Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 261

Although we're the Vancouver Pen Club, I think it bears repeating that we welcome enthusiasts of all writing instruments, both modern and vintage :)

For example, one of our longtime members (who is primarily a collector of vintage fountain pens) recently acquired a charming unbranded vintage mechanical pencil, and sent this in for today's blog post:

Christopher: "Right from the get go, admittedly, I had no great interest in collecting mechanical pencils, other then to complete sets that they would have originally been a part of. Still, over the years there have been some colourful oddballs which were just too interesting to pass up on. Case in point - out of a large pen and pencil lot we scored a while back was this advertising number for the Mount Angel Co-op Creamery. Mt. Angel, by the way, is in Oregon and while the Co-op was in business they produced a wide variety of dairy-related products. They also had a long history in that state. "

(photo courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on image to enlarge)

"Subsequently, the pencil I have added to my collection is very neat. The finish could not be more colourful in brilliant red and cream plastic with illustrated coloured branding on the barrel. Below the Cream coloured barrel is a red grip section slightly ribbed horizontally at the top for better finger purchase. The tip, as well as the clip, are 14K Gold Filled and the clip definitely dates this pencil to the mid 1930s. And having checked on the company’s history, it was definitely at a high point during those years. The clip is hump backed and ending in a flat ball but peaking with a diamond end."

 "But the best and most unique part of this pencil is at its top end. Mounted on a red band at the top of the barrel is a clear plastic tube capped with a small red plastic end. Inside of this clear plastic tube is a miniature pound of butter in its coloured and branded packaging. Everything about this pencil is neat and the quality indicates that it was made by an upper end manufacturer. I only wish that there was a matching pen but I am happy to retain the pencil and consider it a real addition to my collection."

"If you increase the size of the pencil in the snap you will see that the tiny packaged clear plastic covered pound of butter is an exact copy of the real size thing in the photo above. Very neat!"

 Thanks for sharing this lovely old advertising pencil with us, Christopher!