Every good, middle or upper class Victorian gentleman worth his salt would have owned one. A small silver propelling pencil, perhaps attached to an Albert chain with a fob watch on the other end and stored in a waistcoat pocket, or kept with a notebook for a day’s important jottings. These retractable, sliding pencils were not inexpensive, and as such were bought or received as prestigious gifts and kept for a lifetime. They were made in enormous variety, with the size, shape, materials and level of decoration being a display of both your wealth and tastes. A little like today’s mobile phones, or handbags, I suppose.
Although there were also many makers and retailers, there’s one name that jumps out as being bound inextricably with them, right back to their inception and development in the early 19th century. That name is Sampson Mordan (c1790-1843), famed and (once) famous silver and goldsmith whose name became like ‘Hoover’ is to vacuum cleaners. However, having said this, all is not so clear. The precise details of the development of this indispensable writing tool lie with someone else.
An Interesting Innovation
As with many important inventions, the name of the real brain behind it is not the one that is most widely known. In this case, the real inventor was an engineer called John Isaac Hawkins (1772-1854). An interesting and innovative man who lived between the US and UK, Hawkins was also responsible for developing a polygraph and an upright piano, as well as conjuring up the name ‘bi-focals’. Hawkins had seen that most pencils were made from a long lead bound in wax and rope or fabric, or cased in wood or metal. As they were used, they needed to be sharpened, requiring extra tools. Surely the lead could be placed in a mechanism allowing it to be telescoped out on a spiral as it wore down through use? This would also then allow all manner of elaborate cases to be developed, widening the market for his invention.
So, in 1822, the twist-screw mechanism behind most propelling pencils was developed. Precisely what Mordan had to do with this is, I believe, as yet unknown, although he is credited as co-inventor despite apparently having had little experience of inventing or engineering himself. However, Mordan had studied under another inventor, Joseph Bramah, who also had a hand in developing writing instruments (see my previous article here), so perhaps he met Hawkins and grew his knowledge this way.
Victorian Skulduggery
Whatever, Mordan was able to acquire the total rights to the design in the same year. Quite why Hawkins sold them outright so quickly to Mordan is a mystery. Some say that Hawkins was primarily an inventor and engineer and was not interested in business, and there is evidence to back this up. To use two clichés, Mordan took the bull by its horns and really went to town. He sold Hawkins’ rights to a wealthy stationer called Gabriel Riddle. Riddle’s wealth funded Mordan’s commercial and inventive skills and Mordan built a highly successful business by the 1830s. He split from Riddle in 1836 and by the mid 19th century, he and his son built a company that was arguably unrivalled in terms of its expertise, skill and inventiveness, producing everything from perfume bottles to vesta cases and pencils. Many thousands of pencils were produced with their cases ranging in form from simply decorated cylinders to novelty shapes such as owls and even people.
To read the rest of this FREE article and find out more about Sampson Mordan’s propelling pencils, please visit my antiques, art & design journal on Substack by clicking here.
