Ink and Quill Pen

Writing with ink and quill pen is an elegant, traditional practice that appeals to calligraphers, artists, and antiquity enthusiasts. This type of dip pen creates beautiful line sensitivity to pressure while being more precise when writing small and delicate characters.

A quill pen is typically constructed from feathers collected from large birds such as geese, turkeys and swans. Each feather is stripped of its barbs before being trimmed to form its nib.

HISTORY

Quill pens were popular from Classical Antiquity until the mid to late Nineteenth Century, when metal pens began replacing them. Quill pens were constructed using large bird feathers (usually goose, swan or turkey) treated so their points would hold ink; ink would then be poured into its hollow center (called the “calamus”) before traveling up through capillary action to reach the pen tip.

Feathers for quill pens were collected during birds’ annual moult period. Feathers were generally sold by size and species; some claim left-wing feathers from certain birds may be more suitable as they curve away from your hand’s sight line instead of over it.

Quill pens were traditionally created using primary flight feathers from geese, swans, or turkeys and cut into four distinct cuts for shaping into pen nibs – an intricate process which required time and precise attention to detail.

ANATOMS

The nib is the end of a pen that makes contact with paper, defining both line width and writing feel. Metal nibs come in various shapes and sizes that impact ink shading and flow; traditionally feather or reed/bamboo nibs were cut from quill ends (goose, swan and turkey feathers were often used) during spring when their quill strength is at its strongest and freshest state to make spring-cut nibs for maximum effect.

The tip of a nib features a narrow slit to direct ink through capillary action. This divides its main part into two tines which may be pointed or broad-edged for shading purposes in writing, and shoulders which feature side slits or straight cuts to increase flexibility.

Pens were often given names to aid marketing; often related to the profession that the pen was being targeted (i.e. Judge’s Quill), Bank, Probate or Commercial uses or to one particular school of penmanship such as Vertical.

INKS

Selecting an ink is key when creating works of art with pen and quill, with different inks having distinct properties that suit different kinds of paper best. Sizing plays an integral role in how long it takes for ink to dry – sheets with more sizing are less likely to feather or bleed, while those with less will show more of its characteristics.

Some inks are water soluble and will eventually fade over time, while others are permanent and cannot be diluted. Furthermore, inks vary based on their saturation – highly saturated inks tend to be dark and vibrant while less-saturated ones are paler and more transparent.

Iron gall ink was the traditional ink used for fountain pens up until the mid 19th century; however, due to being too acidic it has since been discontinued as most users prefer water-based inks instead.

USE

Quill pens require practice to use effectively; unlike modern calligraphy pens with more predictable ink flow, quills must be regularly dipped and nibs maintained if you wish for an optimal writing experience. Experienced writers may appreciate using such an extraordinary writing instrument!

Quill pens were used until metal pens became popular during the 1800s. The best quills came from goose, swan, and turkey feathers harvested directly from living birds just after their new growth period after moulting had completed; Thomas Jefferson even raised geese at Monticello specifically so as to obtain feathers for his writing quills.

To create a quill pen, the outer five feathers on a bird’s wing must first be hardened and formed into writing points with a slit through which ink flows via capillary action when immersed into an inkwell. A scribe would then use a knife to trim thin feather ends until they formed into nibs – as more was shaped, the finer was the script written.