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
6850: unmarked penner: classic Sheffield brass writing compendium, 13.4 cm high, original ceramic inkwell insert appears to have been replaced with a glass tube insert, crudely corked; typical denting, a fine example of a design made from the 18th century up until the beginning of the 19th.
DATE: c. 1800 • CONDITION:
G • $650 
9235: Mordan pencil: small and slender, sterling silver, 8.75 cm, early nonretracting model, waffle-seal end, uses "H" (.9 mm) lead; crisp fluting, nice clean early example, marked "MORDAN'S".
DATE: c. 1835 •
CONDITION: fine-exc • $120
8361: Mordan dip pen and pencil combination: early and rare form, 9.9 cm long retracted, London-hallmarked sterling silver, with Bramah holder for cut quills at one end, propelling pencil nozzle at the other; early "MAKERS & PATENTEES" imprint, maker's mark for Mordan and Riddle; crisp fluting, no dings, but pencil mechanism needs repair.
DATE: 1835 • CONDITION: fine* • $800
9278: unmarked pencil: early imitation of Mordan's pioneering propelling pencils, but in nickel silver instead of real silver; 8.4 cm long, flat seal end, barrel seam along slot has been left unsoldered, nozzle probably originally used 1.0 mm lead, but appears to have been crimped down to use standard .9 mm. Overall quality mediocre, but of definite historical interest; probably English.
DATE: c. 1845 • CONDITION:
VG-fine • $65
9299: H. Thompson quill knife: tapered, flat-sided wood handle, imprinted with Victorian crown and cipher, as well as "H. THOMPSON/9 NASSAU ST."; 17.6 cm long overall, blade sound, tiny chip to tip.
DATE: c. 1860
• CONDITION: fine • $95
6293: unmarked magic pencil: scarce oversize ringtop, 13.7 cm long extended, 7.6 cm long closed; bold fluted pattern, top quality, marked "STERLING PAT. APD FOR", uses 2 mm lead; US-made, probably by Fairchild or Johnson.
DATE: c. 1870 • CONDITION: fine • $325
9049: Fairchild magic pencil: sterling silver ringtop with large barleycorn barrel, good-sized at 12.4 cm long extended, 6.9 cm closed; small engraved monogram on indicia on shaft, uses 2.0 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1880 •
CONDITION: fine-exc • $175
5701: Fairchild (?) magic pencil: large, heavy sterling silver ringtop, 7 cm long closed, mechanically sound, scattered light marks, uses 1.8 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: G • $180
9368: Hicks magic pencil: gold filled, 6.9 cm long closed, 12.5 cm open, fine barleycorn pattern, 1871 patent date imprint, uses 1.5 mm (VS) lead.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: fine • $85
9393: Hicks (?) dip pen: unmarked gold filled body with sliding nib carrier, extendable wood (ebony?) taper shaft, name "OLLIE" engraved on side; 11.6 cm long, extended, excluding #4 ventless Hicks gold nib; 7.9 cm closed; nib is slightly toothy, flexes with very light pressure, yet nearly all of the flex occurs toward the front of the tines -- so not recommended for extensive work demanding extreme line width variation.
DATE: c. 1880
• CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $80
7767: J. Nowill & Sons quill knife: Sheffield-made, 16.6 cm long, molded composition handle, blade markings weak but legible.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: G-VG • $50
8888: Fairchild magic pencil: rose gold filled ringtop with heavily figured abalone panels; 12 cm long extended, 6.7 cm closed; nozzle marked "8", accepts 1.1 mm lead. Marked both "FAIRCHILD" and "PL. PAT. MAR 8" (US patent 238,735 of 1881); some wear to metal, bumps to end of nozzle.
DATE: c. 1885 • CONDITION: VG-fine
• $150
5428: American Pencil Co. pencil case: wooden holder, 28.3 cm long, in the form of a giant pencil with a screw-on nickeled brass end cap; faux woodgrained finish, real lead inset into end; marked with number "32" and "PATENT/APPL'D FOR".
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc • $100
6725: Asprey combination paper knife and pen knife: ivory, 18.9 cm long, blade marked "ASPREY/166/BOND STREET"; blade has one nick in edge, action is good; ivory has scattered traces of what appears to be the remains of painted decoration.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG • $185
8250: De La Rue "Casket Ink" traveling inkwell: unusual oversized version, nickel plated, fully marked on both inside and on outer case, Paris-made, glass well inside; 5.5 cm high, 2.6 cm thick, original inner seal mostly present but not ink-tight; plating dull with wear and some spotting, mechanically sound, will clean up.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: G • $200
5930: Eagle No. 1200 reversible dip pen holder: nickel-plated brass, 12.6 cm long closed, end plug reverses to reveal nib holder; new old stock, but patches of surface corrosion to plating; several available; label from original box shown for illustration only, not included.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $12
9295: Hicks magic pencil: oversize gold filled ringtop, 9 cm closed, 15.4 cm extended; uses 2.5 mm lead, marked "W.S. HICKS NEW YORK"; mechanism smooth and positive. Magic pencils of this size are very uncommon.
DATE: c.
