In ancient times, the primary writing instruments were reed pens, styluses for wax or clay tablets, and later, quill pens. The choice of instrument depended heavily on the available materials and the writing surface being used.
Early pens such as reed pens, quill pens, dip pens and ruling pens held a small amount of ink on a nib or in a small void or cavity that had to be periodically recharged by dipping the tip of the pen into an inkwell. Today, such pens find only a small number of specialized uses, such as in illustration and calligraphy.
Hemingway's favorite pen to use was a Montegrappa! When he was in the war, he was stationed by the original factory in Bassano del Grappa at Villa Ca Erizzo in Italy. Montegrappa actually has a a collection called "Mightier than the Sword", which was named after Hemingway to celebrate his relationship with them.
The big thing in the 1800s was the fountain pen, which used a steel point and an inkwell. The late 1800s brought us a fountain pen with its own self-contained ink, which meant not having to dip the pen in an inkwell. Before the steel pen points were invented, writers would use quills, reeds or still brushes as pens.
The quill pen evolved from the reed pen, of Egyptian origin. Quills were the primary writing instrument in the barbarian kingdoms from the 6th to the 19th century. The best quills were usually made from goose, swan, and later turkey feathers.
The Reed Pen - 4th Century
The first citing of a pen dates back to the 4th century BC with the Ancient Egyptian scribes who would write hieroglyphics on papyrus. The Egyptians didn't favour a Parker 51, but rather a “Reed Pen”, a single piece of reed pointed into a square and split at the point.
The Reed Pen
The earliest known form of writing using a 'pen' began in Ancient Egypt where reed pens were created to write on papyrus. Ancient Egyptians first used reed styluses to carve hieroglyphs into tablets made from clay similar to the Sumerians.
For the most part, collectors define vintage pens as those made before c. 1965. Whether this definition will expand in years to come to include the pens of the '70s and '80s remains to be seen. Nonetheless, there is a certain logic to leaving the dividing line, fuzzy though it may be, where it is.
John F. Kennedy seems to have used a number of different pens: the Parker “45,” an Esterbrook fountain pen, and a Montblanc Meisterstück No. 149.
Churchill used Onoto fountain pens throughout his life. During the First World War, when serving in the trenches, he even wrote to Clementine, saying: 'Send me a new Onoto pen. I have stupidly lost mine' (23 November 1915).
Stephen King's choice of the Waterman Hémisphère as his trusted pen speaks volumes about its quality and appeal. The Hémisphère's practicality, combined with its stylish design, makes it a must-have for any writer seeking to elevate their craft.
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The Quill. Made of bird feathers, specifically geese, this instrument was the equivalent of a modern-day pen. Scribes in medieval Europe used these light-as-a-feather (literally) tools by dipping its end into their inkwells and then tracing letters, numbers, images, music, and more, on parchment paper.
Here's a general sense of what vintage fountain pens might be worth today: User-grade or mid-century mass market pens (e.g., basic Sheaffer school pens or lower-end Parkers): $20–$100. Popular collectible models in working condition (e.g., Parker Vacumatics, Esterbrook J series): $100–$300.
Gel-Based Ink: Gel pens use a water-based gel ink that flows easily, offering a smooth, skip-free writing experience.
Fountain pen. A fountain pen is a writing instrument that uses a metal nib to apply water-based ink to paper. It is distinguished from earlier dip pens by using an internal reservoir to hold ink, eliminating the need to repeatedly dip the pen in an inkwell during use.
And the Preppy Fountain Pen is probably the best value in Japanese pens. It's now joined by the excellent Preppy Highlighter. All Preppy pens feature smart transparent barrels with ink-colour-keyed highlights and are all refillable. Read More About Platinum Preppy.
In summary: Antique = 100+ years old, Vintage = (roughly) 20–99 years old, Estate = previously owned (any age).
Cross are America's oldest pen brand. Founded in 1846, they created the ancestor of today's mechanical pencils. Lamy have a surprising amount of heritage for a young brand. The International brand of Lamy, comes from origins in 1930's Germany and the Orthos Füllfederhalter-Fabrik company, which rebranded to C.
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Most of the finer examples had sterling silver or mother of pearl handles and gold tips. Men's dip pens were oversized and generally had ebony handles. Many of the better models had retractable tips to keep them from catching on clothing and staining the things they touched. In the late 1800s, glass pens were popular.
Kennedy enjoyed writing with an old-fashioned fountain pen. This is the Sheaffer fountain pen set he used at his desk in the Oval Office of the White House. The black obsidian base has a brass plate engraved "JOHN F. KENNEDY" and is marked "SHEAFFER" in gold on one side.