Two early Montblanc hard rubber pencils circa in the neighborhood of 1928. The large pencil is a #11, as marked. It is 8 sided and 5 3/4 inches in length. The smaller pencil is rounded and 3 1/8 inches in length (no model number discernable).

  Here I'm showing a figural sterling pencil represented as a child's top by Walter Thornhill & Company of England. Circa 1873.  6 stages of length not counting the nozzle! The piece extends by pulling the nozzle (working end), away from the body.  To me, the number of stages that fit into the body of the pencil is simply amazing. And, it all works smoothly and precisely. Without the ring the measurements are 1 3/8 inches long collapsed and 3 1/4 inches fully extended. Due to the top heavy nature of the piece it is unsuitable as a working top toy or is that toy top? Dizzy yet?  :>)

  Four Camel mechanical pencils here in 3 different models.  Circa 1935. The company only lasted about 5 years as I recall. The black pencil has the maker markings inscribed on the side. The quality of the pencils is excellent except for the pitiful black thing.

  Fully hallmarked British, sterling combo pencil, knife and file. Probably by Asprey. Pencil extends as it is pulled out of the case and compresses when pushed back into place. Slick. Very high quality. Case is 2 5/16 inches long. Pencil extends to an almost practical 3 5/16 inches in length. Circa 1915.

  Here's a stubby Pelikan Auch repeater (top button activated) mechanical pencil.  3 5/8 inches long. Circa 2nd half 1940's.

  Here I'm showing an English silver, noname telescopic pencil with whistle. Pencil features a serious, swinging hanger with attached ring.  Circa 1890. Pencil is 3 inches long compressed measured with the ring and 4 3/8 inches long extended ready to write. Nice piece.

  Parker Duofold Streamline Junior mechanical pencil produced between 1929 and 1932. The color pattern of this pencil was not sold to the public. 4 11/16 inches long. Proper Parker markings are to be found on both the body and clip. Yup.

  I think these tiny Victorian slider pencils were produced mainly in England. The collar on this one is used to slide the attached working end in and out along the grove in the device. These pencils were made in many different styles. Typically they all measure about 1 13/16 inches long compressed and 2 3/8 inches extended (to the writing position). Diameter measurement is also very similar in all styles of this length.

  Here showing are three demonstrator mechanical pencils, circa 1940-1955. Top piece is a Parker utility pencil with cutouts top and bottom to view the operation of the mechanism. The middle and bottom pieces (Sheaffer Snorkel and Parker 51) demonstrate mechanical operation by a view through their clear barrels. Pencils of this design were never sold in their day. They were shown by sales staffs to educate retailers and or their customers as to the internal workings of the devices. Modern demonstrators (clear barrels), produced since the last part of the 20th century are designed and sold as a style enhancement gobbled up by customers.

  This one is a gold Sampson Mordan three stage telescopic pencil. Circa 1915 - 1920. Extended sections are pulled out from the pencil body with a continuous pull of the collar (opposite the ring). Procedure is reversed for storage. This pencil also features a perpetual calendar, customizable by a movable day of the week ring. Piece is 2 1/2 inches long when not in use and 5 1/2 inches long when used.

  Showing here is a nice grouping of lesser seen early Waterman hard rubber mechanical pencils, c. 1928 ish. I dig em.

  Here for your listening pleasure is a Sampson Mordan figural pencil represented by a sterling tennis racket. Circa 1890. Button slider activated. Pencil is 2 1/4 inches long compacted and 2 1/2 inches long extended when in use - as a pencil.

  Here are two early, Omas like, celluloid mechanical pencils, circa thereabouts 1937. Each pencil approximately 3 1/4 inches long. These are two good examples of better quality Italian celluloid production.

  Sampson Mordan and Company created many figural pencils during the life of the company. Here I'm showing a magic pencil being represented as a British shilling coin. The coin is real. It was sliced in half horizontally to add another layer of thickness. This allowed room to install a magic pencil mechanism. Yeap, magic pencil is a term used by those serious people. One pulls out the rear extension via the ring and simultaneously the working end is pushed out the other end. Magic! Lets call the time of production on this one the date of the coin - 1887. The pencil is 7/8 of an inch across and 1/4 inch deep.

  From the second half of the 19th century into the 20th century Aikin Lambert Company produced many high quality mechanical pencils. L.E. Waterman bought the company during the second decade of the 20th century. The two companies had a long working relationship prior to that time. The Aikin Lambert name continued after the purchase. In the mid-1920's the Waterman brand marketed its first line of production mechanical pencils. Aikin Lambert never stopped pencil production. Shown here is Waterman's 1st generation pencil alongside the very similar Aikin Lambert. The Aiken Lambert pencil is also inscribed "THE ALCO". The only difference between the two is the trim and the markings. The pencils are oversize models in red hard rubber, 5 1/2 inches in length. The two 'classic' shirt clips later came to identify each company amongst collectors (same clip here - just different unique bends). The Aikin Lambert name was eventually consumed by Waterman.

