Friday, September 6, 2013

Other People's Fair Children

A few years ago I read a book titled “I Hate Other People’s Kids” by Adrienne Frost, which was an amusing hundred-page or so rant about the things other people’s children (and the parents who fail to control them) do to annoy the author.   This book is a must read for parents who think it’s cute to let their kids run around a restaurant – or a bar – while they meet up with friends.

But that’s the people sort of kids.  Yesterday I wrote about my “Fairchildren,” four examples of pencils made by Leroy W. Fairchild that I’ve picked up recently.  At the DC show, I saw quite a few examples of other people’s Fairchildren, and they don’t annoy me at all (I even secretly wished they were mine).

Here’s one that Dave Glass had on his table at the DC show:


On the one side, “L.W.F. & Co.”:


To learn more, this full article is included in The Leadhead's Pencil Blog Volume 2, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and everywhere else you buy books, or you can order a copy signed by yours truly through the Legendary Lead Company HERE.




10 comments:

Martha said...

The wire loop looks like the filament of a lightbulb--I think that was invented by Edison in about 1880. Shot in the dark. . .

Martha said...

And the "dude in the robe" looks like he is carrying the Torah, or some kind of scroll.

Anonymous said...

Jon, the loop would be a glove, or less likely due to size, shoe button hook.
Chris - Michigan Button Society

Anonymous said...

http://books.google.com/books?id=sXIoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA372&lpg=PA372&dq=leroy+fairchild+button+hook&source=bl&ots=SyrQKvyT2D&sig=3_wbdzsdW-pnXy3x7464sFDHT2E&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Ue0sUv6iKdLaqQHPx4Bo&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=leroy%20fairchild%20button%20hook&f=false
hope this registers the link, it's jewelers trade journal with description of Leroy Fairchild retractable button hook.
Chris, also try Button Country see other fasteners, and buttonhook society of UK

Jon Veley said...

Hi Martha, thanks for the input -

Chris, I think you nailed the looped Fairchild. I'll let Joe know, too. I'll bet there's a separate patent out there for the mechanical aspect, and it should be easier to find now that I know what it is!

Martha said...

A buttonhook! I never saw one that shape.
Cool.

Jon Veley said...

For what it's worth, here's a direct link to some button hooks, including looped examples like the Fairchild:

http://www.buttoncountry.com/Div4Hooks1.html

Some have patent dates on them - probably designs.

David Nishimura said...

Late comment on the acorn pencil:
I've seen a number of them unmarked or marked as Hicks. This was the first I'd seen with a Fairchild mark.
Note that the English mark isn't a hallmark, but a registry mark. Basically denotes the UK equivalent of a US design patent.

Anonymous said...

Hello David,

I have an acorn pencil exactly like the one pictured above by Hicks. Could you help identify what size lead will fit it? 1.05 mm is too small & 1.5 mm is too big. Thanks. Jennifer

Unknown said...

Looking for an acorn propelling pencil, maybe marked Pat. Sep. 25 77, W.S. Hicks, metal, not wood.Anyone?