I have started trying to research the Pentel pencils from the 1960’s and when they were released.
For this post, I am concerned specifically with the 100, 101, 102, 111, 350 ,850 ,851, PS-100 & PS-350 “stick” pencils.
I decided to look at the style of the text on the side to see if this made any kind of sense for estimating a Release Order, and I am asking other members to check my thoughts.
RELEASE ORDER 1 & 1A
“PENTEL” PENCIL ぺんてる 100A
Release 1 - Generally acknowledged as the first Pentel mechanical pencil released in 1960, the model 100 has Pentel in Quotes, Pencil and Pentel again, this time in Japanese, then the Model Number and the color code without a space.
Release 1A (assuming that the shorter ones are later - see notes at bottom) - Now has a space between the Model Number and color code.
RELEASE ORDER 2
“PENTEL” 101 A
“PENTEL” 850 A 0.5mm
“Pencil ぺんてる” have been dropped. The model number and color code have a space between them. Since they now have a second size, they add the 0.5mm to that model, leaving the 0.9mm blank.
Nothing to do with the Release Order, but the 850 is the only one of these early “stick” pencils with a removable clip, until the PS-100. It is different than any other Pentel removable clip, in that the PENTEL type appears at the top, not the bottom of the clip, but that is how the built in clips of the other “stick” pencil clips are printed.
RELEASE ORDER 3
“PENTEL” 851 A 0.5mm
Same style as above (space between model and color code), but the size is now in italic script.
RELEASE ORDER 4
“PENTEL” 102A
“PENTEL” 111C 1.1MM
Space between model number and color code has been dropped. Size still in italic script.
RELEASE ORDER 5
PENTEL 350D 0.5mm MADE IN JAPAN
No Quote Marks. No Space. No Italic Script. Now says MADE IN JAPAN. I suspect this may have been concessions for overseas markets.
RELEASE ORDER 6
PENTEL Sharp 5 (0.5mm) PS-350 JAPAN
All new text layout, including the “Sharp 5” and PS- (Pentel Sharp?) in front of the old model number. Now just JAPAN instead “Made in Japan”. Color code has been dropped from the side.
RELEASE ORDER 7
PENTEL Sharp 9 (0.9mm) PS-100 JAPAN
Same text as above, but this pencil now has space for an eraser, however the reservoir is still for a single stick of lead.
I am not actually positive about the 100 and Release 1 vs 1A. The 100 I own is the same length as the Sharp 9 PS-100, which is longer than all of the other “stick” pencils that I am aware of. Maybe it was released first as a shorter version, then lengthened to differentiate it from the other sizes.
Thoughts, ideas, conspiracy theories?
