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Magic pencils have long been out of production, but the way they extend at both ends when pulled is timelessly appealing. Their heyday was the last quarter of the 19th century and the examples we have listed here exemplify the craftsmanship and stylistic variety of the era. For more on magic pencils, see our new Pen Profile page
16991: Aikin Lambert magic pencil: sterling silver, suspension sheath holder, double-extension pencil, 6.3 cm long closed, 13.7 cm extended, hand-chased scrollwork, uses 2 mm lead; large and fully marked.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc • SOLD
16709: Cross magic pencil: gold filled ringtop with engine turning and typical Cross-style black enamel bands; 5.4 cm long closed, 10.2 cm long extended, uses standard 1.1 mm lead; some inpainted losses to the bands (see details), fully marked.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $145
16972: Cross (?) magic pencil: gold filled ringtop with engine turning and typical Cross-style black enamel bands; 5.55 cm long closed, 10.7 cm long extended, uses 1.5 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine • $120
16979: E. S. Johnson magic pencil: gold filled with lustrous pearl overlay, engine turned shaft with Dec. 5, 1871 patent imprint; 12.65 cm extended, unusually long, uses 1.5 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1872 • CONDITION: exc • SOLD
16984: E. S. Johnson magic pencil: beautiful gold filled ringtop with checkerboard abalone inlays, hand-engraved diamond starbursts, engine turned shaft; 8.9 cm extended, Oct. 29, 1872 patent imprint, name and monogram neatly engraved on end piece; uses standard 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • SOLD
16995: E. S. Johnson magic pencil: sterling silver, suspension sheath holder, 5.4 cm long closed, 10.2 cm extended, uses 1.5 mm lead; fully marked, several shallow dings.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine • $95
16974: Fairchild magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, 5.1 cm long closed, 10.75 cm extended, uses 1.4 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1885 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $65
16978: Gorham magic pencil: sterling silver ringtop with noteworthy deeply-cut hand chasing, 5.25 cm long closed, 9.9 cm extended, uses 1.95 mm lead; fully marked, silver is unusually thick and heavy.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc • $450
16714: Hicks magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, 7.05 cm long closed, 12.7 cm extended, uses 1.5 mm lead, unmarked but for March 21, 1871 patent date -- a Hicks patent.
DATE: c. 1872 • CONDITION: fine • $125
16698: Hicks magic pencil: sterling silver ringtop, 4.95 cm long closed, 8.6 cm extended, hand-chased scrollwork decoration, fully marked, uses 1.05 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: fine • $80
16694: Hicks magic pencil watch fob: gold filled, ring fitting at center for use as watch chain toggle; 4.5 cm long closed, 8.9 cm extended, fully marked, made to use 1.5 mm lead but can use more common 1.4 mm as well.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG • $120
16990: Hicks magic pencil: sterling silver ringtop, 4.9 cm long closed, 9.1 cm extended, uses standard 1.1 mm lead; unusual decoration of alternating panels of relief scrollwork and engine turning, crisply preserved.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: exc • SOLD
16702: Hicks magic pencil: sterling silver, suspension sheath holder, 4.3 cm long closed, 8.65 cm extended, uses 1.5 mm lead; initials engraved on outer holder, a couple of shallow bumps to inner pencil, fully marked with crisp line chasing.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine • $120
16696: Hicks magic pencil: large, gold filled, with sheath carrying suspension ring; 12 cm long extended, uses standard 2 mm lead, propels and retracts; fully marked, scattered shallow bumps and a couple of test marks (see details), functionally excellent.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: VG • $220
16971: Hicks (?) magic pencil: sterling silver, 7.45 cm long closed, 13.2 cm extended, hand-chased scrollwork, uses 1.4 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $175
16695: Hicks (?) magic pencil: sterling silver, 6 cm long closed, 11.8 cm extended, acid etched Art Nouveau decoration, uses .075 inch (1.9 mm) lead, mechanism propels and retracts lead; back end is open, likely originally had a soldered-in closure disk with ringtop fitting.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • $165
