Hand-blown Glass Ink Pen
Hand-blown Borosilicate Murano glass
Let your creativity come alive with this ritualistic, marbled, hand-blown glass dip pen made in the Murano Venetian style. We offer glass pens in several different colors. You will receive one glass pen in your color choice with purchase.
These glass pens have a medium-fine point, making them perfect for drawing or writing. They are very easy to use, much easier than a dip pen with a metal nib. You simply need a bottle of ink to dip your pen. Glass pens clean up easily with water.
Our glass pens aren't too thick or heavy and each pen measures:
7 1/2" x 5/8" x 5/8"
Please choose your color before check-out.
Since these pens are mostly hand-made the colors may vary and may differ slightly than in photos.
Glass ink pen design was perfected in during the height of the Renaissance in Venice, Italy. They were invented to solve the problem that many people had with quill pens and wooden dip pens in that the nibs would run out of ink too quickly, causing the writer to interrupt their work by frequently dipping the pen into the inkwell.
These glass pens hold more ink so can write up to half a page with one dip. Perfect for journaling or drawing!
These ingenious pen tips contain spiral ridges, grooved into the glass which holds more ink for a continuous clean flow. Glass pens were made to be dipped into ink bottles or inkwells. Ink also washes easily off of a glass pen and they are very easy to write and draw with because there is no 'split' in the quill. (be careful not to drop as they will shatter)
Tip can dull after frequent use, but can be "sharpened" by gently sanding the tip back into a point with very fine sandpaper.
The colors are marbled in the traditional Venetian glass blowing style. These are hand-made items, the colors may vary from the photos.
You will receive one pen and one gift box with your order, the inkwells and ink bottles are not included.
You can however purchase various inks and parchment for writing your own spells, in our Altar section.
Why use a Glass dip ink pen
A glass dip pen is a writing instrument made of glass. A glass pen has no internal reservoir, but their tips, gently twisted into spiraling grooves, can store enough ink to write for several sentences. Dip one into an ink bottle and write away!
Glass pens are understandably more fragile than most writing instruments. Don’t travel with one rattling around in your pencil case, or tap it forcefully against the edge of a bottle. If kept safe, however, a glass pen will outlive your metal pens, as they will never rust or clog.
When its grooves fill with vivid ink, a glass pen’s tip turns into a colorful jewel. It's easily rinsed clean, which makes switching between inks much easier than with a fountain pen. Together, these traits make glass pens popular for testing inks, but they’re also well suited for letter writing, calligraphy, and drawing.
Use a glass pen if you want the best view of your ink before it’s on the page, or if you want to outfit your desk with the most luxurious accoutrements.
Glass pens are simple to use. No set-up is necessary beyond unpackaging the pen and opening your favorite bottle of ink. Follow these instructions to start writing.
- Dip your pen into the ink bottle. To avoid storing excess ink and causing blots, submerge the tip only partially.
- Glide the tip against the edge of the bottle opening to remove excess ink.
- Write! As you write, turn the pen in your hand so you use the ink stored on all sides.
- Dip again as necessary.
A glass dip pen writes with a line around the width of a typical broad nib. Unlike metal nibs, line width can't be controlled through varying pressure, and trying could break your pen. Lines will be thicker right after dipping and thinner when your pen needs a refill.
If your pen isn’t writing, the tip may have been damaged. Clean and dry your pen and gently rub it over very fine sandpaper. We recommend either 2000-4000 grit or micromesh. Try one or two passes holding the pen perpendicular to the sandpaper, as well as some figure-eights while holding the pen in your normal writing posture.
Don’t try to form a sharp or perfectly rounded tip, as a glass pen works best when the end is a little blunt. Like a mechanical pencil lead, it needs an edge to make contact with the page.
To clean a glass dip pen, swish it in water and then dry it with a cloth rag or a paper towel. If you used India ink or an ink with metallic particulates, a toothbrush or a small paintbrush will be necessary to get into the grooves and remove residue.
The first time you clean your pen, take a second and watch how the ink blooms and swirls in water. We won’t say it’s a necessary part of the process, but if you’re enjoying the meditative experience of a dip pen, it’s the perfect end to a session.
To store a glass dip pen, your most convenient and effective option is the original packaging. Pen stands or pen trays may also work, but be sure to set them somewhere they can’t be knocked over.
A glass pen is a glamorous and surprisingly simple way to write.