I like the carmel color of this swirl-celluloid, but, oops, the clip is broken. It is a 1.1 mm lead pencil with middle drive. That might be an N on what's left of the clip, possibly for Netop. It works well, and although brassed, bitten, and scratched, it carries on with its job.
Another 1.1 mm lead middle-drive pencil is this green Wearever. The black and white striped top is its special feature, and the press clip is sturdy and untarnished. It is a humble, unobtrusive worker-bee pencil. I filled it with green lead, and enjoy doodling green leaves and vines with it.
Salz Brothers of New York made this cream lustre celluloid pencil, called a Stratford. That sounds faintly Ivy League, but it's a workaday 1.1 mm lead, nose-drive pencil, with a press clip. I like the pierced-design center band that these Salz pencils have, and this one's "brass" is in good condition. It works smoothly, but has a light, insubstantial feel.
This one is really an orphan--no name at all. A middle-drive, with 1.1 mm lead, it also has a press clip in the black celluloid top part, while the bottom is white marble. The "brass" is sound, and the mechanism works well. It has a somber look--a pencil in evening attire.
The flip side is this Ritepoint from St. Louis, Missouri, which is mostly white marble and just a little black Bakelite. Ever since giving my dad the QEII pencil for Father's Day, I have been noticing Ritepoints. (See my blog Getting There is Half the Fun! ) It has a washer clip, drive-tube twist mechanism, and the top comes off to reveal an eraser. It uses 1.1 mm lead, and has an imprint in the Bakelite section. It's a nice, solid pencil.
Finally, here is an Osborne pencil in yellow marble. Its clip is part of the gold-tone top jewel, and is streamlined and modern. The lead is the post-1938 0.9 mm, and to help you remember that, it has a 9 stamped on the center band. Made in Clifton, New Jersey, this pencil has a fine, hefty feel, and a smooth middle-drive mechanism. It lacks the black and white striped top (as seen on the green Wearever, above) that many Osbornes have. With its cheerful color, I doubt it will remain lonely for long.
