260 years of Faber-Castell: Perfect Pencil anniversary edition

To mark its 260th anniversary, Graf von Faber-Castell presents an exclusive interpretation of the Perfect Pencil – the classic pencil that can write, sharpen and erase. With the eraser under the end cap and the integrated sharpener in the protective cap, the anniversary model has all the characteristic features of this all-rounder – and also comes with luxurious extras that are closely linked to the history of Faber-Castell.

The pencil itself is deep black and the metal parts have an anthracite-colored PVD coating. The decorative engraving of stylized pencils on the cap, which also doubles as an extender, just like on the historic model, is a delicate reference to the company’s roots. Finally, a real jewel gleams on the top of the cap: an artistically faceted jade stone. In Far Eastern mythology, the shimmering green gemstone represents both lived tradition and a promising future – ideal for an anniversary that pays tribute to the merits of the past as well as the exciting challenges of the present.

2021 Pen of the Year - Knights
The Pen of the Year 2021 is inspired by medieval knights, their heroes, myths and legends. In those days, the strongest prevailed, therefore skillful sword fighting and the nature of his weapons played a central role in a knight’s life. To forge the knightly swords, medieval smiths used Damascus steel, which was regarded as particularly hard while being flexible. Its extraordinary properties are achieved through repeated welding and folding of different types of steel, which also produces the typical iridescent surface. We are celebrating our 260th anniversary in 2021.One major milestone was in 1898, when Count Alexander linked his famed aristocratic name with that of the globally renowned company, giving it its unmistakable identity. The image of the two fighting knights, whose lances were replaced by pencils, became the symbol of this new self-image. Since then this image has illustrated our values, tradition and those knightly virtues that the Counts and Lords of Castell have embodied for centuries. With this in mind, we are looking forward to celebrating a successful anniversary year. So how have we revived the legend of knights today? First we drew inspiration from knightly arms and armor because high-quality weapons and skillful sword fighting played a central role in a knight’s life. The Pen of the Year’s brown grip zone recreates the leather strap on the sword’s hilt. The sword played a prominent role in Arthurian myth. According to legend, Merlin drove the other worldly sword Excalibur deep into a large stone and inscribed upon it: “The one who is able to pull the sword out of the stone is the rightful King of Britain”. And sure enough Arthur succeeded in freeing Excalibur from the stone with ease and was crowned ruler of the kingdom. But let’s take a closer look at the Pen of the Year. The writing instrument’s end piece is adorned with ared, faceted garnet with sunray cut which is particularly impressive. In the Middle Ages this precious stone embodied light and truth and was used for jewelry and weapons. It is thanks to this feature that every one of the 375 fountain pens and 125 rollerball pens in this limited Pen of the Year edition is truly unique. The fountain pen is enhanced with an 18kt gold nib. Piston Fill.

2021 Pen of the Year - Knights
The Pen of the Year 2021 is inspired by medieval knights, their heroes, myths and legends. In those days, the strongest prevailed, therefore skillful sword fighting and the nature of his weapons played a central role in a knight’s life. To forge the knightly swords, medieval smiths used Damascus steel, which was regarded as particularly hard while being flexible. Its extraordinary properties are achieved through repeated welding and folding of different types of steel, which also produces the typical iridescent surface. We are celebrating our 260th anniversary in 2021.One major milestone was in 1898, when Count Alexander linked his famed aristocratic name with that of the globally renowned company, giving it its unmistakable identity. The image of the two fighting knights, whose lances were replaced by pencils, became the symbol of this new self-image. Since then this image has illustrated our values, tradition and those knightly virtues that the Counts and Lords of Castell have embodied for centuries. With this in mind, we are looking forward to celebrating a successful anniversary year. So how have we revived the legend of knights today? First we drew inspiration from knightly arms and armor because high-quality weapons and skillful sword fighting played a central role in a knight’s life. The Pen of the Year’s brown grip zone recreates the leather strap on the sword’s hilt. The sword played a prominent role in Arthurian myth. According to legend, Merlin drove the other worldly sword Excalibur deep into a large stone and inscribed upon it: “The one who is able to pull the sword out of the stone is the rightful King of Britain”. And sure enough Arthur succeeded in freeing Excalibur from the stone with ease and was crowned ruler of the kingdom. But let’s take a closer look at the Pen of the Year. The writing instrument’s end piece is adorned with ared, faceted garnet with sunray cut which is particularly impressive. In the Middle Ages this precious stone embodied light and truth and was used for jewelry and weapons. It is thanks to this feature that every one of the 375 fountain pens and 125 rollerball pens in this limited Pen of the Year edition is truly unique.

Graf von Faber-Castell Bentley Barnato is inspired by Woolf Barnato, who in the 1920s and 30s caused a sensation on the race tracks of Europe as one of the legendary “Bentley Boys”. He became famous through the “Blue Train Race”, in which he competed in his Bentley limousine against a high-speed train and actually won the race from Cannes to Calais. To mark the 90th anniversary of this race, Graf von Faber-Castell presents the exclusive Bentley Limited Edition Barnato: writing instruments as exciting and luxurious as the design of the cars in which the gentleman sportsman raced. The metal barrel is lacquered in dark green and guilloched in the “Diamond Pattern” created by Bentley. The chrome-plated front and end sections also gleam dark green - as does the knurled cap, on which the Bentley “B” and the engraved signature of Barnato can be found. Limited to 1,930 pieces in honor of the year of the “Blue Train Race”, the edition includes fountain pen, rollerball and twist ball pen. The fountain pen is enhanced with a rhodium plated nib available in M, F, XF and B. Cartridge/Converter Fill.