History of Pens

xpression has been a fundamental, primordial instinct for all mankind since the dawn of time. 40,000 years ago, our early human ancestors etched deer across the walls of El Castillo cave in Spain. Egyptian high priests carved hieroglyphs into the sarcophagi of their fallen pharos. On a simple piece of parchment, by quill and candlelight, Thomas Jefferson inscribed the Declaration of Independence.

Perhaps the single-most important innovation throughout the history of expression, however, is the mighty pen. 

The earliest historical record of a reservoir pen dates back to 953 A.D. The Fatimid Caliph of Egypt insisted upon a writing utensil that would not stain his hands or his clothes, and he was provided with a pen that held ink in a reservoir. German inventor, Daniel Schwenter, invented an updated reservoir pen in 1636. The ink was sealed inside the quill with a cork, and then squeezed through a small hole to the writing point.  

In 1827, a Romanian student named Petrache Poenaru invented the first fountain pen. Pen production and popularity increased dramatically over the next 100 years, particularly in regards to the manufacture of steel pens.

Laszlo Biro, a Hungarian newspaper editor, and his brother George, a chemist, designed a new type of pen known as the ballpoint in 1938. When the pen glided across the paper, the ball at the tip rotated, taking ink from the cartridge and leaving it on the paper. By the summer of 1943, the first commercial models of ballpoint pens were made available to the public.

Japanese inventor, Yukio Horie, created the felt-tipped pen in 1962 while working for the Tokyo Stationery Company. Papermate’s Flair was the first felt tip pen to hit the US market, and has remained the industry leader ever since.

Rollerball pens were introduced in the 1970’s. They improved upon the design of the ballpoint pen. They utilized liquid ink, which produced a smoother line. Papermate introduced erasable ballpoint pens in 1979.

The pen will never be replaced. Despite the pencil, typewriter and personal computer’s best efforts, pens still remain top dog. Ink has stood the test of time. So next time you’re using a pen, take a second to look at it. There is a lot more to each and every ordinary pen that meets the eye.