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midnightnoon asked about Faber-Castell Polychromos 48 colour set and I answered. Then I realized that my answer was incomplete and that gave me a reason to take a very close look at lists printed on lids and back sides of earlier tins, my personal notes, and some PDFs – and yes, if the 1980s generation of Polychromos and Albrecht Dürer sets are classified as generation one, there have been no less than four new generations since then. So here are the compositions of almost all sets:
GENERATION ONE – up to about 1990
12 colour set: 101, 107, 113, 121, 126, 147, 151, 167, 170, 176, 190, 199.
24 colour set: 101, 105, 107, 108, 113, 115, 121, 124, 126, 144, 147, 148, 151, 155, 167, 168, 170, 175, 176, 183, 187, 190, 191, 199.
36 colour set: 101, 105, 107, 108, 109, 113, 115, 117, 121, 124, 126, 127, 137, 144, 147, 148, 151, 155, 161, 167, 168, 170, 173, 175, 176, 180, 182, 183, 184, 187, 190, 191, 192, 195, 197, 199.
72 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 113, 115, 117, 118, 121, 124, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 141, 143, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 153, 154, 155, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 167, 168, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185, 187, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199.
80 colour set (wooden box): 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 113, 115, 117, 118, 121, 124, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 141, 143, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 153, 154, 155, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 167, 168, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 179, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 295, 296, 297, 298.
148 True blue, 150 Paris blue, 195 Light gray, 196 Silver gray, 197 Medium gray, 198 Dark gray, 295 Warm light gray, 296 Warm silver gray, 297 Warm slate gray, and 298 Warm dark gray were discontinued when the range was expanded to 100 colours.
GENERATION TWO – probably very short-lived around 1991; I haven’t seen any smaller sets of this phase
72 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 119, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 130, 131, 132, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 144, 145, 146, 147, 149, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 167, 168, 171, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185, 187, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 199, 231, 232, 233, 234.
100 colour set: 099, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 149, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 166, 167, 168, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 199, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 250, 251, 252, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275.
GENERATION THREE – mid-1990s; these sets were the same as in generation one except that 148, 150, 195, 196, 197, and 198 were replaced by 152, 110, 230, 232, 233 and 234.
12 colour set: 101, 107, 113, 121, 126, 147, 151, 167, 170, 176, 190, 199.
24 colour set: 101, 105, 107, 108, 113, 115, 121, 124, 126, 144, 147, 151, 152, 155, 167, 168, 170, 175, 176, 183, 187, 190, 191, 199.
36 colour set: 101, 105, 107, 108, 109, 113, 115, 117, 121, 124, 126, 127, 137, 144, 147, 151, 152, 155, 161, 167, 168, 170, 173, 175, 176, 180, 182, 183, 184, 187, 190, 191, 192, 199, 230, 232.
48 colour set: 101, 102, 105, 107, 108, 109, 113, 115, 117, 121, 124, 126, 127, 128, 130, 132, 134, 137, 138, 144, 147, 151, 152, 155, 161, 163, 167, 168, 170, 172, 173, 175, 176, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185, 187, 189, 190, 191, 192, 194, 199, 230, 232, 234. (Yes, only four blues.)
72 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 113, 115, 117, 118, 121, 124, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 141, 143, 144, 146, 147, 149, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 167, 168, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185, 187, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 199, 230, 232, 233, 234.
100 colour set: same as generation two.
GENERATION FOUR – late 1990s
12 colour set: 101, 107, 115, 118, 133, 144, 152, 166, 167, 175, 192, 199.
Sorry, I haven’t seen the 24 colour set.
36 colour set: 101, 104, 105, 107, 109, 110, 111, 115, 117, 118, 124, 126, 127, 129, 130, 132, 133, 141, 144, 145, 152, 155, 156, 159, 166, 167, 168, 173, 175, 187, 188, 191, 192, 199, 272, 274.
48 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 105, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 115, 117, 118, 121, 123, 124, 126, 127, 129, 130, 132, 133, 136, 137, 141, 144, 145, 152, 155, 156, 159, 162, 166, 167, 168, 173, 175, 182, 183, 185, 187, 188, 191, 192, 199, 232, 234, 272, 274. (Yes, only four blues.)
72 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 115, 117, 118, 121, 123, 124, 126, 127, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 144, 145, 146, 149, 151, 152, 155, 156, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 166, 167, 168, 171, 173, 174, 175, 180, 182, 183, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 199, 230, 232, 234, 235, 270, 272, 274, 275.
100 colour set: same as generation two.
GENERATION FIVE – from about 2000 when the range was expanded to 120 colours (099 Soft black, 139 Light violet and 147 Light blue were discontinued so there were actually 23 new colours!)
12 colour set: 101, 107, 110, 115, 133, 140, 163, 171, 177, 187, 199, 219.
