Made in Philadelphia around 1920, the gold-plated Turner & Harrison #729 is a treat for writing and drawingeven for beginners, thanks to the easy-to-use upturned tip. Rather than meeting the paper at a sharp point (which is the main factor that makes dip pens hard to use), upturned-tip nibs were crimped at the tip to create a small, convex, rounded area on the bottom. That convex area is the part that’s meant to contact the paper, so this type of nib must be held at a shallower angle than pointed pens.

This particular upturned-tip pen features a torpedo shape that was common for inflexible pens of the era. It’s angular and almost aerodynamic, with a streamlined shape that still holds lots of ink. Gold-plated for the smoothest, most luxurious finish, the #729 was a premium pen in its day, and it’s still a lovely writer in 2023.

The #729 pens in our stock were made approximately 100 years ago. Like all of our vintage nibs, it is in new condition, individually inspected and packaged here in our St. Louis offices.

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 the United States.