Historical Milestones

Kaspar Faber (1730 - 1784)


One of them was the cabinet-maker Kaspar Faber. At first he worked for local traders, but in his spare time he produced pencils on his own account. Soon he became so successful that in 1761 he was able to set up his own business. From these humble beginnings it was to develop into a company known all over the world.


Lothar von Faber

Lothar von Faber (1817-1896)

In 1839 Lothar Faber became head of the company. With a strong will he followed an ambitious goal: “to rise to the highest position by making the best that can be made anywhere in the world”.

He modernized the production plant and secured first-class raw material from a graphite mine in Siberia. He not only invented the hexagonal pencil but also laid down standards for length, thickness and hardness. He was also the first manufacturer to mark his products with the name of the company. His pencils thus became not just the first brand name writing implements, but were among the earliest branded articles in the world.

In 1849, he opened a branch office in New York. Subsidiaries in London, Paris, Vienna and St. Petersburg followed.

Countess Ottilie von Faber-Castell

Ottilie von Faber (1877–1944)

In 1898, Lothar von Faber's heiress, Baroness Ottilie von Faber, was married to Count Alexander zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, a scion of one of Germany’s oldest aristocratic families.


This is how the family name Faber-Castell came about, a name that was also applied to the business and the brand.

Count Alexander von Faber-Castell

Count Alexander von Faber-Castell (1866–1928)

In 1900, Count Alexander zu Castell-Rüdenhausen joined the board of management which he finally headed in 1903.

That same year the foundation stone for the grand “New Castle” was laid ‒ a unique monument in the Jugendstil (German art nouveau style).


Count Roland von Faber-Castell

Count Roland von Faber-Castell (1905-1978)


New foreign subsidiaries were founded between 1960 and 1977 for instance in France, Austria, Australia, Argentina and Peru.


Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell

Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell (1941-2016)

Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell became head of the company in 1978 and the same year began producing wood-cased pencils for the cosmetic industry. He has been focusing strongly on international expansion, sustainable development and social responsibility.


