Drawing & Sketching: Pencils

Graphite came into widespread use following the discovery of a large graphite deposit in Borrowdale, England in 1564. Graphite left a darker mark than lead, but was so soft and brittle that it required a holder. At first, sticks of graphite were wrapped in string. Later, the graphite was inserted into wooden sticks that had been hollowed-out by hand. The wood-cased pencil was born! The first mass-produced pencils were made in Nuremberg, Germany in 1662. There, an active pencil industry developed with famous companies like Faber-Castell established in 1761, Lyra, Staedtler and others growing throughout the 19th century industial revolution. Other early U.S. manufacturers that helped industrialize pencil making in the United States were Joseph Dixon Crucible Company (now Dixon Ticonderoga) and a number of factories established in New York and New Jersey towards the end of the 19th century by immigrants from the German industry including Faber Castell, Eberhard Faber, Eagle Pencil Company (Later Berol) and General Pencil Company.

How to buy

Note: we do not deliver outside New Zealand.

Enter the quantity and click "add to cart". When you are ready to pay for your order proceed to checkout. Payment is made by credit card on a secure server using Paypal or Payment Express. Alternatively you may pay by "bank deposit" or by phone on 09 489 7213.

Delivery Rates

Our delivery rates are:

  • Prepaid A4 Satchel (nationwide): $5 per order
  • Local (Auckland): $5.50 per order *
  • Local Towns (within 150kms): $7.50 per order *
  • Rest of North Island: $9.30 per order *
  • South Island and Great Barrier: $10.40 per order *

Prepaid Satchel is available for some smaller items that will fit into an A4 envelope. Please do not select the satchel option if your goods are breakable, easily damaged or flammable.
* Oversized items may be charged an additional amount - once you have selected the items you need proceed to checkout to see the exact costs.

Rural delivery fee $3.30 per order

For privacy, returns and security policies please read our policies page.

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