Just the Facts

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Erasers

Fact: Pencils didn't always have erasers. The first patent for attaching an eraser to a pencil was issued in 1858 to a man from Philadelphia named Hyman Lipman. In fact, today in Europe most pencils are still sold without erasers.

—Pencils.com

"Erasers are a terrific product to build a theme [around] and are very affordable. They are useful in trade shows for traffic builders, can be custom-shaped to introduce a unique product, and [often] are available in prices as low as 12 cents each."

Joe Durand, senior vice president, LarLu/Display-Tec

LarLu/Display-Tec's Custom Embossed Erasers are an inexpensive and fun way to promote brand awareness. They are available in orange, pink, yellow, blue, kelly green, red or black. (800) 533-8052

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Ballpoint

Pens

Fact: The first great success for the ballpoint pen came on an October morning in 1945 when a crowd of more than 5,000 people jammed the entrance of New York City's Gimbels Department Store. The day before, Gimbels had taken out a full-page ad in The New York Times promoting the first sale of ballpoints in the United States. The ad described the new pen as a "fantastic … miraculous fountain pen … guaranteed to write for two years without refilling!" On that first day of the sale, Gimbels sold out its entire stock of 10,000 pens—at $12.50 each.

—Phil Ament, www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/ballpen.htm Troy MI: ©1997-2007 The Great Idea Finder, May 5, 2006

"Since a single pen may have multiple owners over its lifetime, there is no smarter choice for brand exposure and ROI. We have led the trend in the industry in colorful and stylish choices at excellent price points. We continue to build on our writing instrument success with innovative new styles and a stand-alone writing instrument catalog."