The items below are listed alphabetically by maker, with featured items grouped at the top.
Victorian dip pens have long been one of our personal collecting interests. We have recently reorganized our catalog pages devoted to writing instruments and accessories of the 19th-century, and will be listing a large number of new offerings there over the next few weeks, starting with dip pens.
17012: American Novelty Company Columbia giant novelty dip pen: nickel plated ferrule, painted wooden taper, 32.3 cm long, nib marked "COLUMBIA/A./N.C./NEW YORK", age darkening where exposed. Shown here at 2/3 scale, with Parker 75 ballpoint for size reference (not included).
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine flex • SOLD
17013: American Pencil Co. No. 19 "Midget" dip pen: giant novelty display piece, slightly over 33 cm long including nib, fully marked copper-finish ferrule, brass nib retains much of its plating, sponge-painted wooden taper. Shown here at 2/3 scale, with Parker 75 ballpoint for size reference (not included).
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium flex • SOLD
16645: Crown dip pen: gold filled holder, ebonized wood taper with applique of flying bird carrying a letter; 14.2 cm long excluding #2 ventless gold Crown nib, holder marked only "3", nib is a notable writer with lively springiness.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • SOLD
17019: Eagle dip pen: sterling silver, 14.9 cm long excluding steel nib, marked "PAT.OCT.17.99/STERLING.E." (US design patent D31670).
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: fine • SOLD
17021: Greaton dip pen: gold filled holder, removable ebonized wood taper, 15.3 cm long excluding Greaton "Mercantile" ventless gold nib; John W. Greaton was an early New York gold pen manufacturer and reseller, successful but active for a relatively short time. Nib is in excellent condition but for a test mark at the bottom of the imprint, and is unusual in being imprinted on both sides.
DATE: c. 1849 • CONDITION: fine* • SOLD
17017: John Holland dip pen: unmarked sterling silver holder with removable ebonized wood taper, 15.8 cm long excluding #7 Holland ventless 16K gold nib. Silver shows wear and shallow dings, nib is excellent with noteworthy line variation and snapback. Silver holders are generally earlier and far less common than gold filled.
DATE: c. 1865 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: extra-fine flex • SOLD
16703: Mallat retracting dip pen: rare and historically important, patented gold nib with jewel tipping, predating the general adoption of welded iridium alloy tipping; holder is 15.1 cm long with nib retracted, nib tip is damaged but the stub of the original tipping stone is still visible on one side, condition otherwise fine to excellent.
DATE: c. 1843 • CONDITION: G* • $450
15845: Morton dip pen: unmarked gold plated holder, swirled glass taper, 14.7 cm long excluding #6 Morton ventless gold nib.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $175
16969: Tiffany dip pen: beautiful sterling silver holder, 17 cm long excluding nib, with finely-chased floral relief 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.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $1100
17018: unmarked dip pen: brass holder with hand-carved bone taper, the end in the shape of a hoof; 15.6 cm long excluding steel nib, probably European manufacture.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine • SOLD
16970: unmarked watch chain dip pen and inkwell: nickel plated brass, tubular links fit into each other to form a long thin pen with a reversible holder at the end; European, marked only "PATENT/N.L.F." on the bottom (for the Netherlands?).
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine • $365
17020: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, 15.3 cm long excluding steel nib, some nibbles to the very end of the taper, marked only "STERLING".
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: VG • SOLD
Previously featured items here
Latest featured items here
17128: A. A. Waterman twist-filler: gold filled filigree slip-cap, 14.9 cm long, hard rubber glossy and unfaded, even imprint on barrel in front of overlay is preserved; #3 nib with distinctive three-lobed vent hole is a notable writer, sharp tip with fine paper feel.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine stub flex • $850
17152: Aikin Lambert sleeve-filler: black hard rubber self-filler, gold filled overlay, 13.8 cm long, barrel sleeve rotates to provide access to pressure bar (Waterman's first sleeve-filler patent of 1905, but used only on subbrand pens and Aikin Lamberts, after Waterman's takeover of Aikin Lambert c. 1907); #3 nib is a notable writer, hairline just visible starting below imprint (see detail); multiple corrosion spots and blisters on the cap, high point plating wear. A fine user example of a rare and unusual design.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: extra-fine flex • $465
17151: Columbus eyedropper-filler: black hard rubber with heavy fluted gold filled overlay, telescoping extension from 10 cm to 13.45 cm, capped; made in Italy, marked only on the nib, which is an outstanding writer.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $600
17141: Eversharp Skyline Gold Award: uncommon version with full 1/10 14K yellow gold filled ribbed cap and barrel, 13.4 cm long, lever-filler, striking Machine Age design, wonderfully smooth nib writes an elegant line with plenty of flexibility in reserve.
