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This Little Piggy

Like every generation before it and since, most of our Victorian ancestors lived according to the societal norms and “rules” of the day. Unspoken rules

Word of the Day – Nacre

Nacre (noun: pronounced “NAY-ker”) – otherwise known as mother-of-pearl. While the inner barrel and mechanisms of most 19th century mechanical pencils were constructed of brass, it

Beer and Pencils

As a collector it can be difficult to stay focussed in one specific collecting area without eventually coming across something that nudges you into making

Instant Success Takes Time

It is said that “instant success takes time”, and a perfect example is the development of the “Stanhope” viewer. The story of the stanhope begins

A Prickly Business

While many of the upscale Victorian pen/pencil case makers in England used silver or gold for the majority of their pen/pencil casings, these same makers

Messrs. Mordan’s Factory (1853)

Ever wonder how some of these beautiful Mordan writing implements were made “back in the day”? Well, wonder no more… I recently stumbled upon a

Mr. Goodyear and Pencils

Most of us, upon hearing the name “Goodyear”, immediately think of the tire industry. Lesser known is the fact that while Charles Goodyear has been

Egyptian Revival Pencils

The culture and symbolism of the ancient Egyptians has always been intriguing to many other cultures, and the Romans were among the first to become

War Related Pencils

As long as there has been human conflict, there have also been those that collect memorabilia associated with those conflicts. With the passage of time

The Writing Box

While sloped writing surfaces of various forms have been around for many centuries, the flat surfaced rectangular writing box really only became widely available towards

Mordan Travel Inkwells

Sampson Mordan, along with his partner John Isaac Hawkins, are credited with patenting the first mechanical pencil in 1822. Mordan pencils are widely sought after

Dawson’s Patent Pencil

One of the rarer pencils in my collection is this “Dawson’s Patent” pencil, pen, and stamp dispenser combination. The early-to-mid 1800’s experienced an explosion of

The Little Red Pencil

This was not the first pencil in my collection; nor is it the oldest, the most valuable, the rarest, or the most interesting. But like