The angular pencil with the '900' hallmark is a typical Pforzheim piece from the time before 1900, whose housing is of solid 900 silver and whose clip shape is characteristic for this region; engravings were at the time still done by hand. With silver-cleaning agent the pencil can be made to shine again. Wahl Eversharp is a tradition-rich US brand whose production was discontinued about 40 to 50 years ago. In the USA there is a larger collector circle for it; to continental Europe these writing instruments — except for England — were barely exported, which is why they are rarely encountered here.