A few people have asked, “What happened to the Felissimo pencils?”
About a year and a half ago, I wrote about an unusual offering of 500 colour pencils. (I learned about this set from Japanese pencil blogs.) I was soon contacted by the manufacturer, who were planning a global launch, and was offered a set of pencils in exchange for some modest publicity.
Felissimo had a very unusual sales model – 500 colour pencils for sale, but delivered in twenty monthly sets of twenty-five!
I wrote about the first few sets they sent me, and then – the New York based program was relocated to company headquarters in Japan. I was really surprised – it seemed like a complete success story to me. I believe these pencils gained more prominent US media coverage than any recent pencil offering of any type. (New York Times, Martha Stewart, and many others.)
Since then, there was a gap of several months, followed by some pencil sets arriving in fits and spurts. I don’t have any contacts at the company, and I’m not sure if I will receive all 500 pencils. I’ve not complained. Some of the original staff may have been laid off, so some perspective is called for.
I thought I would show just what happens when a monthly Felissimo set arrives.
First a cardboard box arrives via Japan Post EMS:
There is a cellophane wrapped interior box:
Sans cellophane:
An insert forms a guide to the pencils, if you can read Japanese:
The order in which the pencils are sent seems to vary, based on what I’ve read online. A small circled numeral seems to represent the box number:
This set seems to be dark blue and purple variations:
Slightly closer:
In an acrylic display:
I’m not sure where this is all leading, but I’ll show more if there is interest.
If the pencils don’t suffice, Felissimo just announced a 500 crayon set.
I’m more of a graphite guy, so a set of 500 sounds excessive. I’m more interested in the sweet acrylic display. That looks sharp.
The colors are beautiful, but why/how did the company settle on the number 500? Maybe someone from the company could comment.
Excellent photos! I’d certainly be interested in seeing more of your sets. :)
But how is the quality?
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. nice. 500 sounds nice. im an art major…these are my fav colors. i need these!!!!
All, thank you for the comments.
John, I will feature the series again.
ze, many comments on the quality subject have been received. Take a look at the first link in the post to see some thoughts.
LOVE this concept…and love all those beautiful blues and purples stacked up together :) I definitely don’t use colored pencils enough to justify something like this for myself, but I could see this being a great monthly treat for a serious artist (or, hey, for an art-loving kid for that matter…I would have DIED over this as a child!)
i would love to buy that wall case called aurora anyone know where to buy on?
I have the Felissimo 500 colored pencil set and have tried many different pencil sharpeners, both manual and electrical and they break. I would very much appreciate suggestions for which sharpeners that work.
I have the 500 Felissimo colored pencil set but cannot find a pencil sharpener that works for this product. The pencils break even with a manual sharpener. I would love to find a solution and also would like to know in general, which are the best sharpeners.
I would like to purchase the Aurora cases and 500 pencil set for my husband’s big birthday. I’m a bit nervous about not actually getting all of shipments since the pencils are Air Mail and not tracked. Did anyone have any issues?
The dahle
M&R German made sharpener or a helical blade sharpener. I bought a cheap, made in Japan, kawaii like helical blade mushroom sharpener & ive not had a single color pencil lead break using it. I’ve used it for at least 2yrs. I use my Prismacolors, Poloychromos, Marco Raffine, Master Art Master Series, & my Colleen color pencils in it. Colleen being the softest has never broken. I hope this helps