In the 40s and 50s, railroad dispatchers located in stations along their route, had items for writing similar to the one you pictured. They used nibs to hold a pointed glass stylist like your object. These writing instruments were used by dipping the tip in a lemon-based fluid that would then write on onion skin paper. The acid based fluid on contact with the paper, would write a perfectly clear note on the paper without blurring and it dries instantly upon contact. I guess the purpose of using these pens was for clarity as the image would not smudge. Once written, the papers were attached to a cane pole with a hoop on the end and held in place with a metal clip. The stationmaster would stand at a designated spot on the platform where he would hold the cane elevated up to the height of on one of those early stream liner diesel locomotives. The engineer extended his arm out the engine's window and put his arm through the hoop -- quickly retrieving the message and throwing the bamboo cane stick to the ground further down the track. What was contained in those messages were the train's orders for all through trains that did not stop at every station because the train was an express and stopped only at larger city stations. Remember, the railroad was still communicating via telegraph key in those days and was slow to make changes when new technology like radios and signals were coming on line. Toward the end of its life, the wooden pen was replaced with a glass stylist that came with its own holder and fluid bottle for the train master to scribe orders. Early fine hotels used these devises in their luxury rooms to avoid have a possible ink spill on the carpet, and the stylist usually was found with high quality, logo hotel letterhead paper. It was quite the item to find for sending letters and notes. Hope this diatribe didn't bore too many people, but I know first-hand about this very sophisticated writing instrument because I was a young boy whose dad put in 50-years working for the same railroad, and as a eager to learn boy, I learned to operate a telegraph key and give trains their orders while waiting at the station for my dad to arrived on the eastbound local from his work each day.