Dip Pens & Early Writing Equipment
If not otherwise specified, measurements of dip pens are inclusive of their nibs, and measurements of pens and pencils with extending parts are given at full extension. We can provide nibs upon request for dip pens listed without nibs. For ordinary steel nibs, this will normally be without charge.
Pencil lead links: order lead or learn about sizes and sources
The items below are sorted by date; click here to sort by maker
10731: Morton reversing dip pen: ebonized wood taper, sterling silver barrel with reversing nib holder plug end; 14.5 cm long closed, 18.6 cm open including unnumbered A. Morton nib, dated 1853. A few minor bumps to the silver, nib imprint is worn but legible; a less common form in a nice size (nib would be #5 or #4) and a less common material (silver vs gold filled).
DATE: c. 1853 • CONDITION: VG •
NIB: extra-fine flex • $300 
10370: Manual Tool Co. quill knife: Sheffield-made, 16.5 cm long, well-marked on blocky wooden handle with queen's crown and "S.O." (Stationery Office) above "45-12", with maker's name.
DATE: c. 1860 •
CONDITION: fine-exc • $95
9671: Manual Tool Co. quill knife: Sheffield-made, 16.8 cm long, well-marked on handle with queen's crown and "S.O." (Stationery Office) above "45-12", with maker's name.
DATE: c. 1860 • CONDITION: fine-exc •
$95
10373: Rodgers scraper: ink eraser, 13.2 cm long, flat wooden handle, end probably intended to serve as a paper knife; marked "CUTLER TO/HER MAJESTY", blade well worn and pitted, but still sharp and sound.
DATE: c. 1860 • CONDITION: G • $40
9670: unmarked quill knife: Sheffield-made, 16.2 cm long, well-marked on handle with queen's crown and "S.O." (Stationery Office) above "45-12".
DATE: c. 1860 • CONDITION: fine • $85
10803: Carver & Sons dip pen in box: unmarked gold filled ferrule, removable ebonized wood taper, 15 cm long excluding nib; tipping is chipped off on one side of the large gold nib, which bears the unusual imprint "C/CARVER/&/SONS./7". Carver appears to have been a very small company, based in Amherst, Massachusetts; they received an award in 1870 at the Hampshire Agricultural Society annual exhibition. Unmarked box has been rehinged.
DATE: c. 1870 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine semiflex* •
$200
10738: Fairchild dip pen: enormous #9 socketed nib, wooden taper with chipped baluster finial, 19.1 cm long overall; tipping intact but seam partially split on underside of socket (see detail), could be resoldered by a jeweler if desired but mechanically sound as is. The nib contains 7 to 8g of solid 14K gold, by our best estimate.
DATE: c. 1870 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: medium fine flex •
$450
9785: unmarked scraper: erasing knife, blade marked on base "AVE/MARIA"; handle slightly bent to side, doubles as a paper knife; 15.7 cm long.
DATE: c. 1870 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $120
10737: Fairchild retracting dip pen: gold filled holder with removable wooden taper, 13.4 cm long closed, 17.6 cm extended including solid gold Edward Todd #6 nib; nib has a few scratches but is straight and sound, holder is well worn with a bit of typical corrosion to the lower part of the nib holder (see detail).
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: medium flex • $200
10328: Fairchild retracting dip pen: gold filled body, marked "FAIRCHILD MANF/No. 6", ebonized wood taper turns to extend and retract the nib -- a rare design, and a Fairchild patent. Mechanism works well, dents to the side of the body and a test mark to the front edge of the nib holder; nib is a #4 Mabie Todd gold ventless, with light straightening marks but of good appearance and a fine writer.
