Goose Quill Pen

Goose quill pens were used from the 6th to 19th century until metal pens became popular, when writing tools made from stiff-spined flight feathers of large birds became more widely utilized.

Goose feathers typically make the best nibs; however, other species such as crow, hawk, owl and turkey feathers have also been successfully utilized.

History

A quill pen is a writing instrument made of large bird feathers such as goose, swan or turkey feathers. Used from antiquity through the 19th century, quill pens produced finer lines than hollow reed pens used earlier and were often the main writing instruments during literary golden ages as well as writing historic documents like Magna Carta and Declarations of Independence.

Quill pens were once widely favored among scribes and artists due to their finer lines and durability on vellum, however with mass production of steel-tipped pens their popularity declined dramatically. Thomas Jefferson kept geese breeding so as to have ready access to quill feathers; 20 goose quills can still be seen each day on each counsel table of the U.S. Supreme Court during sessions.

Materials

A quill pen is a long hollow feather from a goose or other bird with a writing nib for writing, as well as a small slit to control ink flow.

feathers are subjected to heat treatment in order to make them hard and durable, such as oven baking or immersing the feather in boiling water, hot sand or other heated materials.

Quill pens became fashionable during medieval times and continued as the primary writing instrument until metal pens entered the market. Quills were used to pen many important documents in history such as Magna Carta and Declaration of Independence – Thomas Jefferson even kept geese at Monticello to provide him with enough quills for writing! Today they remain popular among professional scribes and calligraphers.

Techniques

Quill pens are handmade using stiff-spined flight feathers from birds’ wings. Quills were used for centuries until metal pens became the preferred medium in the 19th century. Most commonly, geese feathers were utilized, although other birds including geese, turkeys, crows, owls and hawks also contributed their feathers for use as quill pens. Quills could then be hardened either in drawers or by tempering in hot sand for several hours until metal pens could take over as pens took over by tempering in hot sand tempering them for hours – usually from geese.

For optimal use of a quill for writing, start by thoroughly cleaning it with water before cutting off its top half and removing its nib – either sculpted to suit drawing or writing tasks or cut away altogether. Finally, the tip should be completely immersed in ink to test its ability to flow.

Nibs

The nib of a dip pen is the part that comes into contact with paper surfaces to deposit ink, and can come in various shapes, sizes and materials. Nibs serve very specific purposes yet remain highly adaptable.

Feathers are the go-to material for making nibs, though reeds and bamboo shoots may also work well. Geese have provided us with some excellent feathers during their new growth period after moulting – perfect for creating unique writing instruments!

The shape of a nib can have an enormous impact on its writing characteristics. A stub nib, for instance, allows for modulated line width (thick and thin), but requires you to hold your pen at a specific angle towards the paper for cursive and italic writing. An architect nib is similar but narrower; both options provide more straight lines when writing cursive and italic script.

Writing

Quill pens made from goose, turkey, swan or crow feathers became the writing instrument of choice for centuries. Their hollow barrels provided ideal ink storage solutions while their feather tips could be easily formed into fine writing points.

Geese are widely considered the ideal species for making quill pens due to their larger and stronger feathers compared to those of other birds. Goose quill pens were widely popular until mass-produced metal pens came onto the scene during the 19th century.

Goose quill pens require patience and a light hand when using. A heavy writer could split the tips of feathers, leading to messy or incomplete writing. Furthermore, nib shape is crucial for controlling ink flow – round edges provide maximum control of application thickness.