A.W. FABER POLYGRADE PENCILS

A.W. FABER POLYGRADE PENCILS - 7 PIECES SET

파버카스텔 폴리그레이드 펜슬 7개입

Polygrade pencil of A.W. FABER is known to be released in 1837 in Paris.

It was the first poly-grade, i.e. in many different grades, pencil made by A.W. FABER and it was one of the leading figure that made todays Faber Castell.

Before the advent of the Polygrade pencils, A.W. FABER was rather a local pencil maker.

Polygrade pencils focused on the quality, so the price had to be expensive than other usual pencils.

These expensive pencils were unwelcome to local market, but its quality was widely acknowledged in various countries.

It succeeded to satisfy picky taste of French, and even recognized in England where the first pencil appeared in 1565 and A.W. FABER once envied.

No other brands tried to sell pencils in different grades into one package before Lothar Faber did this.

Thanks to his studying in Paris, he knew the formula for the success.

He knew high-quality pencils (though expensive) with different grades would make a huge success.

Being proud of it, he put the brand name, A.W. FABER, into the Polygrade pencils in luxurious font.

Its superior quality was well appreciated in many international exhibition, and this can also be seen in the case of the Polygrade pencils.

It advertises itself as a prizewinner.

Before Castell pencils substitute this place, Polygrade pencils led the A.W. FABER company.

A.W. FABER packaged Polygrade pencils inseveral ways.

There existed 10-pencil packaging, 7-pencil packaging, 5-pencil packaging, and 5-pencil with pencil knife packaging.

The above one has 7 pencils with grades from BBB to HH.

A.W. FABER explains the hardness grades in this way.

The case also explains this.

The grades here are BBBB and HHHH, while are BBBBBB and HHHHHH in the above photo.

I know Polygrade pencils with these grades really existed, but since when BBBB/HHHH changed into BBBBBB/HHHHHH?

I even don't know which notation was earlier.

I guess the four-digit notation was earlier though, and the reason will be explained below.

From BBB to HH.

It might not be seen well, but you'll see the grade is indicated in the case too if you closely look at it.

Every grade has its own place!

Square lead, the signature of Polygrade pencil.

Eberhard Faber, 133 William Street, New York.

As I explained in this post, it was the address of E.Faber until 1877.

E.Faber was the agent to sell A.W. FABER's goods in the American market.

From these two information, it can be deduced this pencil set was made earlier than 1877 and was sold in the U.S.

Now, here comes the reason why I thought HHHHHH/BBBBBB grades were made later.

I saw the pencil with this grade having the imprinting "718&720 Broadway," which was the address of E.Faber after 1877.

At some stage, the grade system of Polygrade seemed to have changed or expanded.