For dip pens listed without nibs, steel or brass nibs can be provided upon request without charge.
The items below are sorted by date; click here to sort by maker
15734: John Sheldon dip pen and pencil compendium in box: scarce and desirable Birmingham-made combination dip pen, pencil, coin gauge, toothpick, wax seal, and letter scale (British weights and rates, ounces and pence), 10.3 cm long closed, nickel silver, clean condition noting "SHELDON" imprint nearly polished away, though February 1842 patent date stamp strong and clear.
DATE: c. 1845 • CONDITION: fine • $600
15833: Fisher dip pen: unmarked gold filled holder with removable wooden taper, 14.7 cm long excluding nib; unusual imprint of two crossed quills and letters standing for "Paragon Gold Quill-Pens", trademarked on Nov 11, 1873.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: extra-fine flex • $225
15874: John Holland dip pen: gold filled holder, fully marked, extending ebonized wood taper, 14.5 cm long overall open, 7.2 cm closed, #5 Holland ventless gold nib writes like a high-flexibility steel nib.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $275
14376: Mordan retracting dip pen and pencil combination: reeded solid gold, 9.1 cm long retracted, pencil nozzle uses "VS' lead; weight is 12.5 grams.
DATE: c. 1880 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $495
16790: 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, end button is pressed with nib down to extend, pressed again with nib upwards to retract; good working order, scattered pinhead bumps, scratches to lacquer.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG • $80
13675: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.25 cm long, fully marked, model number 140, beautiful floral repoussé work; initials on nib holder, minor roughness to front, some waviness to taper; ex-Tefft collection.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $200
15885: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, unusual variant twist pattern, 16 cm long excluding gold plated steel nib, fully marked including model number 17, scattered light marks, fine overall appearance, holds nibs securely despite small stress cracks to underpiece of holder (see detail).
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG* • $275
15939: Mordan Ejector dip pen: sterling silver, barleycorn pattern with smooth forepart, purple cabochon finial; 15.25 cm long excluding nib, gripping section is pulled forward to eject the nib without soiling the hands. Original gold plating mostly worn away, French import hallmark near end. An unusual form, could easily be replated if desired.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: VG-fine • $465
15262: unmarked dip pen and pencil set: sterling silver, cable twist pattern, pen is 16.6 cm long excluding plated nib, desk pencil uses 1.5 mm "VS" lead; English manufacture, excellent quality, possibly Mordan; condition excellent but for tool marks to pencil nozzle.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $425
11202: unmarked dip pen: sterling silver, American manufacture, marked only "STERLING"; bold twist decoration of fine quality, 15.5 cm long excluding plated steel nib.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $160
16729: unmarked dip pen: mottled hard rubber, 17.4 cm long excluding nib (included, not gold).
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine • $65
16740: unmarked dip pen: Chinese export silver, 15 cm long excluding nib, floral high relief appliques; marked on underside of nib holder (see detail), brass nib installed.
DATE: c. 1890 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $285
16215: Elmwood dip pen: slender gold filled unmarked holder, branchiform pearl taper, 15.5 cm long including #1 ventless gold nib.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium • $85
16497: Gorham dip pen: sterling silver, 15.8 cm long excluding brass nib, bold and distinctive twist pattern, fully marked.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine • $250
15790: Gorham dip pen: large with bold "pineapple" pattern, 16.1 cm long excluding plated nib; fully and strongly marked, unusual form, scattered shallow nicks around gripping area.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: VG • $295
15841: Mabie Todd dip pen and pencil set: sterling silver and gold filled two-tone twist pattern with pearl taper, 11.7 cm long excluding #4 Mabie Todd ventless gold nib; matching desk pencil accepts standard 2.0 mm lead though originally designed for .076".
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $425
15793: Mabie Todd (?) dip pen: sterling silver, 16.1 cm long excluding plated nib, scrolling deep fluted twist relief pattern, excellent quality, marked only "STERLING" but in same distinctive serif typeface used by Mabie Todd.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine • $250
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
13678: unmarked dip pens: sterling silver, beaded decoration, marked only "STERLING"; sold as a pair, though it is noteworthy that even these seemingly identical holders differ slightly, an indication of the hand work still required to finish die-stamped components (one is 16.2 cm long, the other 16.1). These appear to be new old stock, evenly tarnished, with a few very shallow storage bumps.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: exc • $250
16963: unmarked dip pen: silver with extensively hand-worked twist pattern, 13.5 cm long excluding non-gold nib.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $150
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
12702: Edward Baker ejector dip pen: sterling silver, London hallmarks worn but legible, 15.4 cm long excluding nib. The end of the taper is spring-loaded; when pushed, the nib is ejected. Plunger spring has taken a set, so plunger does not spring all the way back, slight bend to plunger, small seam split at end of taper (see detail), but all fully functional.
DATE: c. 1902 • CONDITION: fine* • $250
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
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
15305: Aikin Lambert dip pen, pencil, and manicure set in box: a most unusual presentation set, all in sterling silver, the three pieces engraved "M.M.", "to", and "Maiza". The reversible dip pen carries a ventless gold #4 Aikin Lambert nib, while the pencil uses .075 inch lead and extends and retracts. Some small dings here and there (see details), faceted colored glass end stones. Pencil is 12 cm long, other two pieces are 9.3 cm long, closed.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium fine flex • $650
13460: Heath dip pen: sterling silver, 15.75 cm long excluding plated nib, fully marked, relief work is an interesting variant of the Waterman "Puritan" or "Patch", with larger patches of scrollwork and the areas separating those patches narrower and with a hand-hammered surface; crisp and details not softened by polishing, one nip towards end of taper (see details).
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $265
14769: unmarked dip pen, pencil, and stamp compendium: nickel-plated brass, 11.7 cm long closed, clamp-style pencil nozzle takes standard 2 mm lead; reversing rubber stamp in end is self-inking..
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: VG • $80
15395: unmarked dip pen, pencil, and stamp compendium: nickel-plated brass, 11.1 cm long closed, made in Germany, clamp-style pencil nozzle takes standard 2 mm lead; self-inking reversing rubber stamp in end is spring-loaded.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: VG • $50
15769: unmarked dip pen: copper-plated brass holder in the shape of a quill, 23.5 cm long excluding steel nib, engraved "Ausstellung Mannheim.1907/Louis Markert". The Mannheim exhibition of 1907 was devoted to art and horticulture.
DATE: c. 1907 • CONDITION: fine-exc • $120
16816: Tiffany dip pen: low-relief gold-plated bronze, 16.4 cm long excluding steel nib. From Tiffany's Zodiac pattern of desk accessories; decoration includes an image of the sign of Libra. While other Tiffany desk accessories are easy to find, the dip pens are quite rare. Finely detailed handwork, slight bend to end, nib holding insert has been replaced.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: fine* • $685
14457: unmarked writing set in box: German-made, comprising a dip pen, letter opener, pencil, and seal, all in what appears to be casein-based plastic, salmon and black. Box is 21.7 cm wide, dip pen is 13.8 cm long excluding nib. Some loss to the leatherette on the upper front part of the box, otherwise showing no signs of use.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • $95
15717: unmarked dip pen: beautiful tortoiseshell pattern celluloid, hollow construction adds to the translucence of the material, 13.1 cm long excluding gold-plated nib, probably European production.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: exc • $125
16422: unmarked Graf Zeppelin dip pen: rare figural holder, probably made to commemorate the Graf Zeppelin's visit to Estonia in 1930; .875 fine silver, Estonian hallmarks, 14.6 cm long excluding nib, nicely detailed, excellent quality, scattered nicks and dings.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: VG • $450