16986: Mabie Todd (?) magic pencil: sterling silver twist pattern ringtop, 5.8 cm long closed, 11.25 cm extended, marked only "STERLING"; propels and retracts lead, uses standard 2 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $200
16985: Mabie Todd (?) magic pencil: sterling silver twist pattern ringtop, 5 cm long closed, 9.4 cm extended, marked only "STERLING"; some shallow dings, uses standard 2 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine • $150
16205: Mordan magic pencil: solid gold but not hallmarked, coarse barley pattern ringtop, 5.35 cm long closed, 9.5 cm extended, uses "VS" 1.5 mm lead; weighs 15.12 grams.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine • SOLD
16989: Mordan (?) sheath pencil: sterling silver, three-draw extension tail, 10.8 cm long extended, 6.9 cm closed in suspension holder; marked only with British design registration number, excellent quality, uses thick "W" lead (2 mm). Scattered shallow marks to the holder, otherwise excellent.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine • $295
16976: Murat magic pencil: ringtop in vermeil and hammered silver with rose gold filled applique work, French manufacture, 5.6 cm long closed, 10.5 cm open, uses 1.9 mm (.075") lead, marked "C.M." for Charles Murat.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: fine • SOLD
16993: Murat magic pencil: gold filled ringtop with patterned silver barrel, gold filled applique escutcheon engraved with initial "G", French manufacture, 5.65 cm long closed, 10.7 cm open, uses 1.5 mm lead, marked "C.M." for Charles Murat.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: exc • SOLD
16708: unmarked magic pencil: gold filled fine barleycorn pattern including shaft, 7.5 mm long closed, 12.55 cm extended, uses 1.5 mm lead; an earlier design, unusual form.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $125
16975: unmarked magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, 5.3 cm long closed, 10.3 cm extended, unusual hand-engraved and chased figural decoration of nesting birds; some plating wear to edges, uses 1.5 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $265
16973: unmarked magic pencil: gold filled, 6.95 cm long closed, 12.5 cm extended, uses 1.5 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: fine • $145
17003: unmarked magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, 4.7 cm long closed, 8.6 cm extended, engine turned barrel, smooth action, uses standard 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $75
16721: unmarked magic pencil: gold filled ringtop, black celluloid barrel sleeve with inlaid piquet work; 4.8 cm long closed, 8.9 cm extended, uses 1.0 mm lead; dents to tip of nozzle, otherwise clean.
DATE: c. 1885 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $225
16994: unmarked magic pencil: silver ringtop, 4.4 cm long closed, 8.2 cm extended, engraved fleur-de-lys pattern with inset seed pearls; French manufacture, mechanism extends and retracts lead, uses standard 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine • SOLD
17002: unmarked magic pencil: sterling silver ringtop, 5.4 cm long closed, 10.6 cm extended, crisp barleycorn engine turned barrel, USA manufacture, uses 1.5 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • SOLD
16194: Mabie Todd retracting dip pen: gold filled with ebonized wood taper, #6 size, fully marked, 8.9 cm long retracted, 13.9 cm long excluding nib; nib is a big long-tined ventless Mabie Todd #6, very flexible and in excellent condition, holder has one test mark, front end of taper chipped (see detail).
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: extra-fine flex • $225
17154: Parker 26: oversize black hard rubber slip-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, intact Lucky Curve feed, big #6 keyhole-vent Lucky Curve nib has a semistub nib, smooth and springy action; hard rubber faded and well worn but pen mechanically sound, imprint only barely visible, name on barrel in distinctive early factory script engraving. #6-size Parkers are notably hard to find -- this is the first 26 we have listed in over 20 years.
DATE: c. 1907 • CONDITION: G • NIB: medium flex • $595
17153: Parker Pastel: "Mauve" ringtop button-filler, 11.4 cm long, gold filled trim, bold barrel imprint, sharp end milling; made in Canada, long-tined USA nib is a smooth wet writer. Hairline in cap lip has been nearly invisibly sealed (see detail).
DATE: c. 1927 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: medium fine stub flex • SOLD
17155: Parker Duofold Junior: black-veined pearl button-filler, 11.5 cm long, gold filled trim, Duofold Deluxe style extra trim band over clip ring, spearhead feed, strong barrel imprint with Lucky Curve banner, nib is a smooth wet writer; barrel only slightly darkened, excellent overall color preservation.
