Best wishes to all for the holidays and for a safe and prosperous New Year.
NOTE: Parker, Pelikan, Sheaffer, Wahl-Eversharp, and Waterman are listed on their own pages
13203: Paillard Semper 183: black chased hard rubber screw-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.6 cm long, marked "IMPORTE ETATS-UNIS" and with a French-hallmarked 18K nib marked "MADE IN U.S.A." Paillard was a French pen company, but like many European makers sourced nibs and whole pens from the United States.
DATE: c. 1919 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine flex • $225
10130: Palmer Method pinback button: penmanship award, 1.9 cm diameter, for having "SATISFACTORILY MASTERED THE FIRST 25 DRILLS IN THE PALMER METHOD MANUAL"; two available, specify which desired.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $20
10032: Palmer Method pinback button: penmanship award, 2.1 cm diameter, three available, price is per button, specify which desired when ordering (b, c, d available).
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: VG-exc • $20
15846: Parkin & Marshall quill knife: classic English design, 17.3 cm long with wooden handle, impressed with the mark of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and also bearing scratched marks added by past users; blade is sound and sharp, part of original molded cardboard case included.
DATE: c. 1860 • CONDITION: VG • $120
16216: Pearce dip pen: gold filled holder marked "SEAMLESS B.G.", removable wooden taper with baluster finial, 14.3 cm long overall including #1 ventless gold nib.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine semiflex • $95
11965: Pen-N-Pencil Twinpoint: 14K gold filled all-metal lever-filler, 13.2 cm long; crisp grouped lines pattern, excellent quality, fully marked, #2 Twinpoint nib is a smooth writer. Unusual model, in that the Pen-N-Pencil Co. mostly made combos, as the Twinpoint model name suggests. No brassing or dents, name engraved on barrel.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: medium fine semiflex • $175
15013: Pen-O-Pencil Twinpoint combo: white gold filled lever-filler, 13.7 cm long, grouped parallel lines pattern, #2 nib is very flexible; not much wear, but a couple of pinprick dings to the cap, barrel has bump on the side and dents all around behind the threads, initials engraved in cartouche. There is also a small split in the section overlay, which does not affect function. Pencil end uses 1.1 mm lead, high quality construction.
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: fine flex • $275
16269: Pen-O-Pencil Twinpoint combo: gold filled ringtop lever-filler, 12.5 cm long, engine turned cap and barrel, #2 nib has nice flexibility; high quality manufacture, excellent condition but for dings in barrel and cap (see details). Pencil end uses 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: fine* • $165
11903: Pick Fountpencil stylographic pen: black lever-filler with bright red ends, 12.3 cm long, nickel plated trim, weighted needle intact and a smooth writer.
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium fine • $105
15983: Pick stylographic pen: black chased celluloid lever-filler with bright red ends, 12.2 cm long, nickel plated trim, weighted needle intact. Unmarked but identical to Pick's Fountpencil.
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: medium fine • $125
16088: Pick National stylographic pen: black celluloid lever-filler, red ends, 12.15 cm long, nickel plated trim, intact weighted needle, some heat shrinkage to barrel end (does not affect posting or function). Not marked Pick, but we have had several identical examples with full Pick imprints.
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: VG • $80
14757: Pilot Super 150L: black tab-filler, 13.6 cm long, gold plated trim, wide rolled gold cap band, inlaid 14K gold nib is a precise writer, barrel opens with a bayonet-style twist-lock action rather than unscrewing. Interesting Bulgarian imprint, clean condition noting shallow marring to side of spring-loaded rocker clip (see detail). Full date code DO 09, for 9 March 1963.
DATE: 1963 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine • $95
15429: Pilot FD in box: black lacquer with signed maki-e decoration of flying crane and clouds, 13.2 cm long, gold plated trim, 14K nib, squeeze-filler converter included.
