Friday, December 23, 2011

The Eagle Automatic Part 1: All Pencils Great and Small

When I wrote The Catalogue, I didn't just want to write a book about pencils that you never see "in the wild."  My goal was to write a book that beginners and experienced collectors alike would be able to use, so I included information about all the pencils I knew about, not just the superstars that are rarely seen.

But there wasn't room enough for everything.  While I was finishing up the editing The Catalogue, I received an email from "Steve," a visitor at my Mechanical Pencil Museum website, asking about what he referred to as his "Shaw Mechanical Pencil."   His example, marked "Property of the U.S. Army," was marked with Patent Number 1,859,433.

That patent number gave his pencil away as an Eagle "Automatic" pencil.  The patent, for the eraser tip, was applied for by Isidor Chesler on October 18, 1930 and was granted on May 24, 1932.  Here is a good example of the Eagle Automatic . . .

NOTE:  This article is now included in the print version of The Leadhead's Pencil Blog, available anywhere you buy books, or also from The Legendary Lead Company.

To order, here's the link:  Volume 1 at Legendary Lead Company



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