Venus Velvet 6557 Pencils

One of my favourite vintage Canadian pencil is the Venus Velvet. They were known for their high quality and also for their trademark blue band around the ferrule of the pencil. ​It was one of the most popular pencils of the American Lead Pencil Company. So popular indeed that when the company opened in Canada, the affiliate was named the Venus Pencil Company Ltd. Indeed the American Lead Pencil Company changed its name in 1956 to the Venus Pen and Pencil Corporation.  I'm fortunate to have a number of these pencils in great condition.

The Velvet pencil came in several different degrees. In the US (pencils numbered 3557), hardness was indicated by numbers (​No. 1 Soft, No. 2 Medium Soft, No. 2 2/3 All Purpose, No. 3 Hard, No. 4 Very Hard). In Canada (pencils numbered 6557), Velvet pencil hardness was indicated by letters (2B Very Soft, HB Medium, 4H Extra Hard, etc.)

Venus Pencil Company

Venus Velvet probably from the 1950s.

Venus Velvet circa 1963 with "V-5" lead.

Venus Esterbrook Canada Ltd.

These pencils date from the early 1970s after the Venus Pencil Company acquired Esterbrook. 

FaberCastell

These pencils are probably from the 1980s. Faber-Castell acquired Venus Esterbrook in 1966. They no longer have Canada stamped on the side and the printing is in gold instead of blue.