Pencils

Oversized Sheaffer Titan pencils seem common on this site, but they are rather uncommon in the wild. Here is a beautiful jade model that is in great working order. It has some scratches on the nose cone, light wear on the barrel and minimal wear on the topper. Maybe a touch of brassing on the pocket clip. The topper does not seem to want to separate from its inner mechanism, which is okay, given there doesn't sound as if there are any spare leads within. Twist the topper to advance and retract the 1.1mm lead that is already loaded into the pencil. 13.4cm.

The granddaddy of mechanical pencils in the 1920s was the Sheaffer Titan. Ideally matching the Oversized pens of its time, this vintage pencil is in excellent condition. Its 1.1mm lead propelling mechanism works very smoothly, advancing and retracting the lead. Under the gold-plated flat-top topper is a working replacement eraser and spare leads. Cosmetically, this pencils is looking great. There's one deep scratch hard to find on the barrel, a little brassing on the pocket clip and some small dimples on the topper. Otherwise, there's only some light wear. 13.3cm.

Here's one you don't see every day. This is an oversized Sheaffer Balance pencil with a separation point about a full centimeter below the cap band. The pencil is in great working order, loaded with a smaller-than-customary-for-this-era .9mm lead. It has a handsome black-and-pearl design. Unfortunately, there is general wear from use, brassing on the pocket clip and a small portion on the barrel that looks as if it was sanded down. Nothing remains of the original eraser. Nevertheless, it remains a great daily writer for everyday math, crosswords, sudoku and more. 14.6cm.

New Old Stock pencils from the 1940s that still have their original price sticker are always a treat. However, this poor Wahl-Eversharp 161-R Skyline pencil has a big crack near its clicker button. Our pencil still works great. The 1.1mm lead advance smoothly with a click, a still-rare early feature and advancement on mechanical pencils at that time. Under the button is a new, hardened old eraser and spare leads. The gold plating looks good. The only problem is that damned crack. 13.3cm.

Marine green is a desirable and less common design on the 1930s Sheaffer Balance line. Even rarer are the Sheaffer Autograph models! Sheaffer Autograph pencils have a solid 14k gold pocket clip and an extra-wide solid 14k gold band around the cap. Typically, those wide bands were engraved. This vintage pencil has no such engraving! Better, yet, it is in great working order. Twist the tail cap to advance or retract the 1.1mm lead. Pull of the tail cap to access the remains of an eraser and spare leads beneath it. Unfortunately, this pencil isn't perfect. To the right of the cap band are some dots deeply cut into the celluloid, that also has a 1/2-inch of flat spot, possibly where someone tried to polish the dots out. The remainder of the pencil has some blemishes, especially near the top of the tail cap with a bite mark and a few lines/scratches imprinted. Believe it or not, you really don't see it well unless you go looking for it, but, nevertheless, it is there. 13.2cm.

Diamond-cut wavy lines weave over pinstripes on this New Old Stock Eversharp No. 25 pencil. In mint condition since the early to mid-1920s, this sophisticated pencil looks amazing with its gold-fill completely intact. Unscrew the tail column topper to reveal spare 1.1mm leads. Our vintage pencil remains in great working order. 13.2cm.

Autopoint seems to have been born, nearly died and reborn again all within the span of a few years in the early 20th century. This pencil shows some wear from use and age, and unfortunately, the mechanism is seized up. Yet, it remains an early example of this classic brand. If it looks just like a Realite a little lower on the page, that is because the two companies had a very close relationship. 14.3cm.

The Realite Pencil Co. of Chicago sprang from Autopoint like Athena from Zeus' head, and soon bought out Autopoint. Realite than began undergoing a rebranding as Autopoint. In other words, this is an uncommon find for pencil collectors. It is in remarkably good condition, though it does have some scratches and wear after 100 years. It was found in a collection of mostly new-old-stock items from around 1923 and '24, which makes sense give that is likely when it was made, though it has no original tagging. The nose cone still twists to advance the 1.1mm lead. It sounds as if there are still leads under the eraser, but to pull out the eraser is to likely destroy the eraser. 14.6cm.