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View Full Version : Favorite Advertising and Auto Point Type Mechanical Pencils



Chuck Naill
April 14th, 2020, 05:39 AM
I am have enjoyed learning about Auto Point or similar mechanical pencils. If you collect these old relics, post your favorite including advertising or just vintage Auto Point or similar. I am interested in learning about these pencils from your experiences. :)

Right now I have two KS8300 Bell Property pencils, but am spying out others.

Chuck Naill
April 25th, 2020, 05:39 AM
Some additional pencils and how to make replacement erasers.

Chuck Naill
May 2nd, 2020, 05:20 AM
Autopoint models to date.

From the top, circa 1964 Model 167 in silver and brass, the silver takes .9mm lead while all others 1.1.
Third down is a Model 172, very slender and feels good in the hand. The bottom two were listed as "new oversize models" in a 1927 catalogue.

Chuck Naill
May 7th, 2020, 05:01 PM
Three Rocket pencils. The middle was referred to as the Golden Rocket in a 1964 catalogue with a MSRP of $2.25. This one is from 1947 with provenance that came with the pen. It was a gift and the owner dated the reception date and the donor.

jbb
May 7th, 2020, 05:46 PM
I have quite a few working mechanical pencils with advertising listed in my Etsy store.

https://i.etsystatic.com/8033849/r/il/28f49c/1136035169/il_1588xN.1136035169_ar7u.jpg

https://www.etsy.com/listing/494072761/vintage-mechanical-pencil-working-with?ref=listings_manager_table

Chuck Naill
May 11th, 2020, 03:54 PM
Was able to complete the circle on Autopoint Rockets. This is the #165 or "Plastic Rocket" that sold for $1.50 in '64. This pen was made in 1958.

Chrissy
June 1st, 2020, 03:02 AM
I seem to be gravitating towards a few pencils at the moment. Sadly one of my niceday's has lost it's fine point, but as it's a duplicate I'm not too concerned about it. I love my little Tombow and Lamy pencils. :)

54224

Chuck Naill
June 3rd, 2020, 05:02 AM
I've been able to discover a lead used to mark IBM cards by purchasing old Bell South pencils. The lead is dark and soft. The technology was Mark Sense and the pencils had this term imprinted on the barrels.

The fill mechanism is a spiral type with a j shaped part that kept the lead moving downward. Very long leads are able to be used. This type lead is still available https://www.legendaryleadcompany.com/

welch
June 26th, 2020, 11:40 AM
I am have enjoyed learning about Auto Point or similar mechanical pencils. If you collect these old relics, post your favorite including advertising or just vintage Auto Point or similar. I am interested in learning about these pencils from your experiences. :)

Right now I have two KS8300 Bell Property pencils, but am spying out others.

Chuck, I assume you've found your way to Jon Veley's Blog and his Legendary Lead site. I've had a couple of modern Autopoint Jumbo pencils -- an ivory and a navy blue or black .9mm -- but you tickled my curiosity. Now I have, or have bought, a half-dozen new and unmarked Autopoints and another half-dozen advertising Autopoints. Reminds me of my rediscovery of Esterbrooks: nice looking, usable, and about a dozen years ago Esties routinely sold for $15 raw and $25 cleaned and re-sacked, and equipped with a good 2668 point, by a guy who called himself "AppleJim".

I've even spotted more Autopoint "Bell System" pencils on EBay. Maybe I'll make a skunk set.

welch
June 26th, 2020, 11:49 AM
Jon Veley's Blog: https://leadheadpencils.blogspot.com/

Jon's book about Autopoint: "A Century of Autopoint": https://www.legendaryleadcompany.com/store/p202/Century-of-Autopoint.html

Jon sells .9mm and 1.1mm lead that he recovered from the Panda Pencil Company, just before it was to be thrown out. Panda made "old-fashioned" graphite-based pencil leads, but eventually could not compete with new-fangled lead.
"Panda manufactured leads from traditional blends of clay and graphite. As needle-thin leads became fashionable in the 1980s, imported Japanese leads with a new polymer-based composition were much cheaper to make, once the initial equipment investments were made. Panda wasn't able to afford the required upgrades, so the company discontinued the manufacture of mechanical pencil leads, focusing instead on wood advertising pencils."

His Panda leads are sold at: https://www.legendaryleadcompany.com/

welch
June 28th, 2020, 11:21 AM
I've been able to discover a lead used to mark IBM cards by purchasing old Bell South pencils. The lead is dark and soft. The technology was Mark Sense and the pencils had this term imprinted on the barrels.

The fill mechanism is a spiral type with a j shaped part that kept the lead moving downward. Very long leads are able to be used. This type lead is still available https://www.legendaryleadcompany.com/

Of course, it always pays to read the fine print! I have been astonished at the 1.1mm (.046 inch) soft leads at Legendary Lead Company. Found a 1.1mm Scripto when I started working for GE many years ago, but tossed it to the back of my desk. Must have been #2, or HB leads -- just to hard -- so I continued to used Pentel .5mm and .7mm pencils. Ah, if I had only noticed , that is, if stationery store had been selling 1.1mm B or 2B leads.

