Pencil Case
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Dear Dr Clarke,

Thank you for the opportunity to inspect the interesting wooden object you forwarded for appraisal which, from my first observations indicates is from the early, puerile-juvenile period of a Queensland State School.

It is, as you suggested, a pencil case, however it is, from my more detailed observations, a more complex object than your initial email suggests.

It is an extraordinary, archaeological object indeed!

It is well worn.

It shows years of use, some benign but with an interesting close to its usefulness.

There are the usual depredations of life in a student's port which, in the days when such was in active use, was the usual means of carriage of student paraphernalia.

There are the usual trace examples of pencil shavings, Queensland Department of Education ink, snot, atrophied food samples and cane toad skin samples, which firmly establish its geographic origins.

There are also traces of urine and saline, which suggest that its owner was either incontinent or consumed by uncontrolled mirth, or a combination of both.

The indications which set it apart from similar pencil cases are the compression marks at either end and the unusual abrasions on its underneath.

These, I must emphasise, are not unique.

I have anecdotal evidence of similar markings on similar cases, recorded as the pisswoppus sommervillier and the dorricaticatus innocentia, neither of which I have been able to examine.
Documents I have I examined indicate that there are similar bamsian and wilkinsonian examples in existence.

I also understand that on eBay, one could almost retire if one was to offer such an item for sale.

This particular example has clear evidence that it has been involved in several, severe collisions.

In particular is a small hole drilled under the eraser receptacle (then known as a rubber holder, a term which now carries a totally different connotation) which has clear evidence of abrasion in several directions caused by the contra application of pressure by a piece, or several pieces,
of cotton string.

There is also evidence that such trauma has caused enclosed writing implements to discharge small deposits of their enclosed ink, possibly by fear, or perhaps over excitement.

This leads me to suspect it is the notorious eastgatus combaticia extrema, a device which many suggest should not enjoy the usual concessions applied in such circumstances to the Statute of Limitations.

Yours sincerely

Dr Larry Podmore
Professor of Coercive and Persuasive Studies
University of Agnes Waters

Courtesy Larry Podmore

Created: 13 July 2006 - Last Amended: 13 July 2006 by Roger Clarke - Site Last Verified: 15 February 2009
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