Bernard Lassimonne (sometimes also written Lassimone) from Limoges (Haute-Vienne Department) in France applied for the first pencil sharpener patent in the world in France on August 7, 1828 ("instrument appelé par l'auteur taille-crayon"), which was published on October 20 of the same year.

Bernard Lassimone

He was a mathematician (more precisely for geometry).  Lassimone taught at the  "Ecole gratuite de dessin, instituée par la Société d'Agriculture, Sciences et Arts de Limoges, pour la classe industrielle" ("Free School of Design, from the Limoges Society for Agriculture, Science and Art, founded for the industry".

The name of the school is also given as"Ecoles gratuites de Dessin, de Géometrie et de Méchanique"". He was there professor of design and also director of this school, at least since 1825.

The school was located Rue Pont-Hérisson. Here is an excerpt from an address book of Limoges from the year 1830:

He lived at this time Rue Lansecot (also with "Rue bas Lansecot" indicated). Here Lassimonne (or his wife / family members) also ran a short / haberdashery business. This is also confirmed for the year 1835.

In a further excerpt of a print from the year 1839, which proves that he was still in the school this year (certainly still in 1842, probably also in 1846):

Here is a little picture of him in later years:

The pencil sharpener by Lassimonne

The patent application was named as follows in a French source from the year 1829:

"Le sieur Lassimone (Bernard), géomètre, demeurant à Limoges, département de la Haute- Vienne, auquel il a été délivré, le 20 octobre dernier, le certificat de sa demande d´un brevet d´ínvention de cinq ans pour un instrument qu´il appelle taille-crayon."

The validity of the patent was thus 5 years.

Here a 1836 published, very detailed German description of the patent with drawings:

By advertising in a French newspaper, we also know that the device was actually sold, here an advertisement from February 17, 1829:

A little later on December 24, 1829 the following text:

The price was at least 7 Francs 50 Centimes. The newspaper issue in December also quoted prizes of 9, 15, 20, 25 and 30 francs. Apparently there were different versions, probably also real luxury variants, which justified the high price.

The sharpeners were sold by Binant, a Parisian painter supplies dealer.

The pencil sharpener, invented by Lassimone, was actually manufactured by Binant. A preserved device is known, which is shown here:

For more information please read the following website about early history of pencil sharpeners !

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Here are information about pencil sharpener history up to 1850!

As German version you can read about the history of the following pencil sharpeners:

Avanti, Simplicia / Clou / Iduna, Jowei, Ergo / Ergo Extra, Optimax, Fram, Stern, Constanta, Potz-Blitz, Oryx und Quail.

Pencil sharpener - Bleistiftspitzer - Taille-Crayon - Pencil pointer - Bleistiftspitzmaschine - Sacapuntas -  Temperamatite - Apara-lápis - Puntenslijper -

Apontador - Slip - Spisser - Blyantspidser - Affilacoltelli - Blyertsspetsare - Pennvässare - ξύστρα -  Temperówka - Ořezávátko - Strúhadlo - Ostra - Ascuțitoare - точило -

Oстрилка - シャープナー- מְחַדֵד