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Pencil Collectors - Especially Vintage - How Do You Store Your Pencils?


NumberSix

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My collection is still quite small. But I have some more vintage pencils on order. And my nightstand drawer and the closet shelf are getting to be too messy (and potentially damage-worthy on the pencils). I can't put them all into coffee mugs on my desk. I already have three mugs jam-packed with pencils and other writing utensils! :yikes:

 

I can't afford to do what I would like, which is to buy half a dozen Musgrave cedar boxes.

 

So, what do you lot do? I am considering getting a few of these Container Store pencil boxes, for starters.

https://www.containerstore.com/s/multisnap-office-storage-boxes/d?q=pencil+box+with+lid&productId=11010311

 

Any other suggestions are welcome.

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I use a wooden cigar box for Joya de Nicaragua Churchills.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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I use a wooden cigar box for Joya de Nicaragua Churchills.

 

I like it. I wonder if I can go to the smoke shop and either beg or buy some boxes. . .

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I actually prefer to keep them close and ready, like you, in a coffee mug. If they were put away, I am sure I would eventually forget them and not use them as much.

 

Unlike you, I suspect my buying days are probably over having recently obtained the early '50's Conway Stewart #84. I just don't see anything out there of interest.

 

Right now I am truly enjoying this hobby.

"Respect science, respect nature, respect all people (s),"

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If talking about mechanical pencils, I store them with my Fountain, Ballpoint and Rollerball pens in slotted drawers.

 

If talking about wooden pencils, drawing and colored stay in the pencil boxes they come in and are placed in a desk drawer along with pencil sharpeners when being stored.

 

For mechanical pencils and other writing instruments that are not in storage and not in a pocket, such as overnight, I use either a pen stand, a pen holder, or a pencil holder, all placed on my desk. Depending on what styles you like they can be found made of resin or wood. My nicest two include a pen holder made of resin in the classical style, great for large pens and a pencil holder made of teak in the Danish modern style.

 

I have also used some items not designed for pens that work well for temporary storage including a mustache mug in one washroom and a toothbrush holder in a bathroom. I find it a good idea to have a designated safe place for writing instruments when changing clothes, near where changing them. Otherwise it is "where's my pen ?" later on.

Edited by Parker51
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Not so much storage but perhaps you can think more along the lines of a pencil display and move your collection towards art.

 

Here is an article from today's New York Times on what other people have achieved

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/realestate/how-to-keep-your-collections-from-looking-like-clutter.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage&contentCollection=AtHome&package_index=1

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Not so much storage but perhaps you can think more along the lines of a pencil display and move your collection towards art.

 

Here is an article from today's New York Times on what other people have achieved

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/realestate/how-to-keep-your-collections-from-looking-like-clutter.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage&contentCollection=AtHome&package_index=1

 

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, most of the examples they show just look like clutter to me. :P

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I actually prefer to keep them close and ready, like you, in a coffee mug. If they were put away, I am sure I would eventually forget them and not use them as much.

 

Unlike you, I suspect my buying days are probably over having recently obtained the early '50's Conway Stewart #84. I just don't see anything out there of interest.

 

Right now I am truly enjoying this hobby.

 

 

In my "main" mug, I have 11 sharpened wooden pencils I rotate through each day- all different brands and ages. Plus another 4 mechanicals (3 modern, 1 vintage). In a second mug, alongside BP/RB pens, I have another 9 wooden pencils of 6 different brands, waiting to be sharpened and used. That's 20 wooden pencils and some mechanical pencils. (the third mug is jampacked with pens, felt tips, and highlighters)

 

Not sure how many more I could keep out for easy access!

 

 

I am looking at some desk options from IKEA that include a lot of drawers. Would be useful for consolidating my pencils and my un-inked fountain pens, most of which live elsewhere in the apartment for space reasons. But I still want some kind of box arrangement for my unboxed pencils.

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Don't laugh, but I have to keep them in one of my dresser drawers! I have a lot of pencils that I'm willing to share! I just love my pencils 😎

 

BTW, I'm always ready to trade!!

Edited by Zookie
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Don't laugh, but I have to keep them in one of my dresser drawers! I have a lot of pencils that I'm willing to share! I just love my pencils

 

BTW, I'm always ready to trade!!

I'm not laughing! Some of mine are in my nightstand drawer!