  Leroy W. Fairchild Company produced many varieties of quality Victorian mechanical pencils from the middle of the 19th century into the early part of the 20th century. I'm going to call this example of Fairchild's art a gravity feed, button activated clutch pencil. The clutch (prongs at the pencil tip), grab and release the lead for use or storage. 3 1/4 inches in length. Great style, I think.

  During the mid 1930's Ancora of Italy produced this nicely made mechanical pencil. The body pattern is reminiscent of the visulated Parker Vacumatic (or vise versa), of that era. Mechanism is a repeater (top button activated). Length comes in at just under under 5".

  Here I'm showing a no name fireplace bellows figural  pencil. The lead mechanism is twist activated. This one  includes a stanhope lens, which if not broken (heavy sigh), would display several images. Typically displayed scenes would be vacation destinations or religious scenes.  Piece is 2" long.  Upgrade time!

  Montblanc #22 mechanical pencil in lapis lazuli Circa 1930's. 4 5/8" long. A most stylish pencil me thinks.

  This one is probably (maybe) a British Sampson Mordan figural railway lantern mechanical pencil (markings are very weak). Made of sterling with three telescopic sections (two shown in the picture). The writing lead section is simultaneously propelled out to the working position as the telescopic sections are physically pulled away from the body of the pencil. The lamp lens is made of glass. Another example of this pencil features a hinged cap that has holes in the body to store extra lead. This piece pictured is 1 1/2 inches compressed and 4 5/8 inches extended. Circa 1890.

  Mabie Todd produced this 'Opah' mechanical pencil some time in the distant past (maybe 1925, maybe earlier). The pencil is marked 'Made In England' Most Mabie Todd's produced since the 1840's were produced in America. The style looks transitional - from the Victorian to the modern. On another note, it is also an example of how not to use chalk to highlight an imprint. But back to business. Since Mabie Todd was a giant, particularly in it's Victorian heyday, this little interesting pencil is getting its day on me.  4 7/8" long.

   I'm showing a grouping of Onoto mechanical pencils inspired by my friend Myk from here in this Facebook group. Onoto is a British company which has recently seen a rebirth. Very nice new production fountain pens are available today. Back to Myk, his Onoto pencil is second from the right in my picture. Thanks! The pictured Onoto's were produced from the 1930's into the early 1940's. Picture includes a nice German Steno pencil (circa  around 1935). It kinda snuck into the shot. The Steno is a nicely chased repeater (push activated). The Onoto's are all twist mechanisms. Onoto's were also produced in Australia. The far left pencil is so marked 'Made In Australia'.

  Three desk pencils by Sampson Mordan (Great Britain) and Mabie Todd (United States). The Mordan is sterling. The Mabie Todd's are sterling and mother of pearl. The Mordan was polished only because the tarnish (or patina - for us snobs ;>) ), was blotchy. Circa 1920 - 1925.

  Here I'm showing a nice John Holland ring top mechanical pencil with painted design over celluloid. Some significant loss of paint but still quite nice. Circa 1925. 4 1/4' long.

  During Victorian times compendiums were carried to hold multiple items used in the course of the day while out and about. Some of these featured a shell with removable objects, such as the pencil and many other necessities. This no name example has the items built into the device. Closed it is a stylish watchamacallit. Opened, it is a pencil, magnifying glass and ruler. Circa pre 1910. Five inches long in the closed position.

   I think serious style points on this British Wyvern mechanical pencil. Approximately 4 1/4" long  Material is black hard rubber with gold banding.  Circa 1915 - 1920. Interesting imprints:

WYVERN No314 LONDON
BRITISH MAKE

  Peanut anyone? Lifesize, inedible, unmarked, magic pencil, probably British, sterling. Circa pre-1900.

  No name pencil here with a pattern that just keeps giving. The piece probably dates from the 1930's. The clip is a classic.

To quote from the Wikpedia page on Tunbridge ware, "Tunbridge ware is a form of decoratively inlaid woodwork, typically in the form of boxes, that is characteristic of Tonbridge and the spa town of Tunbridge Wells in Kent in the 18th and 19th centuries. The decoration typically consists of a mosaic of many very small pieces of different colored woods that form a pictorial vignette. Shaped rods and slivers of wood were first carefully glued together, then cut into many thin slices of identical pictorial veneer with a fine saw. Elaborately striped and feathered bandings for framing were pre-formed in a similar fashion." We are talking England, of course, folks. The pictured pencil is an example of the craft. It probably was produced before the turn of the 19th century. The sliding mechanism, via a button attached channel, moves the inserted wooden pencil in and out of the writing position. The tip is very likely black hard rubber. The crown resembles bone or ivory.

  Shown today is a German Montblanc hard rubber pencil from the early 1930's. The model designation is a  '2' (so inscribed). The style was unique. The mechanism is top button activated. The pencil is approximately 3 3/4" long.