written in ink. Crustless bread was used; a Meiji period (1868-1912) Tokyo student said: "Bread erasers were used in place of rubber erasers, and so they would give them to us with no restriction on amount. So we thought nothing of taking these and eating a firm part to at least slightly satisfy our hunger."

In 1770, the English optician and scientific instrument maker Edward Nairne reportedly developed the first widely marketed rubber eraser for an inventions