Quill
A
quill pen is made from a flight
feather (preferably a primary) of a large
bird, most often a
goose. Quills were used as instruments for
writing with
ink before the metal
dip pen, the
fountain pen, and eventually the
ball point pen came into use. The hand-cut goose quill is still a superior
calligraphy tool, providing a sharp stroke and flexibility unmatched in steel pens. The shaft of the feather acts as an ink reservoir and ink flows to the tip by capillary action.
Common writing equipment in
medieval times were the quill and
parchment or
paper. The quill eventually replaced the
reed pen. The quill pen was introduced around 700 A.D. The strongest quills were those taken from living birds in the spring from the five outer left wing feathers. The left wing was favored because the feathers curved outward and away when used by a right-handed writer. Goose feathers were most common; swan feathers were of a premium grade being scarcer and more expensive. For making fine lines, crow feathers were the best, and then came the feathers of the eagle, owl, hawk and turkey.
A
signwriter or sign painter uses a "quill"
brush as a main tool. The quill brush is usually made from
ox hair, which is more durable than many other artist brushes. It has a quill
ferrule which attaches the hair to the brush handle and is tied together with wire.
*
Regia Anglorum*
How to cut quill pens*
A brief history of writing instruments*
Quill Pens the 18th Century Way
