Most Common / Popular Mechanical Pencil Of The 1950S

[shadeone]

In my attempt to get all of my everyday use items to be more vintage and classy, I am also replacing all of my office pens and pencils with older tools. I've got a nice first-year Parker Jotter as my "random notes" ballpoint, but it got me thinking...
What was the go-to mechanical pencil of the mid 1950s in the US? I know the all metal Eversharp was the big item of the 20s and 30s, and I know the pencil we know of today as the Pentel P200 Sharp came out int he 70s and was teh standard for a long time. But what was the hot-ticket best selling mechanical pencil in 1955 for example? I know plastic was the coolest-thing-in-the-world at this point in time and Scripto and Papermate and those kind of companies were probably producing plastic bodied pencils like mad, but any more information on specific "famous" models or top-sellers would be appreciated!

[mmg122]

Hi Shadeone! Great question. The answer I offer is based on my personal experience of living/going to school in the 50s and not on any research I've done. IOW, based on what I recall.

 

I think the iconic 50s mechanical pencil was the one made by Scripto. The translucent ones were very popular with students of all ages. I've attached a photo and I'll bet you may recognize it.

 

It's interesting that you mention Scripto and Parker T-Ball Jotters in your original post. The only writing implements I collect other than fountain pens are Scripto pencils and Jotter ballpoint pens. I guess I am a child of the 50s.

[rdh]

You may be right about Scripto. Another brand that has been around forever and is still being made are the Autopoint pencils.

 

Dave

[Zookie]

Scripto and Autopoint. The Autopoint American is still available on their website, and doesn't look any different than back in "the day". Wearever made pencils that look alot like the Scripto, but are hard to find in good shape.

I have a nice art deco square four that I use a lot. I'll post a photo if you're interested.

[shadeone]

Nice! Thanks guys! And yeah Autopoint! I see those things at antique stores by the dozen every time I go! NEver knew who made them! I'm going to have to pick up some of their newer ones to test out.
That spiral Scripto looks like it was literally designed for 2nd graders hahah

[Sasha Royale]

Hi Shadeone! Great question. The answer I offer is based on my personal experience of living/going to school in the 50s and not on any research I've done. IOW, based on what I recall.

 

I think the iconic 50s mechanical pencil was the one made by Scripto. The translucent ones were very popular with students of all ages. I've attached a photo and I'll bet you may recognize it.

 

It's interesting that you mention Scripto and Parker T-Ball Jotters in your original post. The only writing implements I collect other than fountain pens are Scripto pencils and Jotter ballpoint pens. I guess I am a child of the 50s.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Scripto-Classic-Translucent-Blue-Mech-Pencil-New-Style-Clip-/262113870529?hash=item3d073442c1:g:sOQAAOSwT5tWLtNN

 

I agree with this. I used one for ten years. I saw other students using them all around me. If I took one to the many "standardized" tests, I was exempt from having "two number two pencils". I have also seen many solid-color ones, imprinted with advertising. I know a collector, who has EIGHTY different ones. (Pencil collectors are nuts.)

Edited October 28, 2015 by Sasha Royale

[shadeone]

...The only writing implements I collect other than fountain pens are Scripto pencils and Jotter ballpoint pens....

My "first year" 1954 and a 1956-1957 with the "inverted-V" clip. Both obtained for under $10!

http://imageshack.com/a/img911/6791/MwC8ib.jpg

[shadeone]

So thinking about Parker again for a bit yesterday... I know the Jotter pencil didnt come out until the 60s, but how commonplace was the Parker 21 Pencil in the 50s?

[OCArt]

I had a Sheaffer Fineline in the 1950's. Marble and blue sections for me although they came in other colors.http://www.peytonstreet.com/pens/sheaffer/fineline_bluepearl_bp_3.jpg

[qvxb]

Shadeone,

 

I got a yellow translucent Scripto when I was a freshman in high school and got tired of sharpening wooden pencils. As I recall, the lead advance mechanism had a small cylinder that moved down the inside of the barrel as the lead was advanced. This would give the user an indication of how much lead remained.

 

Keep your current office pens and pencils and loan them to your coworkers. People treat them as communal property and it's likely the good stuff will go missing.

[Drone]

In the 1950's I think it was Autopoint. The Government and large companies used to buy them by the truckload. Autopoints were (and still are to a lesser extent) popular as promotional hand-outs. Before Autopoint's rule in the '50's, Wahl sold tens of millions of Eversharp pencils and their derivatives. In the late 20th Century, arguably it was/is the Pentel P205.