Description
c1880 Robbins Clark & Biddle 14k gold retractable pendant physician's pencil,<br>just over 3.5" closed with jump ring, 4 7/8" fully extended with jump ring.<br>Fully functional with no issues. Unmarked but acid tested by me in multiple<br>places by me to be 14k gold with no signs or evidence of it being plated.<br>Retailer's Name on one side and engraved Doctor's name on the other. 18.6 grams.<br>Without damaging this I cannot be 100% sure that it is not gold filled but as I<br>stated there is no evidence that it's plated, no wear, and it tests strong for<br>14k in multiple places but fades at 18k, typically gold filled items were more<br>often 12k so wouldn't test at 14k so I believe it's solid gold. Some of the<br>inner mechanisms will be another metal as they are durable than gold. I have<br>disassembled different models of these from the same era before and they are<br>typically 50-75% gold with a small amount of steel or brass items for the<br>mechanism. As shown in the last pic, the inner shaft that holds the pencil is<br>brass.<br><br>Robbins, Clark & Biddle of 1124 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. It was a<br>jewelry store that also sold sterling and plated wares, imported items, clocks,<br>watches, bronzes, "fancy goods in gilt, leather wood and crystal", which<br>included jardiniers, ink stands, vases, jewel cases, work boxes and baskets,<br>thermometers and barometers, vinaigrettes and card cases.<br><br>Samuel Biddle is the Biddle of Bailey, Banks & Biddle. He apprenticed with<br>Thomas C. Garrett 1857, took over his business at some point after 1860 as Clark<br>& Biddle. That became Robbins, Clark & Biddle (at least by 1876; they're in the<br>catalog for the Centennial exhibition) and then in 1878 the Bailey, Banks &<br>Biddle we know today. I've seen items by other makers (including Krider)<br>retailed by Clark & Biddle, but it seems likely they also made some items, at<br>least early on.
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