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Grades K–2 · History & Evidence

How could a feather become a pen?

A quill pen was made from the hollow shaft of a large feather. Its end was shaped into a point with a small split. The fluffy part did not make the written mark.

Z003 visual explanationA prepared feather tip can guide ink; enlarged tip; ink in split; The small ink supply is replenished by dipping; this is not a preparation guide.A prepared feather tip can guide inkenlarged tipink in splitThe small ink supply is replenished by dipping; this is not a preparation guide.

In the diagramA prepared feather tip can guide inkenlarged tipink in splitThe small ink supply is replenished by dipping; this is not a preparation guide.

An enlarged split quill tip holds a small amount of ink and touches paper to leave a line. The illustration shows ink delivery rather than feather preparation.

After the tip was dipped in ink, a little liquid stayed around the split. The narrow gap helped hold and guide it. When the tip touched paper, ink could move onto the paper and leave a line.

The small supply eventually ran low, so the writer dipped the pen again. The feather supplied a useful shape for carrying ink. It did not make ink by itself.

About this explanation

Starting knowledge: Know that liquid ink can leave a mark on paper and recognize a bird feather.

Sources

  • Metropolitan Museum of Art — Materials and Techniques: Ink
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