Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop

It's a colorful stall, that's for sure.

Does he make the pencils there?

I can't read the writing in the photos but it looks like there are no prices (I don't see any numbers). Can someone who is able to read this chime in?

I don’t think he made the pencils, but he has a huge collection apparently from the basic ones to some ancient ones.

I searched a bit online and I couldn’t find any online shop or price samples for the store.

This is their instagram page, but not sure if it adds any more information:

https://instagram.com/medad_rafi

There was a BBC documentary called The Secret History of Writing, where a Turkish calligrapher talks about how they save all their pencil shavings and after the person dies the pencil and paper scraps of their lifetime are used to heat the water that will clean their body as part of the burial process.

https://youtu.be/TyfIS9b77A8?t=7854

My guess would be that the pencils of the same property are on each shelf, and the older stuff are buried under newer ones.

For example, one of the labels says "oily pencils".

So perhaps when you go to him and ask for a purple pencil he pulls out a number of purple ones from the bunch that's relevant to you. Then he explains which one is better for you.

Years ago, I dismissed photography as a pretentious hobby that would be rendered obsolete as smartphone cameras and digital improvements became more ubiquitous, but I have since learned to appreciate the talent behind a good photo.

I only bring this up because I had a similar experience with these photos that I had locally. My Hudson Valley town is a delicate balance of many cultures (primarily white, black, and Central American) and our downtown reflects that blend. Most folks would be quick to dismiss one small storefront with a messy front window of leather goods, sculptures, and various Latin American flags, but inside is an expert leather craftsman from Ecuador who makes most of his products by hand.

I never would have bothered entering the store until a local photographer (once recognized as the "town's photo laureate") featured the store in a few social media posts. Some combination of sharing the craftsman's story and recognizing the beauty throughout the store struck the interest of the rest of the town. Suddenly the eccentric storefront became a destination for everyone (kind of like this colored pencil man's stall)