I’m delighted that I scrolled back to November in the Substack app so I could find this gem! It’s not only fascinating, but there’s something there about innovation that I feel I can use while world building for my new fantasy novel.
This origin story also helps me understand why the UK calls what I define as “colored pencils” crayons. How do you distinguish between the wooden pencil shaped ones and the wax crayons children typically use? Inquiring American minds want to know. 🧐
I'm honestly not sure how to answer this pencil question!
I've always called them colouring pencils. I always found 'pencil crayons' to be a more old fashioned term. (Maybe that's the over exposure to US culture in the UK?!)
I think we distinguish by calling one a 'pencil crayon' and one a 'wax crayon'. Though the word 'crayon' alone makes me think of a wax crayon, not a pencil (Maybe to do with Crayola branding which firmly puts 'crayon' in the wax crayon category!)
I don't think I've ever used the word 'crayon' so much in a single sitting! 😆 🖍️🖍️🖍️
Thanks for giving it a stab! I’m fascinated by the confusion that can come from a “common language”. It makes sense there’s a generational element at play as well as geographic. I can’t remember where I heard it and whether it was crayons or pencil crayons, but I had no idea what they meant. 😂
Love this Nanette. I just went to see the Napoleon film and I can't believe they didn't have a hot air balloon sequence that would have been so good!!!
I love these pencil stories! I'd read somewhere that the use of balloons in war led to a major shortage of sausages, but I had no idea of how they were linked to pencils! Really interesting, thank you! :)
I’m loving this series of posts about pencils Nanette!!
Ahh, thanks Ella! It's so interesting researching them!
I’m delighted that I scrolled back to November in the Substack app so I could find this gem! It’s not only fascinating, but there’s something there about innovation that I feel I can use while world building for my new fantasy novel.
This origin story also helps me understand why the UK calls what I define as “colored pencils” crayons. How do you distinguish between the wooden pencil shaped ones and the wax crayons children typically use? Inquiring American minds want to know. 🧐
I'm honestly not sure how to answer this pencil question!
I've always called them colouring pencils. I always found 'pencil crayons' to be a more old fashioned term. (Maybe that's the over exposure to US culture in the UK?!)
I think we distinguish by calling one a 'pencil crayon' and one a 'wax crayon'. Though the word 'crayon' alone makes me think of a wax crayon, not a pencil (Maybe to do with Crayola branding which firmly puts 'crayon' in the wax crayon category!)
I don't think I've ever used the word 'crayon' so much in a single sitting! 😆 🖍️🖍️🖍️
Thanks for giving it a stab! I’m fascinated by the confusion that can come from a “common language”. It makes sense there’s a generational element at play as well as geographic. I can’t remember where I heard it and whether it was crayons or pencil crayons, but I had no idea what they meant. 😂
Aha! Yes - the famous pencils of Derwent in Cumbria. I went to the pencil museum and I was in orbit:)
It's such a great museum! ✏️
OBSESSIVE READING😍
Thank you so much Raj! So lovely to be 'caps locked' by you! 😂 🥰
Brilliant 🤩 and how interesting!
There is so much interesting stuff in the world of pencils! I've become quite obsessed!
Love this Nanette. I just went to see the Napoleon film and I can't believe they didn't have a hot air balloon sequence that would have been so good!!!
Come on Ridley Scott! You did all those spaceships back in the day, but now you can't do us a hot air balloon??!!
I love these pencil stories! I'd read somewhere that the use of balloons in war led to a major shortage of sausages, but I had no idea of how they were linked to pencils! Really interesting, thank you! :)
A sausage shortage?!! That is an AMAZING fact! Thank you so much for sharing that gem!
Yes, I'm trying to remember where I read it. I think it was when I became obsessed with airships!
So many incredible and innovative things happen around the Grand Exposition held in Paris!
It did sound fascinating, so many interesting things to research!
So fascinating! What a brilliant series ✏️✏️✏️✏️❤️
Ahh, thank you so much Jane! It's been a lot of fun to research!
Also loving all of this history you are sharing about pencils, so fascinating!
Thank you so much Heather! Glad it's interesting to other people too!
Wow this is so fascinating Nanette! Necessity is la Mère of invention!
Brilliant Nanette ❤️ is a joy to read these serie of posts about pencil history!