| A pen, derived from the Latin word pinna, or feather | | | | campaign in New York City, selling USD 100, 000 |
| is an elongated, slim curved apparatus utilized to | | | | worth in the first day. |
| affect ink for the function of writing on paper. | | | | 11. In England, the first pens sold were in December |
| Traditionally, dip pens, quill pens and reed pens were | | | | 1945 by the Miles-Martin Pen Company. |
| more common. In latter-days, pens are available in a | | | | 12. Parker introduced its first ballpoint pen, called the |
| hodgepodge of colors, and universally hold either blue | | | | "Jotter" to the market in 1954, superior to both the |
| or black ink. | | | | Reynolds and Eversharp versions. Because the |
| Here are some facts and trivia about pens that you | | | | "Jotter" wrote 5 times longer, annual sales came to |
| might not be aware of: - | | | | USD 3.5 million. |
| 1. On average, 100 people choke to death on ballpoint | | | | 13. The BIC Crystal, the immensely trendy adaptation |
| pens every year. | | | | of the Biro pen sells 14 million pieces daily world-wide. |
| 2. More than 2 billion pens are manufactured in the | | | | 14. Black ballpoint pens manufactured by Parker have |
| United States annually. | | | | a lifespan five miles long of writing before the ink |
| 3. There are 5 main kinds of pens used worldwide; | | | | dissipates. |
| ballpoint, fountain, soft-tip. rolling-ball and specialty | | | | 15. In 1831, John Jacob Parker claimed the copyright |
| pens. | | | | to the original self-filling fountain pen. |
| 4. The first fountain pen was invented by L.E. | | | | 16. Quill pens were first used circa 700 A.D. and were |
| Waterman in 1883, and had it patented in 1884. | | | | the popular writing choice for 1, 000 years. |
| 5. The first ballpoint pen was invented by Hungarian | | | | 17. The United States of America's Declaration of |
| journalist Laszlo Biro in 1938, but the first patent | | | | Independence was written using an eagle feather quill |
| belonged to John J. Loud in 1888. | | | | pen by the late President Abraham Lincoln. |
| 6. In World War II, pilots used ballpoint pens because | | | | 18. The pen used by President Abraham Lincoln to |
| they do not leak at high altitudes. | | | | sign the Emancipation Proclamation was a steel dip |
| 7. The oldest surviving fountain pen designed by | | | | one made by the French Company, Blanzy, Poure & |
| Frenchman M. Bion, dates back to 1702. | | | | Cie. |
| 8. The first American patent for a pen was received | | | | 19. In The United States, the third largest writing |
| by Peregrin Williamson, a shoemaker from Baltimore. | | | | instrument manufacturer is the Pilot Pen, and is the |
| 9. Today, 4 fountain pen producers have a monopoly | | | | nest ever growing Company of this industry in the |
| on the market, Waterman, Sheaffer, Parker and | | | | world. |
| Wahl-Eversharp. | | | | But not many people know that Pilot Pen's parent |
| 10. In October, 1945, Milton Reynolds, after a | | | | Company is actually Pilot Corporation Tokyo, which |
| previous visit to Buenos Aires where he discovered | | | | was established in 1918, which in turn, is the oldest |
| the Biro pen, (invented by Laszlo Biro) copied the | | | | writing manufacturer in Japan. |
| product in 4 months and launched his own massive | | | | |