When novelist and playwright Edward Bulwer-Lytton had written the eponymous line “The pen is mightier than the sword” in his historical play ,Cardinal Richelieu , he had never known that his ‘pen’ would be remembered for innumerable years to come. Clashing of swords in the battlefield might be forgotten, but the might of a pen makes its presence felt at every moment we read historical descriptions of The Bible, the wars of Independence or the major revolutions, along with major literary works of the Bard, William Shakespeare. But pens were not so advanced in their technology and classy in their appearance, so as to call them luxury writing instruments. Just as humans have evolved with the passage of time from being savage to civilized, pens have also undergone a lot of transitions, beginning from the Sumerians several thousand years ago.
The first writing instrument and hence the first writing form were created by the Sumerians and known as Stylii and Cuneiform respectively. These were specially-shaped sticks to press wedge-shaped characters into soft wax or clay tablets. The ink was a mixture of water and natural dye, extracted from fire soot. As writing instruments, cuneiform was followed by brushes with thin tips and reed pens. Reed pens were popularly used by the Romans to keep extensive records of their empire on a writing surface known as Papyrus. But constant re-sharpening of the reed makes it soft and inappropriate for use and hence it got replaced by quill, that is, a big feather from the wing of a large bird (generally goose). The cursive and decorative fonts like the Copperplate, Spencerian etc. were a gift of the quill during the 17th and 18th centuries. The writing surface also evolved from using papyrus to vellum (dried animal hides) and eventually to paper.
With the emergence of the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 18th century, the first mass production of metal pens took place using special moulds and sheets of metals, generated by steam powered presses. The blooming industrialization enriched the market for luxury writing instruments with the invention of fountain pens, ballpoint pens, ink rollerball pens and propelling pencils as popular examples of modern design. Along with other European countries, Germany played a significant role in making this exclusive range of pens for more exquisite handwriting. They stand out from others by their virtue of innovation, reliability and artistic brilliance coupled with intelligence. The harmonic symbiosis of high-end craftsmanship and complex technological processes in German-made pens like Kaweco, gift us an unforgettable writing experience, along with an enviable look and perfectly balanced weight. Other popular American and French pen brands have also made their presence felt not only in the western countries but also in tropical countries, like Sheaffer and Waterman pens in India, to name just a few.So, we have witnessed a huge advancement in the manufacturing of pen since antiquity – from quills to becoming luxury writing instruments. The pen is actually becoming mightier with each and every technological innovation all across the globe.
