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The Pen Man of Kendal

In my neck of the woods, Kendal, they call me the Pen Man, the man to come to for help or advice with pens: however my true passion is inkwells.

Unlike pens which were first mass produced by Waterman in 1884, inkwells have a history stretching much further back into history. I love them for their beauty and ingenuity, the care and skill used in their making, their history and the mystery surrounding each one. Handling an inkwell for the first time I am intrigued by thoughts of who has used it, what personal letters or literature have been written with the ink it supplied. What events has it been a mute witness to, perhaps ones of historic importance, or intimate and special, or mundane and prosaic.

As long as there has been ink and instruments to write with it, there have been inkwells. The earliest form was called an Ink Horn , probably made of a cow or ox horn. Readily available, the right shape and waterproof. Another early material was boiled leather, known as “cuir bouilli”, unlike horn these needed to have waterproof liner. However being leather, they could be fashioned into lots of different shapes, often they were decorated with fine tool work depicting coats of arms, saints or less piously, hunt scenes.

The terms inkwell and inkstand are not as might be expected synonymous. Rather, an inkwell is defined as a vessel for holding ink, an inkstand consists of an inkwell supported in some way, as for example the Sevres inkstand illustrated below. There are also fascinating objects called penners, these are containers filled with the various tools required by a scribe or literate individual. These could include a pen or quill knife, quills, a pencil, pounce pot, wafer box and seal and any other tools devised with ingenuity to meet the needs of the writer. Back to inkstands as can be imagined they have been made in a vast array of materials, metals both noble and base, wood, ivory, ceramic and so on, the list is almost endless. By the late 19 th century many of the most famous ceramic manufacturers were producing magnificent inkstands , demonstrating great craftsmanship and flair. The important French maker Sevres produced some stunning designs, which are now highly sought by enthusiasts, such as me!

PICTURE HERE

CAPTION: A superb Sevres inkstand in powder blue ground with four gilt ink reserves, finely painted with country scenes of people on horseback with hounds. The urn shaped inkwell has gilt bronze hinged mounts and a pierced dome shaped top. Porcelain, French circa 1784.

SECOND PICTURE

CAPTION: An exquisite rare travelling inkstand , containing an inkwell and sander . Ivory with tortoiseshell, English circa 1780.

This inkstand is unusual partly for being made of ivory, which due to its porous nature was not often used for inkwells . The sander or pounce pot was used to scatter powdered sandarac, cuttlefish bone or resinous gums, to either prepare the surface of coarse paper for writing or to blot wet ink. Sandarac being the gum of the Moroccan sandarac tree, a type of conifer. Pounce pots are often mistaken for pepper pots, their true identity is revealed by their concave tops, i.e. hollow, rather than rounded as with a pepper pot. This hollow top allowed surplus powder to be tipped back into the pounce pot .

This ivory inkstand is good example of a travelling inkwell, as the literate person travelled so there was the need, as with the scribes of old, for ink containers that would not spill their contents, with indelible results! In the late 1700's the so called “excise bottle” was used by, as the name implies, the Excise Man. The “excise bottle” was a simple spill proof design utilising an interior glass funnel. The Excise Men travelled the country collecting the duty imposed by the Treasury on just about everything they could think of! What's New?

Travelling inkwells are as can be imagined found in a huge variety of forms, particularly when the ingenuity of the Victorians was brought to bear on their design and manufacture. Many are still to be found today. One of the neatest designs is that of De La Rue, this manufacturer of high quality fountain pens and paper, (the paper money in your wallet is still made by them), also produced a lovely example that pivots and forms its own stable base. In addition to the beautiful and the ingenious, inkwells were also made to novelty designs, they can be found fashioned as top hats and umbrellas, buckets and spades, musical instruments and even the busts of eminent personages.

PICTURE

CAPTION: A superb hydraulic inkstand decorated with blue and gold lines, complete with a pen rest. Made by Louis Honor'e of Paris. Porcelain and bronze, circa 1836.

This is a good example of an hydraulic inkstand , these are characterised by a central reservoir that displaces ink to lateral fonts, by means of an adjustable plunger, actuated by rotating the knob at the top of the inkstand . M Bouquet worked for Sevres and on the 6 th May 1831 applied for a patent for “a mechanical inkwell that keeps the ink always clear and can be filled and emptied at will.” With the introduction of steel nibs, pens could no longer be stored point down, for fear of damaging the irreparable steel nibs, hence the appearance of pen rests .

PICTURE

CAPTION: This is a group of double hydraulic inkstands , so called for the two fonts. Ceramic with bronze mounts, English circa 1846.

They were all made in Birmingham by Joseph Schlesinger. In 1842 he had patented an improvement that prevented the plunger turning as the knob was rotated. Clearly an industrious man, he also patented music stands and paper clips!

If you would like to see more inkwells and inkstands, and indeed lots of beautiful pens and other writing tools and equipment, come along to the Northern Pen Show. At the Clifton Arms, West Beach, Lytham St. Anne's, on Sunday April 26 th . There will also be calligraphy displays and caricatures drawn as you wait.

Drop by and I'll blather on lots more about my beloved inkstands !

