The items below are listed alphabetically by maker, with featured items grouped at the top.
Time for a short break from fountain pens! Here is a nice selection of late 19th and early 20th-century dip pens and mechanical pencils.
14820: Bates & Bacon magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, 6.7 cm long, 10.9 cm extended, nicely engine turned barrel, end marked "PAT. APPL'D FOR", nozzle uses standard 1.1mm lead, but bizarrely works in reverse (twists counterclockwise to extend the lead). Perhaps designed for a left-hander, since the monogram "M.M.M." engraved on the barrel is also in reverse, appearing upright when held in the left hand. Bates & Bacon was a jewelry company based in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: fine • $115
14855: Edward Todd magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, alternating pearl and abalone slabs, 6.7 cm long closed, 11.7 cm extended, uses 1.05 mm lead. Fully marked including 1871 patent date, tiny chip to front of one of the abalone slabs, small dings to gold filled shaft, extending mechanism is loose but works freely, abalone is notably colorful and luminescent.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: G-VG* • SOLD
14854: Fairchild magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, 6.7 cm long closed, 11.7 extended, hexagonal barrel of "end of day" pattern celluloid with a turquoise colored background. Mechanism works freely, fully marked, uses 1.1 mm lead, nice clean condition noting usual seam openings from normal celluloid age shrinkage.
DATE: c. 1885 • CONDITION: VG* • SOLD
14849: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.85 cm long excluding plated nib; fully marked (design number 17), monogram "MEK" on nib holder, stress cracks from forming of bold criss-cross pattern on barrel, does not affect functionality (see details).
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: G-VG* • SOLD
14829: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.2 cm long excluding plated nib; fully marked (design number 110), clean with well defined decorative panels.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $225
14821: Hicks figural pencil: gold filled ringtop, 5 cm long retracted, in the form of a cannon; back end turns to extend pencil, mechanism good, scattered dings, uses 1.4mm lead. Not marked, but known through identical marked examples. A scarce American-made novelty pencil.
DATE: c. 1885 • CONDITION: G • $225
14828: Hicks (?) dip pen: gold filled holder of excellent quality, chased scroll pattern, 15.4 cm long excluding nib; unmarked, Hicks #5 "C" ventless gold nib is extremely flexible and opens up with the lightest pressure, noting crack from end of slit.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: extra-fine superflex • SOLD
14493: unmarked extending toothpick: small, gold filled, 4.1 cm long closed, 6.2 cm extended, white seal stone. Gold toothpick blade is fixed loosely to slider, will wiggle; fluted barrel has bends, roughness to slider track.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: G-VG • $35
14848: unmarked extending pencil: small twist-action ringtop, two-tone rose and yellow gold filled with inlaid abalone alternating with metal flutes; 4.2 cm long closed, 5.9 cm extended, front ferrule turns to extend and retract, nozzle dented, can take 1.0 to 1.05 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG • $95
14852: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 16.1 cm long excluding plated nib, American made, unusual pattern combining twist and scrollwork, overall girth rather greater than typical.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG-fine • SOLD
14853: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 16.1 cm long excluding plated nib, American made, excellent quality, relief patterning bold, but nib holder ferrule has dings and patches which appear to have been eaten away somehow (acid? silver worms?).
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: G* • SOLD
14851: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 17.8 cm long excluding plated nib, American made, some denting and damage to underside of ferrule (see details), but fully functional, scrollwork of body is unusually richly engraved with wavelike patterning.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: VG* • $120
14856: unmarked magic pencil: small figural novelty ringtop in the form of an Egyptian obelisk, blue enamel decoration on what appears to be gold-plated silver; 3.8 cm long closed, 6.4 cm extended, German made, uses standard 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine • $150
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14850: Carter pencil: red hard rubber ringtop, 10.7 cm long, nickel plated trim, uses 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1924 • CONDITION: fine • $65
14857: Eagle combination: rare late-production example of one of the first mass-produced combos, in woodgrain celluloid rather than the usual hard rubber, but retaining the original eyedropper-filler design; 15.5 cm long, nickel plated trim, hard rubber pencil nozzle uses 2 mm lead, Eagle nib is a precise and responsive writer.
