Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils
Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils
Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils
Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils
Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils
Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils
Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils
Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils
Blackwing

Blackwing Volume 343 Pencils

$36.00
On February 28, 1983, a wartime surgeon named Hawkeye said "Goodbye, farewell, and amen." Ten years later, Mayday Malone straightened a picture on the wall and turned out the lights for the last time. In millions of living rooms across the country, viewers sat quietly through these final moments, saying goodbye together. The credits rolled, but no one moved.

Carried freely through the air, broadcast television invited participation without qualification. The same signal that arrived at a downtown apartment also reached a home on the edge of a country road. Broadcast television created a quiet cultural leveling, allowing audiences to form connections not just with stories, but with one another.

The Blackwing 343 is a tribute to broadcast television. Each pencil features a color bar finish inspired by the NTSC test pattern, and extra-firm graphite. The model number 343, a reference to the 343 scanlines on early CRT televisions, is imprinted with a "TV snow" silver holographic foil.
  • Extra-firm graphite core
  • Limited Edition! Once they're gone, they're gone
  • Set of 12 pencils
  • Gift box that also doubles as a pencil cup
  • Iconic aluminum ferrule design in silver with a black eraser
  • Genuine Incense-cedar casing that sharpens evenly and easily
  • Specially formulated Japanese graphite that writes smoothly
  • Replacement erasers available separately
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Blackwing pencils are a renowned product in the pencil world, with a rich history that stretches back nearly a century. They were first introduced in the 1930s, became unavailable in the 1990s and early 2000s, and then made a comeback in 2010. Originally produced by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Blackwing earned a reputation for being the smoothest and darkest pencils available. Their unique square, replaceable erasers also became a coveted feature.

However, in the 1990s, as office-supply companies struggled, Blackwing was discontinued. Despite that, demand for the pencils never faded. Over time, the price of remaining Blackwing pencils surged, with artists paying up to $40 per pencil for the old stock. Professional animators, in particular, had a strong attachment to Blackwing, seeing it as a vital tool for their work.

The revival of Blackwing came thanks to CalCedar, a leading American supplier of pencil wood based on the West Coast. Known for providing incense cedar wood to pencil manufacturers, CalCedar had already found success with their Palomino pencil brand. They acquired the rights to Blackwing's name and design, then set out to recreate the beloved pencil.

Today's Blackwing pencils rank among the best worldwide. Made in Japan with a proprietary graphite formula and an American incense cedar body, they are both luxurious and dependable. Artists and writers everywhere can relax knowing that Blackwing has been back since 2010 and will be around for the long term.

Additionally, Blackwing releases four limited edition pencils annually, called Volumes. These special editions are made in small batches, and once they're gone, they're gone. Each edition features a unique design and model number, celebrating cultural icons and events.