1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $295
9217: unmarked dip pen and pencil combination: fine barleycorn gold filled, 9.4 cm closed, slide collar pushes out nib carrier, twist-action extends pencil nozzle, uses 1.5 mm (VS) lead; crisp, no brassing, light bump to face of slightly flared end cap, excellent quality and workmanship.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc •
$105
8933: unmarked dip pen pencil combination: unusual gold-plated sterling silver holder with propelling pencil in taper (appears to use .075" lead); scroll pattern, marked "STERLING" on bottom of ferrule, initials on top; small crack on right side (see detail), wear to gold plating and tiny pit marks overall, perhaps a result of the plating process; 15.9 cm long excluding steel nib.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: G-VG*
• $345
6707: unmarked pencil: large, high quality, gold filled with long pearl slabs, nozzle extends by twisting front cap; 10.1 cm long extended, 8 cm retracted; mechanism works smoothly, pearl pristine, minimal plating wear to caps, tool marks on nozzle (see detail); uses 1.5 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine* • $165
9003: Heath magic pencil: short but thick gold filled ringtop, 6 cm long closed, 10.85 cm extended, elegantly engraved monogram in indicia, overall decoration a combination of simple engine turned lines and hand-engraved embellishments. Marked "GWH CO." on the shaft, uses 2.0 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine-exc
• $125
9012: Mordan combination dip pen and pencil: large, heavy, sterling silver two-draw ringtop, with heavy twist-pattern body; 16.9 cm long with pencil extended, 6.65 cm closed, pencil uses VS (1.5 mm) lead; back end of pencil slider has broken off, front end of pen slider fatigued -- operate with care. Elegant presentation inscription, many dings and dents to exterior, but all fully functional.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: G*
• $145
6653: Mordan (?) novelty pencil: sterling silver, in the shape of a Bramah patent key (more on the Bramah lock here); 5.7 cm long retracted, uses VS lead, retracting mechanism fully functional but a bit stiff, scratches on the ring suggest that it was carried on a real keyring; not marked, but a catalogued Mordan design and by all appearances Mordan manufacture.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: G-VG • $500
9218: unmarked pencil: gold filled twist-action extending ringtop, 6.85 cm long closed, 9 cm open; small and slender, but excellent quality and nicely engine turned; American-made, uses 1.0 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1895 •
CONDITION: exc • $50
4307: American Pencil Co. No. 19 giant dip pen: oversize display piece, 30 cm long; brass plated ferrule, wooden taper w swirled paint decoration (some minor flaking -- see picture); matching "MIDGET" steel nib.
DATE: c.
1900 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: fine semiflex • $150
5101: Fairchild (?) magic pencil: oversized sterling silver ringtop, 8.7 cm closed, 14.6 cm extended; marked "STERLING", monogrammed "W.H.R.", some extremely shallow bumps; very solidly made, smooth action, uses thick 1.8 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: VG • $180
6709: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 15.2 cm long excluding plated nib, elaborate high relief repoussé Art Nouveau floral design; unidentified maker's mark on bottom of ferrule, scattered light dings, apparent seal opening on underside of ferrule actually held together by soldered-in liner/nib-holder.
DATE: c. 1900
• CONDITION: G • $465
6730: B. & B. dip pen: unusual, aluminum, 15.8 cm long excluding bronze nib, marked " B. & B. ST. PAUL" near nib holder, and "MELLON NATIONAL BANK/PITTSBURGH" on the barrel; inner portion of nib holder rust-eaten, but does not affect function and is not visible with nib in place.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION:
VG-fine* • $70
9265: L. F. D. Co. Dow's Hump-Grip dip pen: bulbous red hard rubber holder, 11.6 cm long excluding nib, imprinted at end of taper "DOW'S HUMP-GRIP/L.F.D Co. St. PAUL.".
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: fine • $65
9363: Unger Brothers dip pen: sterling silver Art Nouveau sea serpent design in high relief, 16.6 cm long, excluding nib; highly desirable model from a premier American maker, well marked, listed as #7743 in Unger Brothers' catalog of 1904; usual minor marks to ferrule, taper slightly bent and repaired at end (see detail).
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: G* • $985
6705: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 16.3 cm long excluding steel nib, deeply hand-chased "Patch" pattern, similar to that found on some very highly valued Waterman fountain pens; marked "STERLING" and "103" (or "108"), initials on the ferrule, as well as a seam opening; ditto at end of taper, where badly dented (see details).
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: fine flex • $265
9262: unmarked magic pencil: silver with transparent guilloche enamel, 6.4 cm long closed, 12 cm open, ring marked "STERLING" and "BADEN", probably German manufacture, uses 1.5mm lead, propelling mechanism needs repair.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • $150
7193: unmarked magic pencil: gold plated "mummy pencil" with multicolored enamel inlays, 7 cm long retracted, some enamel losses to back of head (see detail); uses 1.8 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: VG* • $265
7194: unmarked magic pencil: large, gold plated "mummy pencil" with multicolored enamel, 6.5 cm long retracted, fine detail and quality, enamel condition very good with minimal losses, wear to plating; less common with arms shown at sides; uses 1.5 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: G-VG • $225
7195: unmarked magic pencil: large, gold plated "mummy pencil" with multicolored enamel, 6.5 cm long retracted, fine detail and quality, enamel condition excellent, wear to plating, ring appears to have Arabic hallmark; less common with arms shown at sides; uses 1.8 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: VG • $275
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