John H. Rauch
Early Pencil Maker & Inventor
John Rauch was a pencil maker who invented a special pen / pencil holder. While his patented pen / pencil holder may not have sold in great volume it was a notable accomplishment. Mr. Rauch’s later pen / pencil holders were briefly adorned with creative pen-tops including examples with a lid, opening which revealed a fitted tintype portrait of a loved one.
Pencil Tops
The pencil tops were often decadent with semi-precious or precious stones.
Pen Tops
Rauch’s later pen / pencil holder tops became decadent and included unique animals and designs that helped raise the art of pen making.
Portrait Top Cypher
Rauch’s later pen / pencil holder portrait tops offered more useable area by the addition of a lid on which a cypher could be engraved. The depicted portrait top was engraved with a classic cypher for the Victorian era.
The Rauch Lidded Top
Rauch’s later pen holders introduced a charming novelty that, while never formally patented, captured the sentimental spirit of the era. As photographic portraits became more accessible, the idea of carrying a writing instrument adorned with a loved one’s image transformed into a heartfelt and appealing concept. Beyond portraits, some owners chose to preserve delicate locks of hair or a sentimental clothe remnant within the pen’s hidden compartment, turning the piece into a deeply personal keepsake. This design not only blended beauty with sentiment but also allowed buyers to purchase with a meaningful intention. However, this elegant feature had its flaw—the delicate lids were prone to snapping off, a fragile imperfection in an otherwise thoughtful creation.
Origin of the Rauch Patent Pencil Slide Slot/Button
Comparison of Bagley Marked vs Unmarked
Rauch worked with the Bagley factory to modify a Bagley extension pen holder without the twist pencil extension/retraction mechanism, but with Rauch’s own pencil extension/retraction mechanism with Mr. Rauch’s novel slot and narrow button. Note that none of this 1st generation of the Rauch concept have any Rauch or Rauch patent marks.
The examples above consist of the following:
1) On the left is a Bagley extension pen holder with the Rauch pencil slide mechanism and slot for the missing button. This is the only Bagley extension pen holder in the collection marked twice. Markings are “Jan 1 1850” and again “Bagley’s Pat 1850”
2) On the right is a Bagley extension pen holder with no markings, in the classic shape touted in the John Mabie 1854 patent drawing, identified by Mabie as prior art. This item depicts the pencil slide button that became a focus of his first patent. The top section skin has been lowered to expose the interior of the mechanism.
Bagley Marks
This cartouche is marked “Bagley’s Patent”, and is on one side of the Bagley Pen/Pencil Holder on the left above.
This cartouche is marked “Jan 1 1850”, and is on the other side of the Bagley Pen/Pencil Holder on the left above.
John H. Rauch Patents
Rauch Patents
Mr. Ranch awarded 4 patents in the course of his career. Although the collector community is still piecing together the history of Mr. Rauch and other Gold Pen makers, clearly Rauch was associated with different firms or operated his own business.
Rauch 8640 Patent
Ranch’s 8640 patent provided a different looking extension pen / pencil case, Mr. Rauch explained his rational for the 8640 design that provided an extension pen / pencil case that was equipped as follows: “It will thus be seen that by my arrangement I have a slide-case for both pen and pencil, and also an extension-case, which have hitherto not been combined, and a person may have both pen and pencil at his command and both inclosed in a portable case which may be carried without inconvenience in the waistcoat-pocket.
In the slide-cases for both pen and pencil as at present constructed the pen-holder and pencil are operated by bands or rings which encompass the case, said bands or rings being connected to the pen-holder and pencil by rivets working in slots in the case. The rivets soon wear and become loose, and it is impossible to have an extension-case where bands encompass the case. They are long and cumbrous and unhandy in the pocket.“
Mr. Rauch was referring to the Bagley 3-section extension pen and pencil cases associated with his 6981 patent awarded in 1850.
Not Claimed in the 8640 Patent
Ranch’s 8640 patent provided a different looking extension pen / pencil case, however; he recognized in his patent claim language that the extension case was prior art, having been invented by Bagley. Rauch stated in the 8640 patent claim language the following: “I do not claim the extension-case, as a sliding tube working in a case has been previously invented; neither do I claim a slide case for both pen and pencil, as that is at the present in use.”
Mr. Rauch did not claim most of the drawing filed with his patent; however, his depiction in Fig. 6 was not mentioned as prior art although Bagley’s pen & pencil holders had been fitted with this piece since at least 1850 if not in earlier pre-patent examples.
Claimed in the 8640 Patent
Ranch’s 8640 patent claim was as follows: “What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-The collar G, encompassing and sliding freely on the pencil-tube E, said collar having a slot or recess g cut through it, as shown and described, through which the spure of the pencil-slide E may pass, by which arrangement either the pencil-slide E or pen-holder H may be operated without interfering with each other, the collar being prevented from turning on the pencil-tube toy means of the spur h, working in the slot k in the sliding tube D, and also by which arrangement I combine the extension-case with the slide-case for both pen and pencil, substantially as set forth.”
Albert G. Bagley worked with Mr. Rauch to bring his invention to reality. The Bagley factory created an early production model from Mr. Rauch’s working prototypes and the factory was soon producing the Rauch 8640 pen/pencil holder.
The superimposed images are arguably the earliest example of Rauch’s 8640 patent. The example is identical to the patent drawing, and is marked “Rauch’s Patent” and “Jany 6 1852”. The end cap depicted in Fig. 6 of the drawing is realized in this example as well.
The Rauch 11,839 Patent
... on Rauch’s later pen holders, as the images demonstrate, the lid was delicate and often snapped off in use.
The Rauch 40,855 Patent
... on Rauch’s later pen holders, as the images demonstrate, the lid was delicate and often snapped off in use.
Learn About the 2nd Generation Rauch Pen Holders
Additional 1st Generation Examples
The Bagley examples containing the Rauch pencil mechanism were the first generation of John Rauch’s novel design.
2nd Generation of Rauch Pen/Pencil
The second generation of the Rauch pencil extension / retraction mechanism resulted in an extension pen holder that was not the Bagley design.
The Rauch slider button was incorporated for both pencil and pen extension. The the extension pen holder resulted in a reduced diameter lower section that would accommodate a smaller hand.
Note that the leftmost example is the oldest and it is marked with the Rauch patent identifier "JANY 6 1852" along with Rauch's Patent. This example contains a rare Rauch Gold Pen Nib.
Only one other example of a Rauch Gold Pen Nib is preserved within the collection.
Magnified View
A magnified view of one of the 2nd generation examples depicting the slider buttons for both pen and pencil.
Rauch 1869 Patent
Patent No. 91,665 was awarded to Mr. Rauch on June 22, 1869. His claimed novelty was an improvement in a pencil extension / retraction mechanism.
Rauch 1869 Patent
Patent No. 91,665 was awarded to Mr. Rauch on June 22, 1869. His claimed novelty was an improvement in a pencil extension / retraction mechanism.