DATE: c. 1875
• CONDITION: VG* • NIB: extra-fine flex • $295
10551: Aikin Lambert pencil: black lacquered brass, gold filled ends, front end twists to extend, 7.3 cm long retracted, 9.75 cm extended; uses 1.5mm (VS) lead, no maker's marks, patent imprint date of Jan. 21, 1879 refers to James Aikin's US design patent 10,984 for "an ornamental design . . . consisting of flowers, insects, leaves, and vines". According to the patent, this design "may be made by painting", and if ever applied to this pencil, all traces are now worn away.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG*
• $65
10809: Fairchild retracting dip pen in box: black japanned taper, slender gold filled holder is fully marked; 12.1 cm long, #2 Fairchild nib, box is missing one closure eye, has been rehinged.
DATE: c. 1885
• CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine flex • $150
10758: Mabie Todd dip pen: large #7-size gold filled holder with 1877 patent date, green marbled celluloid taper, 12.3 cm long excluding big ventless #7 Aikin Lambert solid gold nib; nib will write a shaded line but action fairly firm, holder has seam split on side and central tube plug is corroded (see details), still works fine and holds nib securely. Unusual for both size and the material of the taper.
DATE: c. 1885
• CONDITION: G* • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $250
6725: Asprey combination paper knife and pen knife: 8.9 cm long, blade marked "ASPREY/166/BOND STREET"; blade has one nick in edge, action is good; scattered traces of what appears to be the remains of painted decoration.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG • $185
10314: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, fully marked, 15.6 cm long excluding nib (not gold); scattered small dings, one flat of hexagonal body elegantly engraved "Geo L Buell".
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION:
G • $165
9943: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.25 cm long excluding nib, nicely-swelling body with high-quality repousse flower decoration, woodgrain-like lines cut at either end of relief-worked area a refined touch enhancing the realistic effect. Ferrule fully marked, model number B140.
DATE: c. 1890 •
CONDITION: fine • $425
10807: Grieshaber dip pen in box: slender unmarked gold filled holder with engine turned body, 14.3 cm long excluding ventless gold #2 Grieshaber nib; yellow plush worn almost completely away from exterior of the two-part case. Gold filled holders are much less common than silver.
DATE: c. 1890 •
CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine flex • $225
10557: Mabie Todd dip pen: sterling silver, high relief repousse design of flowers and leaves, 16.2 cm long excluding ventless gold #4 John Holland nib; much higher quality than usual die-stamped work, requiring considerable hand labor. Even polishing wear, a few nicks at the end of the taper.
DATE: c. 1890
• CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: fine superflex • $485
9842: Fairchild magic pencil: large sterling silver ringtop, 12.2 cm long extended, 6.4 cm retracted; beautiful high-relief design of raised flowers against a textured ground, no maker's mark, but shaft imprinted "STERLING" and "PAT. APD FOR"; uses 2.0 mm lead, mechanism sticky, some scratching to nozzle.
DATE:
c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine* • $250
9834: Gorham dip pen: large with bold "pineapple" pattern, 15.8 cm long excluding plated nib; fully marked, nicely patinated, unusual form; nice condition, a few light nicks.
DATE: c. 1895 •
CONDITION: fine • $275
10417: Edward Todd dip pen and pencil combination: sterling silver, 16.1 cm long excluding nongold nib, end of taper twists to extend 2.0 mm lead. Nice substantial proportions, sharp scroll relief decoration, fully marked on ferrule, with engraved name "EMILY". Lead has to be pushed back, does not retract automatically.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine • $485
10455: Unger Brothers dip pen: sterling silver "Roses" design in high relief, 16.8 cm long excluding nib; highly desirable model from a premier American maker, maker's mark worn but otherwise nicely imprinted, relief work fine, toothmarks and small seam split at end of taper.
DATE: c. 1900 •
CONDITION: G-VG* • $1200
10736: Baker ejector dip pen: sterling silver, English hallmarks and registration number, 15.1 cm long excluding nib. The end of the taper is spring-loaded; when pushed, the nib is ejected. A few scratches to the holder, London hallmark is worn but date code easily legible, plunger finial ball is a base metal replacement.
DATE: c. 1903 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • $250
10781: Unger Brothers dip pen: sterling silver "Love's Dream" design in high relief, 16.6 cm long excluding nib; highly desirable model from a premier American maker. Initials on holder, short seam opening at forward ferrule (see details), gold plating is not original but we have left it alone, as it has worn interestingly to enhance the relief work.
