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1788 Philadelphia

Antique Pens and Accessories

Antique Pens

Quill Dip Pens:  Quill pens were in use by the year 600. "Renaissance and earlier depictions of scholarly gentry or saints in their studies often show them at a bookstand on a pillar with a pen in one hand and an ink pot in the other."  (Mark Bridge, An Encyclopedia of Desks, 1988, p. 9)  Quill pens were still popular in the mid-19th century.  We have seen English advertisements for quill pens from c. 1742 to c. 1814-26? (John Johnson Collection Exhibition 2001, Bodleian Library, University of Oxford) and 1855 (Catalog, Waterlow & Sons, London), a US illustration from 1788 (above), a US receipt from 1811, and US advertisements from 1847 to 1884 (Hagley Museum and Library). 


Quill pens, 1883 ad

Steel and Gold Dip Pens:  While some metallic pens (nibs) were made in the second half of the 18th century, "The first steel pens in regular use were made by Wise, in London, in 1803.  Prejudice, however, was strong against them, and up to 1835 or thereabouts quill maintained their full sway, and much later among the old-fashioned folks."  (David N. Carvalho, Forty Centuries of Ink, 1904, Ch. 26)  The earliest English advertisement we have seen for a steel pen dates from c. 1814-26 (John Johnson Collection). The earliest US advertisement we have found for steel pens was received by a potential customer in 1847.  The latter advertised Gillott's, Windle's, and Perryon steel pens.  A gold pen won a prize at the 1851 exposition in London.  Gold pens, Perryan silver pens, and gold, silver, ebony, rosewood, and other pen-holders were advertised in the 1855 catalog of Waterlow & Sons, London.  A c.1858 catalog advertised J. Perry's and Jos. Gillott's steel pens, and also advertised gold pens. (Hagley)

Fountain Pens: Reservoir or fountain pens were introduced in the 17th and 18th centuries, and Thomas Jefferson used a silver reservoir pen made in 1824. A number of patents for fountain pens were awarded during the course of the 19th century, e.g., U.S. Patent No. 3253, which was awarded to Nelson Bartlett in 1843.  However, the first successful fountain pen was patented by Lewis E. Waterman in 1884. Fountain pen sales by the L. E. Waterman Pen Co., the Paul E. Wirt Fountain Pen Co., and others were substantial from that year on.  In 1890, Wirt advertised (below) that 350,000 of its pens were in use.

The photograph below shows a Swan No. 2 eyedropper fountain pen with a screw on safety cap, ink filling glass pipette, and box. Mabie Todd and Co. Ltd. introduced its safety screw-on cap model in 1911. For more Swan pens, go to the Fountain Pen Emporium and Mabie Todd Swan Pens web sites.

Photograph courtesy of the Fountain Pen Emporium

Antique Ink Bottles

Writing inks have been used for something like 2,500 years. Thaddeus David began producing ink in New York City in 1824. The earliest advertisement English advertisements we have found for writing ink date from c. 1742 to c. 1814-26? (John Johnson Collection); we have seen a US receipt for purchase of ink powder from 1811; the earliest US advertisement we have found dates from 1847.  Writing inks were advertised by Waterlow & Sons, London, in 1855, and Arnold's, Hoover's, Maynard & Noye's, Morrisson's, and Werkshagen's writing inks and fluids were advertised c. 1858. (Hagley)

Corlies, Macy & Co, NY, NY, 1874 catalog

A. S. Barnes & Co, NY, NY, catalog

Emry Davis Writing Fluid, 1896 ad Safety Bottle & Ink Co, Jersey City, NY, 1897 billhead advertising Paul's Inks & Mucilage and the Automatic Non-Spillable Safety Bottle

Signet Peacock Blue Ink, Russia Cement Co., Gloucester, MA

Antique Ink Wells and Stands

The earliest English advertisements we have found for ink stands date from 1783-85 and c. 1814-26? (John Johnson Collection); the earliest US advertisement is dated 1847 (Hagley).  The earliest patent we have found for an ink well is 1858.  Of course, ink pots existed long before the 18th century.

