was sued again, and this time the situation was far more critical. W. Hawley, a district attorney witness, had entered Bagley's store and bought a pen as evidence. Under the patent law of August 29th, 1842, all items needed to be stamped with the full patent date. Imprinted on Bagley's pens was "A. G. Bagley Pat 1850" not the "Jan 1, 1850" required under the law. Since the fine for this infringement was $100 per item, and Bagley was selling hundreds of these pens, he would be ruined if he lost the case. Bagley's testimony was simple. He stated that he was following the "spirit of the law" even though he failed in some of the details. Judge Betts, in the end, agreed and found Bagley not guilty.

Interestingly, the story doesn't end there. While Bagley was tied up in court, he had left his partners, G. and E. Smith owners of the Luckey Jewelry Store, in some control of the pen business. Apparently they believed Bagley would lose his case and this gave them the legal right to take Bagley's assets and open a new company on their own. They advertised the new company "E. and G. Smith Pen Co (Formerly AG Bagley). Bagley was not amused. He went back to court and sued them for "breach of privilege in partnership", arguing that the advertisements had hurt his business. Presiding Judge Sanford agreed with Bagley and awarded him a huge $7,500 verdict [This would be over $226,000.00 if calculated in 2020 dollars]. The Smith brother's next advertisement was the liquidation of their jewelry business. AG Bagley was located at 189 Broadway from 1840-1846. He was listed at 277 Broadway in 1851 and at 12 Maiden Lane in 1853.” Attribution: http://kamakurapen.com/Manhattan/BagleyAG.html

In 1859 Bagley Pens under Charles F. Newton, successor to A.G. Bagley & Co. was advertising in the Wilmington Daily Herald newspaper of Wilmington, North Carolina, offering the full range of Bagley pen products including “The Congress Pen” and “Bagley’s United States Pen” among many other products.

Bagley was a prolific producer of pen and pen/pencil products as well as fine gold nibs. Bagley gold pens are among the finest produced in the world and his gold nibs, including Bagley’s Improved 1 & 2, The Congress Pen, Bagley’s United States Pen and a variety of others marked in various manner have been found across the USA and internationally.

WILLIAM CLAYBORN MARION, of Arlington, N. J., achieved special distinction in the manufacture of gold pens, a business he followed for fifty-two years. Born in Lexington, Ky., April 12, 1834, ... Mr. Marion left home at the age of fourteen and apprenticed himself to Andrew J. Berrian, a maker of gold pens at 75 Nassau Street, New York. Mr. Marion remained there three years, and became so skillful in the art of pen making that he secured, at the early age of seventeen, a position as journeyman in the shop of Albert G. Bagley, on the corner of Duane and Centre Streets, New York. Mr. Bagley is credited with being the inventor of the gold pen. After his death the business changed hands, but Mr. Marion continued to act as foreman for thirty-three years, when the plant was purchased by Edward Todd.

Mr. Bagley was long the leading gold pen maker of the world, and Mr. Marion not only became deeply interested in his work, but devoted much of his spare time after working hours to the study of difficult mechanical problems connected with the trade, and as a result of this close application he achieved a national reputation as an expert gold pen maker, orders for difficult work being sent to him from all parts of the country.

In 1884 Mr. Marion formed a partnership with G. Armeny and engaged in business on Nassau Street in New York City under the present firm name of Armeny & Marion. Mr. Marion is without doubt or question the oldest living working gold pen maker in the world, his successful and active career extending over a period of more than fifty-three years.​ Attribution: Willian Clayborn Marion genealogy timeline..​​

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​Later in the report, under awards for Gold and Steel Pens, Brown won best gold pens and Bagley won second place. In this listing, Brown's address is 41 Nassau Street, Brooklyn, and Bagley's is 189 Broadway.

Albert G. Bagley and his various company copartnerships were manufacturing Gold Pen Nibs and Bagley’s Patent Extension Pen Cases for more than 90 Years.