DATE: c. 1928 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium firm • $250
17148: Parker Vacumatic Junior: early production "Crystal", black with transparent barrel, 12.1 cm long, gold filled trim, two-tone nib with turned up tip, lockdown filler; clean Vacumatic imprint, Vacuum-Filler style one-piece construction with integral section.
DATE: c. 1933 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium • $450
17149: Parker Vacumatic Juniorette: black with transparent web pattern barrel, 11.8 cm long, gold filled trim, metal lockdown filler, crisp imprint with 1st quarter date code, barrel transparency outstanding, slight swelling over filler unit, otherwise like new.
DATE: 1938 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium firm • $495
16754: Parker Duofold Senior: green and brown pearl Vac-filler with black stripes, 13.4 cm long, gold filled trim, Blue Diamond clip, triple cap band, aluminum Speedline filler; largest size, much scarcer than contemporary Vacumatics; strong imprint with 4th quarter date code, matching 3rd quarter date code on nib, good barrel transparency, excellent condition but for missing blind cap trim ring; a notably smooth and pleasant writer.
DATE: 1941 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: medium fine stub semiflex • SOLD
16556: Parker Vacumatic Junior: blue pearl laminate, 12.7 cm long, gold filled trim, Canadian manufacture, imprint worn but mostly legible; notable nib writes an elegantly shaded line.
DATE: c. 1948 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: extra-fine stub flex • $250
17120: Parker 75 Ecossais set in box: scarce pattern, silver plate, made in France, early production with 30 microns mark, solid flat ends, section with angle indicator, French-made 14K nib, old style thick metal squeeze converter. Doubly scarce in Italian-market packaging with characteristically Italian serial number on section; angle indicator lines are also of atypical form (see details). Cap-actuated ballpoint uses standard refills.
DATE: c. 1971 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: medium • $650
16861: Parker 75 Laque ballpoint: rare speckled olive brown lacquer finish, gold plated trim, made in France, "LE" date code; not a catalogued finish, likely test market.
DATE: 1983 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • $395
16510: Waterman 0552 Gothic: black hard rubber lever-filler with green gold filled checkerboard pattern overlay; 13.75 cm long, nib is smooth and responsive, interesting dated presentation inscription to Sam B. Fugazi, founder of Salesian Council No. 565 Young Men's Institute (California). Sharp imprints, notably untouched metal surfaces with lovely age toning, including the nib.
DATE: c. 1928 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine flex • $495
16521: Waterman 0552 Filigree set in box: black hard rubber lever-filler with green gold filled overlay, 13.9 cm long, matching pencil uses 1.1 mm lead, later mechanism both propels and retracts; clean set, only slight fading, no dings, pen cap has a partly visible seam section (see detail -- a manufacturing flaw which does not affect function, condition otherwise excellent). Nib is smooth and lively, a writer's writer.
DATE: c. 1929 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $650
16874: Waterman Goutte: uncommon model designed by Alain Carré, gold plated slender version, 13.6 cm long, malachite cabochon set into clip, 18K ventless nib. Made in France, uses C/F style cartridges, custom made converter shown is included.
DATE: c. 1979 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: medium fine • $250
12323: unmarked combination dip pen and pencil: gold filled, hexagonal barrel, purple "stone" in crown, 9.25 cm long, characteristically American in style, with steel tip insert in pencil nozzle; not much wear, but small patch of scratching on one barrel panel just below crown, Aikin Lambert #1 ventless gold nib is somewhat later, tipping on one side is chipped but still usable.
DATE: c. 1860 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine semiflex • $165
17023: unmarked Jumbo: giant Japanese eyedropper-filler, 16 cm long, black urushi lacquer over hard rubber, gold plated trim, plated steel nib marked "Special/Iridium/Pen. Ink shutoff valve seal has been replaced (unscrew barrel end knob slightly to allow ink to flow to the nib, screw down to seal off barrel) and shaft repaired. New old stock with price sticker, larger than most.
DATE: c. 1960 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: medium fine • $225
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