… at least it is to me… In a much earlier Blog entry I wrote about Charles Goodyear and a few of the pencils in

As near as I can figure out … Multiple internal brass barrels, with the outer-most being locked in position and having a spiral slot. The

Ever notice how the names of some people are perfectly suited to their career or personality? Well, oddly enough there is an “apt” name for

In the mid-1800’s a number of American pen & pencil makers began creating, and patenting, nearly identical looking gold and silver telescoping pen & pencil

So what could possibly have been of such value during the 17th to early 19th centuries that one might risk virtually everything to attain just

Travelling inkwells of the late 1800’s took on many forms; some were designed for function over style in order to ensure that the ink remained

Why, yes, yes it is his nibs… and some of the boxes in which they reside. While trying to come up with a title for

As collectors, we are always on the hunt for that next special item that will enhance our existing collection. It may be for something rarer

An almost infinite variety of small figural and novelty inkwells were made during the early to mid 1800’s to satisfy the growing demands of the

Very interesting. I enjoy reading descriptions of these early industrial works. It helps me better appreciate the finished items that have survived to today.

Interesting. Meriden CT was also the home of Miller Bros. Cutlery who made a wide variety of ink erasers and pen and paper knives. In

Very interesting. I just saw one the other day for sale engraved by C. C. Wright, one of top die sinkers of the day in

Thank you for these concise descriptions. I've read bits and pieces and would love to find out more. I have a short account of some

During a visit to our daughter’s home in England a few years ago I was able to convince everyone that we should take a day

We’d like to know a little bit about you for our files… From a collector’s perspective, purchasing items that are engraved is generally considered a

While many of us may believe that we are masters of our own destiny, and that it is only our own personality, expertise, work ethic,

At the beginning of the 19th century, members of the Lund family were already established in London as turners. Turning was a very skilled and

Thanks Marty… glad that you enjoyed seeing them. These and the travel inkwells are probably the two types I enjoy the most.

Thanks for the share. The inkwells are wonderful. Occasionally show up but bit too pricey for me. Again, loved to see them and bit of

It just sounds so much nicer when said in French rather than the English, “Snail Inkwells”, doesn’t it? In fact, it was the use of

When I first began collecting mechanical pencils I tried to limit my acquisitions to items that matched those keywords – “mechanical pencil”. However, items that

When was the last time (if ever) that you heard those words? Well, back in the day it was a pretty common alternative to today’s

I confess, I rarely read poetry. However, I have always been intrigued by poets, songwriters, and others who can creatively conjure up amazing imagery, and

I have a few “Woodward” pencils in my collection that I had always assumed were from the same period and maker. Only recently did I

For those of us over 40, or perhaps a tad older… it doesn’t seem all that long ago that smoking was a perfectly acceptable social

No, I’m not referring to today’s situation … The early 1830’s was a very prosperous time for America but that all changed quickly in 1837.

The New Year has arrived and a few of us may now be enjoying our first hangover of 2018 thanks to the after effects of

They were mostly made to satisfy the novelty/souvenir seekers, where achieving the functional requirements falls significantly below kitchiness in terms of priority. They do function

Who doesn’t enjoy an early morning walk on the beach, checking out what may have washed up overnight? There is often a variety of interesting

In the mid-1800’s the glass industry was the biggest employer in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the New England Glass Company being one of the largest of