DATE: c. 1927 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $450
14843: Eversharp pencil: early production 14K solid gold vest pocket length ringtop, 10.3 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead. "EVER SHARP" imprint with space in center, no mention of Wahl, but made immediately after Wahl's takeover of Eversharp. Mechanically sound, rare, but two deep test cuts in barrel.
DATE: c. 1917 • CONDITION: VG* • $195
14869: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.2 cm long excluding plated nib, twist and scroll pattern very distinctive and in clean condition, imprints on holder largely polished away and illegible, front of nib holder very slightly shortened.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine* • $175
14840: H. C. Hook torpedo pencil: chrome plated brass, 11.2 cm long, brass propellors, engraved initials, light scratching from clip; excellent quality and workmanship, uses 1.1 mm lead. The source of these pencils has only recently been discovered to be the H. C. Hook Company of Auburn, Massachusetts.
DATE: c. 1946 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $105
14842: Parker Pencopen: red-spotted grey pearl bulb-filler, 11 cm long, gold plated trim, steel nib with most of original two-tone gold wash plating worn off, imprint with 2nd quarter date code, ink window with excellent transparency, sharp barrel imprint. Penco was a house brand of J.C. Penney; this is a most unusual filling system for Parker.
DATE: 1936 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine • $165
14833: Sheaffer Snorkel Sentinel set in box: black pneumatic-filler, 14.1 cm long, stainless steel cap, gold filled trim, White Dot, two-tone conical Triumph M5 nib; pen has some marks from usage on barrel and end knob, matching .9 mm pencil is as new. In box with instructions dated January 1954.
DATE: c. 1954 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium fine • $150
14814: Sheaffer Snorkel Valiant: burgundy pneumatic-filler, 14.2 cm long, gold filled trim, White Dot, two-tone conical Triumph nib; condition excellent except for stress cracks from clip mounting hole (see details).
DATE: c. 1954 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • NIB: extra-fine • $80
14836: Sheaffer Snorkel Special set in box: black pneumatic-filler, 14.2 cm long, gold filled trim, open palladium-silver alloy M6 nib has a bit of spring but not truly flexible; matching .9 mm twist-action pencil is like new. Box shows corner wear and partial splits, instructions under pad dated October 1955.
DATE: c. 1955 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium • $120
14834: Sheaffer Snorkel Signature: unusual Mandarin pneumatic-filler, 14.15 cm long, gold filled clip, solid 14K gold cap band engraved with facsimile signature, two-tone conical Triumph M5 nib. Some tool marks to filler knob, stress crack under clip (see detail), overall appearance fine+.
DATE: c. 1957 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • NIB: medium • $295
14831: Sheaffer Snorkel Crest: Fern Green pneumatic-filler, gold filled cap, White Dot, colored section, two-tone Triumph conical nib; one tiny bump to cap top, stress line at front of barrel (see details). Uncommon late production color.
DATE: c. 1957 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine • $195
14862: Sheaffer Imperial III: grey Touchdown pneumatic-filler, 13.5 cm long, gold plated trim, two-tone gold-plated palladium silver Triumph-style conical nib is a smooth, wet writer.
DATE: c. 1961 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine • $115
14863: Sheaffer 500: black "dolphin" cartridge-filler, 13.3 cm long, brushed stainless steel cap, distinctive inlaid nib in white metal (palladium silver?) is a smooth writer.
DATE: c. 1963 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine • $80
14872: Waterman Citation pencil: grey with gold filled trim, 13 cm long, wide barrel band, new old stock with minimal shop wear, uses .9 mm lead, matches Taperite or standard Citation fountain pen.
DATE: c. 1945 • CONDITION: near mint • $55
14845: unmarked dip pen: black hard rubber holder, 17 cm long excluding plated nib, ribbed gripping section, flattened letter-opener taper with interesting advertising imprint for the Leviseur and Conway Leather company of Boston.
DATE: c. 1903 • CONDITION: fine • $85
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