Help create jobs by purchasing more Made in America products
We help create American jobs by making it easy to find Made in America products
To Visit US Manufacturers Offering American Made Products Click the Following Images
To Visit Web Stores Selling American Made Charcoal Pencils Click the Following Images

eshop at web store for Charcoal Pencils American Made at General Pencil in product category Arts, Crafts & Sewing

WIN up to $10,000 & use 10,000 Links to Made in the USA Products
Win up to $10,000 by using Made in America Secrets, it is the only website providing product specific links for American Made Charcoal Pencils, and 10,000 other Made in the USA products. Finding any of the Made in America products in our database is made easy by using our search and navigation buttons. Clicking any of our links that result from searching for products connects the consumer to an online store that sells them.

Made in America Secrets is a unique search engine like tool that when used, returns only Made in America product providers and their web stores. We also are the only website giving away up to $10,000 for buying Ameircan made products. Our giveaway includes more too. Visitors can also WIN $100 and $1,000 just for buying Made in America products through our website. Check out our WIN $10,000 page it provides the complete details. No gimicks either we pay real money!

Since it's free - try our site next time you are looking for anything made in the US like American Furniture, American Apparel & Clothing, or even Watches that are Made in Detorit, Michigan. Check out our Gift Ideas tab when searching for Made in USA gifts it's quick and easy saving you valuable time. Also if you love Pinterest like we do, check out our Pinnables tab or go direct to our Pinterest Boards. These images are great as reminders for the next time you want to buy American Made products. Our research told us approximately 150,000,000 US consumers are either very interested or extremely interested in buying Made in America products. For them, one of the greatest deterrents to buying Made in America products is not being able to quickly find them. We solve that problem with Made In America Secrets it makes it easy for the US consumer to find and buy any one of thousands of Made in America products. The following are a few examples of these:


American Made products in the Arts, Crafts & Sewing category: Made in the USA Charcoal Pencils, Tapestry & Bead Looms, Pocketing, Colored Pencils, Postcards, Cordedge, Art Supplies, Plastic Clips, Twill, Woven Bracelets, Cords, Bookmarks, Folds, Designer Papers, Straight Binding, Keychains, Sports Theme Items, Christian Crosses, Clogging Gifts, Brush Cleaner, Broadcloth. All from great Made in the USA manufacturers. We link the consumer to thousands of Made in America products in over fifty categories.


Become a more informed Made in the USA shopper by reading our buying tips
The Tip is 'Don't procrastinate'

For years I've been buying ink jet cartridges from a big box office supply store. These cartridges were made overseas and labeled with the well-known brand of a large American printer company.

One I remembered a local store that advertised quality cartridges. I had traveled by this local store hundreds of times but never stopped. This time I stopped at the local store. To my surprise I discovered that they carried the cartridge I needed and it was a Made in USA cartridge. Made in Chicago, to be precise, and it was half the price of the imported ones I had been buying for years. The quality is exceptional and they last longer too. Who knew?

After that experience, I make a point to stop at every store I can. By doing so, I've been finding more and more Made in America products. Occasionally the clerks don't know the country of origin; this can be discouraging but finding the origin information yourself isn't difficult I've come to realize.

Believe it not, there are actually a number of computers made in the US including laptops made in the USA.

When the label is not visibly displayed I use the other Made in America buying tips to help me find Made in US. If the store doesn't carry what you are looking for, use Made in America Secrets to find it and tell the manager about your experience at their store. If enough people are asking for Made in America products stores will begin to carry them.


Buying Tip Continued - Read more on Made in America Products by General Pencil

General Pencil Company is a family owned business. It has been owned and operated by the Weissenborn family since 1889. Edward Weissenborn, a brilliant mechanical engineer, founded one of the first pencil factories in America. He learned the art of pencil making in Germany while working for the I.I. Renbach Lead Pencil Company. In 1854, he came to America to establish his own pencil factory. In 1860 he accomplished just that.

