quill pens

Overview

Pens made from the shafts of wing feathers or quills of geese, swans, ravens, eagles, owls, hawks, turkeys, and other birds. The tubular quill holds a reservoir of ink and the end may be cut into a pen point with various types of tips.

Quick Facts on quill pens

Go Historic ID

9079

Getty AAT ID

300022463

Term Type

object (non-fine-art) type (e.g. hats)

Parent Terms

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Description

Pens made from the shafts of wing feathers or quills of geese, swans, ravens, eagles, owls, hawks, turkeys, and other birds. The tubular quill holds a reservoir of ink and the end may be cut into a pen point with various types of tips. Until the perfection of the metal pen point, the quill pen had historically been the most frequently used instrument for applying liquid media to a drawing surface.

Definition

Pens made from the shafts of wing feathers or quills of geese, swans, ravens, eagles, owls, hawks, turkeys, and other birds. The tubular quill holds a reservoir of ink and the end may be cut into a pen point with various types of tips. Until the perfection of the metal pen point, the quill pen had historically been the most frequently used instrument for applying liquid media to a drawing surface. The supple tip of the quill can be found in various degrees of stiffness, which permit a wide range of strokes from soft thin lines to bold broad lines.

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