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.