Cross mechanical pencil age?

This Cross pencil has tucked inside this notebook from WW1 for as long as I can remember. I don't know anything about antique or vintage pens and pencils, so I'm wondering if the pencil is contemporaneous with the notebook. While the notebook may have been an issued item, I'm doubtful that a pencil of this quality came with it, but I'd still like to know if it's appropriate to the period. I didn't even realize it was sterling until quite recently.

I'm grateful for any information anyone may be able to share.

 

I don't think the two are linked...

@Shangas

 

CROSS has been around for nearly 200 years, but this pencil is nowhere near that old...or from the period of WWI.

Every pen company makes sterling silver pens and pencils. Parker, Sheaffer, Montblanc, Aurora, OMAS, SWAN, etc., to name but a few.

Cross is no exception. That said, I don't think they're as prolific in this as other companies are.

Something like this looks more later-20th century, though. This is probably 70s, maybe 80s.

 

I didn't think the pencil was original to the notebook, but I had no idea if it was from the period or not. Thanks for the information. I'll be on the lookout for one that's right.

 

Mechanical pencils of the early 20th century rarely used standardised graphite rods. They were all operated by friction, not the clutch-mechanism we use today.

Ergo, even if you found one, it's not likely to be functional...or at least, usable. There are ways to render it so, but these are often more effort than they're worth.

If you're looking for a silver writing instrument to go with the notepad, I'd suggest an antique pencil-holder (as opposed to a mechanical pencil). They're fairly common, easy to use, not TOO expensive, and they take modern pencils (provided that they're cut down to the correct size, that is. Easily done).

 

I'm not sure I understand. How did a friction mechanism work, and how does the clutch mechanism differ? Can you show me examples of the mechanism?

 

You made me curious so I did find at least one patent for an early Cross pencil.



https://patents.google.com/patent/US263392

 

So is this the "friction" mechanism mentioned earlier?

 

Victorian-era "propelling" pencils were made of sterling silver (among other things).

They were filled with short lengths of graphite-rod which were held in purely by friction. There's no grip or anything, just the rubbing between the lead and the pencil-shaft. The graphite was extended by twisting the pencil, which screwed the rod out, or pulled it back in.

Modern click-action pencils work by catch-and-release of the graphite shaft.

What Dave has in his post are "pencil holders". Silver sleeves which slid the pencil in and out using a retractable slide. These came in a wide variety, as well. Both manually and mechanically operated. I've got two sterling silver models made by Sampson Mordan & Co., the original inventor of these such pencils. They're the "drop-action" or "gravity-action" variety. Very cool, and I love them to bits.

 

This is how mine operates, by twisting. I know it's not a Victorian-era item, so I'm guessing mid-20th. I know it's been with this notebook since it the notebook was given to me in the late 1960's.

My best guess is that since the notebook was possibly a military-issue item, it probably came with a small wood-body pencil.

 

I did not read all of the 1882 patent I found above but it did describe the screw mechanism i believe.

Over the years I've had a few Cross items (probably no older than the 70s) but always liked the twist feature. I am wondering if the 19th C ones worked in the same way. I thought the patent might show.

 

I gave my son my grandfather's silver "mechanical" or propelling pencil. So old it take a thick graphite rod which not many places carry. Found Jet Pens on google that supplies various thicknesses. https://www.jetpens.com/Graphite-Leads/ct/2489