After assisting in the design and construction of the Civil War battleship, the USS Monitor, Edward set up his pencil factory in Jersey City Heights, New Jersey. It was called the American Pencil Company.

The American Pencil Company quickly earned a reputation for producing quality pencils. They received hundreds of letters praising their products, including letters from four members of President Lincoln's cabinet. In 1866, letters of commendation were received from the Governor of New York and the Mayor of New York City.

In 1885, the American Pencil Company was sold to the Reckford Family so that Edward could pursue his love for naval engineering. Four years later, in 1889, Oscar A. Weissenborn, Edward's son, followed in his father's footsteps by founding his own pencil company. He began making pencils in a large room of the family home in Jersey City, New Jersey. He set up his own machine shop because at the time it was impossible to buy pencil making equipment. The following year Oscar rented a floor over a grocery, and in 1891 he rented an old mansion for a factory. He called the operation the Pencil Exchange. In 1914 he moved into his own factory in Jersey City.

World War I nearly killed the fledgling Pencil Exchange. The British blockade made it impossible for pencil manufacturers to get lead from Germany. The British put into effect an Orders-in-Council prohibiting American importers from obtaining any German products - even if they were paid for with American money and lying in neutral ports awaiting shipment. An emergency meeting of importers was held in 1915 in New York City where Oscar Weissenborn took the lead in presenting the views of the pencil industry. He called the British order:

The most outrageous invasion of the rights of the United States of America in its peaceful trade relations in non-contraband articles, being a curtailment of the commerce of the sea, contrary to all international law and custom.

His speech was widely quoted in the American Press, and it came to the attention of the British authorities. Oscar went to Washington to plead his case at the British Embassy, but the British were adamant. This left the American pencil manufacturers unable to get their leads out of Germany. Oscar experimented and came up with a way to make his own leads. Many of General Pencil's unique drawing formulas were created in those years.

In December of 1923 his operation became General Pencil Company. In 1927, his son, Oscar E. Weissenborn, entered the family business. Later his three sons, Oscar A., James, and F. Hill entered the family business.

In 1965, General Pencil expanded operations into California to become closer to the incense cedar supply and to the Western markets it was developing. Oscar A. Weissenborn took over as President in the 1970's, and James Weissenborn became CEO in 1979. James expanded the product line, and increased the sales and distribution capacity of General Pencil to become a worldwide supplier of fine art and craft products. James has led the company since then, and continues to inspire creative and innovative products for the fine artist. While selling pencils and managing the company, James has managed to pass along his passion for pencils to the fifth generation of the Weissenborn family.

James has taught the art of pencil making to his three children, with his daughter Katie Weissenborn joining the company in 1991. Now James and Katie work side by side selling General's? Artist Pencils and sharing their passion for art. General Pencil continues to handcraft its pencils using sustained yield genuine California Incense Cedar wood and traditional quality formulas in the same Jersey City factory. In 2008 General Pencil was featured on The History Channel's show Modern Marvels, episode Carbon, highlighting General Pencil's commitment to quality and its drive to create products that are the American-made choice for aspiring and world renowned artists alike.

Powered by Translate

General's Art Press
General's Art Press
How to Draw Cartoon Books


The Masters? Brush Cleaner


Cartooning & Flipbooks

Featured Artists
Featured Artists

How a Pencil is Made
How a Pencil is Made

Giving Back
Giving Back

Picture
Handcrafted with Pride in our Factory in Jersey City, New Jersey USA
General Pencil Company's art and craft pencils come to you from our factory in Jersey City, New Jersey. We believe in quality, tradition, value, and the fun of creating. We take pride in handcrafting quality pencils and artist materials using traditional methods passed down for six generations. Our history dates back to 1860 when Edward Weissenborn began the first pencil factory in the USA. In 1889, Edward and his son, Oscar A., began what is now General Pencil Company. Still family owned and operated, our goal is to create consistent, quality products in a sustainable manner for artists of all levels. We thank you for choosing our fine art and craft products for your creative talents and enjoyment.

Click Here to Browse All Tips