The Broadway Gold Pen Company seems to have been a cooperative effort created by a group of manhattan jewelers/swindlers, mainly Merrick, Dean and Benton to sell their pens to rural cities and towns, mostly in Ohio, prior to the Civil War. To the left is a copy of one of their numerous newspaper advertisements. This one was published in the Delaware State Reporter on September 25, 1857. However, the pens delivered were not quite as nice as what the advertisements claimed. Below is a section from the book The Secrets Of The Great City published in 1859 by Edward Winslow Martin. It explains well how disappointing the pens were. If you ever bought a junk pen from ebay that the seller described as "Mint" then you can relate. I assume that these ebay scammers are the great grandchildren of the people behind the Broadway Gold Pen Company.

What village poetaster or scribbler
for the weekly journal--enjoying a reputation among his acquaintances
for 'smart writing'--imagining himself a second Byron or another
Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., but what likes to sport a gold pen with 'silver
case' before the admiring eyes of friends or the envious glances of
rivals, as the instrument with which the flow of melody or pathetic
romance in the 'Trumpetown Blower' is produced. By such the circular of
the 'Broadway Gold Pen Co.' sent through the post-office, is warmly
welcomed. A careful perusal, a comparison of the different styles and
prices, and then, of course, a remittance. The pen arrives in a
handsome velvet-lined box. A glance and the possessor is entranced; he
tries it, it writes smoothly, and forthwith it is cleaned, placed in
the pocket and carelessly shown by accident' to friends. Another
trial--alas! the ink sticks; the pen corrodes; the gold comes off; the
silver holder turns black; polishing fails to produce a shine, and
eventually it is apparent that a swindle has been perpetrated and that
the 'cheap gold pen' is, after all, but copper or brass; thousands of
these pens are sent in a week by express to all parts of the country
and as many dupes made to pay fifty times their value to the adroit
swindlers who manufacture them.

"The postmaster at Wakeman, Huron county, Ohio, having heard of this--
Pen Co., sent for a circular, which was at once forwarded. Selecting a
certain pen he remitted the money for it; in reply he received an old
copper pen not worth three cents; he immediately remonstrated in a
second letter, and a third, of which no notice was taken, and the
unfortunate United States official was obliged to consider himself
swindled. This is but an instance of many."

Customers could also send in their pens to the 355 Broadway address to be repaired.

If anyone has any information to share, please let me know at:

rd@kamakurapens.com