Mechanical Pencil Collections
Andy P. Tucker was a disabled veteran who enjoyed collecting mechanical pencils. In 1951, he sent this letter (or versions of it) to newspapers throughout the United States:
I don't know what kind of response he got, but here's a picture of him in 1952 with his collection. The picture ran in various papers.
I can't find any information about what became of Tucker's collection. Was it thrown away when he died? Or is it sitting in a box in someone's basement? Who knows.
However, Tucker isn't the only person to have collected mechanical pencils. Jonathan A. Veley now maintains what he calls his Mechanical Pencil Museum, with an accompanying Leadhead's Pencil Blog. But a search of Veley's blog doesn't produce any references to Tucker, so I'm not sure if Veley is aware of his predecessor.
Veley's mechanical pencil collection
I don't know what kind of response he got, but here's a picture of him in 1952 with his collection. The picture ran in various papers.
I can't find any information about what became of Tucker's collection. Was it thrown away when he died? Or is it sitting in a box in someone's basement? Who knows.
However, Tucker isn't the only person to have collected mechanical pencils. Jonathan A. Veley now maintains what he calls his Mechanical Pencil Museum, with an accompanying Leadhead's Pencil Blog. But a search of Veley's blog doesn't produce any references to Tucker, so I'm not sure if Veley is aware of his predecessor.
Veley's mechanical pencil collection
Comments
People collect strange stuff. My Great-Grandpa nailed matchbook covers to the walls of his work shed. When his wife died and they sold the house the walls of that shed brought just about as much as the rest of the property.
That said: Go to the various papers link above and scroll right or click here for the anouncement of the Foolproof Bathtub.
That said: Go to the various papers link above and scroll right or click here for the anouncement of the Foolproof Bathtub.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 07/13/12 at 09:42 AM
We had those at the nursing home before I left. We still had to have a special lift to get the less ambulatory patients in them though.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 07/13/12 at 11:06 AM
Don't forget the regular pencil collection at the Museo Arenas in Uruguay. It's worth a trip to Sud America just to see this!
http://coloniaturismo.com/index.php/view/information/granja_arenas
http://coloniaturismo.com/index.php/view/information/granja_arenas
Posted by Reginald Stuessi on 07/13/12 at 11:19 AM
I have a few of those left to me by my grandfather. They are made of real steel. You could defend yourself with one. And the lead portion is made nice and thick and doesn't tend to snap off when I write. I tend to bear down a bit and the modern thin lead really doesn't work for me.
Posted by KDP on 07/13/12 at 05:07 PM
The land underneath 9363 Orange Avenue in Pico (now Pico Rivera) CA is now a government elementary school - so we *know* those pencils aren't being put to good use there!
Posted by Robert on 07/13/12 at 07:49 PM
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Category: Hobbies and DIY | Obsessions