Early Fountain Pen Technology

In 1508, it is believed that Da Vinci may have created his own fountain pens for personal use in Italy. There is no concrete evidence to support this claim, although there are two illustrations of a more basic stylographic pen design in his notebook.

In 1616, the Royal Registry of Augsburg described a pen with a silver-tubed handle that could be filled with ink, featuring a nib made of silver or goosefeather. This pen was given to King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden after Sweden invaded and conquered their kingdom.

In 1632, Daniel Schwenter wrote about the concept of a fountain pen made from two quills. According to his description, one quill would hold the ink while the other would keep everything together. The ink would be contained in a cork, and to use the pen, the ink would be squeezed through a small hole, flowing down to the writing tip, thus creating a quill-reservoir pen.

In 1657, fountain pens were sold in Paris that made it possible to write more than half a hand of paper, i.e. twelve or thirteen sheets for little cost.

In 1663, Samuel Pepys, a British naval administrator, received a letter from Mr. Schwenter, who promised to provide him with ink, which was deemed necessary after receiving a silver pen. Mr. Pepys opined …"This evening came a letter about business from Mr. Coventry [Sir William Coventry] and with it a silver pen he promised me to carry inke in, which is very necessary".

The earliest depiction of a fountain pen found in Michael Finlay's book  “Western Writing Implements in the Age of the Quill Pen” is from 1702.

In 1707, Nicolas Bion, "king's engineer for mathematical instruments" proposed an endless pen. In 1709, Nicholas Bion authored "Traité de la construction et des principaux usages des" which included an illustration of a fountain pen.

Depicted is a French mid-18th century gold pen with capillary system for feeding ink to a Gold Pen nib, acquired in Paris.  

The pen is hallmarked with 3 poinçon and the Gold Pen nib is punched with a single poinçon.

Nicholas Bion’s Traite describes a pen with a diameter of “3 lines” or .25 inches, similar to this pen.

The Gold Pen nib is a French tubular style, soldered into position. Within the interior is an Bion principle ink control system consisting of 2 small capillary  slits and a larger hole in the center. 

This instrument may have had an end cap for the Gold Pen nib that contained a Bion style ink control rod, however; it may simply utilize an early form of today’s fountain pen physics.

Research is underway regarding pen reservoir technological evolution history.

The  18th century punches are under evaluation.

The  18th century punches are under evaluation.

Though not the earliest French fountain pen technology, in 1827, French  inventor Edme-Nicolas Favreau filed what is likely the second fountain pen patent application in France. The application was filed with the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI) on March 23, 1827, and Mr. Favreau’s 5-year patent number 3177 was issued on May 4, 1827. 

The patent was for a pen holder that serves as an inkwell and that is placed in a wallet like a pencil.  The novel fountain pen design  is clearly identified as a piston operated refill mechanism functioning as a fountain pen.

Favreau described his invention as a porte plume et encrier a pompe aspirante  / a “pen holder and inkwell with suction pump”. Mr. Favreau further elaborated “to ink the pencil holder using a suction and crushing pump, which he declares to have invented  …”

Favreau Memoir Description, a pen holder and the inkwell with a suction and pressing pump, purple has always held ink in an ordinary metallic gold nib, the invention of Monsieur - Edme Nicolas Favreau and his son Nicolas Bernard Favreau, Mechanic of La Bucherie No. 18, farsi the invention of and instrument consists of a cylinder received in copper in the form of a case, and which opens in the middle at one of its ends is placed a stamp, and the length of the cylinder is marked, the division and subdivision, over the length 6 inches

Fig. 1. & 2. Iteration and cutting

Fig. 3. That of the whole part which fits into the case and the place that the ordinary or metallic nib

Fig. 4. Naked of the same objects, simply desired in the manner described, we place the pen at the lower extremity of the thumb to see it.

Fig. 5. Bare in section, of the inkwell with suction and crushing pump and device, carrying a small orifice in

- so as to leave it in a tank in the pen, quantity becomes necessary to write, and it obtains it by pushing on the piston

- sequel leaks as the ink passes through the pores of the decor part

- and when the ink is fully used and the piston

- - is completely lowered: it immerses the water in a vase containing ink, and it is sucked in, pulling the pistons to once again use the pen holder.

This sheet fits the adapter in a wallet, even in a pocket.