Sterling Silver Propelling Pencil | Engine-Turned | Engraved "E. & E. Kaye Ltd" | Birmingham | 1937–38

Sterling Silver Propelling Pencil | Engine-Turned | Engraved “E. & E. Kaye Ltd” | Birmingham | 1937–38

Before the ballpoint, a good pencil was carried for years, and often given to mark an occasion.

Propelling pencils, in which a turning or sliding mechanism advances the lead, became everyday companions in the early 20th century. Silver examples were popular as gifts and presentation pieces, often engraved with a name. This one was assayed in Birmingham in 1937–38.

The barrel is engine-turned in a fine diamond pattern, between a plain polished cone and cap. A pocket clip with a ball end runs down from the cap, and there is a small round hole near the top of the barrel. Along the barrel, “E. & E. Kaye Ltd” is engraved in script, possibly marking a company gift or presentation. The barrel is hallmarked with the maker’s mark WM, the Birmingham anchor, the lion passant and the date letter N.

The pencil is in excellent condition, and the propelling mechanism works, with lead in place.

Key Details

• Maker: maker’s mark WM (unidentified)
• Hallmarks: WM, Birmingham anchor, lion passant, date letter N (Birmingham, 1937–38)
• Material: sterling silver
• Form: propelling pencil with engine-turned barrel and pocket clip
• Engraving: “E. & E. Kaye Ltd” in script along the barrel
• Dimensions: 13 × 1.3 × 1 cm (length × width × height)
• Weight: 24 g
• Condition: excellent; mechanism working, with lead
• Buyer profile: collectors of silver writing instruments and English hallmarked silver, and anyone looking for a practical gift with history

Collector Appeal

A working silver pencil with clear Birmingham marks and a crisp engine-turned barrel is a piece meant to be used, not only displayed. The engraved company name hints at an earlier life, though the occasion it marked is not recorded.

Names change on the door of a business; the one engraved on this pencil has stayed exactly where it was put.