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		the pencil

		The word pencil comes from the latin penicillum, or 'little tail', as it resembles a fine-pointed brush of that name, the hairs of which were made from those in animal tails. The Greeks and Romans were apparently aware that metallic lead could make a mark on papyrus, but nothing practical developed from that knowledge until the Renaissance, when artists and draughtsmen began to use it widely for sketches and draft drawings. One of the most commonly used lead was that made from unused pieces from stained church glass windows, as they had already been extruded to a suitable diameter. Other leads were intentionally formed with a pointed end for drawing. The generally accepted turning point came in 1565 with the discovery of the graphite or 'black-lead' mines of Borrowdale in Cumberland. By 1610, the streets of London became a frequent market-place for black lead, which the buyers would fit into their pencil case or porte-crayon. Almost contemporary with this was the development of enclosing rods of graphite in lengths of pine or cedar. There are various, traditional birthplaces of the modern day pencil, but by 1662 Friedrich Staedtler of Nuremberg was identified as a specialist 'pencil maker'. From then on techniques improved and in the late eighteenth century one could buy massed produced pencils having square leads and octagonal wooden casings. Despite the change from square to rounds leads, wood remained the most popular material for casing for some two hundred years until the inevitable plastics age. Our photograph shows a lump of pure graphite and a medieval lead, followed by - First row from left to right: a well-used, early octagonal pencil with square lead; two mid-to-late 19thC pencils; 1936-celebrating jubilee of George V; Coronation of Edward VIII; 1939-45 Wartime utility; coronation of Elizabeth II; Robertson's advertising. Second row: three 19th century silver extending pencils; Mordan ivory pencil; combined lighter and propelling pencil; combination stylograph point and lead pencil; Centre: Twelve inch Las Vegas souvenir; Bottom Row: Advertising extending; wood 'porte-crayon'; Brugge souvenir reversable; modern gold propelling pencil. If you wish to learn more about pencils or start a collection, look at the pencil place if you are in England or pencil pages for the USA.
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