Let’s continue our look at the pencils of France.
It was over three years ago that we saw the Bic/Conté Evolution pencil. How time flies! This website has certainly grown quite a bit since then. (As has my pencil accumulation.)
The Evolution is apparently a favourite of the author of the remarkable La Vie Graphite.
In 2006, I would have said non-wood pencils were a non-starter in the marketplace, but a recent visit to a university bookstore showed rolled-paper pencils being promoted front and centre, as examples of environmentally-friendly supplies! Many past pencil talk commentators have doubted such claims.
The Conté Evolution Triangle is a variant of the Evolution, offered in an oversize rounded triangle format, in a 140mm length (about 3/4 as long as a standard pencil). It appears to be made from the same extruded plastic as the standard Evolution.
I love the format – it is a very practical, and the pencil is easily held.
It has a consistent though light line. When pressed firmly, the line darkens considerably. Like similar pencils, it has some flex.
Some modern details regarding the Conté brand will be mentioned in a future post.
My thanks for Gunther from Lexikaliker for sending me this pencil.
Further reading: Official product page.
“As has my pencil accumulation”.
Surely its a collection of inestimal personal value, not a mere accumulation?
Hmm, I’m not completely sure. :-)
That first photograph is wonderful, the wood towards the tip of the pencil looks like compact bone, spongy and porous; great post.
Thanks for the compliment – and just to be clear, this pencil’s casing is plastic not wood.
Yes indeed, don’t know how I missed that, thanks.
Thank you for the mention!
Yes, those teal Evolution pencils appear in many places on my blog. Your coverage of French pencils is great. Perhaps you could add Baignol et Farjon- though I don’t know if the company still exists. They also made wonderful pen nibs for writing and drawing.
You may already know this, but some of the Bic mechanical pencils (like the Atlantis) are French-made.
From the blog:
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l147/abraham188/pencils2.jpg
and
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l147/abraham188/sol3.jpg
Dear sir,
Can you please advise me what is the ratio of wooden vs. plastic pencils manufactured throughout the globe? We manufacture woodfeee pencil plants and have commissioned lots of plants as of today. Some of our customers who were manufacturing wooden pencils since decades have stopped wooden pencil manufacturing after they installed several pencil extrusion lines from us. Plastic pencil manufacturing is so easy and simple compared to wooden pencil manufacturing.
A fascinating industry that you are in. Your website mentions deployments in a number of countries, but the Conté Evolution is the only plastic pencil on the marketplace that I am aware of.
Can you please advise me what is the ratio of wooden vs. plastic pencils manufactured throughout the globe? We manufacture woodfeee pencil plants and have commissioned lots of plants as of today. Some of our customers who were manufacturing wooden pencils since decades have stopped wooden pencil manufacturing after they installed several pencil extrusion lines from us. Plastic pencil manufacturing is so easy and simple compared to wooden pencil manufacturing.