- Introduction
- Asia / Islam
- Europe & Britain
- French Origins
- Stylus-Quill-Penner
- Early Fountain Pens
- Hawkins-Mordan Patent
- Virginia Roots
- Jefferson Pen Analysis
- American Pencil Makers
- American Gold Pen Makers
- Gold Pen Advertising
- Philip Poole ‘HIS NIBS’
- Inkwells
- Inkwells & Writing Sets
- Writing Sets
- Cyphers
- French Inkwell Makers
Other Pencil Makers
Turtle Pencil
The Turtle Pencil has no maker mark. Although the variety of Aiken Lambert and Mordan animal pencils is sizable, this does not appear to be either.
Magic Pencil
Painted scene on porcelain.
Patent Silver Magic Pencil
William S. Hicks magic pencil in silver.
The mechanism a novel patent improvement.
Edward Todd & Co. Pencil
Abalone and Mother of Pearl gold pencil. Hallmarked with Edward Todd & Co. N.Y. and Patent December 5, 1871, this pencil is based upon E.S. Johnson's patent.
Hicks Gravity Drop Pencil
Hicks sterling silver gravity drop pencil with acorn hallmark.
Patent 377194 is the only other identifier on this solid silver, well-made pencil. the patent award was to Costi de Meyer in 1887, thanks to Jonathan Veley for ferreting out the patent. This item was acquired years ago in the Cape Fear, NC area.
Jonathan Veley writes about gravity drop pencils including the Meyer patent and posts the patent drawing in his fun blog: The Leadhead's Pencil Blog: That's Heavy, Man (leadheadpencils.blogspot.com)
A.T. Cross
The Cross company of Rhode Island is well-known by Americans for stylish ballpoint pen and pencil sets.
The A.T. Cross company was established in 1846 in Providence, Rhode Island.
William S. Hicks
As the Mabie, Todd & Co. operation gathered steam to become the dominant fountain pen maker in the last quarter of the 19th century, Hicks items were sometimes sold by the firm..
Josh Baker
English Birmingham pencil maker Josh Baker created musket rifle pencils which he typically dated 1842. Included was normally a propelling pencil and toothpick.
Depicted on the left is an unmarked Josh Baker equipped with pencil, toothpick, and an additional quill mount.
On the right is a typical Josh Baker rifle pencil, marked “Josh Baker No 1186 4 April 1842”
The stock on both versions unscrews for lead storage.
Champagne Bottles
Champagne is always a joy, particularly when held in hand to compose a note to Mon Chéri!
Egyptian Pharaoh
The intrigue of the orientalist discoveries of Egypt’s ancient past resulted in demand for writing instrument souvenirs.
Depicted is a Pharaoh pencil with enamel work.
Telescopic Measuring Rule Pencil
George W. Watts & James B. Smith Invented a combination pencil with measuring rule with a priority date of 1895.
The example depicted is marked PAT.JANY 19.1897 and embellished with Edward Todd’s hallmark.
Telescopic Measuring Rule Pencil
The ingenious patent design resulted in a sturdy 12-inch ruler with propelling pencil.
The Snake Clip
Snake Clip
Pocket clips for pencils added function and utility. Perhaps related to the Art Nouveau movement of the late 19th century, snakes varied in meaning and style.
Thick Lead
The thick lead was useful to artist or draftsman.
Patent Design?
As Jonathan Veley points out in his blog, controversy prevailed over the design origination. See https://leadheadpencils.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-one-that-kept-me-awake-at-night.html .
Revolver Pencil
Whimsical pencil modeled after a revolver.
Marked
Stamped GESETZL GESCHÜTZT / PROTECTED BY LAW.
Lead Storage in the Cylinder
A covered chamber in the cylinder stores space leads.
Joseph Monaghan / Edward Todd
Edward Todd & Co
In the progression of Bagley successors, Edward Todd & Co. was the final company until 1932. Joseph Monaghan was also an inventor focused on pencil designs. Monaghans‘ patent date related to the translucent agate pencil body is memorialized on this Edward Todd & Co. Pencil, created in 18k gold.
John H. Knapp
Knapp Patent Cannon Pencil
John H. Knapp was an innovative figure in the 19th-century American writing instrument industry, active primarily in the 1850s–1870s as a pencil case maker and Gold Pen nib manufacturer in Manhattan, New York. His patented designs advanced mechanical pencil holders and pen mechanisms, contributing to the evolution of portable, reliable writing instruments.
The exhibited Knapp Patent pencil is extremely rare and stamped Knapps Patent, the date is rubbed. Produced in 14k gold. Upon further examination of patents and efforts to determine functionality, I found that this example may not be retractable. The top or back-end of the cannon is removable and contains a lead storage cavity that extends within 1cm of a central loose ring on the exterior of the pencil body. The mechanical mechanism of the pencil is fully operational and from all testing appears to be fixed in place. An X-ray examination of the interior will be conducted to determine if a spiral retraction mechanism exists.
Jon Veley, The LeadHead, possesses the only other specimen that appears in a publicly published collection.
Knapp Patent Marking
The external format of this Knapp patent pencil somewhat matches his patent number 15,660, awarded on September 2, 1856.
Jon Veley revealed a hand written design patent, number 861, awarded on January 6,1857.
Knapp Patent No. 15,660
Mr. Knapp was awarded 5 patents:
No. 15,660, September 2, 1856, Pen & Pencil Case
No. Des 861 (D000861) January 2, 1857, Pencil Case Design
No. 67,558, August 6, 1867, Pencil-Case
No. 123,485, February 6, 1872, Improvement in Pencil-Cases
No. 123,486, February 6, 1872, Improvement in Pencil-Cases
No. 142,243, August 26, 1873, Improvement in Pen and Pencil Cases
Knapp was in a copartnership with John Mabie in 1853 as Associated with Mabie, Knapp & Johnston at 15 John, New York, NY, and by 1854 as Mabie, Knapp, & McGovern at the same address.
Mr. Knapp was also a Gold Pen nib maker, having produced at least one Gold Pen nib which is curated in the Gold Pen nib makers page.
Knapp Patent No. 15,660
The Knapp pencil is perhaps made to resemble a cannon replete with proper beads and touchhole.
Knapp Patent No. 15,660
Patent No. 15,660, September 2, 1856, for a Pen & Pencil Case is a cannon design that functions by sliding the end of the cannon barrel
Knapp Patent No. 15,660
Patent No. 15,660, September 2, 1856, for a Pen & Pencil Case.
Knapp Patent No. Des 861 or D000661
Though submitted as a letters patent, the submission was designated a design patent simply because it was a design for a cannon pencil and does not address any operational mechanism.
Knapp Patent No. Des 861
Design Patent No.,D000861, January 6, 1856, for a Pencil Case Design based on a cannon.
Knapp Patent No. Des 861
Originally submitted as a letters patent, patent 861 was designated to be a pencil case design similar to a cannon.
Knapp Patent No. 142,243 - August 26, 1873
The original patent drawing from Mr. Knapp’s patent no. 142,243.