The Fascinating History of Fountain Pens

Hosts Ben Bolin and Noel Brown explore the evolution of writing instruments, tracing the journey from ancient reed pens and quills to the modern fountain pen. They discuss key innovations like capillary action and the Birmingham nib trade, while highlighting the fountain pen's status as a collector's item. The episode also covers the rise of rollerball pens and the current analog resurgence, concluding with a pop-culture nod to Indiana Jones and a Mark Twain quote.

Topics discussed

Show intro and producer shout-out Episode overview: quills to pilots The ubiquity and theft of modern pens Sponsor reads and advertisements Economy of scale and early reed pens Evolution to quill pens and La France Tavern Sourcing quills from birds and preferences Writing with quills: ink and spill issues Personal experiences with quills and fountain pens Leonardo da Vinci and early pen designs Italian TV recreation and early fountain pen mentions 17th-century fountain pen patents and descriptions Sponsor reads and podcast promotions Fountain pen anatomy and capillary action Parallel prototypes and the Penographic pen 1830s steel nibs and the Birmingham pen trade 19th-century patents: Storrs, Thompson, and Waterman Modern fountain pen components and gaming tangents The 'soda wars' of pen brands and pronunciation Sponsor reads and podcast promotions Fountain pen dominance and early rollerball struggles Ballpoint pen production and luxury editions Fountain pens as a modern hobby and status symbol Resurgence of fountain pens and Japanese brands High-end pens, dip pens, and pen shows Quills in the Supreme Court and pen enthusiasts Quills in pop culture: Indiana Jones and the pen Outro, shout-outs, and birthday wishes Final sponsor read

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The Fascinating History of Fountain Pens

Summary

Topics discussed