The fame of Blackwing pencils is a phenomenon whose story is worth telling. Although they weren't as well-known in Poland as they were in the States, we decided to introduce this brand and make it available in our offer. Blackwing pencils have experienced a series of ups and downs, eventually proving to be the brand's greatest success. But let's go back to the beginning.
The history of the Blackwing pencil begins in 1930, when it was introduced to the market by Eberhard Faber. Company founder John Eberhard Faber came from the renowned Bavarian Faber family, which still owns the Faber-Castell empire. Strange as it may seem, the most famous pencil in the world does not belong to Faber-Castell. Eberhard Faber changed hands many times, and although Blackwing was a recognized brand among artists and writers from the outset, the decision was made to discontinue production in 1998. This was a turning point for the Blackwing pencil, permanently establishing its place in the history of global writing instruments.
The pencils quickly sold out in stores, with people stocking up on supplies. When they ran out, their price quickly reached a staggering $40 each. The Blackwing was hailed as the best pencil in the world and simultaneously the most expensive.
Blackwing pencils became a legend, and although they were no longer produced, demand for them continued to grow.
When artists and writers began to notice the similarity in quality between Palomino pencils and the renowned Blackwing, Palomino was approached about attempting to revive the iconic pencil. Palomino founder and CEO Charles Berlozhiemer, leveraging his connections and market position, initially recreated only the famous Blackwing 602 pencil. He soon expanded the offering to include pencils with softer graphite, the Blackwing Pearl and Blackwing, as well as imaginative colored erasers that gave the pencil a distinctive character.
High-quality graphite and a replaceable eraser – these are the distinctive features of the Blackwing, appreciated by many famous artists around the world. The Blackwing has been used by artists such as John Steinbeck, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, and even Chuck Jones, who used this extraordinary pencil to create Bugs Bunny and many other characters from the popular Looney Tunes cartoon.
What will your Blackwing look like? And what will you create with it?