Click on the Buttons to View Albert G. Bagley’s Legacy

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The images on this page are only a few of the many items in my  Albert G. Bagley collection. I will endeavor to publish more information and images in the future.

These advertising bills indicate that Bagley's Gold Pens was located at 189 Broadway, 12 Maiden Lane, 277 Broadway and 89 Broadway. A.G. Bagley and H.H. Houghton signatures are depicted on both bills, indicating that Houghton was associated with Bagley at the time of production, perhaps sometime between 1855 and 1857.

​​Albert G. Bagley Business Timeline 1839 - 1932

Bagley as Apprentice

In London, John Isaac Hawkins invented the Gold Pen in 1834, successfully bonding iridium to gold and transferring rights to Aaron Porter Cleveland. Cleveland returned to New York in October, 1836, and instructed Levi Brown in the technique, who became the first Gold Pen maker in the United States. Bagley apprenticed under Levi Brown until at least 1839, and after leaving Brown's firm Albert Bagley opened a gold pen business at 1 Front Street, just down the street from Brown's 10 Front Street address in Brooklyn. Brown and Bagley competed at the Fair of the American Institute for best gold pen at least as early as 1843. Bagley had worked with John Rendell at the Brown firm and Rendell's industrial and mechanical genius assisted Bagley and others in mechanizing the manufacturing operation  of gold pens and pen holders, enabling Bagley to rapidly expand his product line and offer goods wholesale to others in the trade.

1839-1846 Sole Proprietor

​**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

Albert G. Bagley, 1839 (claimed)  - May, 1846

​1840, Albert G. Bagley Gold Pens was located at 1 Front St. in Brooklyn, and also 189 Broadway, New York, NY. 

Newspaper Advertising began as early as April 5, 1842 in the Brooklyn Evening Star.

Advertising as A.G. Bagley continued through various partnerships until May 12, 1870.

​​In 1843 at the Fair of the American Institute, Levi Brown won best specimen of gold pens, A.G. Bagley was recognized for excellent specimens of gold pens, and both initially listed addresses in Brooklyn, 10 and 1 Front-street respectively. 

1846-1848 Co-Partnership with G. & E. Smith

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant - Not Personnel

Albert G. Bagley (informal partnership - Albert G. Bagley, Gerrit Smith and Edgar M. Smith - May, 1846-November 30, 1846

Albert G. Bagley & Co. - Albert G. Bagley, Gerrit Smith and Edgar M. Smith -

December 1, 1846-August 10, 1848

1848-1849 Sole Proprietor

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

Albert G. Bagley - August 11, 1848-late 1849 (between May and October)

1850-1856 Co-Partnership with H.H. Houghton & later C.F. Newton

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

A.G. Bagley & Co. - Albert G. Bagley and Henry Harrison Houghton - late 1849

(between May and October)-December 31, 1855 Bagley, Houghton & Co. -

Albert G. Bagley, Henry Harrison Houghton and Charles F. Newton - January 1, 1856-April 19, 1856 H.H. Houghton & Co. -

Henry Harrison Houghton and Charles F. Newton - April 19, 1856-October 27, 1857

In 1852, William C. Marion joined the firm and rose to factory foreman. He remained until 1885, assisting John Rendell and other innovators in the Bagley operation pen-making process. Mr. Marion created many of the so-called "fancy pen" models and other unique penholders.

1857-1860 Co-Partnership with C.F. Newton

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

C.F. Newton -  Charles F. Newton - October 27, 1857-December 31, 1860.

1861-1864 Co-Partnership with C.F. Newton, Byrne, Monaghan & Kurtz

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

Newton & Co. - Charles F. Newton, James P. Byrne and Joseph Monaghan - January 1, 1861-December 30, 1863 C.F. Newton & Co. - Charles F. Newton, James P. Byrne, Joseph Monaghan and Keller Kurtz - December 31, 1863-December 31, 1864

1865-1867 Newton, Kurtz & Co.

