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" gray plastic ballpoint click pen has eleven round holes on the side that reveal a rotating multiplication table. The first hole shows a number between 1 and 10. The other holes show multiples of that number from 1 to 10. Clicking the pen rotates the table.
Description
This 6" gray plastic ballpoint click pen has eleven round holes on the side that reveal a rotating multiplication table. The first hole shows a number between 1 and 10. The other holes show multiples of that number from 1 to 10. Clicking the pen rotates the table. The pen's metal pocket clip is marked: MOD (/) DEP (/) COMPUTER. This pen was found in the Museum collections in the 1980s.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 20th century
ID Number
1993.3058.02
catalog number
1993.3058.02
nonaccession number
1993.3058

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