A Scholar's Signet in Nickel Silver

 

Here's a new one to me, the Signet, sold by the Rexall Stores but made by DeWitt-LaFrance of Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Although plain, it works perfectly with 1.1 mm lead.  It is a 5 & 3/8 inch all-metal twist pencil, marked nickel silver.  "Silver" is an honorary title since the metal alloy is usually 60% brass, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc.  The dings and dents are no doubt from a rough and tumble life in the pencil box where I found it.

The marking says "SIGNET

Sold Only at the Rexall Stores,

N. Silver Pat Pend."

The clip is marked "Pat Pend."

It was made about 1920.

The pencil was in a German-made wooden pencil box owned by a young scholar living and attending school in Buck Creek, Iowa, in Bremer County in 1923.  Later that young man became the father of my father-in-law.  His box was kept intact all these years.

Also with the Signet mechanical pencil were wooden pencils and a dip pen with cork top.