Jon Veley, of Legendary Lead, has found 4B and 5B 1.1mm leads!

Chuck Naill
June 29th, 2020, 07:50 AM
I've been able to discover a lead used to mark IBM cards by purchasing old Bell South pencils. The lead is dark and soft. The technology was Mark Sense and the pencils had this term imprinted on the barrels.

The fill mechanism is a spiral type with a j shaped part that kept the lead moving downward. Very long leads are able to be used. This type lead is still available https://www.legendaryleadcompany.com/

Of course, it always pays to read the fine print! I have been astonished at the 1.1mm (.046 inch) soft leads at Legendary Lead Company. Found a 1.1mm Scripto when I started working for GE many years ago, but tossed it to the back of my desk. Must have been #2, or HB leads -- just to hard -- so I continued to used Pentel .5mm and .7mm pencils. Ah, if I had only noticed , that is, if stationery store had been selling 1.1mm B or 2B leads.

Jon Veley, of Legendary Lead, has found 4B and 5B 1.1mm leads!

I am sorry I've been missing your posts and very pleased you are considering this brand of pencil. I found two of the very large 1927 pencils and was able to source two brand new erasers. I sent one to my daughter who is now enjoying it.

I have been drawn to the Rocket design and have amassed several, one from 1947.

From my post #3 I am showing a style 172/.9mm lead. This is a very slender pencil, similar or the same as a wooden pencil. My grand daughter loves it and wanted one for her friend. I found another one so all's well. Be sure to consider a 172. I've seen them in mid '60's catalogues.

welch
April 23rd, 2021, 12:57 PM
I've been able to discover a lead used to mark IBM cards by purchasing old Bell South pencils. The lead is dark and soft. The technology was Mark Sense and the pencils had this term imprinted on the barrels.

The fill mechanism is a spiral type with a j shaped part that kept the lead moving downward. Very long leads are able to be used. This type lead is still available https://www.legendaryleadcompany.com/

Of course, it always pays to read the fine print! I have been astonished at the 1.1mm (.046 inch) soft leads at Legendary Lead Company. Found a 1.1mm Scripto when I started working for GE many years ago, but tossed it to the back of my desk. Must have been #2, or HB leads -- just to hard -- so I continued to used Pentel .5mm and .7mm pencils. Ah, if I had only noticed , that is, if stationery store had been selling 1.1mm B or 2B leads.

Jon Veley, of Legendary Lead, has found 4B and 5B 1.1mm leads!

I am sorry I've been missing your posts and very pleased you are considering this brand of pencil. I found two of the very large 1927 pencils and was able to source two brand new erasers. I sent one to my daughter who is now enjoying it.

I have been drawn to the Rocket design and have amassed several, one from 1947.

From my post #3 I am showing a style 172/.9mm lead. This is a very slender pencil, similar or the same as a wooden pencil. My grand daughter loves it and wanted one for her friend. I found another one so all's well. Be sure to consider a 172. I've seen them in mid '60's catalogues.

I should start taking photos of the mechanical pencils, especially Autopoints, that I buy. The current Autopoints are the same as the older Autopoint Jumbo "advertising" pencils. I look for interesting colors and for businesses I know about or whatever places that catch my fancy. For instance, I put one of Jon Veley's very soft .046 leads in a General Electric Company Scripto that I picked the supply room at our office about 35 years ago. Pleasure.

welch
April 23rd, 2021, 12:59 PM
Does anyone know how the Autopoint / Redipoint / other advertising pencils were used? Were they given away to customers?

Chuck Naill
April 24th, 2021, 06:09 AM
Does anyone know how the Autopoint / Redipoint / other advertising pencils were used? Were they given away to customers?

The US telephone companies had pens and pencils which were used by employees and read "Bell System Property". Autopoint built their product, from what I have seen, based on advertising. They also made knives and letter openers with advertising.

Based on a web site that is no longer active there were pencils available that were more dressy and a person's name could be imprinted. I've added three of my Rocket models to showwhat I am talking about.

Chip
August 28th, 2021, 11:37 PM
Never had an Autopoint pencil.

My maternal grandfather loved Sheaffer pens and had some very nice mechanical pencils imprinted for his engineering company. My mother kept one and gave it to me.

https://i.imgur.com/63MgaXy.jpg

The eraser was hard as a rock, so I cut a new one from a white drawing eraser. Looks odd, but works fine.

https://i.imgur.com/KdokzJZ.jpg

Connie
December 3rd, 2021, 07:07 PM
I’m not sure if this is an auto point pencil but it is beautiful and has advertising on it! I bought it at Bendigo Pottery (Australia) last year.
The gold sheaffer pencil was a lovely surprise gift when I bought some vintage pens online.

Cyril
July 11th, 2023, 05:52 PM
Wow this ia an interesting thread.

I have a " huge collection" of vintage pencils now.
Even lat week i just bought 12 more pens. I am waiting to receive them soon.


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