I was looking for something in my center desk drawer, a catchall drawer that has an incredible variety of objects in it, some of them of actual use. I never found what I was looking for but I did notice this mechanical pencil that I've had for an indeterminate amount of time and which came from parts unknown. It's been rumbling around in there for years without catching my attention since a: I don't use mechanical pencils and b: I don't use pencils.

This time though the small badge on the side caught my eye. So I grabbed my magnifying glass (one of the useful things I keep in that drawer) and examined it. Hmmmm, Nicholson 1864-1964 with two crossed files. Well, I know what that means. It's a promotional item that's slightly older than me (unless it was made after October of that year. Big 5-0 next week. Woohooo!)(ow. That hurt).

So, having struck out on Google in finding info about this item. Not really what it is as that is self-evident. More as to its collectibility and value. I'm not really interested in such small promotional items and so am going to be putting it on eBay or something. What do y'all think would be a good starting price that would make it go quickly. I imagine its not really worth too much but I've been surprised before. I've had stuff that I thought I had a good handle on the value of sell within minutes, which makes me think I left something on the table. I try to avoid that when I can but when I sell something I'm usually going to make a profit so it's all good.

Thanks for any input.

In 1964 Nicholson was still in RI, so the logical choice for them to have a pen/pencil set made would have been AT Cross...

It is always a nice surprise to discover these types of advertising things, they were often not mentioned anywhere, just given out,  years/decades after the fact, everyone has forgotten all about them untill one turns up in your desk drawer.:P

Nicholson is now 150 years old this year.  still making files & saws.  they are under  Apex Tool Group.

1893 worlds fair in Chicago, Nicholson had on display over 3,000 varieties of files & rasps.

April 5, 1864, Mr. Nicholson patented a machine to make files that had been made by hand for years.

they had been taken over by Cooper in 1972.

interesting read;  Nicholson.com
and google; Apex Tool Group and check the mfg. co. under their group.

Wiss is one of them also.

Just looked at Cross' website.  They've been in business longer than Nicolson! 167 years.  They are very proud of their history.
You should send them an email with a photo of the pencil. Maybe they can confirm it is indeed a Cross.  Then check eBay and see what Cross products are selling for.
Stuff we think is junk is somebody's treasure.

Al

OH Yeah! You NEED to go to the Cross website - click on "Our Story" and follow the timeline to 1940- you will see!!!

(edit)  www.cross.com

One of the premier gifts from the old Grinnel were the cross pen and pencil sets. Their branch managers would hold onto them because they were so expensive.

Back in the 80's they really wanted me to buy stuff from them. I was the the national purchasing mgr for a huge fire protection co. One if them flew me to Chicago where I toured their pipe mill, Allied Tube and Conduit, and their huge distribution facility. At the end my host and I were by a huge display of their goodies. He filled a bag for me and some fir him to take back (why not let another manager stock his goodie closet?)

The bag had all kinds of stuff in it, t-shirts, mugs, pens, pencils, hats, and - Cross pen /pencil sets. The thin, gold plated, coveted sets. Several sets. I was king of the goodies when I returned, but I hoarded those pen/pencil combos. When other vendors came by I'd be using them. Some of them gave me Cross pen/pencil combos with their logos on the clip.

Cross is famous for their promotional products still to this day.

I think you have a cool piece of Nicholson history. I am sure that there is someone out there willing to pay $20.00 for that pencil, but you may have to wait a while to find that person. It depends on how fast you want it moved out and get paid.

I'd try finding a file collectors group and offer it up  there. Maybe you'll get some high #'s.

Good luck.

Chilly

Apex is your good old fashioned engulf and devour holding company. They have bought up every tool company except Craftsman, Stanley and the truck tool brands. A while back, I used the term ' crescent wrench' in an ebay page for a Diamond adjustable. They were paranoid enuf to make ebay take down the page even though I had a bidder. Kinda soured me as a tool customer.

Quote from: johnsironsanctuary on November 10, 2014, 10:48:44 AM
Apex is your good old fashioned engulf and devour holding company. They have bought up every tool company except Craftsman, Stanley and the truck tool brands. A while back, I used the term ' crescent wrench' in an ebay page for a Diamond adjustable. They were paranoid enuf to make ebay take down the page even though I had a bidder. Kinda soured me as a tool customer.

If Kleenex did that I would say they are kind of snotty!   

Seriously, you would think that when your brand dominates so much that it becomes the commonly used term to describe a type of product that you could afford to show some class.

Sheesh....

Chilly