Presidential Pens

  
 

 

Kamakura Fountain Pens

 

Special thanks to Miss Lisa Van Pelt at the library of congress for sending copies of the letters cited here.

  
     
 

The Library of Congress holds Lincoln's sum book. A small book Lincoln made for himself as a young boy. This book was made from salvaged, scrap paper and used to help Lincoln with his arithmetic. In the margin Abraham Lincoln wrote a foreboding verse:

"Abraham Lincoln
his hand and pen
he will be good but
God knows When"

In the early 1950's the pen company Inkograph used Lincoln's words in an interesting advertisement. Click Here.

In his adulthood, Abraham Lincoln, was very fond of eagle quill pens. Naturally, these were harder to come by than the common goose quill, and they carried a little more nobility; very fitting for a president. Lincoln's friends and colleagues often sent him these pens, particularly if the quill had some history or interest behind it.

On December 21st 1860, RW Miles mailed an Eagle Quill to Lincoln, hoping he would use it to sign his inaguration papers with it. With the same idea in mind, E.P. Oliphant Mailed Lincoln another eagle quill that same month. On Nov 17, 1863 Lincoln's friend Edward Bates presented him with an interesting eagle quill, and on April 19. 1864, famous abolitionistHorrace Dresser mailed yet another eagle quill to Lincoln. As far as I know, none of these quills have been preserved. However, the ink wells shown in the top photograph of Lincoln, are claimed to be owned by several collectors. No one seems to be sure if any of these are genuine.

However, at least one pen that was owned by Lincoln is known to exist. The Pen that Abraham Lincoln used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, the document that freed the slaves. It was a steel dip pen made by the French company Blanzy, Poure & Cie.

George Lowell Austin records the event of Lincoln's signing the Proclomation in his 1885 book, Abraham Lincoln:

It was midsummer, 1862, and at a time when the whole North was depressed, that the President convened his cabinet to talk over the subject matter of Emancipation Proclomation. On the 22nd of September ensuing it was piblished to the world. It was the act of the President alone. It exhibited far-seeing sagacity, courage, independence, and statesmanship. The final proclomation was issued on the first of January, 1863. On that day the Presiedent had been receiving calls, and for hours shaking hands. As the papers were brought to him by the Secretary of State to be signed, he said, "Mr. Seward, I have been shaking hands all day, and my hand is nearly paralyzed. If my name ever gets into history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it. If my hand trembles when I sign the proclomation those who will examine the document hereafter will say "He hesitated."" Then resting his arm a moment, he turned to the table, took up the pen, and slowly and firmly wrote, ABRAHAM LINCOLN. He smiled as, handing the paper to Mr. Seward, he said "That will do."

 

Abraham Lincoln and his quill pen

 

Recently I have learned that President Lincoln was presented a quill pen made of solid gold and encrusted with diamonds. The Library of congress holds the acceptance letters for the pen, and I've found a newspaper clipping telling of the gold pen, but I have never found any other record. I wonder what happened to it. Below is the newspaper clipping.

 

A Pen of Gold

February 18, 1865
A Fair was held recently in San Francisco, for the benefit of the Christian Commission. The people of California have always been extremely liberal to this institution and also to the Sanitary. But there was one incident of the recent fair that brings it and its good work forcibly before the mind of the reader on the Atlantic coast. An exquisite imitation of a goose-quill pen, of pure gold, with a row of diamonds on the stem, was presented to the Fair, and it was voted to President Lincoln, by those who paid a certain sum, a large addition to the funds of the Commission being thereby obtained. It has been sent on to Mr. George H. Stuart, by whom it is to be forwarded to the President. As a mere specimen of the gold-worker's art, it is altogether unique. Certainly it does credit to the skill and taste as well as to the libera;ity of the Californians, who have, however, been so liberal in their gifts to the Christian and Sanitary Commissions, that this new offering was scarcely needed to show how much heart they have in the national cause. The President will doubtless prize it highly. He may devote it to the signing of importnat documents. Perhaps one of the uses he may put it to, when the rebellion is subdued, will be the signing of a proclomation of peace. That indeed will be a document that

"In golden letter should be set"

and it may well be written with a pen of gold and precious stones.

  

 

 
   

Images from the Library of Congress collection