24 colour set: 101, 104, 107, 109, 110, 115, 120, 121, 133, 140, 151, 163, 168, 171, 177, 180, 187, 190, 199, 219, 225, 264, 271, 274.
36 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112, 115, 120, 121, 124, 125, 133, 140, 151, 153, 156, 157, 163, 168, 171, 177, 180, 184, 187, 190, 191, 199, 217, 219, 225, 249, 264, 271, 274.
48 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 105, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112, 115, 120, 121, 124, 125, 126, 129, 131, 133, 136, 140, 142, 149, 151, 153, 156, 157, 163, 165, 168, 171, 173, 174, 177, 180, 184, 187, 190, 191, 199, 217, 219, 225, 233, 249, 264, 271, 274, 283. (Polychromos set was discontinued in 2002, Albrecht Dürer set still exists as a luxury wooden box.)
60 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 105, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 115, 120, 121, 124, 125, 126, 129, 131, 133, 136, 140, 141, 142, 149, 151, 153, 156, 157, 158, 163, 165, 168, 171, 173, 174, 176, 177, 180, 184, 185, 187, 188, 190, 191, 194, 199, 205, 217, 219, 225, 231, 233, 246, 247, 249, 264, 267, 271, 274, 283.
72 colour set: 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 115, 118, 120, 121, 124, 125, 126, 129, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 140, 141, 142, 145, 146, 149, 151, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 161, 163, 165, 168, 170, 171, 173, 174, 176, 177, 180, 181, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 190, 191, 194, 199, 205, 217, 219, 225, 226, 231, 233, 246, 247, 249, 264, 267, 271, 274, 283. (This set was discontinued in 2002.)
100 color set: 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 124, 125, 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 145, 146, 149, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 166, 168, 169, 170, 171, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 193, 194, 199, 205, 217, 219, 225, 226, 230, 231, 232, 233, 235, 246, 247, 249, 263, 264, 267, 270, 271, 272, 274, 276, 283.
120 color set: 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 149, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 199, 205, 217, 219, 223, 225, 226, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 246, 247, 249, 250, 251, 252, 263, 264, 266, 267, 268, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 278, 280, 283.
Whew!
HeikkiDoes anybody know the composition of older sets? I know that Caran d’Ache Prismalo 40 colour set existed in the late 1960s in same form as today (although the Blue 160 is now
Blue 260). Any older, Caran d’Ache, Derwent, Faber-Castell, Stabilo, Staedtler, others?
HeikkiThen there is an Ann Swan 24 colour Polychromos set, supposedly for floral paintings: 101, 102, 103, 118, 123, 133, 134, 138, 139, 142, 168, 170, 172, 174, 175, 178, 179, 184, 193, 194, 230, 273, 274, 278.
I’ve not met this set but somewhere in the Web there’s this list. Note that there are no blues and that the list includes the discontinued 139 Light violet (which, by the way, was a genuine ultramarine violet and very lightfast. Guess who hamstered a dozen of open stock…)
Anniversary Set of 25 Polys or ADürers — this set supposedly commemorated Faber-Castell’s 250th anniversary in 2011 although in my ADürer set all pencils are stamped in 2012 or 2013. This box features a metal lid and a wood base for storing the pencils.
101, 106, 108, 115, 118, 123, 130, 134, 142, 157, 120, 110, 154, 158, 162, 168, 172, 187, 190, 199, 247, 249, 263, 268, 278.
Albrecht Dürer mixed media set includes three Pitt markers and: 107, 110, 115, 120, 127, 136, 266, 276, 283, 199.
Polychromos special set with two blacklead pencils and a sharpener: 105, 108, 110, 113, 120, 121, 137, 199, 226, 266, 276, 283.
HeikkiThanks for comments! I don’t know who made the first colour pencils but in a PDF pamphlet we read this:
“Die Herstellung von Farbstiften hat im Hause Faber-Castell eine lange Tradition. Bereits im Jahr 1855 wird auf der Industrieausstellung in Paris den Farbstiften der Firma A.W. Faber von den Fachleuten höchste Qualität bescheinigt. Um dem stets wachsenden Bedarf Rechnung zu tragen, eröffnete A.W. Faber 1881 sogar eine eigene Tinten- und Farbenfabrik in Noisy-le-Sec bei Paris.”
“Making colour pencils is a long tradition at F-C. Colour pencils of A.W. Faber were highly valued as early as 1855 in the industry show in Paris. A.W. Faber even started making inks and pigments in Noisy-le-Sec near Paris in 1881 to satisfy the growing demand.”
