RARE SAMPSON MORDAN & Co HALLMARKED 9ct GOLD CARPENTERS PENCIL HOLDER c1921

Here on offer is a rare 9ct gold, Art Deco, Sampson Mordan & Co, Carpenter’s Pencil Holder from 1921.

This example has a beautiful long ribbed finish on the main section, with a suspension ring and loop attached at the end.

On one side it is stamped:

S.MORDAN & Co

along with:

SM & Co


and a full set of English Gold hallmarks SM & Co for Sampson Mordan & Co with the (rubbed) London assay office leopard’s head, 9.375 for 9-carat gold and a gothic date letter 'f' for 1921.


The top section that holds the pencil is stamped 9.375 for 9-carat gold and on one side the initials:

V.T.T.

and on the other side is:

FROM
PHEEMIE
1924

The holder is in great condition, with just some light dents/bruises on both sides of the ribbed section.
It also looks to have had an old jewelers repair to refit the top band to the long section at some point in its life, which is securely in place.

It is still complete with an original pencil, an HB “ROYAL SOVEREIGN” by E.WOLFE & SON.

This is a beautiful example of a 9ct gold pencil holder by one of the very best and highly collectable English silver and goldsmiths.

Sampson Mordan (1790 – 9 April 1843) was a British Silversmith and in 1822, he patented the propelling pencil with fellow inventor John Hawkins.
Mordan bought Hawkins out, and then sold half the rights to a wealthy stationer Gabriel Riddle in 1823. With Riddle's money, the ingenious and commercially minded Mordan was able to build his foundling company into the 19thC success story it was.

Pencils made from 1823-37, when Riddle and Mordan parted, usually bear an'SM GR' hallmark and the words 'S.MORDAN & Cos PATENT'. From c1838 until the 1860s, the wording 'S.MORDAN & CO MAKERS & PATENTEES' was used, with 'S.MORDAN & CO MAKERS' dating from the 1850s-60s. After the 1860s, the standard 'S.MORDAN & CO' mark was used.

Upon Mordan's death in 1843, his sons Sampson (junior) and Augustus inherited the firm. "S. Mordan & Co." continued to make silverware and brass postal scales until 1941, when bombs destroyed their factory during the London Blitz.

The Pencil Holder measures 3.6” (9.2cm) long including the loop and is about 0.4” (1cm) wide.

It weighs 6.9g of gold (excluding the pencil)

I have tried my best to take pictures to show the best detail of the engraving and hallmarks but it is not easy due to the brightness of the case.


Please see my pictures for the details of the condition, which complement this description.

Please see my TERMS OF BUSINESS regarding Deliver Charges and Insurance regarding additional insurance cover, should you require it, BEFORE the item is dispatched.

The responsibility lies with the customer to check with your Customs restrictions that this item can be imported into your country.

Code: 50243