A Tale of Two Empires . . . Maybe

At page 53 of The Catalogue, you'll find an example of the "Empire," along with my suggestion that this was either an Eclipse subbrand or the clip was licensed.

A few weeks after the book came out, I got one of those "Nuh uh!" emails that run the gambit from helpful to heckling.  This one was from my friend Michael "Ferengi" Little, who does his fair share of "na na boo boo" dances but who has in the short time I've known him provided me with a lot of good information . . .not to mention a lot of good pencils.

Before we get to Mike's happy dance, here's a photo showing the similarities between the Empire and the Eclipse . . .

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

Auto-Confusing, More Like . . .

At the Ohio Show last November, a fellow that was liquidating his collection had a nice selection of metal pencils, including this one.    Joe Nemecek, Michael Little and I spent quite a bit of time staring at the clip under a loupe, trying to figure out what it said.   It was like looking up at the clouds and saying "I think I see a doggie..."

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

The "Moderne"

Here's a neat piece, snagged off of ebay in the last few weeks.  The color is the same as the "Brazilian Green" found on Wahl pens and pencils during the 1920s, but also found on the Parker "Thrift Time" series, as well.  Here's a close up shot of the clip . . .

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

They Are Really Bonding Now

At page 90 of The Catalogue, you'll find a picture of the Wahl-Eversharp made pencils marked "Gold Bond," which was Montgomery Ward's store brand of pens and pencils.  Since the book was published, a couple other examples have found their way to me . . .

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

No Price Sticker, But Something Even Better

There's two very distinct types of joy antique dealers experience when they make a sale at a show:  the joy of making a buck, and the joy of helping another collector find something that makes them happy.   Other than a few people who set up at a show just to dispose of a dead relative's collection, everyone you find sitting behind a table at a show is doing what we do for both kinds of joy, getting a little ying in with the yang, so to speak.

Rick Fernandez is a pen (and pencil) dealer who never loses sight of this -- he loves the charge he gets out of helping you find the things you like.  At the 2010 Ohio show, he and Mike Bloom split up a set and sold me the Eclipse red hard rubber pencil which appears second from left on the cover of my book.  At the DC show a few months later, he sold me the Dunn multicolor pencil which is also on the cover of my book, right next to the Eclipse.

At the Ohio Show this year, he had something special to show me.  He waited until the very end of the show to finally part with it.  I'm not sure if he wanted that last rush at the end of the show or wanted to be sure he had gas money!

By the end of the show, I had the pencil and Rick had a fair amount of my money and the knowledge that he had simply made my day.  I told him about my plans to launch this blog, and he told me he was really looking forward to reading about his pencil. 

A couple weeks ago I was talking to him, and he mentioned he hadn't seen a blog entry on his pencil yet.  Sheepishly, I told him that hadn't gotten to it, and he sounded . . . disappointed.  So, without further ado, with all due credit to Rick for the find and with due apologies for the delay, here's today's subject . . .

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

I Say Finepointer, You Say Finerpointe, Let's Call the Whole thing Off...

Error alert!  Error alert! 

My subject today concerns the Hutcheon, which is covered at pages 90 and 91 of The Catalogue.  When I opened up my copy to prepare writing this article, I noticed that the book discusses two "Finepointers" and a third example, a GE advertising pencil. 

Only problem is, the picture that accompanies the text only shows two pencils.  For those who bought the photo supplement, the correct picture is in the supplement, but that picture never made it into the printed copy of the book.  Here's the picture that should have run . . .

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

Just One Point on these, but It's a Good One

Since I got onto the subject of the Pen-N-Pencil Co. yesterday, this is a good time to explore another one of the manufacturer's interesting offerings:  here's a pair of magnifier pencils made by the company, shown with yesterday's "Smokers Companion" pencil . . .

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