The Pen Man


			The Pen Man of Kendal In my neck of the woods, Kendal, they call me the Pen Man, the man to come to for help or advice with pens: however my true passion is inkwells. Unlike pens which were first mass produced by Waterman in 1884, inkwells have a history stretching much further back into history. I love them for their beauty and ingenuity, the care and skill used in their making, their history and the mystery surrounding each one. Handling an inkwell for the first time I am intrigued by thoughts of who has used it, what personal letters or literature have been written with the ink it supplied. What events has it been a mute witness to, perhaps ones of historic importance, or intimate and special, or mundane and prosaic. Unlike pens which were first mass produced by Waterman in 1884, inkwells have a history stretching much further back into history. I love them for their beauty and ingenuity, the care and skill used in their making, their history and the mystery surrounding each one. Handling an inkwell for the first time I am intrigued by thoughts of who has used it, what personal letters or literature have been written with the ink it supplied. What events has it been a mute witness to, perhaps ones of historic importance, or intimate and special, or mundane and prosaic. As long as there has been ink and instruments to write with it, there have been inkwells. The earliest form was called an Ink Horn , probably made of a cow or ox horn. Readily available, the right shape and waterproof. Another early material was boiled leather, known as “cuir bouilli”, unlike horn these needed to have waterproof liner. However being leather, they could be fashioned into lots of different shapes, often they were decorated with fine tool work depicting coats of arms, saints or less piously, hunt scenes. The terms inkwell and inkstand are not as might be expected synonymous. Rather, an inkwell is defined as a vessel for holding ink, an inkstand consists of an inkwell supported in some way, as for example the Sevres inkstand illustrated below. There are also fascinating objects called penners, these are containers filled with the various tools required by a scribe or literate individual. These could include a pen or quill knife, quills, a pencil, pounce pot, wafer box and seal and any other tools devised with ingenuity to meet the needs of the writer. Back to inkstands as can be imagined they have been made in a vast array of materials, metals both noble and base, wood, ivory, ceramic and so on, the list is almost endless. By the late 19 th century many of the most famous ceramic manufacturers were producing magnificent inkstands , demonstrating great craftsmanship and flair. The important French maker Sevres produced some stunning designs, which are now highly sought by enthusiasts, such as me! PICTURE HERE CAPTION: A superb Sevres inkstand in powder blue ground with four gilt ink reserves, finely painted with country scenes of people on horseback with hounds. The urn shaped inkwell has gilt bronze hinged mounts and a pierced dome shaped top. Porcelain, French circa 1784. SECOND PICTURE CAPTION: An exquisite rare travelling inkstand , containing an inkwell and sander . Ivory with tortoiseshell, English circa 1780. This inkstand is unusual partly for being made of ivory, which due to its porous nature was not often used for inkwells . The sander or pounce pot was used to scatter powdered sandarac, cuttlefish bone or resinous gums, to either prepare the surface of coarse paper for writing or to blot wet ink. Sandarac being the gum of the Moroccan sandarac tree, a type of conifer. Pounce pots are often mistaken for pepper pots, their true identity is revealed by their concave tops, i.e. hollow, rather than rounded as with a pepper pot. This hollow top allowed surplus powder to be tipped back into the pounce pot . This ivory inkstand is good example of a travelling inkwell, as the literate person travelled so there was the need, as with the scribes of old, for ink containers that would not spill their contents, with indelible results! In the late 1700's the so called “excise bottle” was used by, as the name implies, the Excise Man. The “excise bottle” was a simple spill proof design utilising an interior glass funnel. The Excise Men travelled the country collecting the duty imposed by the Treasury on just about everything they could think of! What's New? Travelling inkwells are as can be imagined found in a huge variety of forms, particularly when the ingenuity of the Victorians was brought to bear on their design and manufacture. Many are still to be found today. One of the neatest designs is that of De La Rue, this manufacturer of high quality fountain pens and paper, (the paper money in your wallet is still made by them), also produced a lovely example that pivots and forms its own stable base. In addition to the beautiful and the ingenious, inkwells were also made to novelty designs, they can be found fashioned as top hats and umbrellas, buckets and spades, musical instruments and even the busts of eminent personages. PICTURE CAPTION: A superb hydraulic inkstand decorated with blue and gold lines, complete with a pen rest. Made by Louis Honor'e of Paris. Porcelain and bronze, circa 1836. This is a good example of an hydraulic inkstand , these are characterised by a central reservoir that displaces ink to lateral fonts, by means of an adjustable plunger, actuated by rotating the knob at the top of the inkstand . M Bouquet worked for Sevres and on the 6 th May 1831 applied for a patent for “a mechanical inkwell that keeps the ink always clear and can be filled and emptied at will.” With the introduction of steel nibs, pens could no longer be stored point down, for fear of damaging the irreparable steel nibs, hence the appearance of pen rests . PICTURE CAPTION: This is a group of double hydraulic inkstands , so called for the two fonts. Ceramic with bronze mounts, English circa 1846. They were all made in Birmingham by Joseph Schlesinger. In 1842 he had patented an improvement that prevented the plunger turning as the knob was rotated. Clearly an industrious man, he also patented music stands and paper clips! If you would like to see more inkwells and inkstands, and indeed lots of beautiful pens and other writing tools and equipment, come along to the Northern Pen Show. At the Clifton Arms, West Beach, Lytham St. Anne's, on Sunday April 26 th . There will also be calligraphy displays and caricatures drawn as you wait. Drop by and I'll blather on lots more about my beloved inkstands ! The Pen Man