DATE: 1980 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine • $285
15005: Redipoint pencil: gold filled ringtop, 8.9 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, later "Ingersoll Redipoint" imprint.
DATE: c. 1924 • CONDITION: exc • $45
12209: Reynolds Rocket ballpoint desk set: rare institutional desk version of Reynolds' infamous pioneer ballpoint; pen is anodized aluminum, ball tip is intact, original refill has not been replaced, nonfunctional as is, chain attachment to black-finished cast zinc base, screw hole in front of base to allow permanent attachment to a counter or table.
DATE: c. 1946 • CONDITION: fine* • $95
16264: Rip Van Winkle blow-filler: rare and unusual large black hard rubber taper-cap with glass barrel, 16.8 cm long, gold filled trim, strong imprint with 1911 patent date, hand-written advertisement on card stock mounted inside barrel. Excellent condition, noting replaced warranted nib and newly-made cap. Read more about the short-lived Van Winkle company here.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: medium flex • $950
16641: Ripley & Gowan pencil and pocket knife compendium: gold filled, 6.6 cm long, with two knife blades, pencil nozzle extends when end knob is turned, uses 1.4 mm lead; excellent quality, similar to items retailed by Tiffany, Edward Todd, and others.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine • $120
13912: Rotring Tikk Kuli ballpoint demonstrator: transparent dealer-only version, 12.2 cm long, German made, thin wash plating to trim mostly worn off, but condition otherwise fine to excellent.
DATE: c. 1960 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $165
13555: Ruxton Multi-Vider slide rule pencil: black bakelite with silver-filled trim, 16.5 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, lead reservoir revealed by sliding open the body; some plating wear, used but not abused, fully functional. Instructions and further info here..
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: VG • $145
14606: Ruxton Multi-Vider Executive slide rule pencil: ivory marbled Bakelite with gold-filled trim, 16.4 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, eraser cover with bayonet-style twist lock. Instructions and further info here. Cracking at top, dent to cap crown, but fully functional. Multi-Viders in colors other than black are rare.
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: VG* • $165
14735: Ruxton Multi-Vider slide rule pencil: black bakelite with silver-filled trim, 16.5 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, lead reservoir revealed by sliding open the body, eraser cover locks in place with a partial twist. Instructions and further info here..
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $165
15736: Salz lever-filler: red chased hard rubber oversize flat-top with purple casein ends, 14.2 cm long, gold filled trim, generously sized Salz-imprinted nib has barely any tipping but is still a fine writer. Overall appearance is fine, but cap has tight hairline cracks at mouth and top (along with a scrape mark) none of which affects the pen's usability (see details).
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: fine stub semiflex • $165
15995: Sanford & Bennett Automat: black chased hard rubber screw-cap sleeve-filler, 13.35 cm long, rotating hard rubber sleeve strongly imprinted with name and US patent number 698,859 issued 1902. Raised barrel threads, clean surfaces with only slightest fading, Aikin style narrow squared feed, tipping on #2 warranted nib is scant but functional.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium fine flex • $265
15576: Security Self-Filling: black chased hard rubber, #4 size, 14.8 cm long, gold filled trim, made by Greek immigrants Kritikson Brothers in Chicago; high quality with distinctive end knob actuated pressure bar filling system, check protector at top of cap (rotating blades were rolled over a signature, making any attempt at alteration immediately apparent since the ink would bleed along the cuts in the paper). Condition excellent but for fine scratches on nib.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium fine flex • $495
14641: Seth Crocker pneumatic-filler: red snakeskin, 12.1 cm long, gold filled trim, cap imprint for Capwell's, hole-less end knob with inner valve, patent number on barrel, correct warranted nib; scarce and desirable Chilton family offshoot, most of these were made for sale at various large department stores and are marked accordingly; plunger operates smoothly and seal feels sound, original sac has not been replaced so pen not functional as sold..
