Messages

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 10, 2011, 06:48:13 am »

Oops, thanks for the fix, sorry about that.

Maybe it will end up on ebay when I get time.  It is quite likely to get lost!

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 10, 2011, 06:17:13 am »

Yes it does!

Another one for you:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELEGANT-SOLID-SILVER-TOOTH-PICK-CASE-/120758892753?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Celebrations_Occasions_ET&hash=item1c1dca78d1

They seem to be all over the place once you know what to call them!  I am keeping mine as it is incomplete and scrap value wouldn't cover postage.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 10, 2011, 05:50:26 am »

Is it a toothpick??

Somebody else thinks it might be:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOLID-SILVER-TOOTHPICK-FOB-CHATELAINE-/140586450016?pt=UK_Antiques_Silverware_RL&hash=item20bb9afc60

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 04, 2011, 05:50:42 pm »

It was just in an old cigar box of stuff along with a few other items like old pipe smoking accessories. 

I am flogging off what I can, all proceeds to my mother.  I would offer it to you with pleasure, but I am in the UK and am sure that the postage would outweigh any value.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 04, 2011, 05:12:33 pm »

Ah ha!

Thanks Mart.  I suspect it was not suitable for the purpose because it was not with his art stuff.  Mum didn't recognise it as a family piece so we are just speculating that he picked it up for that purpose.  I think in view of the fact that it is missing bits etc and it's value is probably just scrap, I will leave it there.  If I find anything else out about it, I will post.

I am learning an awful lot on this forum!  Great fun, thanks for all the help.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 04, 2011, 03:27:52 pm »

Sorry, got called away.

I think it has got something to do with these pencil sliders, and yes I think the nib is an addition, and I still think it is silver, it is soft.  There is an opening at the end in which you could put pencil leads, but the hole that the nib fits into is very fine, presumably they would drop out of the slot.  It is a puzzle.  I think it is missing something, I thought at first it would have been a shaft that fitted in.  Perhaps it is a "top" with chain like some of the others.

I agree that it is most unlikely to have anything to do with Mordant (I should be so lucky) and the maker M&C doesn't show up as a notable maker in my book.  I suspect that it will go for scrap, at 3 grams, it's not worth the postage!  I would still like to know what it is though.  I suspect my father picked it up somewhere.  He had ruling pens for his watercolour work.  I wonder if he tried to use it for that.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 04, 2011, 07:26:15 am »

Hi

It is sharp in a very pointed way!  The point is nothing like the ink erasors I have seen.  I think the nib is also made of silver. The body has the maker's mark M & C on it and this is the nearest thing I have found.  If it is similar to this item, I am probably missing the top:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200634150878&clk_rvr_id=252752082936&item=200634150878&lgeo=1&vectorid=229508

S.Mordan solid silver slide pencil/dip pen 1920's exc

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 04, 2011, 03:00:13 am »

Here is the reverse side of the pen.  I tried the food colouring and although it went into the slots, nothing came out of the nib, you could not write with it.  Both sides of the nib are flat, no groove.

I did find that the band that is in the middle does slide up and down.  No idea why.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 03, 2011, 11:09:44 am »

Food colouring?  I would never have thought of that!  I am learning all the time!  Yes I will take the photos and post tomorrow, am off out shortly.  Thanks.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help to Identify Cupboard Please

« on: August 03, 2011, 11:02:15 am »

Absolutely.  I know nothing apart what I have picked up watching the Antiques Roadshow!  We had someone put together an antique grandfather clock that was in pieces and looked dreadful, he was very good but now retired.  The trick is finding someone reputable.  I will take my time over researching this to make sure I get it right.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help to Identify Cupboard Please

« on: August 03, 2011, 10:36:55 am »

Thanks Mart.  I have ordered a tassle for the key!  It gets a little beeswax every few months, and I am happy that it is not ultra valuable because we want to keep it.  I will take your advice and get the veneer replaced and the metalwork reattached to the legs.   Maybe get a little professional advice about the staining also.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 03, 2011, 10:21:43 am »

Well yes, the nib comes out and so presumably you could insert a different one.  We don't have any history with this item and so it is going on ebay, I want to know how to describe it (without looking like an idiot)

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Antique Questions Forum / Is this a dipping pen

« on: August 03, 2011, 07:31:37 am »

This is silver and has the anchor for Birmingham, lion and letter U for (I think) 1919.  I am going to stick it on ebay, can I describe it as a dipping pen?

There is obviously the place where the shaft would go, but the nib just fits into a tiny hole in the main body.  The nib is quite flat and I would have thought it should have some sort of chanel in it.  It weighs about 3 grams and is about 2 and a half inches long.  On the reverse there are 2 slots which I assume is to collect the ink in, it doesn't look very efficient.  It is probably just scrap.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help to Identify Cupboard Please

« on: August 03, 2011, 04:34:15 am »

Well, I have taken out the drawers and looked for any markings on everything and there are none.  There is no actual base.    The woodworking looks very rough and ready compared with the outside, I can supply more pics if it would help.  The castors are metal and not leather as I had thought.  A key has turned up for it.  I had thought it was for a clock not my dainty cupboard, it seems very large!  I will have to buy it a tassle.

A tray has also turned up.  The handles on the tray are not identical to the ones on the drawers.  The tray has a chequer board inlayed and the wood has been dyed and the colours are very similar to that of the tray in the cupboard.  There are also diamond patterns on either side, not exact but similar to that of the cupboard. 

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help to Identify Cupboard Please

« on: August 02, 2011, 05:55:53 pm »

Thanks Mart, that's helpful.  We have gone for years not knowing what it was, I am starting to think that I had better take it down to a reputable antiquarian (if I can find one) and get an appraisal for insurance.  Maybe put the decorations back on the front legs.  Are they called ormolu?  So far I have resisted "cleaning" them.  It is getting quite exciting finding out about it.  I just hope it is not worth too much, I like it too much to sell, but with rising fuel bills and everything else, hubby might view it differently