British Pencils: Derwent and Chambers

Nero’s Notes and Cultpens in the UK are one of the best sources for finding Derwent pencils. Derwent’s website has an outstanding online shop that even lets you build-your-own tin of pencils. Unfortunately they do not ship to Canada. I may eventually use them alongside my account at MyGermany, which I have used for (very expensive) drop-shipping of European-only products.

My husband is a huge fan of Derwent pencils, and in a recent housecleaning found a tin of unused old-stock from their Graphic line. This was also the line I purchased new, including a dozen-box of 2Bs for writing.

I also got some of their Sketching pencils, which have oversized cores and are only available in a few select grades. The pencils have a very slight oversized triangular shape, which feels interesting in the hand, but along with the core size generally makes them unsuitable for writing.

Derwent is the real deal: the only remaining manufacturer of pencils in the English region where plumbago graphite was originally discovered as a writing material. Derwent even runs a museum in the region today, which I would love to see first-hand someday. They survive it appears by focusing their UK manufacturing on these higher-end artist pencils. I bought one of their mechanical pencils as well, but found it labeled “Made in China”, so reading the details will be required to ensure product origins.

Derwent is accompanied in the UK by another manufacturer: Chamber’s Pencils. Chambers started up local manufacturing after the family firm bought back the brand and old equipment that had previously been outsourced. Starting up UK operations again, they now create custom advertising and unbranded pencils in a variety of shapes and grades and colours and finishes. However, they do offer an artist set of their own branded pencils, which I scored, and maybe someday I’ll get an order of custom pencils as party favours when we can all party again.

Incidentally, I would like to comment on the lovely packing job Nero’s Notes does. I have spent some time listening to Nero’s proprietor Stewart and his Wood and Graphite sidekick TJ from the 1857 podcast, and the care the company puts into its service is definitely worth a return visit.