Thomas Jefferson's Secretary

[Moonshae]

I think that's what it was called; I was reading a biography of him a few years ago, and it described a device he invented that had two connected quills, so that as he wrote with one the other would make a copy on another sheet of paper (done so he could have his own copy of written letters; no scanners in those days). In a world of ballpoints, and even fountain pens with significant capacity, this seems like a time-saving trick and nothing more. After having picked up and played with a few dip pens, however, this now seems like an incredible invention that would be very difficult to make precise enough to be functional; the inkwells must be positioned exactly, and the dipping of the quill would have to be nearly exact so that the copying quill would not end up with less ink and stop copying between dips, or be too inked and make a mess. While the quality would not have to be the same as the handwritten letter, it would have to be sufficient to be readable, and the device itself fluid enough to not impede one's handwriting.

 

 

[OCArt]

Called the polygraph, info here https://www.monticello.org/site/house-and-gardens/polygraph

Even more info here: http://cultureandcommunication.org/deadmedia/index.php/Duplicating_Polygraph

Edited May 12, 2017 by OCArt

[LuckyKate]

If you visit Monticello you can see this on a desk near his bed. He also had a protype fountain pen you can see in a little museum.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/291084-thomas-jeffersons-fountain-pen/

[ink-syringe]

Another weird Thomas Jefferson fountain pen connection: TJ founded: University of Virgina

Who was a teacher at University of Virgina before inventing (arguably) the modern capillary feed fountain pen: Lewis Edson Waterman

(he taught, amongst other things: Shorthand)

 

[graystranger]

I saw a replica of this device at Jefferson's home Poplar Forest in Forest, VA a few years ago. The guide told us that he kept one copy of every letter he ever wrote using this device.

[AAAndrew]

Thomas Jefferson did make his own Polygraph, as OCArt pointed out above. He didn't invent it but he did make improvements to the original.

 

He also used a portable writing desk of his own design. He wrote the Declaration of Independence on it and it can be seen at the Smithsonian.

 

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_513641

 

It seems he also tried out some of the first steel pens made in the US. Or, at least Peregrine Williamson claimed so in his ads.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1490636388__1809_williamson_ad_with_testimonials.jpg