| 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.
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The items below are sorted by maker; click here to sort by date
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 
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
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
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
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
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
5147: Edward Todd magic pencil: sterling silver ringtop, 9 cm long extended, maker's mark on ribbed shaft; nozzle mouth has two slits but also a third parallel split; mechanism works fine, metal crisp, uses .9 mm lead.
DATE:
c. 1900 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • $50
5917: Fairchild dip pen and pencil combination: early example in engine turned silver (no metal content marks, however), 9.2 cm closed, 15.4 cm extended; telescoping body with reversible pen holder and pencil insert; scattered shallow dings, pen holder has a crack on one lower edge (see detail); barrel marked "L.W. FAIRCHILD & CO.".
DATE: c. 1865 • CONDITION: G-VG* • $160
6563: Fairchild dip pen: 17.3 cm long, wooden taper, large socket-base #8 nib; can be used despite missing tipping material, typical seam opening to socket (see detail).
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: fine
stub flex • $150
7641: Fairchild magic pencil: large sterling silver cable twist pattern ringtop, 7 cm closed, 12.2 cm extended; smooth easy action, no dings, even wear, uses 2 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG • $225
7133: Fairchild retracting dip pen: uncommon twist-action model, 15.6 cm extended, 11.6 cm long retracted, gold filled checkerboard pattern ferrule, wooden taper is turned to extend and retract the nib. Clean, fully marked, with a #5 Fairchild nib (iridium intact, but quite scratchy; light scratch marks over imprint).
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine superflex • $285
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
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
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
7642: Fairchild (?) magic pencil: large smooth gold filled ringtop, 6.4 cm long closed, 12.2 cm extended; very clean, with a smooth action, barrel engraved 'S. A. C." and "June 19 - 1906"; no marker's mark, uses 1.8 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $125
7996: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.7 cm long excluding nib, crisp unpolished maker's marks, model number 17, characteristic Gorham twist pattern, elegantly engraved monogram "WHC" on ferrule.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • SOLD
5812: 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 light dings to the surface, marked "W.S. HICKS"; a scarce American-made novelty.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: G • $250
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
7888: Lownds pencil: sterling silver, 10.4 cm long extended, marked on extending shaft "LOWNDS PATENT PHILADA"; to extend pencil, end knob is pulled out and turned, then pushed forward; reverse procedure to retract; a very early and important design, given US patent #32 (yes, #32) in 1836; initials on octagonal barrel, light marks and one notable dent, uses uses .9 mm lead lead, propelling mechanism works, nozzle extends and retracts, but will not lock in extended position.
DATE: c. 1838 • CONDITION: G* • $165
7679: Mordan dip pen: sterling silver, ball finial, 17.9 cm long excluding plated nib; very clean condition, note that what appears to be a pinhead ding at the end of the nib holder is in fact a small French hallmark.
DATE:
c. 1880 • CONDITION: fine • $250
7844: Mordan dip pens: nearly identical, but differing slightly in details, each sterling silver with long porcupine quill taper, 22.5 and 22.8 cm long, excluding steel nibs; fully marked, unhallmarked.
DATE: c. 1880
• CONDITION: fine • $350
7204: Mordan dip pen: sterling silver, ball finial, fine barleycorn pattern on grip section, escutcheon marked "S. MORDAN & CO./STERLING SILVER", 17.9 cm long excluding plated nib.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: fine
• $265
4403: Mordan dip pen and pencil set in box: smooth sterling silver, marked "S. MORDAN & CO.", no hallmarks; pen 15.3 cm long excluding plated nib, pencil uses VS 1.5 mm lead; wear and scuffs to box exterior, pen and pencil very clean.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • $385
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
6523: Unger Brothers dip pen: sterling silver Art Nouveau sea serpent design in high relief, 16.7 cm long, excluding nib; highly desirable model from a premier American maker, well marked and with only the usual minor dings and marks on the ferrule; listed as #7743 in Unger Brothers' catalog of 1904.
DATE: c. 1905
• CONDITION: VG • $1800
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
6177: unmarked combination dip pen and pencil: early American-made Bagley-style telescoping sterling silver holder, 8.3 cm long closed, 17.7 cm long extended including nib; fancy engine turning and hand-engraved decoration, some toothmarks to end plug, seam split at opposite end of nib holder unit (see detail), nib lacks iridium, but is a good early ventless gold example, imprinted horizontally "WARREN/POTSDAMER/& Co.".
DATE: c. 1855
• CONDITION: G-VG* • NIB: fine flex • $205
7643: unmarked quill knife: wedge-shaped wooden handle, blade canted to the left to facilitate cutting, marked "SHEFFIELD/ENGLAND" on the blade, may never have been sharpened; 15.7 cm long overall.
DATE: c. 1860 •
CONDITION: fine • $75
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
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
6851: unmarked writing set: French-hallmarked silver-mounted pearl dip pen, magic pencil, paper knife, and seal, all decorated with money-plant (Lunaria biennis) pods in Art Nouveau style; fitted case is 26 cm wide, paper knife is 22.6 cm long, pencil uses VS 1.5mm lead.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: exc •
$1250
7053: unmarked dip pen: large, characteristically French form, 14 cm long excluding nib, massive tortoiseshell shaft, French-hallmarked 18K gold ferrule.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $295
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
4664: unmarked magic pencil: smooth rose gold filled ringtop, 10.1 cm long extended, US-made, operates smoothly, uses 1.5 mm "VS" lead.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $65
7286: unmarked dip pen: tortoiseshell with ball finial, 16.6 cm long excluding plated nib; European manufacture.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: exc • $185
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
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
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
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
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