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This early Victorian pencil is advanced for the time in which it was probably made – 1840s or earlier, I think. The back portion turns to advance the pencil mechanism, while most of the ones made during the time were simple sliders:
And there is a name imprinted on the top end:
It’s either Skeldon or possibly Sheldon, preceded by something that might be just about anything. There was a prolific English Victorian manufacturer named John Shelton - there’s no hallmarks on this one, but as you can see in that last picture this is plated rather than being made of solid sterling and requiring a hallmark.
Besides, that’s Shelton with a T - not Sheldon ... or is it? Loring says Shelton on his website, but if he’s right, then Brian George made a huge goof in titling his book “John Sheldon, Toymaker, Pencil Maker and Silversmith: A Birmingham Master of Manufacture and Innovation.”
Regardless, I’m not seeing any John Sheldon or John Shelton pencils that use this mechanism.
There’s no patent date on the piece, and I’ve searched high and low in the New York (and any other) City Directories I can find, without any luck. I’m at a dead end.
My bet is on John Sheldon. The font looks identical to the Sheldon's I have, including the "H" that caves in a little in the middle. Sheldon's were also mostly German/Nickel Silver; might that be what this one is? And a crazy question; does the upper barrel come apart where the flat part is? It looks like there might be a separation there as well as at the finial?
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