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| fountain pen review |
The
earliest form of fountain pen was the quill pen which was used for
the writings of the Egyptian pharaohs and high priests as long as
four thousand years ago. Initially, they used reeds which were later
developed into sharpened wooden instruments with slits cut in the
end.
By
the 16th century, the most common quill was a goose feather which was
carved to a sharp tip and dipped into an ink of vegetable origin.
Early
efforts to manufacture pens with their own ink supply were seen in
the mid-17th century. Samuel Pepys used an ink pen for his diaries in
1663 and a small pipe above the tip of Pepys' feathered quill was
filled with ink by means of a small piston. We can see from general
London trade cards of the 1650s that the term 'fountain pen' was
already in use.
Although
the metal pen was first developed in England in the late 18th
century, the oldest known metal fountain pen that has survived was
made by M. Bion, chief instrument maker for the King of France, dated
1702.
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| fountain pen review |
It
was not until the early 19th century that more practical ink pens
began to be developed and a number of patents were recorded. Joseph
Bramah replaced the earlier piston of the reservoir with an elastic
material, which, when pressed, drew out the ink.
In
1819, John Schaeffer's design had the ink stored in the quill section
which was covered in sheep's gut and housed in a metal case which
squeezed the ink into a feed cock, allowing it to be controlled. A
later improvement in 1859 saw Walter Mosely invent a rubber cam at
the end of the reservoir.
The
true invention of the fountain pen as we
know it was developed in the late 19th century by the American, Lewis
Edson Waterman. Before Waterman, the writer had still needed to dip
the pen into an inkwell.
He
revolutionised the world of pens in 1884 by creating two or three
channels in the nib which meant that air displaced the used ink and
kept the flow and volume fine.
Waterman's
'Ideal' pen of 1884 was reliable and leak-proof. It was first
manufactured commercially in the late 1880s. Soon afterwards, George
Parker and Walter Schaeffer aided centuries of invention to launch
the Golden Age of fountain pens, makes ideal for collectors.
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| fountain pen review |
The
field for collecting vintage pens gives scope to study workmanship
and design. Most enthusiasts begin by collecting recognisable names
such as Schaeffer, Parker,
Swan and Waterman. Other collectors favour rare pens designed by more
obscure firms such as Namiki, Security, Boston and Conklin.
Decorative
and colourful pens are highly collectable, aided by the use of
precious metals. Size can also affect price and larger ones tend to
be more highly valued. The value will also increase if the pen marks
an important technological development such as a new filler system.
fountain pen review When
buying a pen, it must feel comfortable in your hand; as Samuel
Johnson said, "No man was more
foolish when he had not a pen in his hand, or more wise when he had."
Collectibles Coach
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