The invention of the fountain pen is attributed to multiple inventors over centuries, with key milestones as follows:
- The earliest known reference to a fountain pen dates back to around 974 AD, when the Fatimid Caliph Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah requested a pen that would not leak ink. He was given a reservoir pen, considered an early form of the fountain pen
- Leonardo da Vinci is believed to have designed a reservoir pen using gravity and capillary action, though there is no conclusive evidence that he built one
- The first patent for a fountain pen was filed by Frederick Fölsch in England in May 1809. His design allowed ink to flow through the pen without dipping, marking a significant development toward the modern fountain pen
- In 1827, Romanian inventor Petrache Poenaru received a French patent for a fountain pen made from a large swan quill with an ink reservoir, further advancing the design
- The modern fountain pen as we know it was invented and patented by Lewis Edson Waterman in 1884. Waterman developed a feed mechanism that reliably regulated ink flow, making the pen practical and commercially successful
In summary, while early concepts and prototypes of fountain pens existed for centuries, Frederick Fölsch is credited with the first patent in 1809, Petrache Poenaru with a notable 1827 patent, and Lewis Waterman with inventing the practical, modern fountain pen in 1884 that led to mass production and widespread use.