And this marvelous 1909 colour chart was presented at F-C’s Facebook site:
HeikkiLet’s not forget Goldfaber student grade sets! This 24 set is from late 1980s – hexagonal pencils with longitudinal golden and coloured stripes: 401, 404, 407, 409, 415, 418, 421, 422 (like modern 219), 426, 430, 434, 437, 442 (unique indigo hue), 443, 447, 451, 463, 464 (near modern 168), 467 (lighter than modern 167), 469 (like modern 166), 476, 480, 487, 499.
In early 1990s Goldfabers were redesigned with dark blue shaft and coloured end. 12 colour set then: 407, 415, 421, 426, 432, 447, 451, 463, 466, 476, 487, 499.
Late 1990s 12 colour set: 404, 409, 418, 426, 432, 447, 451, 462, 466, 476, 487, 499.
24 colour set: 401, 404, 407, 409, 415, 418, 421, 425, 426, 432, 434, 437, 441, 443, 447, 451, 462, 463, 466, 467, 476, 487, 492, 499.
36 colour set: 401, 404, 405, 407, 409, 415, 418, 419, 421, 425, 426, 432, 433, 434, 437, 439, 441, 443, 444, 447, 451, 452, 453, 454, 458, 462, 463, 466, 467, 472, 476, 487, 492, 499, Warm gray IV, Cold gray I.
48 colour set: 401, 404, 405, 407, 409, 411, 415, 418, 419, 421, 425, 426, 431, 432, 433, 434, 436, 437, 439, 440, 441, 443, 444, 447, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 458, 462, 463, 466, 467, 472, 473, 476, 483, 487, 492, 494, 499, Cold gray VI, Cold gray V, Warm gray IV, Warm gray I, Cold gray I.
Later all 4xx numbers were changed to matching 1xx numbers. Cold gray VI was originally 491 and later 235, Cold gray V 490 > 234, Warm gray IV 497 > 273, Warm gray I 493 > 270, Cold gray I 495 > 230.
Came 2001 and Goldfabers were retired and gave way to triangular Art Grip Aquarelle (and non-soluble Art Grip). The 12 set: 104, 109, 115, 118, 126, 132, 147, 151, 162, 166, 176, 187, 199. (The Poly / ADürer 12 set consists of 101, 107, 110, 115, 133, 140, 163, 171, 177, 187, 199 and 219, so there are together 24 pencils in 20 different colours!)
24 colour set: 101, 104, 107, 109, 115, 118, 121, 125, 126, 132, 134, 137, 141, 143, 147, 151, 162, 163, 166, 167, 176, 187, 192, 199.
36 colour set: 101, 104, 107, 109, 115, 118, 119, 121, 125, 126, 132, 133, 134, 137, 139, 141, 143, 144, 147, 151, 152, 154, 158, 162, 163, 166, 167, 172, 176, 187, 192, 199, 230, 273, Gold, Silver.
60 colour set (Art Grip Aquarell only): 101, 102, 104, 105, 107, 108, 109, 111, 115, 117, 118, 119, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 139, 140, 141, 143, 144, 145, 147, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 158, 162, 163, 166, 167, 168, 172, 173, 175, 176, 183, 185, 187, 188, 192, 199, 230, 234, 235, 270, 273, Gold, Silver. This is an interesting set because half of it are colours that are not included in Poly / ADürer 60 set; I’ve boldfaced them.)
Don’t we all dream of finding an old collection at some garage sale…?
HeikkiWhoops. I almost forgot Albrecht Dürer Aquarelle Sticks – a short-lived line around 2000. These sticks felt very similar to Caran d’Ache Neocolors but were thicker and shorter. I can only speculate why they disappeared so soon – the colour range was somewhat strange but perhaps they were just too expensive. My 30 colour set cost about as much as a 48 colour Poly set, and perhaps the majority of buyers did not realize that one stick contained as much stuff as two pencils.
10 colour set: 107, 126, 134, 143, 151, 153, 163, 175, 183, 199.
20 colour set: 101, 104, 107, 115, 121, 126, 134, 137, 143, 151, 152, 153, 155, 163, 166, 175, 176, 183, 199, 234.
30 colour set: 101, 104, 107, 111, 115, 117, 120, 121, 126, 134, 137, 141, 143, 151, 152, 153, 155, 163, 166, 168, 173, 175, 176, 180, 183, 185, 186, 192, 199, 234.
40 colour set: 101, 103, 104, 107, 111, 115, 117, 120, 121, 126, 133, 134, 137, 138, 141, 143, 147, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 163, 166, 168, 172, 173, 175, 176, 180, 183, 185, 186, 188, 191, 192, 194, 199, 234, 274.
50 colour set: 101, 103, 104, 107, 111, 115, 117, 120, 121, 123, 124, 126, 133, 134, 137, 138, 141, 143, 147, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 161, 163, 165, 166, 168, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 178, 179, 180, 183, 185, 186, 188, 190, 191, 192, 194, 199, 231, 234, 271, 274.
