A few weeks back I wrote a piece on my top 10 Blackwing Volumes editions, but I may have spoken too soon because, wow, since then I’ve had an opportunity to get my hands on some really good pencils. Technically, two editions I plan to discuss today aren’t part of the “Volumes” subscription program. Rather, they’re either special releases Blackwing has issued with select retail partners (i.e., the Philadelphia Museum of Art) or a special “throwback” edition released to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Blackwing’s revival (the “Blackwing Eras” pencil).
From top: Blackwing Volume 840 (“Surf”); Blackwing x Philadelphia Museum of Art (“Diana”); Blackwing Volume 3 (“Ravi Shankar”); and Blackwing Eras
The Blackwing Eras Is Now My Favorite Blackwing Released to Date
Yes, even more than my beloved Blackwing 344 (Dorothea Lange). With the “Eras” release, Blackwing set out to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the brand’s 2010 “revival” by releasing a pencil that pays “homage to the past and celebration of the future of Blackwing”, borrowing throwback design elements from vintage Blackwing pencils. The Eras feature a dark grey barrel, the “iconic dark grey ferrule with gold stripe,” a darker gold imprint, a red eraser reminiscent of a vintage Pink Pearl, and the extra-firm graphite core. To be perfectly honest, I prefer the look of the Blackwing Eras over the look of the current Blackwing 602, from the darker lacquer and ferrule to the slightly different tone on the imprint and eraser. The extra-firm graphite has become a favorite, and by including it in the Eras edition, Blackwing is apparently confirming what many have said: that it’s the closest approximation to the graphite formulation used in the original pencil.
If you’re a Blackwing fan, get yourself at least one pack of these pencils. While I personally would love it if Blackwing replaced the current 602 with the Eras (or at least updated the 602 to incorporate the retro design elements of the Eras), this pencil is billed as a limited edition. The pencils have not hit retailers yet, but you can order directly from Blackwing.
Other Recent Releases Aren’t So Shabby Either
At the time I published my “Top 10” post, I was still awaiting the arrival of Blackwing Volume 3: the Ravi Shankar edition. The matte yellow finish (“turmeric”, according to Blackwing) showcases an overlaid pattern inspired by the design of one of Ravi Shankar’s sitars. While this pencil might not be exactly what those clamoring for a yellow Blackwing were expecting, I found the execution on this pencil superb, and it also features the popular extra-firm graphite.
I found two other recent arrivals very well done pencils, but they do feature the “balanced” (i.e., Blackwing Pearl") core that people either love or hate. I’m ambivalent - the balanced core isn’t my favorite, but I don’t hate it either, especially when it’s packaged in great looking editions like the Blackwing x PMA Diana from the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Blackwing Volumes 840 “Surf” edition. The Diana pencils feature a monochromatic gold scheme inspired by August Saint-Gaudens’ sculpture of Diana housed in the PMA’s Great Stair Hall. It’s a standard edition that can be purchased from the Philadelphia Museum of Art online or in the museum gift shop. The sea green and gold “Surf” pencil, inspired by surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku, is unfortunately no longer available directly from Blackwing, but some retailers still have remaining stock, and Blackwing is still selling three-packs of the Volume 840 “Clutch” Pocket Notebook Set.
A Note on Blackwing’s New Packaging: Bring Back the Flat Pack
One thing I’m NOT crazy about is Blackwing’s new retail packaging, which I saw for the first time at the National Stationery Show back in January. As part of a recent brand refresh, Blackwing discontinued it’s “flat pack” box in favor of new “vertical” packaging that was plainly designed to make it easier for brick-and-mortar retailers to display the pencils. While the box looks great on a shelf, it’s less convenient for the customer who purchases multiple boxes, because storing these things takes up more space than the old flat box, which packed perfectly into drawers. Most enthusiasts have had a similar reaction to the new packaging, but given how much Blackwing has invested in the rebrand, I’m not sure anything will change. You can’t have it all!
On the other hand, if you want to keep an entire box of Blackwings on your desk, the new box does serve as a nice pencil cup.
Disclaimer: I purchased the pencils featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection. I was not compensated in any way for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.