How much did this system leave of the ancient splendor and well earnt renown of the City of Nürnberg?—A minimum kept and retained solely and alone by the self denial, frugality and industry of the inhabitants. The ingenious, serviceable articles had disappeared, giving place to goods, whose only recommendation consisted in their being unprecedentedly cheap. The endeavour to manufacture without the least regard to quality or serviceability as long as cheapness was attained had become a rooted evil increasing as it descended in all its fulness from father to son. The honorable distinction of the title “Nuernberg, good” soon became changed into the lasting and contemptuous one of “Nürnberg goods” and in the business world people even went so far as to say that nothing good could possibly be produced at Nürnberg.
These circumstances, which are to be laid to the account not only of individuals but likewise of a domineering system and the spirit of a time not so very far distant even now, attest that real industrial activity must go hand in hand with mercantile spirit in order to maintain itself in the world free from the influences above pointed out and enter the lists with competition. It is only emancipated industry that can congratulate itself on real progress and improve the article only by having an eye to the requirements of the consumer.
It was under these circumstances that Anton Wilhelm Faber, the son of the founder, whose name the firm still bears, and since 1810 Georg Leonhard Faber, the father of the present proprietor, stood at the head of the establishment.
Many improvements had been attempted and several adopted; much valuable experience had been gained, many processes in the manufacture had been perfected and a number of intelligent workmen drawn together; spite of all this however the mercantile relations above described operated most perniciously upon the manufactory.
The mode of manufacture induced by the enslavement of industry on the part of trade more especially destroyed that conscientious strictness, which must form the foundation of a solid industry. Things went so far that articles were sent forth into the world, possessing the outward appearance of pencils, the wood being just tipped with lead at each end as though it was properly filled, whereas in fact you only had a useless stick of wood before you.
Such swindling impositions, sent forth by the Nürnberg manufactories into foreign countries, were well calculated to bring about a complete collapse and it is difficult to regain confidence once deceived or esteem once forfeited. But it must not be supposed that the interests of the Nürnberg pencil manufacture were not solid. The unscrupulous transactions on part of some establishments as a matter of course damaged the reputation of those which carried on their business in an industrious and conscientious manner and the renown of the whole trade was thus placed in jeopardy.
In the year 1839 the present proprietor Johann Lothar Faber undertook the management of the manufactory upon the death of his father Georg Leonhard Faber abovenamed.
This gentleman had, down to his nineteenth year, endeavoured as far as possible to perfect his commercial education in Nuernberg in the most fundamental and general manner and, from his earliest youth, especially devoted himself to the study of everything at all bearing upon his father’s manufactory. Even at that time he directed his attention not merely to his father’s affairs, but also to the developement of a business so sadly crippled and underwent many privations in order as much is possible to satisfy the manifold claims laid upon him by the aim which was always present to his imagination.
When nineteen years of age he went to Paris in order to increase his stock of knowledge. There, in that capital of the World a greater range of vision was opened to him and he beheld the operation of that restless spirit of enterprise, which so mightily stirs the heart of the country. For the first time the youth was brought face to face with the enormous business carried on both with France and foreign lands and of which Paris is the centre. He surveyed the fruits of a free, active industry, the great highroads, upon which commerce flows from the mother country to distant lands, the realisation of a colossal traffic, which allows no article to escape its observation and flows in an ever moving wave between purchasers and consumers. Then his thoughts were carried back to his distant native land with its industry so cramped and fettered as to be altogether estranged from the great markets of the world and the possibility flashed across his mind, that matters might be rendered very different at home and native industry not only reconquer its honour and the renown of its pristine good name, but that it might also be led forth from its narrow prison and enabled to compete with the vigour and intelligence of the markets of the world and that it would thus ensure obtaining an honourable position.
At that time industrial life was in full activity at Paris, scarcely six years having elapsed since the revolution of July and Louis Philippe being firmly established on the constitutional citizen-throne.