Silver inkstand used in the signing of the Declaration of Independence, made by Philip Syng, 1752  Courtesy of National Park Service, Museum Management Program and Independence National Historical Park.	Pewter Ink Stand and Quill Pen Redgrave Inkstand, Jennens & Bettridge, London,  exhibited Paris, 1855	Counting-House "Academic" 2-Well Inkstand  (left) & Barrel Traveling Inkstand (right), S. Silliman & Co., Chester, CT, advertised 1854. The academic inkstand originally was $0.33, while the traveling inkstand was $0.20.
Barrel Traveling Inkstand, S. Silliman & Co., Chester, CT, advertised 1854. Also advertised 1883.  Silliman's, Fry's, Whitney's, and Draper's inkstands  were advertised c. 1858	Barometric Ink Stand, patented 1861-67  by Thomas Hudson, advertised 1878-81, still marketed in 1905. In 1905, it was manufactured by Cutter Tower Co., Boston, MA, which said at the time that the inkstand had been sold continuously since 1861.	H.L Judd Manufacturing Co., Brooklyn, NY, and Wallingford, CT, patented 1879, advertised 1883-1916
Advertised 1878-1916		Irving's Paradox Ink Stand
Davis Automatic Ink Stand, Emry Davis,  NY, NY, patented 1889	Davis Automatic Inkstand, Emry Davis, NY, NY, 1896 ad.   Similar ink stands were advertised from 1894 to 1911	Zodiac Ink Stand, Tiffany Studios, NY, NY,  c. 1900-1910

Antique Pen Racks

Pen racks were advertised by Waterlow & Sons, London, in 1855.  Several of the ink stands pictured above also have pen racks.

J. M. Keep, patented 1868, advertised 1881		Folding pen rack
		K. Diamond pen rack, patented 1886. This pen rack and variations were advertised at least as late as 1940
Adair pen rack and paper weight, patented 1900 Advertised at least as late as 1940	.	.

Other Pen Accessories

Ink Erasers	Pen Extractors	Pen Wipes
The Hagley Museum and Library has advertisements for ink erasers with metal blades dating to 1847, c. 1858, and 1878. Excelsior Ink and Lead Eraser with Pencil Sharpener,  John S. Hulin, New York, NY, patented 1885. A. W. Faber's Improved Ink Eraser and Paper Cleaner, New York, NY, 1881 ad	Pen Extractors were used to remove steel pen points from penholders. Anchor Letter Weight and Pen Extractor, Pertwee's Patent, J.W. & Co., London, England. Image coming ACMcClurg p. 156 Esterbrook's Pen Extractor, 1902 ad	Advertised 1896
Pounce Pot or Sander	Pen-knife	Blotting Paper
The Hagley Museum and Library has  1847 and c. 1858 ads for writing sand and a c. 1850-60 ad for black sand and sand boxes.	The Hagley Museum and Library has an 1847 ad for Rodger's pen-knives and a c. 1858 ad for Rodgers and Sons pen-knives.	We have seen an 1869 record for purchase of blotting paper.
Rocker Blotter	Rocker Blotter	Penmanship Aids The second half of the 19th century saw the marketing of many devices to assist people to learn and maintain proper finger and hand positioning when writing with a pen.
The Hagley Museum and Library has an 1878 ad for Moore's cushioned rocker blotters.	Excelsior Blotter, patented 1880, advertised 1883	Eastman's Penman's Assistant, patented 1861, advertised 1862. From the 1862 catalog of the Eastman Business College. Courtesy of Jim Drummond

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Research Notes:
Charles Slack, Noble Obsession: Charles Goodyear, Thomas Handcock, and the Race to Unlock the Greatest Industrial Secret of the Nineteenth Century, 2002, states that in the 18th century Joseph Priestly wrote that rubber was used for rubbing out black lead pencil marks (p. 30); in the early 1800s, the rubbing out pencil marks remained the only use for rubber (p. 56); around 1825, in the UK Thomas Handcock began selling high quality erasers made from refined rubber (p. 60).
English advertisement for black lead pencils, slate pencils, letter writers c. 1814-26? (John Johnson Collection)
US Patent No. 1625 and No. 1823 awarded to Thomas Woodward 1840 for a pencil case (mechanical pencil) and No. 2874 in 1842 for a pen case (to hold steel nib).
Advertisement for India rubber. Dated received 1847. (Earlier in John Johnson Collection)
Papeterie Marion exhibited at 1851 Crystal Palace.
Advertisement for pen holders c. 1858.
Advertisement for sealing wax, c. 1850-60.
Record of purchases of pen holders, steel erasers 1869
Advertisement for mucilage, 1870
Advertisement for pen knives, rubber erasers, pencil cases (mechanical pencils) 1878
Advertisement for rubber ink erasers 1884
J. M. Batchelder, inkstand, US patent no. 20,028, April 27, 1858.
Thomas S. Hudson, pen cleaner and holder, US patent 20,065, April 27, 1858.
D. W. Wright, combination paper weight and pen holder, US patent 66,547, July 1 [7?], 1867

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