Washington D.C. Historic Diecast Pencil Sharpener Collection

Washington D.C Historic Pencil Sharpener Collection
Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument; Lincoln Memorial

The packaging indicates it comes from Americana Souvenirs & Gifts of Gettysburg, PA, a wholesale distributor of souvenir items representing including the Amereican Civil War, the American Revolutionary War, American Amish Country, and general American History.

Three die-cast sharpeners are secured to the bottom of hte packaging with twist-ties, and do not appear ever to have been removed.

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.

*This reproduction is part of a collection of objects used for instruction in museum curation and as an example of sacred world art.