A Hundred Years Ago ...

[Jas]

I was looking this evening at three tiny books my great aunt used to keep, and I was admiring her writing. I realised that the pen she used must have had an incredibly fine nib (compared to my Pelikan M800 EF - I'll see if I can measure the width of the original strokes, certainly they are a fraction of a millimetre). I would love to add more to the books (for example, my kids' birthdays) but I'd also like to write in a sympathetic style - my writing, but (I think) with a really fine nib. What pens and ink would folk have used around the period 1890-1920? Any ideas?

I will photograph some of the material soon ...

[Jas]

Oops. This should have gone into 'Pen History'. Sorry. Any of the grown ups able to move it?

[Sasha Royale]

http://parkerpens.net/apis.html

 

A fountain pen would have been very expensive.

Dip pens were still the norm.

Please keep us informed.

[kidde]

Probably a dip pen, as Sasha Royal states. IF it's an FP the nib would likely be an Accountant or Posting nib. Financial ledgers don't provide much space to write, so book keepers used some extremely fine nibs.

Thanks for giving a glimpse of your history and your plans to continue the legacy.

 

Paul

[Paddler]

Probably a dip pen, as Sasha Royal states. IF it's an FP the nib would likely be an Accountant or Posting nib. Financial ledgers don't provide much space to write, so book keepers used some extremely fine nibs.

Thanks for giving a glimpse of your history and your plans to continue the legacy.

 

Paul

 

+1

 

A Spencerian "Counting House No. 2" is a suggestion (if and when you can find them). They are very scratchy, but about as fine as a hummingbird whisker.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Everyone was wanted a new up to date Sheaffer lever pen, that was rapidly replacing the more awkward Conklin.

Safety Pens were so yesterday....with its filling with a messy eye dropper.

 

A Wet Noodle was nothing unusual.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[penrivers]

You are right, I see those documents in old Churches in México and archives in municipal palaces with secret envy, how could they do it with such phenomenal changes in line and strong charácter ?.

[Jas]

 

[Jas]

Folks,

Apologies for my clumsy posting - I could not seem to get any text in the message above. This is a a photo of my great Aunt's writing. This entry would have been made in 1923. The (decent Moore and Wright) ruler is graduated in helf millimetres and this shows the writing to be quite fine. I think it's quite beautiful!
So, this evening I entered my son's, daughter's, my brother's and my wife's names and dates of birth using my Pelikan M800 EF. That felt like the right ting to do. Gorgeous paper - I was able to write neatly and in a suitable compact style.

 

Thanks for all your input. Means a lot.

 

Jas

[PDW]

Beautiful writing for somebody used to 21st century scrawl. That '2' is ... wow!

 

Would you be willing to post a larger sample - I feel an urge to learn to write like that.

[Sasha Royale]

The end of the nineteenth century brought the Waterman self-regulating feed. That innovation, in a pen, could

cost a day's salary, or more. After the turn of the century, George Parker added his "Lucky Curve" invention.

Solvents in the ink, to avert clogging and promote good flow, were often quite corrosive. Steel nibs literally

fell apart. Gold nibs made the "self-filling" fountain pen expensive. The early Parker Duofold cost $7. That was

a week's pay.

 

Clearly, from the sample, someone was well-schooled in penmanship. An educated family of the nineteenth

century, I think.

 

Which fountain pen do you like best to use ? Applying an extra-fine nib shouldn't be difficult. $$$

Recommendation of easy-flowing eternal inks, please. Immediately, research preservation of the paper.

Drying destroys paper. Excess moisture yields mold.

 

Does the journal have a leather cover ?

[Jeff_H]

Such beautiful structure to the letters and subtle bits of flair, as with the "M" on Monday and on the 2, thank you for sharing and I too would enjoy seeing more, if reasonably can.