Autopoint Mechanical Pencil Brochure (1936)

Authors

Autopoint Company, Chicago, Illinois
Robert Bolin , depositor, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

1936

Document Type

Article

Comments

• This document was given to the depositor by James Stauffer of Lancaster, PA in a digital format.
• Mr. Stauffer dated the catalog to 1936.
• Design changes in the Autopoint product line early 30s and in the 40s make clear that brochure is from the 1930s.

Abstract

This is a single page tri-fold, color brochure with an accompanying sales letter.

The brochure shows major Autopoint products -- a mechanical pencil the size of conventional pencils and an extra large mechanical pencil about twice as large as conventional pencils. Interestingly the brochure shows a picture of a pencil with a Bakelite tip like the modern Autopoint pencils, but with a metal cap over the eraser like Autopoint pencils from the 1920s. The brochure stresses that the price per item drops sharply for large orders. It shows pictures of four variations of pencils and gives prices for five variations.

At the time that the brochure was published, the Autopoint Company was owned by the Bakelite Corporation. The brochure states prominently on the first page “Made of Bakelite.”

The sales letter encourages companies to order pencils and stresses that Autopoint was a job shop that can put a company name on their products. It proposes that customers use imprinted Autopoint pencils as Christmas presents.