Yard-O-Led

The Yard-O-Led Pencil Company is a manufacturing company founded in London, England in 1934 by German immigrant, Ludwig Brenner,[1] to produce his patent propelling pencils which contained twelve three inch leads (that is to say, 36 inches or a yard of lead). After World War II the company merged with Sampson Mordan Ltd whose founder had patented the first mechanical pencil in 1822. They built a new factory in Birmingham and took over Edward Baker Ltd, another pencil maker.[2]

Yard-O-Led
TypePrivate
IndustryWriting implements
Founded1934 (1934) [1]
FounderLudwig Brenner [1]
Headquarters
London
,
England
Key people
Tim Tufnell (Honorary President)
ProductsFountain and ballpoint pens, mechanical pencils
ParentFilofax Group (1988–2015)
Websiteyard-o-led.com

In 1988, the company was acquired by Filofax Group, which owned it until 2015, when it was re-established itself as "Imperial Yard Ltd". Yard-O-Led continues to produce fountain and ballpoint pens pens as well as mechanical pencils; most of which are made from hallmarked sterling silver.

References
  1. Company history on Yard-O-Led website
  2. The story of Yard-O-Led

Further reading
  • Collecting Old Pencils, John Watkins, Collectors Press (1970,) ASIN: B000J2HUQG
  • Victorian Pencils: Tools to Jewels, Deb Crosby, Schiffer Publishing Ltd (Oct 1998), ISBN 0-7643-0413-5
  • The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance, by Henry Petroski
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