DATE: c. 1936 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium flex • $650
16379: Seth Crocker pneumatic-filler: black, 12.1 cm long, gold filled trim, imprint on cap, hole-less end knob with inner valve, warranted nib; scarce and desirable Chilton family offshoot, most of these were made for sale at various large department stores and are marked accordingly; these pens came with warranted nibs, this one is notably calligraphic, noting the beginnings of a stress crack from the vent hole (see detail).
DATE: c. 1936 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: fine stub flex • $350
15757: Sterling sleeve-filler: black chased hard rubber, 13.6 cm long, made in Boston, good Davidson Rubber imprint with patent dates of 1899 and 1900, warranted nib is a high quality smooth writing replacement; raised barrel threads are an early feature, even moderate fading to hard rubber. Sterling is best known for their middle-joint dropper-filling pens, which this closely resembles when closed.
DATE: c. 1913 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium • $275
13930: Stipula Suprema Nuda in box: limited edition of 351, oversize transparent plunger-filler, 13.6 cm long, gold plated solid sterling silver trim, 14K nib (white gold or white plated), in box with all paperwork, outer sleeve.
DATE: c. 2006 • CONDITION: mint • NIB: fine • $395
13902: Stipula Etruria Nuda in box: limited edition of 50 for Swisher Pens, oversize transparent piston-filler, 14.3 cm long, gold plated sterling silver trim, two-tone 18K gold nib, includes all original packaging.
DATE: c. 2007 • CONDITION: mint • NIB: medium • $650
16545: Stratford Magnetic: unique and futuristic design, with the cap held in place at either end of the barrel by magnetic action; burgundy button-filler, 13.1 cm long, gold plated trim, typical plating losses (see details); 14K gold Stratford nib, barrel imprint includes "PAT. PEND." indicating manufacture prior to Feb. 15, 1949 issuance of patent D152717.
DATE: c. 1948 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: medium fine flex • $165
16161: Stylographic Pen Co. stylographic pen: black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 12.6 cm long, made in Providence, RI; moderate and even fading, imprints clear including July 15, 1879 patent date on section; two-part screw-apart section, spring-loaded gold needle and tipping intact.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine • $225
15479: Stylographic Pen Co. stylographic pen: black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 12.6 cm long, made in Providence, RI; even fading, imprints at end of barrel mostly worn away but chasing clean and imprint on section with July 15, 1879 patent date fully legible; two-part screw-apart section, spring-loaded gold needle and tipping intact.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: fine • $165
16057: Stylomine 303: black French pump-filler, 12.8 cm long, gold filled trim, semi-hooded 18K gold nib, chalk marks on both cap and barrel, original accordion sac is intact and in good working order, pen has been dipped but not filled.
DATE: c. 1965 • CONDITION: mint • NIB: medium • $165
16750: Tabo (?) safety: oversize smooth black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 16 cm long, chrome plated trim, made in Italy, no maker's mark but closely resembling similar giant Tabo safeties; barrel imprint appears to be for a company, with only a large diamond and "METALRADIO" legible, nib is an English replacement of fine quality, a smooth and flexible writer.
DATE: c. 1939 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: medium fine flex • $350
15467: Tamis marking pencil: solid 14K gold, 12.7 cm long, grouped parallel lines pattern, fully marked with L. Tamis & Sons logo, uses 2.6 mm lead (2.5 mm will also work, though a little loose). Weighs 31.7 grams, some bumps to end.
