The items below are listed alphabetically by maker, with featured items grouped at the top.
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 • SOLD
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 • SOLD
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
Latest featured items here
17217: Boston eyedropper-filler in box: long black hard rubber ringtop, full gold filled overlay in grouped parallel lines pattern, 11.5 cm long, #2 nib opens easily with excellent snapback. Metal is crisp, noting shallow bumps to cap. Box complete but cloth hinge torn.
DATE: c. 1916 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $295
17207: Eagle Arrow dip pen: unusual drop-action holder, 11.2 cm long retracted, black lacquered brass with nickel plated trim; imprint on nib holder notes Feb. 1, 1887 patent date. Typical losses to barrel lacquer, fully functional. End button is pressed with nib down to extend, pressed again with nib upwards to retract. Will accommodate a wide range of common dip nibs.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: G-VG • $75
17210: Eclipse lever-filler: black hard rubber ringtop, 10.65 cm long, gold filled overlay with hand engraved floral decoration of excellent quality; nib is a wet-writing rounded stub.
DATE: c. 1926 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium stub semiflex • $165
17216: Harris lever-filler: black chased hard rubber, 13.4 cm long, nickel plated trim, crisp chasing and imprints; second-tier New York maker, good quality and excellent condition, nib requires a bit of pressure to open up.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium flex • $150
17196: Mabie Todd Fyne Poynt pencil: 10K solid gold ringtop, beautifully hand engraved; 10.1 cm long, uses 1.1 mm lead, as new but for tiny fleabite at edge of crown (see detail), 17.09g excluding lead.
DATE: c. 1923 • CONDITION: near mint • $525
17202: Parker Lucky Curve: oversize black line-chased hard rubber button-filler, 13.8 cm long, gold filled trim, same size as a Duofold Senior; narrow spearhead feed with intact Lucky Curve interior end, sharp banner imprint, name on barrel, only slight even fading to hard rubber, crisp end milling; big #7X nib is long-tined and flexible.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine flex • $695
17220: Parker Vacumatic Maxima: golden pearl laminate oversize single-jewel, 13.6 cm long, gold filled trim, Blue Diamond clip; single-jewel Maximas are uncommon, and this example displays a number of unusual features characteristic of early wartime production, including a striped cap jewel and a plastic-bodied filler unit with diamond imprint on the plunger; barrel transparency is excellent, strong barrel imprint with what appears to be a 4th quarter date code. Nib has 1942 date code along with star imprint on heel, so may be a contemporary swap.
DATE: 1942 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine • $525
17193: Parker Vacumatic Maxima: very late production oversize in silver pearl laminate, 13.7 cm long, chrome plated trim, Blue Diamond clip, crisp barrel imprint with 2nd quarter date code, perfect barrel transparency, filler plunger has diamond imprint on end; appears never to have been used, though there is a tiny dig to the back of the clip ring and a shallow dent in the cap band (see details).
DATE: 1947 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: fine • $650
17219: Parker 51 Demi: "Plum" Aerometric filler, frosty Lustraloy cap, chrome plated trim, bold barrel imprint with 4th quarter date code, early construction with transparent Lucite connector, chrome filler housing with "PRESS . . . 6 TIMES" imprint, original sac with excellent transparency.
DATE: 1948 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine • SOLD
17215: Parker 75: sterling silver grid pattern, gold plated trim, made in USA, marked "STERLING CAP & BARREL"; section with angle indicator, includes recent piston-style convertor, US-made 14K nib has feed marked "F" but writes a wider line. A couple of very shallow bumps to barrel, too shallow to photograph, overall appearance excellent.
DATE: c. 1978 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium • SOLD
17214: 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. Clean condition, noting plating wear to sides of actuator button (see detail).
DATE: c. 1978 • CONDITION: VG • $65
17211: Sheaffer 3 Self-Filling: mottled hard rubber lever-filler, 13.7 cm long, nickel plated trim, narrow feed, #3 Self Filling nib; imprints notably crisp, spots of flaking to plating on clip (actually an indication of notable preservation: on most pens of this age, the nickel plating is completely gone, only the nickel silver base material is visible).
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $985
17203: Sheaffer Touchdown Triumph set in box: pneumatic-filler, gold filled cap and barrel, White Dot, 13.4 cm long, two-tone conical Triumph nib with original grade band, section with transparent ink window; matching twist-action pencil uses .9 mm lead, has original foil clip tag. A scarce and short-lived model introduced early in 1950 and replaced by the more common Snorkel version in late 1952. As new, seals replaced, one tiny bump to pen cap (see detail).
DATE: c. 1951 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: fine • $385
17197: Sheaffer Imperial ballpoint: sterling silver, 12.9 cm long with tip retracted, White Dot, diamond crisscross pattern, "Reminder" clip retracts and extends tip, insuring that it will not go into a pocket with tip extended.
DATE: c. 1975 • CONDITION: exc • $120
17208: Wahl Tempoint: small black hard rubber ringtop eyedropper-filler, 9.75 cm long, full smooth 1/8 18K gold filled overlay, long-tined #2 Tempoint nib; comb feed original, appears to have been shortened slightly with blunted end. Very early production and largely identical to Boston version with same metal content marks and 1904 patent imprints. Dropper-filling Wahls were only made for a very short time after the Boston acquisition.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: extra-fine flex • $265
Return to the main New Items page here
