NATIONAL BALLPOINT PEN DAY

NATIONAL BALLPOINT PEN DAY June 10

NATIONAL BALLPOINT PEN DAY

Grab your ballpoint pen and write this on your calendar: On June 10 of each year, National Ballpoint Pen Day recognizes the useful writing utensil and commemorates the anniversary of the patent filing on June 10, 1943.

#BallpointPenDay

The history of writing utensils is quite an interesting history to learn about. From ancient Chinese Jiaguwen scribes found on the backs of turtles shells to medieval monks using dipped ink to write their holy manuscripts, the evolution of writing utensils is a long one.

Anyone who wanted to write a letter or scribble some notes on a piece of paper before the invention of a useable fountain pen or pencil. John Loud receives credit for invention the first ink pen in 1888, but it was not a commercial success. Some inventors created ballpoint pen as a cleaner and more reliable alternative to the quill and fountain pens. Like Loud, these inventions failed with overflowing of ink or clogged writing mechanisms.

In 1930 Laszlo Biro was watching children play marbles in a puddle. He noticed the marbles left a small trail of water when they rolled on the ground. Using this idea, Laszlo thought he could apply this method to his pen invention. Using a ball-shaped metal nib for writing, Laszlo began creating what we know now as the ballpoint pen. By 1943, after many prototypes and test-runs, Laszlo and his brother Gyorgy Biro obtained a patent for the ballpoint pen. The rest, as they say, is written in history.

Today, manufacturers produce ballpoint pens by the millions and sell them worldwide. As a promotional tool, ballpoint pens find their way into our hands from advertisers of all sorts assuring that we always have a ballpoint pen handy, too.

HOW TO OBSERVE BALLPOINT PEN DAY

Grab a ballpoint pen and write a letter to someone. Other ways to celebrate include:

  • create a doodle.

  • post the most clever ballpoint pen used for advertising.

  • make a list.

  • create a memo.

  • circle your favorite days on your calendar.

Use #BallpointPenDay when using social media.

NATIONAL BALLPOINT PEN DAY HISTORY

National Day Calendar continues researching the origins of this inventive holiday.