DATE: c. 1950 • CONDITION: fine • $850
15873: Tiffany retracting dip pen and pencil combination: large gold filled holder, marked only with patent date of Feb 19, 1867 for US62227, assigned to Hicks, 8.4 cm long closed, 13.8 cm extended excluding #6 ventless gold Tiffany-marked nib. Taper is pulled to extend, twisted to extend pencil nozzle, uses 1.5 mm lead. The Hicks-Tiffany connection was long, continuing well into the 1900s.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine flex • $600
15792: Tiffany dip pen: beautiful sterling silver holder, 16.7 cm long excluding nib, with finely-chased floral repousse decoration with acanthus-bordered rings; fully marked, top-quality work, not to be confused with run-of-the-mill Tiffany-marked pens made by lesser subcontractors. Nib is gold, an excellent Edward Todd #4 with great flexibility.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $1100
14405: Tiffany magic pencil: large sterling silver ringtop, hexagonal body, 7.8 cm long closed, 13.7 cm extended, uses 1.5 mm "VS" lead, made by Hicks for Tiffany, and nearly identical to our item 14131. Presentation inscription from Commonwealth Insurance Company with dates of 1886 and 1911. Test mark on shaft, dings to nozzle.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: VG* • $265
13903: Tiffany ballpoint: solid 14K gold, bamboo pattern, 11.8 cm long with tip retracted, fully marked; a few shallow bumps to the front end, uses mid-length (87 mm) Waterman Titane-style refills, total weight 25.4 g, excellent quality and heft.
DATE: c. 1960 • CONDITION: fine • $795
13905: Tiffany ballpoint: solid 14K gold, bamboo pattern, 12.7 cm long with tip retracted, fully marked; pinhead dings to ends, uses full-length (95 mm) Waterman Titane-style refills, total weight 26.8 g, excellent quality and heft.
DATE: c. 1960 • CONDITION: VG • $825
16573: Tiffany/Hicks desk pencil: sterling silver, 18.3 cm long, fully marked including Hicks' acorn, uses standard 2 mm lead, propels and retracts; jeweler's inventory mark next to main Tiffany imprint (see detail).
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine • $450
12916: Towle ballpoint telephone dialer: sterling silver, 12.3 cm long, uses standard Schneider Express 75 refills, scattered bumps and marks, ball end bent to the side (see detail), very solidly made with good heft.
DATE: c. 1965 • CONDITION: G • $35
12327: Unger Brothers dip pen: sterling silver, Art Nouveau grotesque mask design in high relief, 16.2 cm long excluding nib; highly desirable model from a premier American maker, fully marked, ferrule heavily dinged with split on one side (see details), but still fully functional; listed as model #7744 in Unger Brothers' catalog of 1904.
DATE: c. 1904 • CONDITION: G-VG* • $985
15748: Unger Brothers dip pen: sterling silver "Love's Dream" design in high relief, 16.7 cm long excluding brass nib; highly desirable model from a premier American maker. Shallow dents on ends, fully marked.
DATE: c. 1904 • CONDITION: G-VG • $985
13433: Unic Plextyl: large black button-filler, made in France, 14.3 cm long, gold filled trim, stainless steel Unic #6 nib; crisp imprints, clip is a replacement and of different design from the original.
DATE: c. 1945 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $120
11571: United States Fountain Pen Co. Victor: black hard rubber screw-cap eyedropper-filler, 1/10 18K gold filled overlay with hand engraved floral pattern, 13.5 cm long; Walker Davison #3 nib is a high quality old replacement. Brassing to ends of barrel overlay, cap has toothmarks at end and two test cuts (see details) -- a pity, as 90% of the overlay is crisp and clean.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: G-VG* • NIB: fine firm • $275
16280: Van Cort reproduction of Thomas Jefferson's fountain pen: heavy (38 g) solid sterling silver, 12.1 cm long, based upon the so-called Bion style reservoir pen made for Jefferson in 1824 by William Cowan, a watchmaker in Richmond, Virginia (references here); this reproduction made in limited numbers, authorized by Monticello, long since sold out. Plated nib, could be replaced with an older dip nib or quill slip for better historical effect. There is no real feed system, so best considered a dip pen rather than a modern fountain pen (the pen was described by the Jefferson Foundation as a dip pen). Original pens of this type are extremely rare and sell for thousands of dollars.
