Smartest invention of the nineteenth century

“I make a lead pencil in the usual manner, reserving about one-fourth of the length, in which I make a groove of suitable size, A, and insert in this groove a piece of prepared india-rubber (or other erasive substance), secured to said pencil by being glued at one edge. The pencil is then finished in the usual manner, so that, on cutting one end thereof, you have the lead, B, and on cutting at the other end you expose a small piece of india-rubber, C, ready for use, and particularly valuable for removing or erasing lines, figures &c., and not subject to be soiled, or mislaid on the table or desk.”

“In making mathematical, architectural, and many other kinds of drawings, in which the lines are very near each other, the eraser is particularly useful, as it may be sharpened to a point to erase any marks between the lines; and, should the point of the rubber become soiled or inoperative from any cause, such cause is easily removed by a renewed sharpening, as in the ordinary lead pencil.”

Yes, a (Lip)man actually claimed to have ‘invented‘ the first rubber-vaali pencil. LOL! The guy actually made $100,000 back then by selling off the rights to another dude who got butt fucked later when the patent was declared void by the Supreme Court (though that happened thirteen years later).