| 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 
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
8248: MacKinnon stylographic pen: black chased hard rubber, 12.3 cm long, gold filled trim with fancy engraved end caps; chasing worn but all present, moderate fading to hard rubber, imprints very worn but legible, "D. MACKINNON, PAT. MAR. 21 '76.", no indication of 1878 or 1879 patents; tip intact but needle jammed, spring inside is also intact; an early example of one of the first mass-produced fountain pens.
DATE: c. 1876
• CONDITION: VG • NIB: fine • $275
8901: MacKinnon stylographic pen in box: smooth black hard rubber, 12.3 cm long, gold filled end cap, slightest fading to hard rubber, imprints good and sharp: "D. MACKINNON, PAT. MAR. 21 '76." with January 21, 1879 date on cone; needle intact, a good clean example of one of the first mass-produced fountain pens. Box rough, with torn leatherette hinge, original dropper with deteriorated rubber bulb.
DATE: c. 1879
• CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine • $285
7667: Cross stylographic pen: black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 12.3 cm long, crisp and glossy, section imprint worn but mostly legible, with January 29, 1878 patent date; tip is intact, but needle mostly corroded away, interior parts otherwise intact.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: fine* • $175
7657: Cross stylographic pen: black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 12.4 cm long, crisp and glossy, good imprint with January 29, 1878 patent date; tip tube has split at end, needle corroded away, interior mechanism otherwise intact.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • $145
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
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
7267: Stylographic Pen Co. stylographic pen: long black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 16.8 cm long, made in Providence, RI; good 1879 patent date and brand name imprints, needle frozen, cap has a hairline and an interesting old repair with waxed thread.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: fine
• $165
7659: Cross stylographic pen: black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 11.9 cm long, thick model with unusual chased cap; crisp and glossy, bold section imprint without patent date, has been converted to a scribing tool -- probably as a means to recycle unused but obsolete old stock (not usable as a pen).
DATE: c. 1885
• CONDITION: mint* • $125
8920: Wirt eyedropper-filler: very long slender black chased hard rubber straight-cap, 14.8 cm long, gold filled trim, early overfeed, Wirt imprint on cap heavily worn, almost entirely illegible, nib usable, but tipping worn away.
DATE: c. 1886 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: medium flex • $160
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
4163: Eagle Just for Fun: giant wooden novelty pencil, 27 cm long, brass ferrule; slight gaping of longitudinal seam from age shrinkage of wood.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG • $60
7596: John Holland porte-crayon: miniature gold filled slide-action ringtop pencil, 4.25 cm long closed; unmarked, part of a hoard from the estate of a prominent New York jeweler who retired in the late 1940s; comes with a fresh piece of 3mm marking lead.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: mint • $16
7202: Mabie Todd Swan: gold filled fine barleycorn eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, over and underfeed, early markings for Mabie Todd & Bard (1888 last patent date), engraved "DR. E. DALTON" in indicia; metal looks like solid.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: medium stub flex • $695
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
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
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
9010: Waterman 12: mottled hard rubber clipless eyedropper-filler, 13.7 cm long, early example with crisp two-line pre-globe imprint, cap imprint with 1898 patent date, early narrow feed; distinctive early nib missing tipping, cracks to body, not suitable for use but definitely restorable; light fading to hard rubber, shadow of price band.
DATE: c. 1899 • CONDITION: exc* • $325
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
5361: Fairchild magic pencil: sterling silver ringtop, 10.2 cm long extended, marked "F/J", scattered fleabites and superficial scratches to barrel, mechanism works well, uses "VS" lead (1.5 mm).
DATE: c. 1900 •
CONDITION: G • $65
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
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
8308: unmarked magic pencil: blue transparent enamel over sterling silver miniature ringtop, 5.5 cm long extended, 3.1 cm closed; uses 1.1 mm lead, some losses to the enamel at the edges (see details), still very attractive.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • $90
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
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
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
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