1960s FEND Super Norma Octagonal Chromed Art Deco Multi 4 Color 1.18mm Mechanical Pencil Item ID: VAR-050

Fend Super Norma

Manufacturer/Model: FEND Germany/Super Norma Mechanical pencil
Year of production: Late 1960’s
Filling system: 1.18mm 4 color leads Black, Red, Green & Blue
Material: Solid steel base, chromed; Guilloche mesh finish; Mechanism specially enclosed 4 spring solid brass
Length (pen closed): Heavy and long at 136mm

Condition and information:
One of the best mechanical pencils in world. The Fend company was founded in 1899, and was specialized in production of mechanical pencils, and later ballpoint pens. Their products set the standards in Germany at the time, as simply the best on the market in those two categories, second to none. The company did manufacture fountain pens, but in very low quantities as they believed the future was in Ballpoint pens. They stared producing fountain pens as well early on, under a sister company they founded in Italy called Fendograph, and produced spectacular fountain pens, high end and very expensive. In Germany however they were focused solely on ballpoints and mechanical pencils. Their pens were one of the most expensive at that time. The materials used were the best possible, either solid steel, brass, silver, solid gold, rolled gold. Even today, it’s very rare to find a vintage broken Fend pencil; they were simply built to last for generations. The pencil offered here is a great example of the Fend superior pencils, the Super Norma line. Its octagonally shaped 4 color multi color pencil. The mechanism is perfect, responsive as the day it was manufactured, with 4 separate slots and 4 springs. The leads are loaded from the tip and there is a led reservoir on top of the pen. The clip and the entire pen are made in the Art Deco style. Its very heavy, solid steel with a perfect fit in the hand and great feel, perfect balance and writing experience. It is beautifully engraved with a highly detailed rhomboid mesh guilloche pattern, giving it stunning reflections. This pattern on the precious metals give the pen an incredible shine, glow, luster and reflections on any light. The pencil is massive, 12mm in diameter and 136 long, ~25gr in weight. Comes in absolute mint condition. Astonishing writing instrument and a piece of history made by one of the best writing instruments manufacturers in the world. 

About the company:
FEND writing instruments company was founded in a small town in Germany which was renowned by its tradition in jewelry crafting and work with precious metals. Many of the families of that town were jewelers. Then it’s not hard to understand, why FEND’s instruments were primarily made out of precious metals, but also the extreme attention to detail, both in engineering aspects and in decoration aspects; all FEND pens have a stunning finish with intricate guilloche patterns. It’s very also interesting to know, that some of Germany’s top pen manufacturers, brought their pens to FEND, usually their limited or high-end editions for the finish work, such as gold overlay, guilloche crafting and other precious metal finishes. Their biggest customer was Montblanc. Unfortunately, the FEND company does not exist today; it was sold around late 60’s. Quite noticeably, most of the FEND pens future an profound Art Deco design.