The ubiquitous wooden stick with a mineral core, now often painted yellow, is something that we all take for granted today. But this writing implement, which did not require ink, had only just begun to be manufactured in significant numbers at the beginning of the Regency. And the best pencils were made in England because England controlled the very best graphite, much to Napoleon's chagrin.

Graphite. Just pencil "lead?" Oh, no! More precious than gold, mined in secret, protected by armed guards, it was considered a critical military resource. The story of the pencil in the Regency ...

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