 

I have a variety of things on order right now. When they all arrive in about a week, I might message you to see about trading. :)

 

For pencils I don't already know I like, I aim for the motto I think I learned on this forum re pencil buying: "One for using, one for saving, one for trading".

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Based on a recommendation from r/pencils, I ordered this 3-drawer setup for pickup from walmart. It looks like just what I need. And there's a 5-drawer set when I am ready to expand, if I like using this one.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-Small-3-Drawer-Unit-White-Clear-Drawers/10877957?comm-msg-vehicle=EMAIL&comm-msg-id=c2df22bf-a052-40c6-8151-f6d61cee5734

 

This Sterilite Small 3-Drawer Unit, White and Clear helps you keep an area clean and organized. It is ideal for storing small items on the counter, in the office and throughout the home. Multiple units can stack on top of each other to create customized storage solutions. This package contains one 8.5"L x 7.25"W x 6.875"H three-drawer storage unit. It can even be used for jewelry, arts and crafts, office items and more. The clear design of the drawers allows you to easily identify what's stored inside.
Sterilite, Small 3-Drawer Unit, White, Clear Drawers:
Dimensions: 8.5"L x 7.25"W x 6.875"H
White
Clear drawers
Multiple Sterilite 3-drawer units can be stacked on top of each other
Available in a single unit

 

159320667_159320654_c06dc2ee-bf99-40f8-a

Edited by NumberSix
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That looks like something I could use

Right?

 

The Walmart one turned out to be OOS. But I ordered something similar from amazon.

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I keep mine in MDF boxes with removable dividers. Since my collection of wooden pencils is rather large (around 500 single specimens and counting), I have three different boxes for them: one for vintage, one for pencils not available locally and one for the domestic variety.

 

Said boxes fit nicely into a space in my room's bookshelf. On other boxes I keep my personal stash, pencils for trade and a couple more for accessories: sharpeners, extenders, erasers and caps. No one but me knows the hidden treasures there! :lticaptd:

 

 

Not so much storage but perhaps you can think more along the lines of a pencil display and move your collection towards art.

 

Here is an article from today's New York Times on what other people have achieved

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/realestate/how-to-keep-your-collections-from-looking-like-clutter.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage&contentCollection=AtHome&package_index=1

Awesome article! Got a friend that made a grey felt-like belt with sewn elastic that holds around 250 of his fav pencils and is hanging on a straight line at standing-height and goes all around his office space.

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like pajaro, for my vintage (and modern M800) Pelika's I use Dominica cigar box and handmade tray.

There is actual view:

fpn_1598277832__pencils__2.jpg

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like pajaro, for my vintage (and modern M800) Pelika's I use Dominica cigar box and handmade tray.

There is actual view:

fpn_1598277832__pencils__2.jpg

 

That's very, very nice. My pencil cigar box is about forty years old, and I smoked those cigars before the Sandinistas burned the factory. After that I have rarely smoked a cigar. The box and pencils in it are packed away, because our house is for sale.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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  • 9 months later...

I'm always on the lookout for neat pencil trays. Most of mine are from thrift stores, ebay, and Etsy.

 

IMG_20210610_141924.jpg

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I don't have a vintage pencil collection, well...not intentionally, a few that have hung around for twenty years count I suppose, but I keep the majority of my ~150 modern wooden pencils in the drawer of my secretary desk. I did try to line them up in order of favorite to least favorite, but my 3 year old wanted to look at them, so he organized them into...chaos. Other than the ones that came in a count of a dozen, I don't have boxes for them, so they all lay freely in the drawer. as I usually get 2-5 copies of a given pencil it usually isn't to hard to find the one I am looking for. The remaining pencils are either in  a Midori paperboard pencil box, free ranging on top of a small book case in my living room. 

 

I also have a couple dozen Pentel 120 A3DX's in all lead sizes 0.3 to 0.9 in a plastic bin below my secretary desk, and a few 2mm clutch pencils in my secretary desk, all free range, all meant for use and not collection....though wooden pencils are more heavily used these days.....

FP Ink Orphanage-Is an ink not working with your pens, not the color you're looking for, is never to see the light of day again?!! If this is you, and the ink is in fine condition otherwise, don't dump it down the sink, or throw it into the trash, send it to me (payment can be negotiated), and I will provide it a nice safe home with love, and a decent meal of paper! Please PM me!<span style='color: #000080'>For Sale:</span> TBA

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