Facts About
the Quill Pen
Historical records do not pinpoint a specific inventor of the quill pen. However, it is thought that the quill pen was created out of necessity by scribes who wrote and illustrated the pages of manuscripts, some of which were works of art. The quill pens they made had a short span of useful life, lasting approximately one week. The scribes' patient labors---continually making new pens and using them with such distinction---makes the history of the quill pen all the more remarkable.
Time Frame
The quill pen apparently came into use around 700 A.D. and remained the writing instrument of choice for about 1,000 years thereafter.
Root Words
The word "pen" derives from the Latin "penna," which means "feather." This is a likely reference to the geese or swan feathers that were used to make quill pens. Similarly, "pen knife" comes from the knife used to cut the quill.
Features
No two quill pens are alike, because of differences in the quill wing shafts and the carving skills of the makers. The quill nibs were sharpened to a very fine point. Ink traveled to the nibs through slits cut into the wing shafts.
History
The quill pen was used to write the Magna Carta, the historic document that defined the rule of law in England, which was written in 1297 (see References).
Significance
In the United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were also written with quill pens. President Abraham Lincoln was known to favor eagle quill pens (see Resources).
Protocol
There is a protocol to using the quill pen. It requires a lighter hand, and the quill must be held at a slant. It should also be thoroughly cleaned after each use, particularly the nib, which can be washed in warm, soapy water, rinsed thoroughly and left to dry before the next use.
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