The History of Fountain Pens

For many years, writing was associated with messy inkwells and dip pens. Then Lewis Waterman of Decatur, New York vowed to invent a better option after an inferior pen leaked on an important insurance contract, causing a delay so lengthy that he lost the client. Waterman, who had just five years of schooling, had previously worked as a teacher, carpenter, and book salesman. Determined to address the issue he’d run into as an insurance agent, he came up with a design that improved upon earlier fountain pens — his revolutionary version of the fountain pen featured a nib and feed mechanism that provided a steady flow of ink. Waterman then founded the Ideal Pen Company (which would later become the L.E. Waterman Company) in New York in 1884 and began to manufacture his pens while continuing to improve upon the design. Not only were Waterman’s pens much more functional than previous options, but they were also well-balanced and aesthetically pleasing. Some models even featured gold and silver overlays or inlaid gems! At the Paris World Exposition in 1900, a Waterman pen was awarded the Medal of Excellence. By 1901, Waterman was selling approximately 1,000 pens a day. His improved fountain pens remained popular until the Great Depression hit, as the expense of the pens became impractical for many people. After World War II, disposable ballpoint pens became the dominant type of pen. However, high-quality fountain pens, including Waterman fountain pens, are still manufactured and used by enthusiasts all around the world today.