60 colour set: 101, 103, 104, 107, 109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, 133, 134, 137, 138, 141, 142, 143, 147, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 159, 160, 161, 163, 165, 166, 168, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 178, 179, 180, 183, 185, 186, 188, 190, 191, 192, 194, 199, 231, 234, 271, 274.
HeikkiThis is absolutely amazing. How do you find all this stuff? Isn’t the Internet just wonderful. You do, of course, have to know what you are looking for. Thanks for posting all this info. It is all really interesting.
VenaThanks for thanks! Do you remember the 1980s lid illustrations with colourful cubistic landscapes? (Google couldn’t find any.) There are detailed lists of various tins on the inside of the lid. Then I have some printed brochures, at some later time the dark green tins featured lists on their back side, and yes, I’ve found recent lists in the Net, for example on F-C’s website.
Thanks for posting all this info. I truly enjoy my sets of Polychromos and Albrecht Durer and find the history interesting. Since I’m a big fan of purple I’m somewhat mollified to learn that I didn’t just miss out on the light violet!
When I wanted to try Luminance pencils I bought all the purples. After reading this I checked the pigments one of them is ultramarine violet so if you’re craving that color after reading this thread there is an alternative.
Yep, the Luminance Ultramarine violet 630 is very near the F-C Light violet 139. F-C still has the 139 in their budget-priced Art Grip ranges but I think that it may not be the same.
HeikkiWhoops. I almost forgot Albrecht Dürer Aquarelle Sticks – a short-lived line around 2000. […]
40 colour set: 101, 103, 104, 107, 111, 115, 117, 120, 121, 126, 133, 134, 137, 138, 141, 143, 147, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 163, 166, 168, 172, 173, 175, 176, 180, 183, 185, 186, 188, 191, 192, 194, 199, 234, 274. […]
Thank you so much for this information, @manewolf!
I bought the 40 set of FC Aquarell sticks quite a while ago on a flea market and it sad ages in my arts supplies cupboard.
Finally, I used it for the first time a while ago and made swatches. However, the leaflet only had a list of all 60 colours that were available at the time. I called FC customer service and enquired about which colours were included in the 40 set.
Sadly, they could not help me and said they had no info on the composition of each set.Frustrated, I took my 120 Polychromos set and compared the possible matches.
Looking at your list, I got most of them right. Some differ and I will do another side-by-side swatch of those.
I hope I manage to attach the images…
Thanks for comments! Faber-Castell used the very dark varnishes on Polychromos and its water-soluble brother Albrecht Dürer up to mid-1990s. There is no technical difference between old and new except that many colours have since been renovated with more lightfast pigments.
Many names were changed in about 2000 when the range was expanded from 100 to 120 colours. In fact there were and are 23 new colours because Light violet 139, Light blue 147 and Soft black 099 were discontinued. The 147 was probably the least lightfast of the whole range but I still can’t understand why FC dropped the 139. It was perfectly lightfast and a very useful colour for a landscape painter.
Caran d’Ache Ultramarine violet 630 is an excellent replacement; it’s available in the water-soluble Museum Aquarelle and the non-soluble Luminance 6901 ranges.
The FC Bright magenta 228 has only been available in the Pitt Artist Pen Brush range as far as I know. Cropped screen grab from the 2019 catalog:
There have been 138 (or 139?) different Polychromos colour hues if all discontinued and slightly but noticeably altered hues are counted. There have been two different 129s, 144s and 151s and three different 143s! Old cool greys 195-198 and warm grays 295-298 were replaced with 230-235 and 270-275 (ie. 4+4 became 6+6) already in about 1990 as well as True blue 148 and Paris blue 150 with 145, 152 and 110. I have some surplus 148s and it’s one of the purest blues in any colour pencil set.
It’s a jungle where it’s easy to get lost unless one has followed the evolution continuously! (I have since I bought my first sets in 1988.)
I have downloaded this AD Sticks colour chart from I-don’t-know-where. Here I’ve added an orange blotch on those that were not included in the 30 colour set as far as I remember. (PS, Just a minute… shouldn’t there be a Lemon / Cadmium yellow 107 too?!)
The Indonesian branch of Faber-Castell has been quite independent and has some colours unknown in the German FCs; its pencils are intended for youngsters although some sets are useful as “workhorse pencils” if complete lightfastness isn’t one’s main priority. I like this Classic Colour set – I have it (although only in a cardboard box) and it’s good enough to make any young artist happy.
Even some batches of Derwent Lakeland children’s pencils have been made by FC’s Indonesian branch!
And before anyone asks: the Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor range of up to about 1993 was in fact made by Faber-Castell. All hues were identical! The LP Polycolors of today mimic old names and numbers but are inferior in their quality (and the LR Aquarells are much worse).
Further corrections and comments are welcome!
Heikki, Hyvinkää, Finland
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