Explore centuries of pencil expression
The Earliest Forms of Self ExpressionDid you know that modern pencils owe it all to an ancient Roman writing instrument called a stylus? Scribes used this thin metal rod to leave a light, but readable mark on papyrus (an early form of paper). Other early styluses were made of lead, which is what we still call pencil cores even though they actually are made of non-toxic graphite.
Graphite came into widespread use following the discovery of a large graphite deposit in Borrowdale, England in 1564. Appreciated for leaving a darker mark than lead, the mineral proved so soft and brittle that it required a holder. Originally, graphite sticks were wrapped in string. Later, the graphite was inserted into hollowed-out wooden sticks. The wood-cased pencil was born!
Nuremberg, Germany is the birthplace of the first mass-produced pencils in 1662. Spurred by Faber-Castell (established in 1761), Lyra, Steadtler and other companies, an active pencil industry developed throughout the 19th century industrial revolution.
America Expresses ItselfEarly settlers depended on pencils from overseas until the war with England cut off imports. William Monroe, a Concord, Massachusetts cabinet-maker, is credited with making America’s first wood pencils in 1812. Another Concord native, famous author Henry David Thoreau, was also renowned for his pencil-making prowess.
Click here to learn more about famous pencil people through history.
The American pencil industry took off with The Joseph Dixon Crucible Company (now Dixon Ticonderoga) and more manufacturers getting into the act. Towards the end of the 19th century, New York and New Jersey hosted several factories established by German pencil industry magnates, including Faber Castell, Eberhard Faber, Eagle Pencil Company (later Berol) and General Pencil Company.
The first mass-produced pencils were natural, unpainted, to show off high-quality wood casings. But by the 1890s, many manufacturers started painting pencils and imprinting them with brand names. There's an interesting story behind how the familiar yellow pencil came to be.
Why are Pencils Yellow?The true story behind the yellow pencil
Pencils have been painted yellow ever since the 1890s. And that bright color isn't just so you can find them on your desk more easily!
During the 1800s, the best graphite in the world came from China. American pencil makers wanted a special way to tell people that their pencils contained Chinese graphite.
In China, the color yellow is associated with royalty and respect. American pencil manufacturers began painting their pencils bright yellow to communicate this "regal" feeling and association with China. However, according to Henry Petroski's history of the pencil, the European producer Koh-I-Noor was the first to paint one of their pencils yellow.
The rest, as they say, is history. Today, a majority of basic hexagonal graphite writing pencils sold in the United States are painted yellow and generally what was once perceived as "regal" has now become "common".
Following the Wood
Early American pencils were made from Eastern Red Cedar, a strong, splinter-resistant wood that grew in Tennessee and other parts of the Southeastern United States. To be nearer to the source, Northern manufacturers migrated south and set up wood mills until, eventually, the greatest concentration of U.S. pencil manufacturers had established factories in Tennessee. To this day, U.S. producers are primarily concentrated in the South.
By the early 1900s, however, additional sources of wood were needed. Pencil manufacturers turned to California's Sierra Nevada mountains, where they found Incense-cedar, a species that grew in abundance and made superior pencils. California Incense-cedar soon became the wood of choice for domestic and international pencil makers around the world.
To ensure the continued availability of Incense-cedar, forest workers have carefully managed the stands of trees, and timber companies have committed to harvesting Incense-cedar on a sustained-yield basis. "Sustained-yield" means that the annual growth of the forest is greater than the amount harvested from the forest. Forests managed on a sustained-yield basis are abundant and healthy, and will continue to provide wood for people and habitats for animals for generations to come.
A Global IndustryThe history of the pencil industry includes a great number of important companies and brands from around the world. Many now have factories globally. Factors contributing to the challenging impact of globalization, resulting in a great shift of pencil production increasingly being concentrated in Asia over the past 20 years, include:
• The reduction of trade barriers
• The introduction of containerized shipments of goods overseas
• The comparative differences in raw material costs between countries
and the lower cost of transporting people and information around the world.
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