Discover 50 fun facts that you didn’t know about pens in our latest blog
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A History of the Sheaffer Pen Corporation
The founder of the Sheaffer Pen Corporation was a remarkable entrepreneur and spirited salesman. Walter Sheaffer was so determined to impress potential customers of his piano business that he volunteered to assist them with farming or household duties in exchange for an hour to demonstrate his pianos; having travelled up to 20 miles from his shop with his instrument in tow.
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The Power of Journaling
Almost half of all New Year’s resolutions have a self-improvement or educational theme and yet only a dismal 8% of these resolutions are achieved. One professor’s study has shown that writing down your goals can increase your chance of achieving them by more than 40%.
The oldest examples of diaries date from the 9th century AD, but using a diary to record your personal feelings about events is a relatively new concept that began in the Renaissance. Prior to this time, a diary acted merely as a record of events.
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Pens and Trends
When Stephen King concluded his novel Dreamcatcher, he informed the reader of his preferred writing tools: a Waterman fountain pen and a notebook. In this digital age, you might think Stephen King is alone in his love of pen and paper but the latest research suggests that high-quality pens are very much on trend. The first writing implements were adapted tools used for hunting among the early cave-dwelling communities, and until the development of the quill pen in the 8th Century, served a simple purpose and largely precluded any individual style.
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A History of Telegraphy
Abraham Lincoln is one of America’s most famous presidents for many reasons but it is a little known fact that he was a big fan of communication technology; spending many hours of the Civil War in the War Offices, writing and receiving telegrams. His first State of the Union Speech in December 1861 was sent via telegraph to many US cities, at a remarkable rate of 82 words per minute.
The word telegraphy simply means ‘message from afar’.
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The Pursuit of Penmanship
The development of written communication has traditionally marked the transition in history from ‘prehistoric’ to ‘civilisation’ and this period also saw the development of the first schools. The Sumerians established tablet houses that were located in the courtyard of the city temple and its pupils were boys from the wealthiest families. These educational establishments were so named because of the clay tablets upon which lessons were carefully copied from one half to the other by pupils.
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The History of the Waterman Pen Company
The desire to make a sale has never been as fruitful as the sale that Lewis Waterman failed to make in 1883. As a New York insurance salesman, Waterman was always keen to impress his prospective clients. On this occasion, he invested in a new reservoir pen which he believed looked superior to a traditional dip pen and ink well. His new pen failed to impress or write at all and the important contract remained unsigned, his client taking the failing pen as a bad omen. It was this event that led Lewis Waterman to develop the first commercially viable fountain pen.
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The History of Handwriting Analysis
If we have to sign our name to something, it is recognised as a representation of ourselves in law. The fact that it is a serious criminal offence to forge the signature of another person indicates the gravitas of this unique marker. If we have a strong visual memory, we can often identify the handwriting of a relative or close friend and this is seen as part of who they are. The key question is to what extent, if any, do these unique markers reveal to others more than just the meaning of the words on the page?
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A History of The Parker Pen Company
For many school children the start of a new academic year is celebrated with a trip to a stationery store to purchase the obligatory new pencil case and contents. The Parker fountain pen has always been a popular choice for pupils determined to improve their handwriting and despite a rising reliance on technology, sales of fountain pens continue to increase year on year.
The Parker Pen Company was founded in 1888 when George Safford Parker ran out of patience with the fountain pens available at the time.
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The Birth of the Book
From the earliest known examples of cave paintings dating from 30,000 years ago to the oldest known example of a written story from 4500 years ago, it is clear that as a species we are destined to create and enjoy written material. Whether for means of entertainment or the passing on of important truths from one generation to the next, the history of the book shows its endurance despite countless obstacles and threats to its survival.
The earliest ‘books’ were scrolls made from papyrus dating from 2560 BC.
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