Gillott #1066 Registry Pen Nib (Vintage)

Joseph Gillott was the world's most renowned penmaker during the heyday of steel dip pens (production began around 1840 and tapered off sharply after World War II.) Gillott's factory in Birmingham made more than 150,000,000 nibs annually, but today vintage Gillott nibs are very rare. That's because they have retained their reputation for quality, and calligraphers in particular have snapped up almost all remaining stock.

This vintage nib, the #1066 Registry Pen, was introduced in the late 19th century and manufactured for the first several decades of the 20th century. The Registry Pen is fine and flexible, quite smooth and easy to use, with a straight shape that rapidly became the world's standard around 1910. It's an excellent pen for any purpose, but particularly for small to medium size cursive lettering.

We estimate that these pens were made around 1900-1920—more than 100 years ago. Thanks to the protective coating applied to all dip pens (even new ones produced today), they are in excellent vintage condition. They've been checked for rust and other defects by our experts and are ready to return to service on your desk.

As with any dip pen, you will need to remove the protective coating so that ink will stick to the nib consistently. To remove the coating, simply dip your new pen in ink a couple of times and wipe it off. Repeat until the ink coats the nib completely and doesn't bead up. This process takes about 15 seconds and only needs to be done once, before you use the pen for the first time.

Sold individually. Made in England.