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
9217: unmarked dip pen and pencil combination: fine barleycorn gold filled, 9.4 cm closed, slide collar pushes out nib carrier, twist-action extends pencil nozzle, uses 1.5 mm (VS) lead; crisp, no brassing, light bump to face of slightly flared end cap, excellent quality and workmanship.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc •
$105
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
9277: unmarked drop-action pencil: silver with black enameled perpetual calendar, 7.2 cm closed, 11.1 cm extended; uses standard 2.0 mm thick lead, very high quality, some scratching at top of body (see details).
DATE: c. 1925
• CONDITION: fine • $265
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
8208: unmarked eyedropper-filler: large mottled hard rubber slip-cap with fine silver Art Nouveau overlay (marked "STERLING", but clearly electroformed); 14.35 cm long, unusual barrel construction with black plug at end, nib is extremely flexible but hardly any tipping material left; imprint reads "SOLID/14K/GOLD"; some dings to cap top, otherwise fine.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: fine flex
• $965
9387: unmarked eyedropper-filler: black hard rubber, 13.9 cm long, electroformed fine silver Art Nouveau filigree overlay, marked "STERLING"; barrel end is marked "12" in very large digits, in clear imitation of Waterman's most common eyedropper-filler; warranted nib is a smooth writer, but is surely a later replacement, while the feed appears to be of Parker spearhead form without the Lucky Curve tail; dings to cap crown, overall quality is excellent, if a cut below that of contemporary Watermans.
DATE: c. 1908 •
CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine semiflex • $265
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
9262: unmarked magic pencil: silver with transparent guilloche enamel, 6.4 cm long closed, 12 cm open, ring marked "STERLING" and "BADEN", probably German manufacture, uses 1.5mm lead, propelling mechanism needs repair.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • $150
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
9700: unmarked middle-joint eyedropper-filler: clipless black chased hard rubber slip-cap, 13.65 cm long, no maker's name but could be A. A. Waterman or Sterling, cap marked "PAT.APPLD. FOR"; narrow feed, #3 warranted nib of fine quality, good writer with plenty of line variation; owner's name on barrel, surface slightly granular on close inspection due to chemical reblackening. For more on middle-joint eyedropper-fillers, see our Pen Profile.
DATE: c. 1905 •
CONDITION: VG • NIB: medium flex • $165
9278: unmarked pencil: early imitation of Mordan's pioneering propelling pencils, but in nickel silver instead of real silver; 8.4 cm long, flat seal end, barrel seam along slot has been left unsoldered, nozzle probably originally used 1.0 mm lead, but appears to have been crimped down to use standard .9 mm. Overall quality mediocre, but of definite historical interest; probably English.
DATE: c. 1845 • CONDITION:
VG-fine • $65
9527: unmarked penknife-pencil compendium: hand-engraved sterling silver (though not so marked), 6 cm long closed, excellent quality, knife blade intact, with good snap, pencil mechanism in good working order, uses 1.5 mm (VS) lead, fancy monogram on indicia, few small marks to end from pocket carry -- unusual and attractive.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine • $225
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
9229: unmarked stylographic pen: black hard rubber long-short eyedropper-filler, 7.4 cm long, French-hallmarked silver overlay with green guilloche enamel; dings to silver, losses to enamel, but hard rubber portions crisp, needle intact, fully functional and still quite attractive.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: G* •
NIB: fine • $200
