A nib is the part of a quill, dip pen, fountain pen or similar writing instrument that actually touches the writing surface and deposits ink onto it. Nibs vary considerably in shape, size and the material they are made from depending on their purpose: a broad-edged calligraphy nib is ground flat to produce thick and thin strokes as its angle to the paper changes, while a pointed nib flexes under pressure to widen and narrow a line, and nibs intended for everyday writing are shaped instead for smoothness and durability rather than for line variation.
Facts
Introduced When (Circa)Steel pen nibs entered mass production in the 1820s, when John Mitchell, Josiah Mason and others set up a factory in Birmingham, England to manufacture them. 1 OriginMetal nibs trace back to ancient Egypt, where they were made of metals such as copper and bronze, long before steel nibs replaced the quill. 1 Introduced era (class) Connections
Used In
Nib (Pen) is used in Calligraphy.
In the Other Atlases
Era Of Origin
Also in History Atlas: the era this subject comes from.
Sources
1. Nib (pen) (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory, Metal subsection
It was not until the 1820s, when John Mitchell, Josiah Mason and others set up a factory in Birmingham, England to manufacture steel nibs, that their popularity took off.
History, Metal subsection, ancient Egypt sentence
Metal nibs have their origins as far back as ancient Egypt and were made of metals like copper and bronze.
View the Source Dictionary.com: nib definition
Dictionary.comIn Group: Pens, Inks and Writing Supplies, Definition entryQuote, In Group: Pens, Inks and Writing Supplies, Definition entry
the point of a pen, or either of its divisions.
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