I'm Sorry, What?

I said, this post is about pencil collections. Yea, uh-huh, there are people out there that devote large portions of their lives to the collecting, documenting and bartering of lead holders and pencils. Now, one might look down, even knock this hobby, lord knows thoughts of straight-jackets and pocket protectors fluttered through my head at first, but one must also take their hat off to anyone as passionate about something as these people are.

Words such as "fantastical," "enigmatic" and "breathtaking," often accompany detailed shots of their coveted writing utensils, thus painting a portrait of these collector's world. A world where lead is as important a commodity as oil, kings are appointed not by bravery or bloodline but by the shear number of "specimens" in their collections, and women speak openly about thickness and hardness - but still giggle. Hell, who's to judge? I have a website devoted to weird things I like too.



My discovery of said hobby came late at night when, guilty enough, I was online looking for a particular pencil my father used to use when I was a kid (7th down). I know this pencil intimately because I would always steal them out of my dad's briefcase and subsequently receive a lecture about how when I do that he has to get more from the supply closet and that costs the company money. I find it hard to believe Texaco stocks were ever seriously effected by the pencil purchase orders coming out of my dad's office... but then again. (Texaco RIP) Uh-Oh. Sorry, dad.

Below is more evidence that pencil collectors from around the globe are not only among some of the most passionate and thorough of people, but most exhibit fantastic photo skills in the documentation of their prized possessions. You want some of these? You want to start a collection of your own? Jump on eBay and start bidding. $165.00? Seriously?

Fear of commitment? A fascination stemming from my obsession and anger over not being able to easily change my elementary school report cards? Whatever it is, I have always been more attracted to the less permanent of writing instruments over their pocket-staining counterparts. All these people online doing their "looks" and including cameras and notepads, maybe it's time we all pay more attention to the pencils we carry too. Because hey, the pen may be mightier than the sword, but can either erase? Write that down.

























Yea, that's a pencil writing example of ALL this guy's pencils. They're more where this one came from.