DATE: c. 1946 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine stub flex • $295
17142: Parker Jack-Knife Safety set: ringtop button-filler, all-metal construction, gold filled cap, barrel, and section overlay, 8.8 cm long, alternating lines & fishscale pattern, intact Lucky Curve feed, nib is a precise writer with nice snapback, clean elegant lines; matching pencil is of Lucky Lock type, uses 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: c. 1923 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: fine flex • $350
17138: Parker button-filler: black streamline "Raven" series pen, 12.5 cm long, gold filled trim, uncommon proportions, long and slender, comb feed, good barrel imprint, smooth writer.
DATE: c. 1935 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine semiflex • $120
17150: Parker button-filler: black Depression-era model, 12.05 cm long, gold filled trim, stepped ends, triple cap band; clean imprint, no date code, uncommon and uncatalogued, clean appearance noting posting mark on barrel, slight shrinkage to cap, semistub nib.
DATE: c. 1936 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium fine flex • $165
17139: Parker Duofold Senior: green and brown pearl Vac-filler with black stripes, 13.6 cm long, gold filled over silver trim, Blue Diamond clip, geometric patterned cap band, largest size, much scarcer than contemporary Vacumatics; crisp imprint with 4th quarter date code, V for "Victory" wartime nib with semistub tip, outstanding barrel transparency, wartime plastic filler unit.
DATE: 1945 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine semiflex • $295
17147: Parker 51: dark blue Vac-filler, Lustraloy cap, gold filled over silver wartime Blue Diamond clip, barrel imprint with 1st quarter date code, even honest wear, used but not abused, handsome appearance.
DATE: 1947 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: medium fine • $150
17136: Parker 51: early production burgundy Aerometric filler, 1/10 12K gold filled cap in converging lines pattern, good barrel imprint with 1st quarter date code, early screw-on filler housing with "PRESS . . . 6 TIMES" imprint, acrylic connector, new sac with perfect transparency.
DATE: 1949 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium • $200
17134: Parker 75: vermeil grid pattern, flat ends, gold plated trim, made in USA, marked "STERLING & 14K G.F."; section end with nib angle indicator, 14K USA-made nib, #66 on feed, large early metal converter.
DATE: c. 1972 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium • $365
13274: Sheaffer Snorkel Sentinel set in box: Pastel Green pneumatic-filler, 14.1 cm long, stainless cap, gold filled trim, White Dot, two-tone conical Triumph nib marked "M5", with matching .9 mm pencil, new old stock, boxed with instructions.
DATE: c. 1955 • CONDITION: mint • NIB: medium • $175
17127: Waterman 0504 Patch: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, gold filled hand-chased overlay, #4 New York nib, Spoon Feed with patent imprints, overlay excellent noting monogram engraved on barrel, rivet holes at top of cap from now-absent clip (see details).
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine flex • $1600
17140: Waterman 452½V Gothic: black hard rubber ringtop lever-filler, 9.6 cm long, sterling silver overlay in checkerboard pattern, only smallest usage marks to the metal, nib requires a bit of pressure to open up, great line width variation, like using a dip pen.
DATE: c. 1923 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine flex • $295
17133: unmarked eyedropper-filler: slender black hard rubber slip-cap with unusual gold filled filigree overlay, "8" worked into pattern three times; 12.65 cm long, Gothic "D" initial engraved on cap, warranted nib is a notably calligraphic writer, though tipping is scant.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium stub flex • $485
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