Victorian Brick - Circa 1900 - Victorian castellan

Victorian chatelaine multi-pin (three-colored) as a pendant
Vulcanite / Ebonite with gold-colored fittings & cabochon sliders, ca. 1870–1910


This rare, elegant writing instrument is a Victorian multi-lead pencil, a portable chatelaine or pendant pencil with three extendable leads (red/blue/dark).
The pen combines function and a piece of jewelry in the typical manner of the late 19th century: everyday luxury worn on the body and at the same time a statement of style, order, and education.


Historical Context: Victorian Era and 'Wearable Tools'

In the Victorian era (1837–1901), portable everyday objects were part of a cultivated daily life: keys, seals, scissors, tape measures, notebooks—and indeed miniature writing instruments. They were especially common when attached to chatelaines (a chain or belt-hang) or to a watch chain.
These objects were not only practical; they were status symbols: Whoever wore them showed that he or she was organized, educated, and capable of taking notes at any moment—whether at home, in business, or while traveling.


Who has used something like this?

Such multi-pens were typically used by:
• Merchants, bookkeepers, and clerks (marks/notes made on the go)
Manor estates & female estate managers (lists, orders, household management)
• Travelers (tickets, addresses, diary notes)
• educated ladies and gentlemen as part of the 'well-appointed' personal equipment

The very fact that there are multiple colors is a clear indicator of practical use: red and blue were commonly used for marking, correcting, inspecting, or for various kinds of notes.


Benefits & Mechanics

The pen features a sliding mechanism: three side sliders each push a lead forward.
Colors of the mines (typical):
• Red: for marking/highlighting (often "accounting pencil"/bookkeeping)
• Blue: alternative marker color, notes, markings
• Dark (black/gray): classic writing core (graphite/slate-like)

The red pencil lead is still writable in this piece, which nicely underscores its authenticity and everyday practicality.


Materials & Design (collector-oriented)
Body: black material, very likely Vulcanite/Ebonite (hard rubber) – in the late 19th century, state-of-the-art, robust and stylistically very popular.
• Metal parts: gold-colored fittings/end caps and suspension ring; probably gold (typically 9–14 karat for such small objects), without hallmarks (common for small formats and combination objects).
• Slider heads: decorative cabochons in red / blue / dark, set in bezels.
As was typical of the era, spinel, onyx/jet, garnet, or even costume glass were frequently used for this. A definite identification is not reliably possible without tests/lab analysis, but the effect is precisely what Victorian collectors love: subtle color-coding and jewelry-like refinement.


Dating / Epoch

The combination of:
• Vulcanite/Ebonite Corpus
• Sliding mechanism
• Pendant-/Chatelaine format
• Multicolored mines
cabochon-set sliders

fits very convincingly into the late 19th century to the early 20th century, i.e., around 1870–1910, with a clear Victorian / early Edwardian vibe.


state
• Mechanics: operational (mines are being advanced)
• Mines: 3 available, Red is still typing
Surface: age-appropriate patina, minor signs of wear consistent with age, overall very convincing and collector-worthy.
• Punches/brands: none visible (not uncommon)


Why this piece is special

Multipens of this kind are the 'Hidden Gems' among Victorian accessories:
An object that instantly tells stories — the elegance of everyday life, the idea that beauty and function belong together, and the fascination of owning a tool that, more than 100 years ago, was already conceived as portable productivity.