Boxed set of Crane (仙鶴牌) coloured pencils, 12-color, model 520

Object/Artifact

-

Archive of Cuban Socialism

Name/Title

Boxed set of "Crane" (仙鶴牌) coloured pencils, 12-color, model 520

Entry/Object ID

2025.19.1

Description

Children's coloured-pencil set in a printed paperboard slide box with a cotton string loop at the top for retail display hanging. The front panel carries an "animal band" cartoon — a rabbit, a trumpet-playing cat, a flute-playing fox on a cloud, an accordion-playing lion, and a drum — above the English brand block and below the Chinese brand line. The tray holds a set of twelve round wood-cased pencils in assorted colors, each barrel printed "Crane" in cursive. The set appears complete.

Collection

Elaine Acosta collection

Acquisition

Accession

2025.19

Source or Donor

Elaine Acosta

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Place

Country

People's Republic of China

Continent

Asia

Notes

Maker: "Crane" brand (Chinese: 仙鶴牌, "Crane Brand"), a Chinese stationery export brand identified by name and crane-in-circle trademark. The specific manufacturing factory is not identified in available sources — recorded as brand-only. (Brand and origin verified from the object; web search did not resolve the maker.) Date: Undated. Cannot be confirmed within 1959–1990 and may fall outside it; a 1970s–80s date is plausible but unconfirmed (tentative).

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Notes

Front (English): "COLOURED PENCILS / Crane / 12 / 520" Crane-in-circle trademark with ® registered mark Chinese: "仙鶴牌 12色铅笔" ("Crane Brand, 12-color pencils") Box edge: "MADE IN CHINA" with accompanying Chinese characters Pencil barrels imprinted "Crane" (cursive)

Materials

Material Notes

Materials: Printed paperboard (box sleeve and tray); cotton string hanging loop; twelve wood-cased pencils with colored pigment cores and lacquered, printed barrels. Technique: Offset-lithographed paperboard packaging; lacquered and imprinted wood-cased pencils.

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Elaine Acosta

Notes

owner

Related Places

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

use

Research Notes

Notes

The mixed orthography on the box (traditional 鶴 with simplified 铅) and English-language labeling indicate export-market packaging rather than a purely domestic Chinese product. A firmer date would require a dated retail context or comparison with dated examples of the 520 series.

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

August 25, 2025

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

June 14, 2026