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Posted 14 months, 2 days ago
AR8Jason
(1386 items)
GEM ENDS to Victorian Slider Pencils from the 1800s
These date to between 1850 and 1900 with the 1860s to the 1870s the main area. These are largely found in the North Eastern US as during and after the Civil the Southern families had little enough for the sustenance of life and could not afford these fancies.
THE STORY
I found my first Victorian writing instrument about 20 years ago at a Tulsa Oklahoma Estate Sale. I already collected Fountain Pens (having paid the hospital's bill for my daughters birth by selling two pens but that is another story). When I saw this I asked the people who held the area estate sales what exactly it was and they said they didn't have any idea. They had never seen anything like it.
I figured out it was a dip pen, minus the nib, and bought it.
Years went by until the 1997 or 1998 when they began showing up on eBay. Without exception, all of the ones I bought on eBay came from the northeastern part of the United States. I found I was bidding against the same people time and time again. As eBay changed so did the availabilities of the Victorian Pen and Pencil availability. The sellers went away as did the other bidders. What few did show up started at much higher prices and they sell for higher prices, when they sell. The old bidders names don't show up any more. I still have penciled on the laminate surface near my desk the bidding names of the buyers that were my competition and friends.
From a find at Estate sale, grew my collection. I haven't made a count in some time but I guess I have more that 1oo of these gems.
I have posted many more Victorian 1850s to 1900 pens and pencils. You can find them all by clicking on my name above this post.
Thank you OFFICIALFUEL and TTOMTUCKER.
I was asked if the gems are "real" on another post.
Due to the size of some of the stones, and as a large ruby is rarer than a large diamond, my guess is that are either synthetic or garnets instead of rubies. If you look at the photos that show the Gem Ends ... you see a wide variety of stones. It blows my mind thinking, what if some of these are genuine.
Also I am trying to keep it low key, as you can only guess what will happen if my wife decides I have more real gem stones than her. !!!
She already STOLE the gold nugget diamond ring I bought at a garage sale because it had a bigger diamond in the center than her engagement ring and several diamonds around it as well. (I wouldn't have worn it any way, but if I make a big deal over it, she thinks she got away with something and my other gems are safe. She threatens to steal the large Sapphire ring I got at the same sale, but it is way too big for her. It is the only ring I do wear. I have since bought an old Gold Masonic Diamond Ring with the large stone in it. She tells me the diamond would look good remounted in another ring and worn on her finger.
I am certain some of the stones are real. I would doubt that all are, primarily the ruby and diamond looking ones, just because I couldn't be that lucky. (Think she bought it?)
Great collection. I had a number of the these years ago. Wish I still had them.
To MARK .... What did you do with them?
Hello.........I sold them when I was doing antiques shows in Ca. Traded some for other items I collected. Mark
TO MARK ... There are things I have owned in the past, that I wish I had today as well. I just collect them as I come across them today, for the best price I can get them now.
i collect victorian pencil as well. can you tell me where can i find good quality victorian pencils? i have been looking them for a while. the ones that go on ebay are not quite good.
can i know how much do you usually to buy each item? the price on ebay sometimes are overprice or more and more people are interested in these victorian pencils.
Very nice collection!!
Thank you PassingFancy.
I answered the question about "Where?" on another post. I will repeat answering it here.
I have bought them on eBay before the forced PayPal era. There were more available then and the prices were lower than now. Much of what was available declined after the "PayPal only" rule and "no negative feedbacks for buyers" rule ran many off of eBay. Most now come from the UK and I don't know that they have the forced PayPal rule. A decline in supply and an increased knowledge of them raising demand, prices naturally go up.
Due to the time period in which these were created, post Civil War, and the resulting economics, the majority of these exceptional "cross between writing instrument and jewelry" were made and sold in the north eastern US and England. Naturally they have migrated around the country to some extent with the families that had them, but for the most part they is a much higher likely hood to find them in the north eastern US. When my parents lived in Maine, one of the joys of going to see them, was knowing I would get to hunt these writing instruments.
As far as how much ... I don't make it a practice telling what I paid for items. I ill tell you that I have bought them in groups and in singles. One of the lowest prices I have paid for a single was $8.00, and it was 10 or so years ago, and it was in a Maine Antique Store. It is not uncommon for these to bring $150.00 and more on eBay, over the last couple of years.
With the gold prices going so high, the top has not been reached yet, especially for the solid gold ones, and only the latter time period ones that are gold are marked as such. It would be a shame to see this pieces of history melted down for their gold, but it is likely to happen to some and drive the availability down and the prices even higher.
Information I found: It was not till around 1900 when the first "synthetic" rubies were used in Jewelry thus I would guess that most of your stones are real unless it was replaced in the 1900 era.
Information I found: It was not till around 1900 when the first "synthetic" rubies were used in Jewelry thus I would guess that most of your stones are real unless it was replaced in the 1900 era.
I have one of these. You however, have an amazing collection! I agree with Mark, the stones are most likely not synthetic given the time period. They might be paste stones which are fancy rhinestones or they could be real garnets or amethysts if not rubies. I'm pretty sure the one I have has an amethyst. Cheers!
It seems that my gemologist "friend" told me the technically correct fact, that Rubies was one of the first synthetic gemstones being synthesized in the 1800s. He failed to mention they were not commercially produced until 19o3. Making these more likely to be real stones.
Thank you for spurring my further research.
FROM WIKI ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby#Synthetic_and_imitation_rubies
In 1837 Gaudin made the first synthetic rubies by fusing potash alum at a high temperature with a little chromium as a pigment. In 1847 Ebelmen made white sapphire by fusing alumina in boric acid. In 1877 Frenic and Freil made crystal corundum from which small stones could be cut. Frimy and Auguste Verneuil manufactured artificial ruby by fusing BaF2 and Al2O3 with a little Chromium at red heat. In 1903 Verneuil announced he could produce synthetic rubies on a commercial scale using this flame fusion process
These were clearly not bought to be simply functional, but to be pieces of jewelry, an elaborate gift. As such those that could afford them, could well have afforded real stones, and the stone depended on taste and pocketbook.
Very interesting info about the man made gems. Yes, these were fancy gifts. Mine is from New England as well. Thanks for showing your collection. Fun stuff!
Thank you WOLCOTT1 ... I think the Victorian era pens and pencils have not found as much attention, is that each one is unique or very close to it. A book written on specific companies or showing pictures with prices is harder to do as the chances of you coming across another "just like" the one in the photo are almost nil.
AR8Jason, thanx for sharing your collection with us. you are right; each pencil is unique; you rarely see another one that is exactly the same. i think the excitement for collecting victorian pencils is joy for hunting them. show us more when you find something good.
Thank you for the loves.
bobzie1954
JTeachout
Victoria
scs815
chevy59
wolcott1
PassingFancy
mark
officialfuel
ttomtucker
Thank you for the "Loves."
Thank you to the.portrait.of.you.
Thank you the.portrait. ..., BluVamp and ThriftyG.