The items below are the most recent additions to our catalog; they are listed alphabetically by maker.
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We have been putting aside special dip pens for months, and here they are! The bigger sizes are much less common than the smaller, and tend to date earlier as well.


10836: Bagley (?) dip pen and pencil combination: unusually large and finely detailed sterling silver extending and reversing holder, of form originally patented by Bagley in the 1830s but widely copied by the New York trade; 10.1 cm long closed, 18.9 cm extended including long-tined E. S. Johnson ventless gold #6-size 303 nib. Mechanical pencil end uses 1.0 mm lead, steel insert in nozzle tip characteristically early, nib is probably 30-40 years later than the holder; metal clean with only a few very shallow pinhead dings, light bumps to end.

DATE: c. 1850 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine superflex • SOLD

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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 ORDER

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10811: Edward Todd dip pen: extremely clean gold filled holder, removable ebonized wood taper, 14.6 cm long excluding substantial Edward Todd #6-size 303 gold ventless nib.

DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: extra-fine flex • SOLD

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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 ORDER

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10769: Foley dip pen in box: gold filled holder with removable ebonized wood taper, 14.6 cm long excluding large #7 Foley "Bank Pen" nib; box well worn, fully marked, has been rehinged.

DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine flex • SOLD

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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 ORDER

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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 ORDER

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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 ORDER

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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 ORDER

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10858: Eagle Arrow dip pen: unusual drop-action holder, 11 cm long retracted, black lacquered brass with nickel plated trim; imprint on nib holder notes Feb. 1, 1887 patent date, end button is pressed with nib down to extend, pressed again with nib upwards to retract; good working order, dent to end closure button, typical lacquer losses.

DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: G* • $60 ORDER

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10859: Eagle Arrow dip pen: unusual drop-action holder, 11.2 cm long retracted, black lacquered brass with nickel plated trim; imprint on nib holder notes Feb. 1, 1887 patent date, end button is pressed with nib down to extend, pressed again with nib upwards to retract; good working order, one shallow dent to the middle of the barrel, extensive lacquer losses.

DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: G* • $60 ORDER

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10874: Eversharp Match Thin pencil: gold filled miniature slender ringtop, 7.75 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead; a very scarce model, catalogued from 1924 to 1928 and seldom seen.

DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $120 ORDER

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10873: Parker Duofold Senior: classic "Big Red" oversize button-filler, 14 cm long, gold filled trim, massive Duofold nib, strong imprints, crisp cap end milling; increasingly hard to find in top condition.

DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine • $500 ORDER

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10867: Parker 51: black Vac-filler, wartime production with 1/10 16K gold filled over silver cap in grouped parallel lines pattern, Blue Diamond clip is also gold filled over silver; two-tone clutch ring, sharp barrel imprint with 2nd quarter date code, characteristic wartime filler with celluloid body, plunger with diamond emblem on end.

DATE: 1944 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium fine • $200 ORDER

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10861: Parker 51 Demi: dark blue Vac-filler, 1/8 14K gold filled cap in fine parallel lines pattern, 12.2 cm long, bold crisp barrel imprint with 4th quarter date code; Vac-filling Demis were produced for a short time and are relatively uncommon, and are shorter and thicker than the later Aerometric filling Demis.

DATE: 1947 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine • $185 ORDER

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10865: Parker 51: grey Vac-filler, sterling silver cap with geometric band, fine parallel lines pattern, gold filled over silver Blue Diamond clip; clean barrel imprint with 1st quarter date code, postwar production using wartime parts. Cap has a clip mark and usual blotchiness from partial loss of original rhodium plating, but no dings and little wear.

DATE: 1947 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium • $200 ORDER

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10866: Parker 51: burgundy Vac-filler, 1/10 14K gold filled cap with fine parallel lines pattern, plain arrow clip; older style semitransparent hood, barrel imprint is crisp with sharp "T7" date code, 2nd quarter; nice clean pen, no brassing to cap but one pinhead mark to back.

DATE: 1947 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine • $165 ORDER

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10860: Parker 51: unusual Canadian-made grey Vac-filler, fully marked, characteristic Blue Diamond clip with high placement of the Diamond, cap material is odd and appears to be rhodium plating over brass or cupronickel; no date code visible on barrel, but Canadian nib bears 1947 date.

DATE: 1947 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: medium fine • $350 ORDER

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10862: Parker 51: Aerometric filler in Cocoa, 1/10 12K gold filled cap; a smooth writer, sac has been replaced, cap has shallow dings and marks, Y-shaped impact crack at end of barrel (see details). A sound and attractive user.

DATE: c. 1955 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: medium • $95 ORDER

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10864: Parker 51: burgundy Aerometric filler, Lustraloy cap, chrome plated trim, later production with vent hole on side of barrel rather than at end, filler housing marked "51 Special" (even though nib is gold and cap jewel is pearl, not black), "halo" imprint on back of cap; a very smooth writer, noting stable hairline crack in mouth of barrel (see detail).

DATE: c. 1964 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine • $85 ORDER

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10869: Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral: "Pastel Green" pneumatic-filler, 14.2 cm long, gold filled trim, #5 14K gold nib marked M2 is a very smooth and responsive writer.

DATE: c. 1955 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium semiflex • $105 ORDER

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10871: Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral: "Pastel Blue" pneumatic-filler, 14.2 cm long, gold filled trim, #5 14K gold nib is a very smooth writer.

DATE: c. 1955 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium • $105 ORDER

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10872: Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman: grey pneumatic-filler, 14.1 cm long, gold filled trim, White Dot, conical palladium-silver Triumph nib; a smooth writer.

DATE: c. 1955 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium • $125 ORDER

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10870: Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman: "Pastel Blue" pneumatic-filler, gold filled trim, White Dot, smooth-writing conical palladium-silver Triumph nib, later production with colored section, imprint on cap rather than barrel. What is truly unusual about this pen, however, is its extra-long cap -- a full 5mm longer than normal, giving the pen an overall length, closed, of 14.7 cm.

DATE: c. 1958 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine • $265 ORDER

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