Skip to main content
Pencil in Original Case
Pencil in Original Case

Pencil in Original Case

Original Owner (American, 1887 - 1968)
Date1948-1967
MediumPencil (.a): 14 karat gold, plastic(?). Case (.b): Leather or embossed fabric, satin, cardboard and metal hinge
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (length of pencil): 5 3/4in. (14.6cm)
Other (width x depth x length): 1 1/2 x 7/8 x 7 1/4in. (3.8 x 2.2 x 18.4cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Richard Koopman
Description14 karat gold retractable, mechanical pencil (.a) in original case (.b). Pencil has a removable cap with an eraser beneath and four colors of lead (red, black, blue and green) indicated by small pieces of plastic in various colors. Pencil is marked "U.S. Patent 1,889,550." The hard-sided case is covered in green leather or in a fabric embossed to look like leather. The lid is lined with peach velvet with "The NORMA Pencil" printed in black ink. The case is lined with black velvet and trimmed with gold braid and is custom-fitted to hold the gold pencil.

Object number1986.214.7a,b
NotesHistory Note: Norma was in business in 1939, and perhaps earlier. At that time it was known as Norma Multicolor, Inc., New York, NY. In the 1950's, the address was: Norma Pencil Corporation, Norma Building, 137 West 14th Street, New York 11, N.Y. They went out of business in 1967. They made 4-color and 3-color pencils. There was also a combination model with three different leads and a ball point pen. Several Norma advertisements were found in the National Geographic magazine from 1949-1951 and Fortune magazine Oct. 1951. The name Norma also appeared on several German 4-color pencils called Fend Super Norma. The Fend Company was founded in Pforzheim, Germany in 1889. Fend was the largest maker of gold and silver overlay works in the 1920's and 1930's. All Montblanc overlays during that period were done by Fend. Fend also produced a few fountain pens and rolled gold overlay pencils. This information came from the book Fountain Pens of the World by Andreas Lambrou, page 214. Maker Note: Pencil is marked: "U.S. Patent 1,889,550"; this patent was issued to Albert Hirth of Heiden, Rosenberg, Switzerland on November 29, 1932 for a multiple lead carrier pencil having a return coil spring for each carrier.
On View
Not on view
Collections
Box of Colored Pencils
Berol Corporation
1970s
Gift of Mrs. Bernard Schiro, 1986.213.3  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Beatrice Fox
1930-1968
Gift of Mrs. Bernard Schiro, 1986.213.7a,b  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Beatrice Fox
1903-1940
Gift of Mrs. Bernard Schiro, 1986.213.6ab  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Beatrice Fox
1900-1940
Gift of Mrs. Richard Koopman, 1986.214.4.1-4  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth.  © 2009 The Connect…
Beatrice Fox
1930-1960
Gift of Mrs. Bernard Schiro, 1986.213.5a,b  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Beatrice Fox
about 1920-1940
Gift of Elizabeth Cushman Titus Putnam in memory of her family, 2010.423.79  © 2011 The Connect…
Elizabeth Hart Jarvis Beach
early 20th century
Gift of Marjorie F. Waterman McMaster, 2010.276.1  © 2013 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Magdalene Waterman
early 19th century
Pencils in accession number order from top to bottom.
G. Fox and Co.
Woman's Purse
Elizabeth Blakelock
1979-1981
Gift of the Smith-Worthington Saddlery Co., 2021.22.213.1-.71, Connecticut Historical Society, …
Smith-Worthington Saddlery Company
1850-1900
Gift of Mrs. Richard Koopman, 1986.214.8a,b  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Beatrice Fox
1940-1955