Here I'm showing a nice quality no name mechanical pencil. This one is almost certainly a British example, I think, maybe  ... Moving on from that brink, the piece features a gravity feed, button activated clutch pencil. The clutch (prongs at the pencil tip), grab and release the lead for use or storage.The pencil is made of hard rubber and was probably produced prior to 1920. It measures 5 3/8 inches in length.

  Writing instrument makers ran still life ads in movie theaters during the 1920's. I know of these slides being produced for Parker, Sheaffer and W-E. Here's a couple pictures of  Wahl-Eversharp and Parker examples. Photos courtesy of my good friend Jon Veley.

In 1935 Cross introduced the Signet line of writing instruments. The product line featured a conventional pencil, magic pencil and fountain pen. All were available in chrome, sterling silver and gold filled. This one shown is the chrome finish model.

   

Waterman's cigar cutter from the late 1920-s - early 1930's.

Leboeuf, an American company, produced very nice pens and mechanical pencils during the 1920's. The depth of color patterns on some of their instruments was extraordinary. Today, all Leboeuf's are admired by serious collectors. These two are circa late 1920's - early 1930's.

From the mid 1920's through about the mid 30's several major mechanical pencil/fountain pen makers produced a limited amount of metal pencils and pens with over painted designs. Waterman's produced a lesser seen red hard rubber example.

A second half 1920's oversize Sheaffer's mechanical pencil. The ribbing is not usually seen on the brand until a little latter. The ribbing also runs higher up this
pencil than I have seen.

A few more earlyish German Kaweco's. These from around the mid-1930's till the early 1940's. Great color.

Three very early German Kaweco silver metal mechanical pencils. The barrels are 90.0 % silver. The typical highest content silver instruments were the English standard 92.5 % or 925 silver. That is the standard by what we call sterling today. ...more or less. 

A few early Wahl-Eversharp mechanical pencils.

Left to right:

Lead holder marked with the early Ever Sharp branding.

All others marked Wahl-Eversharp

Four sizes of ring top pencils

A short clip model pencil with sticker

A short version of the large hard rubber student pencil

Two chased hard rubber deco band / equipoise pencils

Just a few early fountain pens.