It amazes me that pencils like this one are so little valued. This one arrived as part of a large lot of pens and the seller didn’t even bother to mention it in the list. It’s not silver. It’s steel or an alloy, what we call white metal for convenience. It’s six-sided and two engraved patterns alternate around it. The rather decorative nozzle suggests that it has some age – Victorian or early 20th century – I can’t say with any certainty not being very well informed on pencils.

It has two attributes that one would think would make it collectable: it’s useful and it’s attractive. The blue glass jewel really sets it off.

These little pencils must have been very convenient and much used in the days before the ballpoint changed everything. You didn’t have to fill it with ink or sharpen it. It was just there, ready for whenever you had to take a note.

At present, mechanical pencils are only really appreciated if they are silver or made by one of the most valued manufacturers, like Sampson Mordan or Yard O Led. Though these ones do sell, they don’t make high prices compared with fountain pens. It seems to me that mechanical pencils could be an area of collection that wouldn’t be too expensive.