August 2023: Blackwing Eras addition has a retro design inspired by the Van Dyke 601. This pencil features a yellow barrel, dark grey ferrule, red eraser, and firm graphite.

Here we have the original Blackwing 602, celebrated worldwide as one of the finest pencils ever made. Eberhard Faber began producing these black stallions in the mid-1930s and continued through the late 90s (by then owned by Sanford). The 2nd from the top is the holy grail of the Blackwing’s with the sunburst neon painted yellow band. No doubt one of the rarest of all Blackwing’s through its lifetime.

Why are Blackwing pencils so popular … and so expensive? Here’s a blog post about the rising value of the original Blackwing 602. And take a look at two other Blackwing 602 pencils made by Palomino and Faber-Castell.

Blackwing X – TWA (December 2018): For the first Blackwing X, Blackwing teamed up with the TWA Hotel for the grand opening of their flagship hotel at JFK Airport in New York City in the spring of 2019. Taking design cues from TWA’s iconic branding.

Volumes 42 (August 2019): The 18th release in Volumes series is the Blackwing 42. Jackie Robinson……….You set the world on fire! The Blackwing 42 is a tribute to Jackie Robinson and those who pursue their passions, creative or otherwise, regardless of the obstacles in their way.

Volumes 73 (June 2017): The 9th in the “Volumes” series of limited edition Blackwing pencils, the Blackwing 73 celebrates Lake Tahoe and other landmarks that have had a comparable impact on arts and society.

JUN. 2023: The 33rd release in Blackwing’s Volumes series, the Blackwing 57 is a tribute to Jean-Michel Basquiat and his boundary-pushing art.

Golf pencil size……wish it had been pre-sharpened.

At the present, I am not sure what kind of release this pencil is.  Doesn’t appear to be an X.  Possibly a custom and if so it’s the first blue custom.