when did the metal ferrule arrive for dip pens?

October 18, 2004

I was watching some documentary or the other. it was about some events in the 1800s - can't say for certain when. A character was shown penning something with a dip pen but the dip pen holder had the classic metal "petal" ferrule gripping the base of the nib. I would have thought that was a later design.

anyone know?

October 29, 2004

Thanks Rob. Our "brief history" in the US certainly does make for a different view doesn't it.

I'm always fascinated by the antiques shows on t.v. - hearing about a 18th or 19th century US item being quite valuable while a 17th century item in Europe or Asia might get barely a raised eyebrow.

November 25, 2004

Hi, KCat,

I don't exactly know, but I believe that it was as early as the mid-18th Century and possibly much earlier than that. I know that pens mounted in gold and using goose quills as nibs were available in the 1750's. For a better answer, I'd look to someone from the Writing Equipment Society in England as their sense of history has a longer view than ours here in the U.S. After all, we won't have the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement until 2007.

Looking in 'Pen, Ink & Evidence' I see a 1465 reference in the Gutenberg colophon that makes reference to a brazen reed. There's also 1595 & 1700 references.

Kurt H

November 25, 2004

Hi, KCat,

I don't exactly know, but I believe that it was as early as the mid-18th Century and possibly much earlier than that. I know that pens mounted in gold and using goose quills as nibs were available in the 1750's. For a better answer, I'd look to someone from the Writing Equipment Society in England as their sense of history has a longer view than ours here in the U.S. After all, we won't have the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement until 2007.
Looking in 'Pen, Ink & Evidence' I see a 1465 reference in the Gutenberg colophon that makes reference to a brazen reed. There's also 1595 & 1700 references.

Kurt H

Thank you, Kurt. And thank you Rob. very interesting. i'm in a mood to look back into the far distant future.

gotta find some books on Heiroglyphs. just strikes a cord for me right now.. too drugged to epxlan that. (Ambien - you'r eupposed to stay n bed when you take that. but this is when odd thoughts hit me like "You know you should learn Coptic and hieratic hieroglyphics.

whoew... i actually typed that.