Bic Cristal® Ballpoint pen
Décolletage Plastique Design Team
French, established 1945
1950
A mass-produced BIC Cristal ballpoint pen made of clear polystyrene with colored polypropylene fittings and a tungsten-carbide tip, designed to be an affordable, reliable everyday writing instrument.
Its transparent, hexagonal barrel exposes the slim ink reservoir while bright blue and red snap-on caps and a small brass-tipped point give it a crisp, utilitarian presence.
Introduced in the mid-20th century, this economical design helped democratize writing—showing how simple materials and precise manufacturing could create a global, mass-produced consumer icon.
Medium
Polystyrene, polypropylene, and tungsten carbide
Dimensions
5 7/8 x 1/2" (14.9 x 1.3 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of the manufacturer
Accession
1409.2001.1-2
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
