And lastly, here’s a simple Timeline of the development of the different Pen Types that I distilled from the pen patents, the genealogical pen tree, and the taxonomy.
–Revised, June 4, 2014.
Thanks to David Nishimura for his backchannel input and comments on this Timeline regarding the Bion-type pens. I have incorporated his suggestions and posted a new version of the Timeline. I have also taken the opportunity to thoroughly revise the list. If you have any suggestions and criticisms, please feel free to email me. My contact info is in my Profile.
–Revised again, June 6, 2014, and Sept 26, 2016.
Timeline Of Pens And Pencils
Reed brush, pre-600 B.Z.
Reed pen, calamus, pre-400 B.Z.
Aristotle’s metal pen, ca. 350-320 B.Z.
Metal stylus and wax tablet, ca. 200-100 B.Z.
Roman metal pen at Vindolanda, Hadrian’s Wall, ca. 80-130 A.Z.
Quill pen, penne, ca. 400-600 A.Z.
Reservoir attachments for quill tips, ca. 800-900 A.Z.
First mention of an Islamic fountain pen, probably Bion-type, ca. 965 A.Z.
Lead or silver stylus on gesso, ca. 1300-1400
Graphite lead wooden pencils, ca. 1630
Quill reservoir pens, ca. 1636
First mention of Bion-type fountain pens in Europe, 1657-8
Bion-type fountain pens, 1702
Bion’s fountain pen, ca. 1707
Porte crayons, ca. 1700s
Bion-type pen-and-pencil combo, ca. 1700s
Sliding pencils, Mar 23, 1771
Conte crayons, or pencils, Jan 30, 1795
Steel nibs, and penholders, ca. 1780-1800
Gold nibs with rhodium-tin or ruby tips, Mar 14, 1808
Piston filler fountain pen, Mar 4, 1809
Quill slip nibs, Sept 23, 1809
Diamond or ruby-tipped nibs, Dec 20, 1822
Spiral screw mechanical pencils, Dec 20, 1822
Fountain pen and pencil combos, July 26, 1832
Iridium-tipped gold nibs, ca. 1834
Vulcanized rubber, Feb 24, 1839
First fountain pen with rubber sac, Sept 19, 1848
Brush-tipped fountain pen, ca. 1849
Rudimentary stylographs, ca. 1849
Eyedropper fountain pens, ca. 1849
Vulcanized hard rubber, May 6, 1851
Twist filler, rubber sac, Nov 26, 1859
Press filler, rubber sac, Sept 3, 1867
Crescent filler, rubber sac, Apr 2, 1872
Stylographic pens, June 5, 1875
Removable glass reservoir, Oct 26, 1886
Accordion filler, rubber sac, Mar 16, 1886
Propel mechanical pencils, Apr 24, 1888
Ballpoint pen, Oct 30, 1888
Glass cartridge filler fountain pen, Apr 29, 1890
Lever filler, rubber sac, Mar 17, 1891
Safety eyedropper pen, July 18, 1893
Jointless fountain pen, Apr 4, 1899
Gravity-filled eyedropper, Aug 8, 1899
Blow filler, rubber sac, July 16, 1901
Button filler, rubber sac, June 9, 1903
Aerometric filler, rubber sac, Sept 5, 1905, and May 9, 1911
Sleeve filler, rubber sac, Apr 17, 1906, and Apr 6, 1915
Vacumatic precursor, July 10, 1906
Matchstick filler, rubber sac, July 24, 1906
Cam, or crank filler, rubber sac, Apr 23, 1907
Hump Filler, Apr 30, 1907
Bakelite fountain pens, Dec 7, 1909
Felt-tipped pens, Jan 11, 1910
Coin filler, rubber sac, Jan 7, 1913
Celluloid fountain pens, May 6, 1919
Capillary filler fountain pen, Apr 6, 1920, and Mar 1, 1949
Piston filler fountain pen, Sept 28, 1926
Propel-repel mechanical pencils, Dec 20, 1927
Vacumatic fountain pen, Apr 18, 1933
Gravity filler fountain pen, May 14, 1935, and Jan 17, 1939
Injection filler fountain pen, Feb 8, 1938
Aerometric converter, Aug 23, 1948, and June 12, 1956
George Kovalenko.
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