Early American Silver Perpetual Calendar Sliding Mechanical Propelling Pencil

An early American silver Perpetual Calendar Sliding Mechanical Propelling Pencil, with engine turned barrel and conjoined leaf onion shaped terminal with attached suspension ring. The engraved calendar turns to set the appropriate day of the week, the finial unscrews to reveal a lead reservoir, the chased slider ring extends the pencil with a steel tip to the nozzle.

By Woodwards & Hale, New York, c1833-39.

Open 115 mm
Closed 90 mm

One of America’s earliest mechanical pencil making companies was Woodwards & Hale, of Brooklyn, New York, established sometime around 1828/1829. In July, 1831, the New York Mirror included the following testimonial regarding Woodwards & Hale: “The most highly wrought and admirable specimen of the ever-pointed pencil, we have lately seen from the manufactory of William H. Hale (Woodwards & Hale) of Brooklyn. It is not only superior, we believe, to all others in usefulness, but exceeds in beauty anything of the kind we ever saw. The point through which the lead passes is of steel, a decided improvement, rendering it more durable and complete; and the wreath of flowers and foliage entwined around the surface is really brilliant. We learn that the original inventor of this article is Mr. John J. Hawkins, civil engineer, and formerly a citizen of the United States. He sold the patent right for a trifling sum, to Mr. Mordan, without being aware how profitable it would become. The Physiognotrace, and also the Manifold Letter Writer, were invented by the same individual. The great perfection to which this indispensable requisite to a gentleman’s pocket, and a lady’s desk, has been brought in the manufactory of Woodwards & Hale is certainly creditable to those artisans, and to the country, which has long been far behind France and England in similar works of elegance and taste.“

Sold - £185.00