Article January 9, 1902 Issue

The First Steel Pens

Boston Herald

PENS were formerly made from quills, the great defect of which was their speedy injury from use, and the consequent trouble of frequent mending. Attempts were made to fit small metal, or even ruby, points to the nib of the quill pen, but the delicacy of fitting was so great that but little success was attained.

It is only a century ago that pens began to be made wholly of metal. They consisted of a barrel of very thin steel, and were cut and slit so as to resemble the quill pen as closely as possible. They were, however, very indifferent, and, being dear, they were not in common use. Their chief fault was their hardness, which produced a disagreeable scratching on the paper.

In 1820 Joseph Gillott perfected the form of steel pens, and began their manufacture at Birmingham, Eng. The first gross of steel pens ever sold at wholesale brought thirty-six dollars in 1820, at Birmingham. In 1830, the price had been reduced to two dollars; in 1832, to one dollar and a half, and in 1860, to twelve cents. The annual production of steel pens in Birmingham alone ranges from eight to fifteen million gross.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

How Briquettes are Made