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Time for a short break from fountain pens! Here is a nice selection of late 19th and early 20th-century dip pens and mechanical pencils.
14820: Bates & Bacon magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, 6.7 cm long, 10.9 cm extended, nicely engine turned barrel, end marked "PAT. APPL'D FOR", nozzle uses standard 1.1mm lead, but bizarrely works in reverse (twists counterclockwise to extend the lead). Perhaps designed for a left-hander, since the monogram "M.M.M." engraved on the barrel is also in reverse, appearing upright when held in the left hand. Bates & Bacon was a jewelry company based in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: fine • $115
14855: Edward Todd magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, alternating pearl and abalone slabs, 6.7 cm long closed, 11.7 cm extended, uses 1.05 mm lead. Fully marked including 1871 patent date, tiny chip to front of one of the abalone slabs, small dings to gold filled shaft, extending mechanism is loose but works freely, abalone is notably colorful and luminescent.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: G-VG* • $95
14854: Fairchild magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, 6.7 cm long closed, 11.7 extended, hexagonal barrel of "end of day" pattern celluloid with a turquoise colored background. Mechanism works freely, fully marked, uses 1.1 mm lead, nice clean condition noting usual seam openings from normal celluloid age shrinkage.
DATE: c. 1885 • CONDITION: VG* • SOLD
14849: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.85 cm long excluding plated nib; fully marked (design number 17), monogram "MEK" on nib holder, stress cracks from forming of bold criss-cross pattern on barrel, does not affect functionality (see details).
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: G-VG* • $85
14829: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.2 cm long excluding plated nib; fully marked (design number 110), clean with well defined decorative panels.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $225
14821: 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 dings, uses 1.4mm lead. Not marked, but known through identical marked examples. A scarce American-made novelty pencil.
DATE: c. 1885 • CONDITION: G • $225
14828: Hicks (?) dip pen: gold filled holder of excellent quality, chased scroll pattern, 15.4 cm long excluding nib; unmarked, Hicks #5 "C" ventless gold nib is extremely flexible and opens up with the lightest pressure, noting crack from end of slit.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: extra-fine superflex • $165
14493: unmarked extending toothpick: small, gold filled, 4.1 cm long closed, 6.2 cm extended, white seal stone. Gold toothpick blade is fixed loosely to slider, will wiggle; fluted barrel has bends, roughness to slider track.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: G-VG • $35
14848: unmarked extending pencil: small twist-action ringtop, two-tone rose and yellow gold filled with inlaid abalone alternating with metal flutes; 4.2 cm long closed, 5.9 cm extended, front ferrule turns to extend and retract, nozzle dented, can take 1.0 to 1.05 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG • $95
14852: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 16.1 cm long excluding plated nib, American made, unusual pattern combining twist and scrollwork, overall girth rather greater than typical.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $150
14853: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 16.1 cm long excluding plated nib, American made, excellent quality, relief patterning bold, but nib holder ferrule has dings and patches which appear to have been eaten away somehow (acid? silver worms?).
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: G* • $65
14851: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 17.8 cm long excluding plated nib, American made, some denting and damage to underside of ferrule (see details), but fully functional, scrollwork of body is unusually richly engraved with wavelike patterning.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: VG* • $120
14856: unmarked magic pencil: small figural novelty ringtop in the form of an Egyptian obelisk, blue enamel decoration on what appears to be gold-plated silver; 3.8 cm long closed, 6.4 cm extended, German made, uses standard 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine • $150
14850: Carter pencil: red hard rubber ringtop, 10.7 cm long, nickel plated trim, uses 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1924 • CONDITION: fine • $65
14857: Eagle combination: rare late-production example of one of the first mass-produced combos, in woodgrain celluloid rather than the usual hard rubber, but retaining the original eyedropper-filler design; 15.5 cm long, nickel plated trim, hard rubber pencil nozzle uses 2 mm lead, Eagle nib is a precise and responsive writer.
