Antique Propelling Pencil ‘Forget Me Not’ With ‘Stanhope’ Circa 1910


Collections: Sold Archive



Dating to the early 20th century this quite remarkable propelling pencil (we have another available) is not only completely functional as a large propelling pencil but it also features a ‘Stanhope’ depicting scenes from Llanwrtyd Wells - Britains smallest town - which is on the edge of the Cambrian Mountains in Mid Wales.

Stanhopes or Stanho-scopes are optical devices that enable the viewing of microphotographs without using a microscope.  They were invented by René Dagron 1857.   Dagron bypassed the need for an expensive microscope to view the microscopic photographs by attaching the microphotograph at the end of a modified Stanhope lens.  He called the devices bijoux photo-microscopiques or microscopic photo-jewelry.

Engine turned to the main body of the pencil and with the devotional “Forget Me Not’.

The top of this particular pencil features an amethyst coloured paste and the pencil itself is not solid silver but crafted in Nikel plate which has retained its colour and with out polishing will continue to do so - unlike solid Silver!

Perfect for the graphic artist or connoisseur of antique pens and pencils!

STONES

Amethyst coloured paste

MEASUREMENTS
12cm Length

WEIGHT
11.9 Grams

MARKS
None
Tested as mostly Nikel plating

CONDITION
Very good antique condition.  Minor marks and very slight tarnish to Nikel only.  Propels as it should.  No chips to amethyst paste.  Micro photograph quite clear and easy to see and read.

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