What's A "j" Pen?

[Flounder]

Can someone clue me in - what's a "J" pen? I've heard it referred to in Sherlock Holmes episodes, and now a Lord Peter Wimsey novel, "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club". I can't find anything on google, eBay takes me to Jinhao listings, and it is too short a phrase for the FPN search function! Here it is in context:

 

[bon-vivant sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey] : "What sort of nib did he use, when he did write?"

[Dead gentleman's personal gentleman] "A 'J' pen, my lord. You will find it in the sitting room."

 

 

Whatever it is, it seems to span Holmes' Victorian age and Wimsey's time (shortly after the first World War).

Edited March 7, 2011 by Flounder

[myles]

Can someone clue me in - what's a "J" pen? I've heard it referred to in Sherlock Holmes episodes

 

See this thread, also referring to Sherlock Holmes, which solves the mystery and includes pictures.

Edited March 8, 2011 by myles

[Flounder]

Nice one! Thanks.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Pen was the nib back then, and you had a pen holder where you stuck the pen into.

 

The pen had a fountain attached to it...not a nib attached to a fountain.

 

In 1902 they were still calling nibs....pens.

 

So how's you fountain nib writing today?

[Flounder]

Pen was the nib back then, and you had a pen holder where you stuck the pen into.

 

The pen had a fountain attached to it...not a nib attached to a fountain.

 

In 1902 they were still calling nibs....pens.

 

So how's you fountain nib writing today?

 

Fascinating! Perhaps the etymology of the phrase 'motor' as in jump in the motor and we'll go for a drive?

 

My fountain nib writing is getting more anachronistic, thanks to this great book - my first Wimsey novel!

 

[discussing the dead gentleman's notes: "Not a doubt about it, I should say, unless the forgery has been astonishingly well done. Some of the figures, especially, are highly characteristic. The fives, for instance, and the threes, and the fours, made all of a piece with the two little loops. It's very old-fashioned hand-writing, and made by a very old man..."

 

I've tried writing 4s based on that description, if all of a piece means the nib never leaves the page, and the loops form the bends, and I like the way it looks!

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/loopy4.jpg

[Shangas]

The 'J' pen was a dip-pen nib with the letter 'J' marked into it.

 

This crops up a LOT in Sherlock Holmes stories (I've seen it at least twice). I have a small collection of J-nibs in my dip-pen collection and they are WONDERFUL writers. Smooth and flexy. Doyle must've gone through dozens a month writing Holmes stories. When these stories were written, J-pens were as common then as the Bic Cristal is today.

 

EDIT:

 

If the OP is interested, he can check the ENCYCLOPEDIA SHERLOCKIA in my blog (see below). In it I list all the technology and terms used in Holmesian London. Everything from J pens to blotting-pads to Hansom cabs to gasogenes.

Edited March 9, 2011 by Shangas

[Flounder]

That's a really interesting blog Shangas, a mine of interesting facts. I didn't know ACD was still churning them out in the 1920's! I very much liked your vintage slang entries, reminds me of obsolete word of the day, which unfortunately isn't updated as often as I'd like!

[Shangas]

I'm still working on the vintage slang thing. Somehow, I never finished it.

 

Doyle wrote his last set of Holmes stories from 1921 to 1927. He died in 1930. It's common knowledge that he wrote his last stories with one of those newfangled "Parker Duofolds" (which in 1921, were literally brand new).

[krandallkraus]

Can someone clue me in - what's a "J" pen? I've heard it referred to in Sherlock Holmes episodes

 

See this thread, also referring to Sherlock Holmes, which solves the mystery and includes pictures.

 

THANK YOU! Ever since falling in love with Lord Peter Wimsey I've wondered about this pen. My only slight hesitation is this: would Lord Peter use a "common" writer? Perhaps the "J" nib was installed on a Conway Stewart?

[CatBookMom]

Pen was the nib back then, and you had a pen holder where you stuck the pen into.

 

The pen had a fountain attached to it...not a nib attached to a fountain.

 

In 1902 they were still calling nibs....pens.

 

So how's you fountain nib writing today?

 

Fascinating! Perhaps the etymology of the phrase 'motor' as in jump in the motor and we'll go for a drive?

 

My fountain nib writing is getting more anachronistic, thanks to this great book - my first Wimsey novel!

 

 

 

I hope this won't be your last Lord Peter novel. They are all fun, some are a tiny bit long (Five Red Herrings), but all written by a woman with excellent writing skills and a rather devious brain. I re-read the entire set every couple of years. It truly is better if you read them somewhat in order. Here's a link to the list of the novels in chronological order, that in which you should read them.

[Shangas]

I've always been meaning to acquaint myself with his lordship and his good valet, Bunter. Are the books any good? I do like a good mystery story.

[Ada]

I've always been meaning to acquaint myself with his lordship and his good valet, Bunter. Are the books any good? I do like a good mystery story.

 

If you like classic mysteries, I think you'll like the Wimsey mysteries. I think they're quite good.

[Flounder]

Thanks for the link! I thought this was the first Wimsey book, I must have got my wires crossed somehow.

 

all written by a woman with excellent writing skills and a rather devious brain.

 

It's been very entertaining so far, and very witty too - this had me laughing out loud. Wimsey is attending a social function and lecture on glands, the latest idee fixe of the chattering classes. He's about to be left alone while the hostess works the room:

 

"You will excuse me if I run off and speak to some of these other people, won't you?" went on Mrs. Rushworth. "I'm sure you will be able to amuse yourself. No doubt you have many friends in my little gathering."

 

Wimsey glanced round and was about to felicitate himself on knowing nobody, when a familiar face caught his eye.

 

 

 

 

Excellent, excellent, excellent.

 

 

[Albertine]

Another fan of Peter Wimsey here

 

Only thing that competes for me, mystery-wise, is PG Wodehouse.

[Flounder]

I'm no authority, but I'd imagine it is just black. The other ones are probably the same age!

[Shangas]

Thanks for the recommendation, guys and gals. I'll check it out at the local library.

 

Once I'm over this damn cold.

 

Flounder. Any other questions about Holmesiana/Wimsiana with regards to writing? Happy to try and help.

[Flounder]

Thanks for offering Shangas, no idea my question would find me people so well informed! You know what, I probably did have some more Holmes writing apparatus questions during reading/watching (in the UK, they still broadcast the Jeremy Brett version on ITV3), and forgot them shortly after. If any more puzzlers come up, I'll take you up on your offer!

[Shangas]

I'm no authority, but I'd imagine it is just black. The other ones are probably the same age!

 

No problem, Flounder. Oh, and I imagine it's just black. I have similar J-nibs in my own collection that look similar to the one pictured there. Only they're chocolate brown.

[tedbishop]

Hi - This was helpful. Virginia Woolf liked J pens, and I wondered if anyone could shed more light on these 2 diary entries. The link to the Sherlock Encyclopedia didn't work for me.

thanks,

Ted Bishop

 

“Here I am experimenting with the parent of all pens – the black J. the pen, as I used to think it, along with other objects, as a child, because mother used it; & therefore all other pens were varieties & eccentricities.” 26 October 1918, D I: 208.

 

“I galloping on, astride a J pen now, not very compactly….Yes, on looking at the pages, I think the balance is all in favour of a steel nib. Blackie too smooth; the old blunderbuses too elephantine. Look how neat this is.” 3 September 1922 D II: 198.