Writing with quills: tips and tricks

Using quills in the paleographical classroom

Learning to read English secretary hand, or any form of cursive handwriting, is hard work! Since 2006, we've been helping new paleographers decipher unfamiliar handwriting by learning to write it themselves. "Quill day" usually happens on day 2 of intensive paleographical training, once paleographers have been introduced to minuscule and majuscule letterforms and have had some practice making their own pencil and paper "cribsheet" alphabets based on hands we encounter on day 1.

Students learn on multiple levels. The letterforms begin to become part of the student's "muscle memory" after they have developed a sense of the stroke sequence of the letterforms and experimented with the nib's preference for downstrokes. After this exercise, it becomes easier for them to recognize letterforms as a series of strokes that manifest in a variety of ways, and to distinguish between letterform strokes, and approach and exit strokes (in cursive handwriting where the letters are joined). As students experiment and make mistakes, they start to appreciate the physical and mental labor and skill of writing with quills and become more sympathetic to the messiness of the manuscripts they encounter in class and in their research.

Supplies

quills

Goose quills with cut nibs are available from:

paper

Chancery paper made by the University of Iowa's Center for the Book (based on Tim Barrett's research) is/was available through Talas, although it seems to be rarely in stock. You can also use any other laid, lightweight paper made from cotton and/or hemp (linen/flax is very hard to find). We have used paper from The Paper Foundation, in Burneside, Cumbria. Always ask if seconds are available since handmade paper is expensive. John Neal Books also has some good paper choices, including Frankfurt and Arches Wove (Arches Text Wove is available at many retailers; it is not laid but that's okay for the purpose of a student's first encounter!). The Folger usually buys full sheets which students then fold into bifolia.

iron gall ink

Lucas at Scribal Workshop makes good iron gall ink in 1 oz and 4 oz sizes. A little bit goes a long way. You can parcel it out in disposable shot/communion cups, and then refill the bottle with unused ink when done.

You can make your own by ordering ingredients from Kremer Pigments (or elsewhere):

Or you can get a DIY iron gall ink kit from Lucas at Scribal Workshop.

other supplies

writing supports so you can write at 45 degree angle (you can use library book cradles with stiff mat board on top)

paper towels / Kraft butcher paper to protect table-tops

pencils

a ruler or straight-edge for writers to line their sheets

if making ink, a spice or coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and cloth sack (pound the galls and the gum arabic while they are inside the sack to avoid a mess), small scale, water, wine/vinegar, a couple of pint size glasses or vases, spoons, coffee filters, nitrile gloves. IMPORTANT: if you are using a recipe from a recipe book, make sure to greatly reduce the volume! Plan ahead if you want your ink to sit in the sun or to be heated and cooled. The ink works fine if you use it immediately, however.

If you are interested in buying a writing kit for each student which includes a sheet of paper, a quill pen, and a 1/4 oz. bottle of iron gall ink, they are available from Lucas at Scribal Workshop. He can customize the kits and will send them to each student for an extra fee if you are teaching a class remotely.