Today I've got for you a miniature silver slider mechanical pencil. The style represents British Royal Sceptres still carried ceremonially by the Monarchy or Parliment for centuries. They range from always very ornate and slim at 2 to 3 feet long to as long as 5 feet and 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Some larger ones are prominently displayed in the Tower Of London. Those are likely made of solid gold. Mine was made during the second half of the 19th century.
Today I'm showing a Fairchild Company (of New York, New York), telescopic dip pen/mechanical pencil It features a reversible writing unit. It is properly marked Fairchild on the case and the nib. It came in a wooden container. Nice touch! Circa 1890 - 1910. Closed the piece is 3 5/8 inches in length. Fully extended with the dip pen ready to write the length is a whopping 6 7/8 inches.
For Saturday's S & T, I'm showing another group of mechanical pencils. Circa 1920 - 1950. From left to write they are Wahl-Eversharp, an unmarked English, Waterman's, Wahl-Eversharp, 2 Waterman's, Parker, Montblanc, Wahl-Eversharp, 2 Wahl-Eversharp cutout demonstrators, and a Salrite. All were made in America except the English and the German Montblanc. To help size the pencils, the box is 7 7/8 inches long and 5 5/8 inches wide.
Today from here is a noname flat-sided silver, gravity-operated dropper pencil Deploying the pencil section for writing, one holds the pencil vertically and pushes down on the button. The pencil section will drop out of the bottom of the case by the force of gravity to the stop/write position. The procedure is reversed for storage (gravity again). Circa later 19th - early 20th centuries. Likely made in America or England. The piece is 3 1/8 inches long in the closed position.
