Pencils

Pencils also have changed over time. This page shows one example of slate pencils as well as boxes of the more familiar wood-encased pencils. The collections have both an early instance of a mechanical pencil and a 20th-century example, the latter with a famous connection. Draftsmen needed pencil leads to insert into other drawing instruments, and one engineer even donated his metal pencil box.

This 1-3/4" cylindrical metal case holds three pencil leads and three needle points for dividers. Leads and needle points were needed for drawing compasses and mechanical pencils used in engineering drawing; one often found a case like this in a set of drafting instruments.
Description
This 1-3/4" cylindrical metal case holds three pencil leads and three needle points for dividers. Leads and needle points were needed for drawing compasses and mechanical pencils used in engineering drawing; one often found a case like this in a set of drafting instruments. William J. Ellenberger (1908–2008) owned these objects. For his biography, see 1981.0933.25.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1940
ID Number
1981.0933.26
accession number
1981.0933
catalog number
1981.0933.26

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