The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-01-14
The Earliest Pens.

As long as people wrote on tables covered
with wax they were obliged to use stylus
or bodkin, made of bone, metal, or some
other hard substance but when they began
to write with colored liquids they used a
reed after which quills and feathers
(plumes as is sometimes said came into
fashion, these finally giving way to metals
steel, not only from its adaptability, but
from its cheapness, being the speciality for
this purpose.
The earliest pens, such as were used for
writing or papyrus with fluid, appear to
have been made of reeds In our transla-
tion of the Old and New Testaments (not
the revised edition. the word pen refers to
an iron stylus used on wax tablets, or a
reed, quilts not having been introduced ear
her than the fifth century 1t is not certain
what particular kind of reed was used for
making pens, but it is described as a small,
hard, round cane, about the size of large
swan quill The supply of these reeds was
obtained from Egypt, Cairo, Asia Minor
and Armenia Chardrin and Tournefort
describe kind of reed used for pens in
Persia. These reeds are collected near the
shores of the Persian Gulf, whence they
are sent to various parts of the East
After being cut they are deposited for
some months in stable manure, when they
assume mixed black and yellow color, ae-
quire a fine polish and considerable degree
of hardness, and the pith dries up into a
membrane which is easily removed. Reed
pens are still in use, as they suit the Arabic
character better than quill or metal pens.
The Arab. in writing, places the paper
upon his knee, or upon the palm of his left
hand, or upon dozen or more pieces of pa
per attached together at the corners and re
sembling thin book, which he rests on his
knee The ink used by the Arab is very
thick and gummy.
Although the quills used for pens were
chiefly from the goose, those from the swan
and crow were much esteemed and be-
sides these. the ostrich, turkey and other
birds occasionally contributed to the supply.
Most of the manufactured goose quills were
from the Netherlands, Germany, Russia
and Poland Before the general introdue-
ton of metallic pens, as many as 27,000,0 900
of quilIs had been received in Great Britain
from St Petersburg in year. Some idea
of the number of geese required to keep up
such supply may be judged from the fact
that each wing produces about FIVE good
quills, and that by careful management a
goose may afford ten quills during a year.
While quill pens were in vogue the oe-
eupation Of pen cutter OF maker was one
of considerable importance; not one in five
of those who used pens could make one,
and scarcely half century has elapsed
since certain house in Shoe Lane, London,
disposed of over six million quill pens per
annum II was also quite common at that
time to cut the barrels of quills into several
pens, each being affixed to handles when
used. a. is now done with metallic pens,
The first notice that we find Of steel pens
for writing is in 1903, when Mr.. Wise, of
London, constructed ''barrel pen" of that
metal. mounted ON bone handles. These
pcns were expensive and not very success
ful; they, however, served a good purpose,
as the forerunner Of better article
Poper H'orld.