Tag Archives: Ink

The Fountain Pen


The Fountain Pen

Prior to the refinement and mass-production of the fountain pen in the late 19th century, writing with ink had some serious drawbacks. The dip pen had to be continuously dipped in ink, while the quill—made from a feather plucked from a live bird—required frequent sharpening. By contrast, the fountain pen held liquid ink in a reservoir until needed, at which time the ink was fed to a nib via a combination of gravity and capillary action. How was ink inserted into the first fountain pens? More… Discuss