St. Peter's Basilica Diecast Pencil Sharpener. The tradition of die-cast pencil sharpeners in the shapes of various objects (ships, planes, pianos, golf carts, oil rigs, typewriters, etc.) were first produced in Spain (Valencia) in the 1970s, under brand names such as PLAY-ME (smaller versions) and EMB Marti (larger versions). These sharpeners are characterized by their many details and moving parts. They are marked "Made in Spain." In the early 1980s, both the PLAY-ME and EMB Marti company closed, and less expensive versions were mass-produced, initially from factories in Hong Kong and then from other Asian factories. These have prevailed in the market since the 1980s.