No.191022 Rare Sampson Mordan & Co 9ct Gold Hallmarked 1920 Magic Gravity Pencil

I will be taking a 2 week holiday from work, any items purchased during this time will be delayed from posting from the 15/12/23 to 1 /1/24. So if you are looking to buy a Christmas present or gift do not delay.

No.191022

A FINE 1920 9 ct GOLD SAMPSON MORDAN & CO PROPELLING GRAVITY PENCIL. IN VERY GOOD ORDER THROUGHOUT .

IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH NO DAMAGE OR REPAIRS ONLY FAINT DEPRESSIONS AND A COUPLE OF MARKS ON THE BUTTON END AS EXPECTED FROM AN ITEM 102 years OLD, THE MAGIC GRAVITY ACTION IS SILKY SMOOTH AND IS A GREAT TRICK TO. SHOW CHILDREN.

THERE ARE CLEAR DEEP HALLMARKS

LENGTH:

OPEN 11.5cm

CLOSED 7cm

WEIGHT: 17.30 grms.

Marked V.S for very soft 1.5 mm lead

This fine Victorian GOLD pencil dates to 1920 and is clearly marked with Perry Edwards Patent who were the retailers. Also marked S.MORDAN &Co ,who were the makers SM& co English GOLD hallmark and mark for London and date letter e which is for year 1920 It is in great condition and the magic gravity action mechanism works perfectly. As pictured it has the original pencil lead and a tube of fitted spares, it is ready to go.

A superb piece of Sampson Mordan craftsmanship that would be a great addition to any Mordan or pencil collection.

Made by SAMPSON MORDAN & CO (worked from 1823) A scarce item from a sought after maker.

Condition: This delightful pencil is in great condition with no restoration. With light surface marks that are consistent with genuine age, use & polishing. This has a fitted lead in and deploys and retracts perfectly. I have left the gold unpolished as I feel it adds to its original character, if you wish it polish it up to a gleaming Finnish, I will leave it for you to decide.

Please note that this item is not new and will show moderate signs of wear commensurate with age. Reflections in the photograph may detract from the true representation of this item.

Please view all my photographs carefully as these are as much part of the description as the writing. If you wish me to send you any other picture or details feel free to ask.

buy with confidence as you will not be disappointed.

If you want spotless then the high street is for you, but if you want a great antique that will appreciate in price with age then this is for you.

Please make your best offer or buy at the stated price; offers are always considered and often accepted.

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Please look at all my other great items I have for sale. I gladly offer combined postage. The last of the pictures shows a very small amount of my 500 strong collection of SAMPSON MORDAN. I will be listing these soon and are not part of this auction. ( reference only )

I consider myself one of the leading sellers of Sampson MORDAN in the world. I have what must be considered one of the largest private collections with hundreds of key pieces sold and hundreds to be listed soon. I gladly offer combined postage.

International buyers are always welcome to purchase. Postage outside the United Kingdom is at cost but I will only send insured and tracked please contact me before purchasing for an agreed quote.

Due to the recent large increase in UK postage rates I am happy for people to collect.

If you are not happy with this article based on the information I have provided I will always happily refund minus the cost of any postage. All purchases must be paid for within 2 days of the end of the auction and will automatically open a case unless contact is made and agreed otherwise. Thanks very much for bidding on my items I really do appreciate the continued custom.

MARKS - HALLMARKS - HISTORY

Sampson Mordan (1770-1843), apprentice and assistant of the mechanic John Bramah, established his own business in 1815.

The first patent for a "metal pencil with an internal mechanism for propelling the graphite 'lead' shaft forward during use" was obtained in 1822 (his co-inventor was John Isaac Hawkins).

In 1823 Mordan bought out the rights of Hawkins, entering his first mark as "smallworker" in London Assay Office on 9 June 1823 (SM oblong). In 1824 he entered in partnership with Gabriel Riddle, registering a new mark (SM.GR) in London Assay Office.

The partnership with Riddle was dissolved in 1836 and he continued the business as S. Mordan & Co. Sampson Mordan died in 1843 and the business was taken over by his sons Sampson (Jr) and Augustus. They were later joined by Edmund George Johnson and Zachariah Watkins who retired in 1879.

After the death of Sampson Mordan (Jr) his share of the business passed to his brother Augustus, joined as partner in 1890 by Harry Lambert Symonds.

In 1898 the company was converted to a limited liability company under the name of S. Mordan & Co Ltd.

In 1933 the distribution rights on the propelling pencil business were given to L. G. Sloan Ltd, and in 1941, following the destruction of the factory by enemy bombing, the patents were sold to Edward Baker. The firm went into voluntary liquidation in 1952.

Between the 1820s and 1870s the firm obtained more of 160 patents for various mechanical pencils. The first spring-loaded mechanical pencil was patented in 1877 and a twist-feed mechanism was developed in 1895.

In addition to pencils the firm had a large production line of small silver and gold items, most of them belonging to the type of "novelties" so popular at the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th century. They were supplied to many retailers, including Asprey & Sons and the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. Ltd.

Sampson Mordan & Co was present at the 1851 London Great Exhibition and at the 1922 and 1929 British Industries.

Pencil Lead

Though Sampson Mordan and S. Mordan & Co are primarily associated with pencils and the invention of the everpointed/propelling/mechanical pencil, they infact made many other items. Rather appropriately they also manufactured leads for their pencils, these leads were made in various thicknesses and hardness depending on their intended use. Each Mordan pencil would take one particular size of lead, so the intended use of the pencil determined which pencil was purchased. The lead which the pencil took was normally engraved on the barrel at the end of the pencil, these were letters as follows VH, H, M, S, or VS. These letters, which many people believe to be the size of lead the pencil takes, in reality describe the hardness of the lead rather than the thickness.

Pencil lead sizes

In one of S. Mordan & Co's advertisements circa 1828-1829 the following thicknesses and degrees of hardness of leads were described by the company.

VH (very hard) is very small in size.....Seldom required

H (hard) is small Hard and black, for fine drawing

M (medium) is of a medium size......For general purposes

S (soft) is larger Black for shading

VS (very soft) is largest Very black for deep shading