An Interesting and Quirky History of Fountain Pens
“The pen is the tongue of the mind”- Horace.
As a young writer who has mainly grown up “writing” on a keyboard, I am interested in the tools of traditional handwriting. About a year ago on this blog, I looked at how important handwriting still is. I want to take a deeper dive into the history of fountain pens and ask if they are still a mainstream writing tool or a more novel, antique and exclusive way to write.
When I was in secondary school, I was taught by an older English teacher how to write using a fountain pen and it seemed a formal apparatus to use, after always using a ball point pen. Then when I turned 18, I bought myself a fountain pen to mark the occasion, as it seemed to be an item I would keep through my life. To one generation these pens will be a reminder of the way writing used to done and something that was commonplace and albeit messy if they required an inkpot, and for a different generation they look unique because they are not used as widely anymore due to costing more to maintain and digital being a large way we write today.
I have found a selection of hopefully surprisingly interesting facts about these pens and hope it teaches you something about them. I have certainly learned much more and hope people will still value the experience of writing with one. Fountain pens have a surprisingly deep history stretching back over a thousand years, blending clever engineering with quirks of everyday use.
History & Origins
- First recorded request: In 973, Fatimid Caliph Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah asked for a pen with an internal ink reservoir that wouldn’t leak over his hands and clothes.
- Oldest surviving pen: The oldest known working fountain pen dates back to 1702, designed by French maker M. Bion.
- The modern breakthrough: American insurance salesman Lewis Waterman invented the modern feed and capillary action system in 1884 after a leaky pen ruined a major business deal.
Writing & Mechanics
- Gold nibs “learn”: Solid gold nibs are soft and gradually conform to your individual writing angle and pressure over time.
- Less hand strain: Because fountain pens use gravity and ink flow rather than physical pressure, they can significantly reduce writing fatigue compared to ballpoints.
- Nano-writing: The smallest fountain pen ever recorded is the experimental “Nanofountain Probe,” capable of writing lines just 40 nanometers wide.
Surprising Trivia
- Left-handed users: Statistically, a higher percentage of left-handed people use fountain pens than right-handed people, often aided by rigid nib choices.
- Big historical moments: General Douglas MacArthur used a collection of fountain pens to sign the Japanese Instrument of Surrender in 1945.
- Astronomical limits: Fountain pens generally don’t function well in zero-gravity environments because they rely on air pressure and gravity to feed ink.
It is astonishing that fountain pens were first created 1000 years ago, and that the worlds oldest one is 324 years old. They revolutionised and modernised the writing experience and made it less messy with ink. The fact that a fountain pen signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, shows how these pens add symbolism to key moments. Often, they are used for important documents and infrequently, as they cost more to refill and maintain. This is premium writing and you know something is important/unique if it is in fountain pen.
A final anecdote I have is my former headteacher used to have a purple ink fountain pen and if you had been a star student you got a card signed in this pen. It was a proud moment to get that and meant more than if it was just a normal ballpoint pen. I argue that fountain pens should continue to be used for moments that require a higher calibre of distinctive writing, because they show the person wants to use a more exclusive writing tool.
Work cited- How to start Journaling with Fountain Pens. “Fountain Pen Revolution”. Thiemann, Kevin. Date last updated: 9th January 2026. URL: gb-fprevolutionsa.glopalstore.com/blogs/news/start-jounaling-fountain-pens.