Writing instruments through history

Six milestones in the evolution of the tools we write with

Ancient Reed Pen – Egypt, 3000 BC

Cut from marsh reeds and used with carbon ink on papyrus. Scribes shaped the tip for fine or broad strokes on administrative and religious texts.

Antiquity

Roman Wax Tablet & Stylus

A pointed metal or bone stylus inscribed letters into a wax-coated wooden tablet. The flat end erased mistakes — ideal for notes and teaching.

Classical

Medieval Quill Pen – 7th Century

Flight feathers of geese or swans were cured and cut to form a flexible nib. Monasteries relied on quills to copy the manuscripts that preserved learning.

Middle Ages

Victorian Fountain Pen – 1884

Practical self-filling designs brought reliable ink flow to everyday writers. Brass, gold and hard rubber bodies became common in offices and private studies.

19th Century

First Ballpoint Pen – 1945

A tiny rotating ball delivered viscous ink without dipping. The design spread rapidly and changed how millions wrote letters, notes and forms.

20th Century

Modern Premium Pen Collection

Contemporary makers continue the tradition with carefully finished materials and balanced weight — practical writing tools and objects of quiet craft.

Present day