Category: pencils

Lung Sketching Scrolls is a most engaging blog. Alberto, apart from regularly contributing comments here (always appreciated!) – has – and uses – a great wealth of pencils and drawing supplies. He writes about drawing and art supplies, with many excellent photos of his artwork and insights into the hard work that accompanies the creativity.

Here is a post close to my heart!

More amazing, beautiful, train-theme pencils from Tombow. I was lucky enough to find a source for the original set of train pencil boxes, numbers one through four. We have previously seen boxes five through eight.

Three years ago, I associated novelty pencils with the lowest level of pencil making. How wrong I was! Firms such as Tombow do make pencils like these to the highest standards in the industry. The design and details are just amazing.

Imagine a pencil of this calibre being given out by a dentist, realtor, or even at the train station, instead of the third-rate ballpoints and pencils we usually see.

Bundoki.com is setting up a brick and mortar retail store.

The store opens tomorrow, November 23, 2008, and we wish them well!

Bundoki was one of the first businesses to start selling Japanese pencils to the rest of the world via the web. While these pencils were previously known and available to professional animators and designers in large commercial studios, they are now much more accessible to the rest of us thanks to Bundoki and others.

Regarding their name – “bundoki” means “protractor” in English.

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 very scratchy and cheap. The printing and finishing also appear budget level. So if Rotring, with a great reputation, made woodcase pencils, this isn’t what one would expect.

I have two guesses: the pencil is from some corner of the Sanford empire, and unfortunately made to low standards. Or – it is some sort of “knock-off”, where a well known brand name is stamped on a cheap product not actually from the identified manufacturer.

Any ideas or actual knowledge about this pencil?

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 Book of Presidents”. It mentions many facts and dates!

Below are ten pencils from one of the last American pencil makers – Musgrave – the pencils feature Constitution Day, state capitals, and past presidents.

If you would like the Musgrave set, just answer (as a comment below) one of these questions from the pencil talk research department:

1. Name the movie about an American President that includes a woman knocking over a cup of pencils.

2. Which US President was said to have drafted his battle plans in pencil when he was a General in the Civil War?

3. Several US Presidents were known to be doodlers. Among them, which one briefly considered a career as a cartoonist?

There is only one set, so the first correct answer wins. The winner will have to provide a postal address (via email). Shipment will be via Canada Post. Thanks to the Musgrave Pencil Co. for providing these pencils.

Today marks this blog’s third anniversary!

Thank you to the many readers who have made this possible.