DATE: c. 1927 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $450
14847: Edward Todd telescoping ruler pencil: sterling silver, 13.8 cm long, extends to 33 cm; square body ruled to 4 1/2 inches, 12 inches extended. Older version with hand-engraved numbers, full imprints with maker's mark and 1897 patent date, uses standard 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $265
14843: Eversharp pencil: early production 14K solid gold vest pocket length ringtop, 10.3 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead. "EVER SHARP" imprint with space in center, no mention of Wahl, but made immediately after Wahl's takeover of Eversharp. Mechanically sound, rare, but two deep test cuts in barrel.
DATE: c. 1917 • CONDITION: VG* • $195
14840: H. C. Hook torpedo pencil: chrome plated brass, 11.2 cm long, brass propellors, engraved initials, light scratching from clip; excellent quality and workmanship, uses 1.1 mm lead. The source of these pencils has only recently been discovered to be the H. C. Hook Company of Auburn, Massachusetts.
DATE: c. 1946 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $105
14842: Parker Pencopen: red-spotted grey pearl bulb-filler, 11 cm long, gold plated trim, steel nib with most of original two-tone gold wash plating worn off, imprint with 2nd quarter date code, ink window with excellent transparency, sharp barrel imprint. Penco was a house brand of J.C. Penney; this is a most unusual filling system for Parker.
DATE: 1936 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine • $165
14860: Parker Vacumatic Major: blue pearl laminate, 12.8 cm long, gold filled over silver trim, Blue Diamond clip, barrel imprint with 3rd quarter date code, good barrel transparency, wartime production with plastic filler unit with diamond imprint on end of plunger, scarce factory flex nib opens up easily with minimal pressure.
DATE: 1943 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium fine flex • $265
14861: Parker NS Duofold: dark blue-green double-jewel button-filler, 13.2 cm long, gold filled trim, made in England; good imprints and trim, overall light surface scratching (could be polished out), soft broad nib.
DATE: c. 1946 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: broad flex • $165
14835: Parker 51 set in box: dark blue early production Aerometric-filler, frosty two-tone Lustraloy cap, Lucite connector, replaced sac has perfect transparency; usual plating losses to early screw-on filler housing with "PRESS . . . 6 TIMES" imprint, 4th quarter 1948 date code on both pen and matching .9 mm injector pencil. Tiny patch of pitting on back of pen cap (see detail).
DATE: 1948 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine • $265
14859: Parker 75 Diamant: gold plate cartridge/converter filler, made in France, scarce early production model with flat tassies, 20 micron mark; 14K "M" US nib, section with angle indicator.
DATE: c. 1971 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium • $295
14838: Parker Classic ballpoint: sterling silver grid pattern, gold plated trim, button actuated, made in USA, marked "STERLING CAP & BARREL", no date code, uses standard Parker refills.
DATE: c. 1978 • CONDITION: fine • $90
14814: Sheaffer Snorkel Valiant: burgundy pneumatic-filler, 14.2 cm long, gold filled trim, White Dot, two-tone conical Triumph nib; condition excellent except for stress cracks from clip mounting hole (see details).
DATE: c. 1954 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • NIB: extra-fine • $80
14862: Sheaffer Imperial III: grey Touchdown pneumatic-filler, 13.5 cm long, gold plated trim, two-tone gold-plated palladium silver Triumph-style conical nib is a smooth, wet writer.
DATE: c. 1961 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine • $115
14863: Sheaffer 500: black "dolphin" cartridge-filler, 13.3 cm long, brushed stainless steel cap, distinctive inlaid nib in white metal (palladium silver?) is a smooth writer.
DATE: c. 1963 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine • $80
14845: unmarked dip pen: black hard rubber holder, 17 cm long excluding plated nib, ribbed gripping section, flattened letter-opener taper with interesting advertising imprint for the Leviseur and Conway Leather company of Boston.
DATE: c. 1903 • CONDITION: fine • $85
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