Is there any way to date this pen tip?

[relic lover]

Dug at 1800s cellar hole. Brass I think. Is there a way to date these? Anyone know when they fell out of use? Thanks in advance, Relic

 

[Montana Jim]

They've never really fell "out" of use, at least not completely... 

I think you have a dip pen point, popular and used well into the late 19 century... the fountain pen becoming more popular in the late 1800s  and into the early 1900s (holding it's own ink and able to be refilled).  The fountain pen being the king of pens from the 20s through the 40s.  In the late 30s the ball-tip pens were born and it's been downhill ever since.

Writers and artists still use these dip pen nibs today...

Nice find!


PBK will be the final word on this I'm sure... 

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

I'd really be interested in the answer to this question.

I have a pen, that fills with ink, with a little piece that you pull up, and it gives the pen more ink, but it has this type of tip.
(a crossover?).

B

 

[PBK]

MJ is (inevitably!) right... pen nibs are still readily available today.

Metal nibs began to replace quill pens in the early 1800's, and by the 1830's steel nibs were the standard.

Fountain pens using similar nibs began appearing in the mid 19th century, but were not common until the 1880's.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

PBK,

What do you mean by the "nibs" ? The tip or the reservoir handle?

The one I have (was my father's), you put the tip in the ink, lifted with little handle thingy, and it sucked the ink up from the ink bottle - is the lever a "nib"?

Thanks,

B

 

[PBK]

PBK,
What do you mean by the "nibs" ?

The "nib" is the metal point of the pen.

The pen belonging to your father is a lever-filler fountain pen. Walter Sheaffer patented this design in 1908, and it was first marketed in 1912. An external lever pressed a rubber ink sac in the pen, creating a slight vacuum— the same principle as squeezing the bulb of an eyedropper— and fitted flush with the barrel of the pen when not in use.

 

[Monty]

The art of calligraphy or fancy writing as I call it requires the use of several types of nibs similar to this one. Back at the turn of the century up until about 1920 or so every school desk had an inkwell for a bottle of ink so the students could dip their pens in it. Boys use to dip the girl's pig tails in the ink well as a prank. My old gradeschool and highschool still had wooden desks with ink wells in the 1950s and 60s that were left over from that era. Monty

 

[Montana Jim]

True Monty, depending on the calligraphy style (or in today's vernacular "font") different styles of nibs meant thicker or thiner lines while writting.

This nib looks like a fine line.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Thanks PBK,

I've kept it for years, just because, but really never knew anything about it. (when I was a youngster, my dad wouldn't let me touch it ).

B

 

[Likely Guy]

Dug at 1800s cellar hole. Brass I think. Is there a way to date these? Anyone know when they fell out of use? Thanks in advance, Relic

Hey Relic, the only place I've seen markings on a nib is close to the 'business end', usually on top where the nib meets the shaft. You'll have to risk cleaning it though. Without markings it would be impossible to date. If it is that old, my guess would be you wouldn't find any anyways (being a good thing/bad thing).

 

[Montana Jim]

Likely Guy is right, the maker's name might be on the steel.

I don't think cleaning it would be a "risk" really... some of the early fountain pens has gold nibs because they never rusted from the ink... not the case for you.

 

[relic lover]

It is brass a magnet wont stick. Peroxide bath in progress, I will look for any markings. Thanks guys.

 

[relic lover]

Cleaned it up but no markings. So unless the fact that it is brass helps date it I guess I am stuck.