A rare and charming treasure, this sculptural double dog's head pendant is in fact, also a retractable pencil. It was deeply and three-dimensionally carved out of one piece of tiger's eye.

There are two aspects to the dogs, one facing forward, and one back. Each depicts a furry dog, likely a terrier or a similar breed.

Both the front and back highlight two different expressions. One perkier, with ruby eyes, and the other, well, a little grumpy with clear glass eyes.

It can be worn with the pencil entirely retracted, and to all looks like a carved dog pendant. But pull (with a little gusto) and up pops the top of the pencil, and the bottom extends downward.

The pencil mechanism is made of gold gilding over metal; in gold, it would not be durable enough for use as a writing implement that pulls out and retracts. This is the first and only carved tiger's eye dog retractable pencil pendant we have ever encountered.

Note: The pencil no longer holds leads or works consistently for use.

Historical note: A refillable and retractable pencil was patented in England in 1822 by the famed silversmith, Samson Mordan along with John Isaac Hawkins an inventor.

A plethora of patents and types of pencils and their patents abounded in Europe in the 19th century. Many examples, such as this one, combined animals, birds, and other imagery within their designs, to be used as wearable objects. In Japan, it was not until 1915 that this device took hold in popularity.

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