Hi, I’ve gotten a couple of these bugs and I’m trying to locate them in space-time. In 1977 Design News magazine included it in a list of new pencils launched on the market (Eagle changed its name to Berol in 1969). Clip says Japan. I have not been able to find a single sentence that contains the words Berol and Japan. No historical review of Eagle-Berol that I have read refers to Japan. Kotobuki doesn’t have Berol among their customers, well they do have Newell Brands but Berol was sold to Newell in 1995, long after this pencil was made. If any of your pleasant people have any good information that you would like to share, I would really appreciate it and give you a mechanical pencil.
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The defunct leadholder.com site has a page (Wayback Machine Link) that says this about the TD3/5/7/9 which is also listed on your sheet:
BEROL AUTOMATIC DRAFTING PENCIL SET (TD3, TD5, TD7, TD9)
Empire Berol, Brentwood, Tennessee, USA
lead diameter(s): 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, or 0.9 mm
mechanism: pushbutton incremental advance clutch, 4 mm fixed sleeve
composition: plastic barrel, metal fittings
variations: none
production date: (1980s)
origin: Japan
I have seen other Berol Products from this timeframe, lead holders, that say Japan on them as well.
Hope that this helps maybe point you in the right direction.
Good Luck!
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Very good information, thank you. I think the TDs changed their name from Turquoise to Automatic at some point in the 80’s.
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Whoa!!! I had no idea Berol’s headquarters is located in Brentwood, TN.
I live in Nashville, Brentwood is just 15 minutes away. I wonder if they do tours…? 
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Hell, they are still there in Brentwood.
If they do give tours and you want some company let me know!
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It should be said that the name “Turquoise” was abandoned from a certain year. Turquoise and automatic are clearly not synonymous
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I see what you mean. Guess they are out of the pen/pencil business 
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Eyebrow pencilssss 
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Well fuck…. I already went and bought a new outfit for our first date :///
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By the way, the domain leadholder.com is for sale for the modest sum of $9,835, cheaper than a new old stock H-5005, is anyone interested?
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I’d be very happy to meet and talk to the guy who was behind the site. Is he still around? Dennis B. Smith, if I remember correctly. Amazing collection, and impressive network of contacts. I got a humongous amount of knowledge from his database — and I’m still chasing many pieces I first saw there.
[Mr. Smith, if you are among the users of this board and I didn’t recognise you behind the nickname: please accept my apologies.]
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As far as I know, Dennis B. Smith passed away in 2022.
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