| Unmarked Items |
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 
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
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
7286: unmarked dip pen: tortoiseshell with ball finial, 16.6 cm long excluding plated nib; European manufacture.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: exc • $185
6993: unmarked dip pen: large and unusual, 19.8 cm long excluding nib, polished aluminum ferrule and taper, body made up of stacked disks of various materials, mostly plastics; very solidly made, with considerable heft.
DATE:
c. 1930 • CONDITION: fine • $150
7764: unmarked doctor's pen: black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 16.1 cm long, recess for thermometer at end of barrel; marked "OPPENHEIMER SON & CO. LTD." and "PALATINOIDS/THE IDEAL FORM OF MEDICATION"; Oppenheimer was a prominent London pharmaceuticals firm, whose patented "palatinoids" were a form of soluble capsule (reference here); the original thermometer is present and Oppenheimer-marked, but the bulb has been broken and the mercury drained; the warranted nib is English, and is probably somewhat later than the pen; there is also a hard-to-find 5mm crack in the barrel which has been sealed (see detail).
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine flex • $350
7013: unmarked double-ended marking pencil: .900 hallmarked hexagonal silver body, red and navy blue cones at either end, 16 cm long; lead size appears to be around 2.9 or 3 mm, mechanisms propel and retract; no dings or wear to the engine turning pattern, but some chips to the very edges of the silver at either end (see details).
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: fine* • $205
7200: unmarked drop-action pencil: 9K solid gold, 11.6 cm extended, made in England, crisp fine barleycorn engine turning, a few very shallow dings; uses 1.5 mm lead, excellent quality, very solid.
DATE: c. 1915 •
CONDITION: fine-exc • $165
7522: unmarked drop-action porte-crayon: coin silver with niello decoration of stripes and fleurs-de-lys, 7.3 cm long closed, German (?) hallmarks with 900 mark on ring, mechanism solid, excellent quality of workmanship, niello all intact.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $200
7573: unmarked drop-action porte-crayon: sterling silver, 7.2 cm long closed, marked "STERLING FRANCE"; rotating band for perpetual calendar, days of the week denoted by English abbreviations, inlaid with colored enamel; lower barrel engraved with a picture of a building, actuator button engraved with intertwined monogram with letters C, L, I, N, and Y; comes with old Hardtmuth pencil insert with brass threaded ferrule end, marked "Czecho-Slovakia".
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $150
7189: unmarked dummy display pen: heavy solid rubber, 13.9 cm long, looks like slip-cap eyedropper-filler but does not open.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: exc • $75
5125: unmarked eyedropper: black hard rubber w gold filled filigree overlay, 13.5 cm long; fine quality, large "72" on bbl end, same overlay pattern as (rare) Waterman "chased filigree".
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: fine
• NIB: fine flex • $375
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
6706: unmarked magic pencil: sterling silver ringtop, 9.5 cm extended, 5.2 cm closed, deeply worked high quality relief design, monogrammed "M.L.T./1894", mechanism works smoothly, uses VS 1.5 mm lead; nozzle does appear to have been shortened by some 2 or 3 mm.
DATE: c. 1894 • CONDITION: G-VG* • $175
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
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
5088: unmarked pencil: Mabie-style twist-action retractable, 10.4 cm extended, deeply engraved heavy gold filled trim, handsome barrel sleeve is -- unusually -- made of wood; two repaired sleeve cracks, one full-length, the other 1/3 length.
DATE: c. 1860 • CONDITION: fine* • $80
6506: unmarked pencil: gold filled Mabie-patent style, 9.7 cm long extended, front of housing turns to retract nozzle; excellent quality, uses 1.0 mm lead, a few pinprick dings to the barrel.
DATE: c. 1870 • CONDITION:
VG-fine • $65
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
5025: unmarked pencil: smooth gold filled bbl w brown & yellow moire celluloid ends; 9.7 cm long, uses thick 1.8 mm lead; monogrammed "M.W.C.".
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: fine • $60
4801: unmarked pencil holder: Japanese ivory w scrimshaw-type depiction of a monkey, 9.5 cm long closed, ringtop, one hairline where cedar pencil is inserted.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $175
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
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
5072: unmarked sac spreader: ex-Parker factory, used to stretch rubber sac mouths for cementing onto section nipples, still very useful for pen repair work; not much sign of use, but may have some surface rust; as handy now as ever for getting a tight-fitting rubber ink sac over a wet, shellac-coated section without getting gooey residue all over your fingers and the pen's exterior; several available.
DATE: c. 1940 •
CONDITION: fine • $15
2700: unmarked safety: clipless miniature, 8.1 cm long, transparent pale blue enamel over sterling silver with guilloche work; cap crown marked "STERLING", "GERMANY"; excellent quality, some chipping to enamel at edges (see pictures), not inktight (cork seal needs to be replaced); 14K warranted nib.
DATE: c. 1925 •
CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: fine flex • $500
7528: unmarked safety: large black hard rubber German-made pen, 12.5 cm long, worn but sound, with new seals; turning knob hard rubber speckled (but certainly original), one crosspin hole widened; well-proportioned nib gives considerable line variation; faint barrel imprint "HORCH ACHTZYLINDER" (Horch 8-cylinder), tie-in to one of Germany's premier carmakers, an Audi ancestor (more here and h ere.
DATE: c. 1928 • CONDITION: G • NIB: medium fine flex • $200
7563: unmarked safety: mottled hard rubber, made in France, 12.7 cm long, gold filled trim, fine quality, Soma gold-plated stainless nib appears to be a later replacement; seals have been replaced.
DATE: c. 1935 •
CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $125
7123: unmarked safety demonstrator: French retracting-nib pen in black with a transparent celluloid grid-patterned barrel, 12 cm long, gold filled trim, 18K nib, made in Toulouse; seals appear sound, but we have not replaced them and they are not guaranteed. Some shrinkage to the cap, slight swelling to the end of the barrel, otherwise like new.
DATE: c. 1935 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine semiflex •
$485
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
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