Mid Century Vintage D. N. & E. Walter & Co. Advertising Pen, San Francisco
Viridian Eclection
The Piece
An advertising pen made for D. N. & E. Walter & Co., one of San Francisco's long established furnishing and interior goods firms. The black barrel is printed with the company name and the phrase "Service Since 1858," a reference to the year the firm was founded.
The black barrel is paired with a chrome tone cap and an amber toned end detail. The styling is clean and practical, typical of mid century promotional desk pieces made to be handed out rather than sold.
History & Provenance
D. N. & E. Walter & Co. was established in San Francisco in 1858 and became known for carpets, furnishings and related interior products. The "Service Since 1858" line printed on the barrel is the firm advertising that continuity to its customers.
The pen itself carries no date. The exact year of production is not documented, so the period is given as a stylistic estimate of the 1950s through the 1970s, drawn from the form and materials rather than from any record.
Product Details
| Company | D. N. & E. Walter & Co. |
| Origin | San Francisco, California |
| Company Founded | 1858 |
| Form | Advertising and promotional pen |
| Era | c. 1950s to 1970s, estimated on style. The production date is not documented |
| Materials | Plastic barrel with metal cap |
| Color | Black with chrome tone cap and amber toned end |
| Marks | "D.N. & E. Walter & Co." and "Service 'Since 1858'" |
| Category | Advertising collectible, desk accessory, business ephemera |
| Condition | Vintage condition with visible wear consistent with age and use |
| Dimensions | To be confirmed |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
Promotional pens were the small change of business life, printed in quantity and rarely kept. Survivals carry the name of a firm and the date it wanted remembered, which is what makes them useful to anyone collecting advertising ephemera or San Francisco business history.
It reads well in a desk tray, a drawer of writing instruments, or a shallow case of printed ephemera, where the chrome and amber catch light against paper.
For a collector of the furnishing trade, it is a direct object from a house that sold carpets and interiors for well over a century.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Private viewings also available.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
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