The pen is mightier than the sword

 

Societies around the world have long communicated by putting down their thoughts in written form.

Egyptians used hieroglyphics, which first came into use more than 5,000 years ago.

Egyptian hieroglyphs originated around 3300–3200 BC, with the earliest decipherable sentences appearing in the 28th century BC (Second Dynasty). Developed from earlier symbol systems, this writing system was primarily used for monuments, tombs, and religious texts, persisting for over 3,600 years until the 4th/5th century AD. 

Eventually, written thoughts were puts on papyrus instead of stone, and the instrument that was used was the quill.

Papyrus became less popular after the invention of the quill pen.

Quill pens, made from bird feathers, were first used as primary writing instruments around the 6th century AD. They gained popularity as a superior replacement for reed pens, particularly for writing on parchment and vellum, and remained the dominant writing tool in the Western world until the mid-19th century. 

• Origin Era: Often attributed to the 6th century in Spain, though some uses, such as on the Dead Sea Scrolls, date back to the 2nd century BC.
• Replacement of Reeds: The rise of the quill corresponded with the decline of papyrus and the increased use of parchment, for which flexible feathers were better suited than stiff reed pens.
• Preferred Sources: The best quills were made from the primary wing feathers of large birds, primarily geese, swans, and crows (for fine lines).
• Components: The hollow shaft of the feather acted as a reservoir for ink, allowing for longer writing between dips.
• Popularity: They were the primary writing instrument for over 1,000 years, used to draft documents such as the Magna Carta and the U.S. Declaration of Independence. 

www.historyofpencils.com 

The introduction of steel pen points in the 19th century eventually ended the widespread use of quill pens. 

 Two of the most prominent manufactures of steel point pens are the A.T. Cross Company and Montblanc.

 

A. T. Cross Company, LLC is an American manufacturing company of writing implements, based in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1846, it is one of the oldest pen manufacturers in the world. Cross' products include fountain, ballpoint, and rollerball pens, mechanical pencils and refills. The company also manufactures accessories for those goods such as cases and wallets.

The company has also owned Sheaffer, another pen manufacturer, since 2014. In August 2022, the Sheaffer brand was sold to the William Penn company.^[

 

Cross has been an official supplier of pens to the White House since at least the 1970s. The pens used to sign legislation are often given out as souvenirs to those who attend the bill signings.

While an official Cross–White House program was begun under president Bill Clinton, the tradition goes back to at least the administration of Gerald Ford. All presidents from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden signed legislation using Cross pens; it is unknown if earlier presidents did so. Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Clinton favored the Cross Townsend model; Obama later switched to the Century II model in black lacquer, with black medium point refill.

The Trump administration placed an initial order for 150 Cross Century II pens in January 2017. Sometime before November 2018, Trump broke with tradition and ceased using the Cross pen, saying "it was a horrible pen, and it was extremely expensive." Thereafter, he signed documents using a customized Sharpie marker manufactured by Newell Brands. Joe Biden returned the tradition of Cross Pens to the White House, favoring the same model as Obama, the Century II Rollerball in a black lacquer finish with 23-karat gold-plated appointments.^[Biden is reported to use the felt-tip refill unit.

^{https://cross.com/collections/zodiac}

According to the company’s website, prices range from $52 to slightly over $300.

There was a time in my life when I owned a Cross pen, but I have no idea where it is now.

The reason that I thought of that relic from the past was that I found one in a teacher’s desk drawer about a week ago – and it brought back some memories.

If you wanted to spend even more money on a pen, you may want to consider buying one made by Mont Blanc.

Montblanc is a German manufacturer and distributor of luxury goods, which was founded in Berlin in 1906 and is currently based in Hamburg. The company is most known for its luxury pens, but it also designs and distributes bags, perfumes, small leather goods, and watches. Since 1993, Montblanc has been part of the Swiss Richemont group. The brand is named after Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps.

https://www.montblanc.com/en-us/writing-instruments?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21840371487&gbraid=0AAAAADmBEK4cGNT8c4O4_3Ro9z3xQ0Kde&gclid=CjwKCAjw-J3OBhBuEiwAwqZ_h9bW5chaSAYkUpne1kXT7La9XRqLioXLjSptOiKgDNitNDel88onYxoCIe4QAvD_BwE

Mont Blanc pens are a lot more expensive that Cross pens, since they can cost more than $2000. The least expensive pen I found on their website was $360.

I sampled one of the pens on our last trip to Las Vegas. Admittedly, it was a fine writing instrument, but it was simply too expensive for my needs.

 If you have more money than you know what to do with, you can buy pens that are even more expensive than the standard Montblanc pens.

Here are some of the most expensive pens in the world:

• Tibaldi Fulgor Nocturnus ($8 Million): This unique piece was sold at a Shanghai charity auction and is crafted with 18-carat gold, 945 black diamonds, and 123 rubies.
• Montblanc Taj Mahal Limited Edition ($2 Million): Only 10 pieces were produced, featuring diamonds, sapphires, and malachite set in champagne-tone gold.
• Montblanc Johannes Kepler High Artistry Stella Nova Limited Edition 1 ($1.5 Million): A one-of-a-kind pen honoring the 16th-century astronomer, featuring diamonds and sapphires.
• Montblanc Boheme Royal Pen ($1.5 Million): A highly exclusive pen known for its extensive diamond-focused design.
• Aurora Diamante ($1.47 Million): Produced by the Italian firm Aurora, this pen is encrusted with over 30 carats of De Beers diamonds.
• Caran d'Ache 1010 Diamond Edition ($1.28 Million): A luxurious Swiss pen merging fine writing instruments with watchmaking, featuring diamonds, white gold, and rubies.
• Caran d'Ache La Modernista Diamonds ($1.2 Million): Designed as a tribute to architect Antoni Gaudí, it features 5,072 diamonds and 96 rubies.
• Heaven Gold Pen by Anita Tan ($995,000 - $1 million+): The first luxury pen designed by a woman, crafted from 24K rose gold and adorned with 1,888 tsavorite gemstones.
• Mystery Masterpiece by Montblanc and Van Cleef & Arpels ($730,000 - $750,000): A collaboration featuring 70 gemstones in a signature "mystery setting".
• Caran d'Ache Gothica ($406,000): A pen that sold for a high price in 2006, inspired by Gothic architecture with sterling silver and gems. 

Executive Pens Direct +7

These writing instruments function more as high-end jewelry and investment pieces than everyday tools, often featuring bespoke gems, rare materials, and intricate craftsmanship. 

Just as quill pens got replaced by steel point pens, they eventually were largely replaced by the computer – which is how most of us communicate today. If you happen to receive a hand written note today, it is a genuine rarity, and hand written notes by a distant relative can take us back in time several decades, which is why they should be treasured.