The Full and Real History of Faber-Castell: The Pencil Empire That Drew the World

Once upon a time, more than 260 years ago, a small pencil workshop was started in Germany. Nobody thought that this little workshop would one day become one of the oldest, biggest, and most respected companies in the world. This is the story of Faber-Castell — a company that made pencils more than just wooden sticks. It gave them a soul, a name, and a royal history. This story is filled with art, family, power, secrets, and pencils that touched the hands of kings, queens, children, and artists across the globe.

Faber-Castell.

Let us go back to the year 1761. In a quiet town called Stein, near Nuremberg in Germany, a cabinet maker named Kaspar Faber started making pencils by hand. He was not a rich man. He didn’t have a big factory. He was just one man with skills, wood, graphite, and dreams. He used to make furniture but found that people needed writing tools more and more. So, he began making pencils and selling them in the nearby towns. This was the seed of Faber-Castell. He didn’t call it that name yet. In fact, the name “Faber-Castell” would only come many years later. But it all started with Kaspar.

After Kaspar Faber died, his son Anton Wilhelm Faber took over the business. He made the business stronger and better. Then came his son, Georg Leonhard Faber, who continued the work. But the big growth happened with Lothar von Faber, the great-grandson of Kaspar. Lothar was smart, modern, and had big ideas. He didn’t just want to sell pencils. He wanted to build a global brand. In the 1800s, he gave the company the name A.W. Faber, after his great-grandfather Anton Wilhelm Faber. That was the first time pencils had a brand name stamped on them. Before that, pencils were just pencils. No name, no identity.

Lothar von Faber changed the pencil world forever. He said, “My pencil should be the best in the world.” He standardized the pencil length, thickness, and hardness levels. He created quality control. He also opened offices in cities like London, Paris, New York, and even Russia. In a time when there were no airplanes and few trains, he made Faber a global brand. People respected the name because the pencils were strong, smooth, and lasted longer than others. Lothar became a powerful industrialist. In fact, he became so famous and noble that the King of Bavaria made him Baron von Faber in 1861.

But how did “Castell” come into the name?

Now comes a beautiful twist in the tale. Lothar von Faber had no sons, only a granddaughter named Ottilie von Faber. When she was ready to marry, there was pressure to find a man who could carry the family name and legacy. In 1898, she married a handsome and intelligent Count named Alexander zu Castell-Rüdenhausen from a noble family. But there was one condition — the family name “Faber” had to live on. So, by royal permission, their name became Faber-Castell. From then, the company became known as Faber-Castell. It was the perfect mix of royal nobility and industrial pride. Ottilie was a brave woman who balanced both family traditions and the pencil empire.

The Faber-Castell castle in Stein, Germany, became not just a home but also the company’s symbol. The green color of their pencils was inspired by the uniforms of the German army — because green stood for power and discipline. And in 1905, the world saw the birth of the Castell 9000 pencil — a dark green pencil with a golden crown printed on it. This became one of the most famous pencils ever made. Artists, architects, and writers across the world used it.

Faber-Castell survived two World Wars. During World War I and II, the company faced hard times. Factories were damaged, and materials were hard to get. There were rumors (and some truths) that the company, like many German industries, had connections to the war economy. Some say they were forced to make military materials. Others say they just tried to survive. These years remain a dark chapter — not always openly discussed — but part of the company's long life.

Even after the wars, Faber-Castell rose again. They expanded globally, built more factories in Brazil, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the US, and started making not just pencils but colored pencils, pens, erasers, sharpeners, and even beauty products. Yes — they even made eyebrow pencils for famous makeup brands!

The company stayed in the same family for more than eight generations. One of the most loved leaders was Count Anton-Wolfgang von Faber-Castell, who led the company for over 30 years. He was born in 1941 and passed away in 2016. He made Faber-Castell modern, creative, and still royal. He believed in old traditions and also in modern design. He pushed the company into art supply markets, luxury pens, and ecological production. He said that a pencil should be made with respect for nature. Under his rule, the company became eco-friendly, using sustainable forests and water-based paints for colored pencils.

Faber-Castell is also known for its craftsmanship. Their high-end products, like the Perfect Pencil, Fountain Pens, and Graf von Faber-Castell series, are sold like jewelry. Some pencils are made with real silver, gold, and even diamonds. There is a pencil worth over $12,000 called the “Perfect Pencil Platinum Edition.” Only a few people in the world own it. The idea was: even a pencil can be a luxury item.

Here’s something fun — Faber-Castell makes more than 2 billion pencils every year. They are one of the world’s largest producers of wood-cased pencils. If you place them end to end, it would go around the Earth more than 10 times. That’s how big their impact is.

They also make over 120 different shades of colored pencils, and their products are used by professional artists, school kids, and designers alike. Famous artists like Karl Lagerfeld used Faber-Castell for his sketches. Even the Royal Family in England has used them. They are simple, royal, and timeless.

Now for an unknown fact — in 2001, they opened the Faber-Castell Creativity Center in Germany. It’s a museum, a drawing space, and a creative lab all in one. People from all over the world visit it. You can see pencils being made by hand. You can smell the cedar wood. You can feel the company’s heart.

There’s also a sweet secret. Faber-Castell gives each pencil a small kiss of wax at the end to make the writing smoother. You don’t see it, but you feel it when you write. It’s this small touch that shows the care behind the brand.

Today, Countess Mary von Faber-Castell and her family still represent the legacy. The company is now led by experts, but the family name and values live on. Faber-Castell is no longer just German. It’s global. It’s a symbol of quality, tradition, and creativity. From dusty workshops in the 1700s to global eco-factories today, the journey of Faber-Castell is not just about pencils. It is about art, love, struggle, royalty, and dreams carved into wood.

In school bags, artist kits, designer tables, and makeup drawers, you will find a piece of Faber-Castell. It is more than a brand. It is a legacy — one line, one shade, one stroke at a time.