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Rotring woodcase pencil

Here is a curiosity: a woodcase pencil marked Germany rOtring HB=2. Rotring the brand lives on as part of the Sanford empire, and seems to have regional product lines – one in Europe, one in Japan. And perhaps others? The wood seems extremely pinkish, beyond cedar – a chemical wood treatment? The lead is also [...]

Mitsubishi 10B pencils: the brush pencil (fude enpitsu) and the Hi-uni

Congratulations to the venerable Mitsubishi Pencil Company (founded in 1887) on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Uni pencil brand! This anniversary was publicly marked last month with press releases and some new products – a pencil holder that we’ll look at in a future post, and an extension of the range of [...]

General’s 206H Jumbo Clutch Holder & Layout Stick

We’ve seen that mechanical pencils and leadholders can use graphite in a wide range of diameters. Here is one of the extremes, the “Jumbo Clutch Holder & Layout Stick” from the General Pencil Company in the U.S. The packaging says this graphite stick can be used for “drawing, sketching, creating negative space and for covering [...]

FILA 795 BE Red and Blue Pencil

The FILA 795 BE is contained in a box whose artwork has a simple yet powerful portrait. The details are striking – the red factory windows, the carefully rendered plumes of smoke, the uber-smokestack that is a red and blue pencil, and FILA’s name in red and blue. Bravissimo!

Presidential pencils

Click for larger image This is a pencil set from the past – a promotional set featuring American presidents. As I understand it, a set like this was sent as a bonus to those who returned coupons and promotional offers contained in 1960s products such as Clorox Bleach. The set also contains a booklet, “The [...]

Third Anniversary of Pencil Talk

Today marks this blog’s third anniversary! Thank you to the many readers who have made this possible.