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

Newton, Kurtz & Co. - Charles F. Newton, Keller Kurtz and Joseph Monaghan - January 1, 1865-May 1, 1867

1867-1870 Co-Partnership with Kurtz & Monaghan

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

Kurtz & Monaghan - Keller Kurtz and Joseph Monaghan - May 1, 1867-March 18, 1870

1868-1870+ A.G. Bagley Pen Maker

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

Advertising in St. Louis, Mo. with a storefront at 324 Olive Street. Research continues regarding business from 1871-1875.

​Albert G. Bagley died on or about November 10, 1876, after being hit by a train. According to newspaper accounts, he had 20 of his gold pens in his pocket. Bagley was fishing on a bridge and failed to avoid an oncoming train. Bagley was in his 60's.

1870 Co-Partnership with Joseph Monaghan

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees

Joseph Monaghan, March 18, 1870-September 1, 1870

1870-1884 Co-Partnership between Edward Todd & Co. & Joseph Monaghan

**Bagley Controlled Manufacturing Plant & Plant Employees until death

1870 Co-Partnership with Joseph Monaghan

Edward Todd & Co. - Edward Todd and Joseph Monaghan - September 1, 1870-February, 1884

1884-1886 Co-Partnership between Edward Todd & Co. (includes Todd Jr.) and Potts

Edward Todd & Co. - Edward Todd, Joseph Monaghan, Edward Todd, Jr. and Henry C. Potts - February, 1884-February 1, 1886

Mr. Marion retired from the factory in 1885, having headed the operation for over 30 years, through various successors.

1886-1897 Co-Partnership between Edward Todd & Co. includes Freer

Edward Todd & Co. - Edward Todd, Edward Todd, Jr. and Charles S. Freer - February 1, 1886-November, 1897

1898-1932 Edward Todd & Co. Incorporated

Edward Todd & Co. (Incorporated) - February, 1898-1932

This is a work in progress and updates will be forthcoming.​​​

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Albert G. Bagley's most often noted patents were awarded for pen and pencil cases constructed of one or two tubes inside or outside of others to make a stronger pen-case when drawn out. This format proliferated, both 2-tube and 3-tube varieties, with some marked with the Bagley 1850 patent and a rare few still exist marked with the 1846 patent. Mr. Bagley's patent number 6,981, awarded on January 1, 1850, states: "To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my inventions, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation."

Mr. Bagley worked to improve the manufacture of pen holders and was awarded a patent in 1847 for a method of forming metallic pen-barrels by drawing, thereby reducing manufacturing steps and employee time costs in production. Patent number 4,991, awarded on February 27, 1847, mentions the savings in time and labor.

Pen manufacturers including the Mabie group produced many products that utilized the Bagley patents. Within my own collection, pen/pencil combos marked with the Mabie 1854 patent are clearly utilizing the Bagley patented tube extension mechanism.

Bagley was a prolific manufacturer, cited in a newspaper article as using 800lbs of gold each year in 1866. Based on simple mathematical analysis, at 15 grams per pen holder, gold pen production would have been over 25,000 per year. This would not include silver pen holders. Annual gold pen nib production from 1846 to 1848 was 1,250,000 or more according to New York Superior Court records and statements by The Scientific American.

In the Scientific American Vol 2. No. 1 September 26, 1846, Mr. Bagley advertised “Gold Pens!! – In consequence of the increased facility afforded by machinery for the manufacture of my GOLD PENS, I am enabled to furnish them to the Trade, at a much less price than they heretofore obtained them through my Agent. Those purchasing direct of the manufacturer will have the double advantage of the lowest market price, and the privilege of returning those that are imperfect. In connection with the above, I am manufacturing the usual style of PENHOLDER, together with my PATENT EXTENSION PENHOLDER with PENCIL. All orders thankfully received, and punctually attended to. A.G. BAGLEY, sept 25 1* 189 Broadway, N.Y.”

Indeed, the likes of Cross Pen Company and Tiffany & Co. were among numerous Bagley trade customers. Within the example images below, the Tiffany example exhibits a box marked for Tiffany & Co. located at 36 bis avenue de L’Opera in 1866. 

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