Comprehensive history of Autopoint, one of America's most prolific pencil and pen companies. Contains original research bringing together the development of the mechanical pencil industry in Chicago with Bakelite and the origins of the American plastics industry. Full color, 218 pages with 489 images.
Autopoint mechanical pencils, first introduced a century ago, were manufactured by the millions and remain a common sight at antique shows and flea markets today. They were so well made that, as the author comments, "the rarest Autopoint is one that no longer works."
A Century of Autopoint tells the story of this venerable company and those who have guided it through the last hundred years in its entirety for the first time, weaving together the lives of Charles Keeran (inventor of the Eversharp pencil) with forgotten inventor George Bergen, furniture maker Adolph Karpen, Bakelite founder Leo Baekeland, and inventors Frank Deli and John Lynn - among many others. The result is a fascinating and complex account of the development of the mechanical pencil industry in Chicago and how it was shaped by the evolution of the American plastics industry.
"There are few books on my Library shelves that match the industry and passion of this book." Jim Marshall, in the Writing Equipment Society Journal (London).
Jonathan Veley is a practicing attorney from Newark, Ohio. He was born in 1967 in Columbus, Ohio, graduated from Ohio University in 1989 and from Ohio State University College of Law in 1992.
This item is eligible for simple returns within 30 days of delivery. Return shipping is the responsibility of the customer. See our returns policy for further details.
