Pens and Inkwells make excellent collectible items. The earliest pens were quills which meant there was a need for an inkwell to contain the ink. Early inkwells tended to be plain as during the 16th Century, the aristocrats would have a scrivener to write their correspondence.

Later, the rich began to write their own correspondence and as such, inkwells began to get more ornate. The travelling inkwell became popular as well as cruet-type stands. Dip pens were used, some of these being made from silver. Later the fountain pen was invented which lead to the inkwell becoming less popular. However, even in the 1950's the dip-pen was still used in schools and banks. Nowadays, although we now have biros and cartridge pens, artists still sometimes prefer the dip pen for pen and ink work.