Nataraj MARBLE Pencil (100 pencils) jar pack

These are some of the most beautiful pencils I've ever seen, and no two are alike. Made primarily for writing, the core is pretty dark but holds a point better than most. I still use them for sketching!

nice set

Before this was available, I had been looking for a pencil similar to the psychedelic ones I had as a child in the 70's. This is the closest I have found--every pencil is different, with swirled inks in (going by my shipment from a different site) primarily golds, oranges, and reds with a dash of other colors for variety. And unlike other such pencils currently on the market, these pencils have rich multiple colors per pencil and a glossy texture that feels smooth to the touch. (You might find an occasional 'ink blot', but with 100 pencils, that will probably not be a problem--I only had one really bad blot in my batch, and I'm using it anyway as the rest of the pencil is so pretty!)As for writing, these pencils both write and sharpen admirably, with the leads being well-centered. There are no erasers, but the end is finished and looks nice.The only 'complaint' I have is that the colors are more intense at the sharpening end, so if you're the type to use most of your pencil, you'll find that it looks more pastel as it gets used up.