Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils
Blackwing

Blackwing Vol. 55 Pencils

Single or Boxed?
$2.67

The Golden Ratio is a mathematical ratio often found in nature, art, and design. It gives the world around us composition and symmetry that, for reasons we don’t fully understand, we find beautiful. It appears in the spiral of a seashell, the uncurling of a fern, and many other natural structures. When applied to the arts, it becomes a tool for creating balanced, organic works.

The Golden Ratio can be heard in the arrangements of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach. It can be felt in the syllabic patterns of Sanskrit poetry. It can be seen in the works of artists and architects from Salvador Dali to Frank Lloyd Wright. It can even be applied in your day to day life by framing a portrait using photography’s "Rule of Thirds."

The Blackwing 55 celebrates the Golden Ratio. It’s a reminder to slow down and savor the beauty around us. Each pencil contains a balanced graphite and features a design inspired by the Fibonacci sequence, a series of numbers that approximate the Golden Ratio. The width of each color block is the sum of the widths of the previous two color blocks (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, & 55mm). A simple formula with a magnificent result.

  • Iconic aluminum ferrule design in silver
  • Genuine Incense-cedar casing that sharpens evenly and easily
  • Specially formulated Japanese graphite that writes smoothly
  • Replacement erasers available separately
  • Sold as a a single pencil or a box of 12
  • Graphite: Balanced
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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.