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The word pencil was originally a term for a fine brush and the meaning as we use it today is essentially a C19th use. The history of pencils is outlined in Petrovski's book 'The Pencil' and this has now been reprinted. Cedar pencils are collectibles and early 'porte crayons' are have their followers but the main interest is in mechanical pencils and these essentially commence from the early 1820's.
Deb Crosbies book Victorian pencils, our beginners book with Sue Courtier and Neil Davis' various articles in the WES journal give some background and one can obtain copies of Mordan, Fairchild and Baker catalogues from the late C19th.
The main challenge with pencils is how to classify them as the range is vast. Cedar holders, sliders, telescopics etc -there is a confusion of mechanism terms and decoration terms and general terms such as 'novelty' and figural as well as the range of materials such as ivory, tortoiseshell, silver gold etc.
(We are currently producing a classification of mechanical pencils which will be included in the revised edition of our pencil book due out in October.)
Mordans patent 1822 is essentially the starting point but it is likely that mechanisms were in use before that patent.
