Eberhard Faber

Faber, Eberhard (1822–79), founder of the first large-scale pencil factory in the United States. The family business began when Eberhard's great-grandfather, Kasper Faber, began making pencils in Bavaria, now Germany, in 1761. Eberhard's brother, Lothar von Faber, established branches of the business in Europe and the United States. When Eberhard moved to New York City in 1848 he opened a branch of the family's business, selling pencils he imported from Bavaria. In 1861, partly to avoid an import tariff, Eberhard Faber established a pencil factory in New York City. He later expanded the business to include other stationery products. The international business remains under family control.