DATE: c. 1997 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium • $250
16517: Viala Lilliput: miniature black hard rubber ringtop safety, engine-turned 18K solid gold overlay, 8.4 cm long, French made with full hallmarks, 18K Viala-marked nib; tiny, but fully functional.
DATE: c. 1923 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium • $365
12264: Villiers & Jackson porte crayon: smooth 9K solid gold ringtop, 5.6 cm long, full Chester hallmarks, weighs 6.6g, one small shallow ding.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $180
16564: Visconti Florentia 50th Anniversary Casa Della Stilografica in box: rare and highly desirable commemorative plunger-filler in marbled teal blue and silver celluloid, perfect condition with original barrel sticker and all paperwork, green leatherette box, cardboard outer box, and corrugated outermost sleeve (some storage staining to bottom of the last). Only 365 pieces made, early in Visconti's history.
DATE: 1994 • CONDITION: mint • NIB: medium fine • $850
14007: Weidlich Simplofiller: black hard rubber slip-cap matchstick-filler, 15.2 cm long, gold filled scroll pattern overlay, #4 Weidlich nib.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine semiflex • $895
16050: Weidlich Simplofiller: black chased hard rubber slip-cap matchstick-filler, 14.75 cm long, gold filled cap band; well used with chasing worn smooth, barrel imprint still legible, crack in cap lip (see detail). A fully functional example of an unusual early self-filler, Weidlich & Simpson #1 nib is smooth and very flexible.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: medium fine flex • $120
15025: Weidlich Star: black chased hard rubber ringtop lever-filler, 11 cm long, gold filled ringtop fitting may be an old addition, as lever is nickel; some fading including the shadow of a slip-on clip on the cap, chasing and imprints good, high quality Weidlich #2 nib writes a nicely shaded line.
DATE: c. 1926 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine stub semiflex • $120
15067: Williamson eyedropper-filler: black hard rubber with fluted mother of pearl slabs on the barrel, gold filled filigree overlay on the cap, 13.45 cm long, Williamson #3 nib has an unusual deliberate downwards angle at the tip, "AUTO" imprint on patented feed; pen is not otherwise marked, which is typical, other than nib and feed, it is nearly identical to a Parker 15 (Parker and Williamson were closely connected, with overlapping ownership and management). A lovely pen, pearl shows much more color than appears in the photos, only a few tiny chips to the narrow raised ridges, "Lucile" engraved on cap.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $1450
16299: Williamson eyedropper-filler: oversize black hard rubber slip-cap with gold filled filigree overlay, 13.85 cm long, big #6 Williamson nib is a notably flexible and responsive writer; opens wide with only light pressure; distinctive "Autofeed" is intact and imprinted, one small chip to front edge of section does not affect function. This pen is largely the same as a Parker 41, though much scarcer in the Williamson version. Hard rubber evenly faded, noting slight shadowing on the cap from a slip-on clip, "Dad" engraved in barrel cartouche.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: fine flex • $1200
10574: Williamson button-filler: Vacumatic-style burgundy pearl laminate, 11.9 cm long, gold filled trim, made in Italy, very flexible long-tined Williamson nib, cap jewel appears to be a replacement (more rounded than usual conical profile).
DATE: c. 1946 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine flex • $500
13610: Wilrite set in box: gold plated lever-filler, 12.4 cm long, checkerboard pattern, 14K warranted nib, with matching pencil, uses 1.1 mm lead; shallow dent next to lever, spot of solder on pencil clip; economy-line set.
DATE: c. 1928 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: medium • $120
12371: Wirt eyedropper-filler: black chased hard rubber screw-cap, 13.75 cm long, gold filled trim, pearl-slabbed barrel with unusually large number of unusually narrow slabs; marked only on the ventless gold nib, typical Wirt construction and design throughout, nib has good flex but tends to dig in if pressed, could be smoothed to provide more line variation; moderate fading, mostly to cap.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine semiflex • $675
