Oversize Autopoint Pencils
An Identification Guide
Request for Help

I need Autopoint catalogs. I would like to create a comprehensive database listing all Autopoint products -- pencils and other products. However, I need catalogs in order to identify the various products and their model numbers. When I find more catalogs I will put them on the WEB.

If you have any Autopoint catalogs, please lend them to me. I will digitize them and return them promptly. -- Bob Bolin

Watershed Design Changes

The original Autopoint design featured pencils with long metal tips. Many also had ornate metal caps over their erasers. Those pencils are shown in the 1930 Autopoint Catalog.
1931
Advertisements in magazines issued in 1931 show that the metal tips and caps were replaced with Bakelite tips and caps. The product line remained fairly stable for about 40 years. Incremental design changes were made and new pencils were developed. Millions of pencils were made during that 40 year period.
1970s
In the 1970s while Gillette owned Autopoint, the product line was decimated and the few remaining products were redesigned.

Critical Features

It appears that the most rare oversize pencil known to exist is the pencil with a Bakelite tip but a metal cover over the eraser. The advertisements in Printer's Ink seem to indicate that the pencil was made for a few months in 1931.
A pencil, not known to exist, with a long metal tip and a round plastic cover over the eraser would be a fantastic, amazing find.

  • In March 1931, the metal tip was replaced with a Bakelite tip.
  • In September 1931, the metal cap over the eraser was replaced with a round plastic cap.
  • In 1937, the round cap over the eraser was replaced by a multifaceted cap.
  • In 1940 (on oversize pencils with an eraser cover), the clip held on by a bolt was replaced by the "streamline" clip with chevrons on it. Probably (on oversize pencils with an exposed eraser), the clip held on by a bolt was replaced by a clip held on by the ferrule holding the eraser at that time. The clip held on by the ferrule is shown below.
  • Between 1938 and the Gillette redesign in the 1970s, Autopoint marked pencils intended to use 0.036 inch (.9mm) diameter lead with "For Real Thin Lead." When Gillette redesigned the pencils, they adopted the convention of putting a ring around the metal part of the tips which used .9mm diameter lead

Timeline

NOTE: This is based largely on advertisements which may give false impressions. -- Bob Bolin

1926
The oversize Bakelite pencil with a long metal tip and metal cover over the eraser appeared in advertisments. The clip was held on by a hex head, coarse-threaded machine bolt.

There were 4 models of oversize pencils available in 1930:

  • Model No. 42 was "Oversize, Silvertone tip, Eraser Head and Bell Cap with or without Ball Clip."
  • Model No. 42C was "Oversize, Silvertone tip, Eraser Head and Bell Cap with or without Ball Clip for Thick (Checking) Lead." The "thick" lead was 0.076 inch lead. That is in contrast to the standard "thin" writing lead which was 0.046 inche in diameter.
  • Model No. 44 was "Oversize, Gold-filled tip, Eraser Head and Bell Cap with or without Ball Clip."
  • Model No. 52 was "Oversize, 14K Green Gold-filled tip, Eraser Head and Bell Cap with or without Ball Clip."
March 1931
The oversize pencil with a "non-skip" Bakelite tip in place of the metal tip but with a metal cover over the eraser was advertised.
November 1931
The Model 48 pencil with a round cap over the eraser was introduced.
1937
The Model 48GT with a multifaceted cap over the eraser was introduced.
1938
"Real Thin," 0.036 inch diameter, lead was introduced. That lead is now sold as .9mm lead. Until the 1970s, Autopoint marked many pencils which used 0.36 inch diameter lead with "For Real Thin Lead."
1940
The bolted clip was replaced by the "streamline" clip with chevrons on it.
A plain model, No. 48G, was advertised.
A "deluxe" model, No. 52GS, with goldfilled crowns on the tip and cap, was advertised.
1943
One and two digit postal codes, like Chicago 40, Ill., were introduced.
1952
The Cory Corporation bought Autopoint.
1963
Five-digit ZIP codes were introduced
1970s
Autopoint was bought by Gillette. In the 1970s, Gillette wiped out most of the different models of pencils. The remaining oversize pencil had a clip held on by a metal ferrule. The body is composed of two parts a black inner section into which the tip fits and an outer section which may be a different color. One way to tell a Gillette design oversize pencil from an earlier pencil is that the body no longer had a smoothly sloping streamlined nose onto which the tip fits. Note the tip on the older pencil shown in the illustration below.

Any corrections, refinements, suggestions, additions, etc. would be appreciated.

Verson 2.2b, 29 November 2004
© 1999 by Robert L. Bolin. All rights reserved.
Voice: 402 472-2731 | Email: rbolin2@unl.edu