DATE: c. 1904 • CONDITION: G-VG* • $1500
10726: unmarked glass dip pen: hollow clear golden brown handle, clear twisted nib, about 17 cm long, hand-made; part of a hoard found in central Europe, several available.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION:
mint • NIB: fine • $25
10037: Mordan combination dip pen and pencil: sterling silver ringtop, 6.25 cm long closed, telescoping body opens to reveal sliders to extend dip pen holder and 1.5 mm (VS) pencil nozzle; mechanically sound, but one slider plate is missing (can still easily be operated by pushing upon the protruding pins) and the other is missing an end. 1908 dated inscription on the barrel.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION:
VG-fine* • $85
10661: Rodgers scraper: ink eraser, 15.6 cm long, imitation wood synthetic composition handle, blade in sound condition, fully marked with cipher of King George.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: fine •
$45
10421: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 17.2 cm long, letter-opener end; Stanhope peep viewer at center, with two WW1 images, titled "SOISSONS", "VILLE INCENDIEE", "MAISONS BOMBARDEES". Images are clean, though slightly tilted, crack through the bone just above the viewer has been well repaired and is hardly noticeable; some rust to the ferrule.
DATE: c. 1917
• CONDITION: fine-exc* • $60
10420: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 17.2 cm long, letter-opener end; Stanhope peep viewer at center, with two images of WW1 battlefields, titled "GUERRE EUROPEENNE 1914-1915-1916", "PANORAMA DU MORT-HOMME/ET DE LA MEUSE", "PANORAMA DU PLATEAU/DU DOUAUMONT". Images are clean, though tilted, crack through the bone just above the viewer has been well repaired and is hardly noticeable; some rust to the ferrule, some old defects to the bone (see details).
DATE: c. 1917 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • $60
10438: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 17.1 cm long, letter-opener end, made in France; stanhope peep viewer at center, with image of "THE OLD MISSION - SANTA BARBARA/CALIFORNIA." Image is nice and clean, unusual California subject.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION:
exc • $90
10439: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 17.3 cm long, letter-opener end, made in France; stanhope peep viewer at center, with image of "SAN MIGUEL CHURCH IN 1872, SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO." Image is nice and clean, some rust on ferrule.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine
• $80
10440: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 17.2 cm long, letter-opener end, made in France; stanhope peep viewer at center, with image of "MONTREAL - ORATOIRE ST. JOSEPH/ST. JOSEPH ORATORY." Image is nice and clean.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: exc • $75
10437: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 17.4 cm long, letter-opener end, made in France; stanhope peep viewer at center, with image of "THE OLD MISSION - SAN LUIS REY/CALIFORNIA." Image is nice and clean, a little rust inside ferrule, unusual California subject.
DATE: c.
1925 • CONDITION: exc • $90
7829: Conklin paper knife: laminated celluloid, 22.2 cm long, imprinted "COMPLIMENTS OF THE CONKLIN PEN CO."; side panels are the same distinctive mottled green used for Conklin pens, tip of blade has been chipped and smoothed.
DATE: c. 1928 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $400
10442: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 16.9 cm long, letter-opener end, made in France; stanhope peep viewer at center, with image of "SHRINE CHURCH, OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION/CAREY, OHIO." Good clean image.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: exc • $60
10443: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 17.4 cm long, letter-opener end, made in France; stanhope peep viewer at center, with image of "HOLY ROSARY CHURCH/INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA ." Good clean image.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: exc • $60
10441: unmarked souvenir dip pen: turned and carved bone with nickel plated ferrule, 17.2 cm long, letter-opener end, made in France; stanhope peep viewer at center, with image of "ST ANN'S CHURCH, VIDA, MONTANA/BUILT IN 1933 WITH THE AID OF/EXTENSION SOCIETY, CHICAGO ILL ." Good clean image, some rust to ferrule.
DATE: c. 1933 • CONDITION: fine • $60