Pens

Although simple drawing pens were the most popular tool for engineering drafting, catalogs from the makers of mathematical instruments that appeared around the turn of the 20th century indicate that pens for special purposes were also important in technical drawing. These included: extra-wide pens for making borders; angled pens for drawing curves; double pens and pencils for adding railroads to a drawing; pen handles with serrated wheels that created lines of dots; and tracers and prickers. Makers also modified the design of drawing pens, for instance providing a reservoir for ink or allowing the blades to be opened for easy cleaning.

This page of objects gives a sampling of pens used for engineering drawing. In addition, it illustrates some of the evolution in pen technology from drawing and dip pens to fountain pens to ballpoint pens.

This 6-1/2" black plastic ballpoint stick pen has a white eraser and is marked: CECIL SMITH – THE CUBE MUSEUM (/) BOX 2826-329 QURAY, PH 1-303-245-6734 (/) GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. 81502 USA.Rubik's Cube enthusiast Cecil Smith (b.
Description
This 6-1/2" black plastic ballpoint stick pen has a white eraser and is marked: CECIL SMITH – THE CUBE MUSEUM (/) BOX 2826-329 QURAY, PH 1-303-245-6734 (/) GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. 81502 USA.
Rubik's Cube enthusiast Cecil Smith (b. 1929) operated the Cube Museum in western Colorado from 1988 to 1991, in part to demonstrate the thousands of patterns that could be formed with this mathematical game. This pen advertised the facility. After the museum closed, he donated a few items from his collection of nearly 5,000 cubes to the Smithsonian.
Reference: Cecil Smith, "Cubeology's Pretty Patterns," http://rubikscube2.com/id1.html.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1988-1991
ID Number
2006.3041.13.3
catalog number
2006.3041.13.3
nonaccession number
2006.3041

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