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Can You Date Great Grandma’s Dip Nibs?

Pen nibs and hairpin on lined paper.

This week Drippy Musings’ reader Cheryl B. wrote to us with a special request.

Can you help identify and date these dip nibs for fellow reader Cheryl B?

She is in the process of restoring the steamer trunk that supposedly belonged to the great grandmother of the trunk’s previous owner. The trunk is said to have come over to Canada from Ireland. Cheryl is looking to date the trunk.

She didn’t have a lot to go on to date the trunk until she found this hair pin and two dip nibs stuck under a tray. One nib is illegible, but the other clearly reads “John Mitchell’s Lawyers Quill England 525”.

If that means anything to any readers, especially if it helps to date the nib, please write to us and help Cheryl.

Thanks!

This is the vintage steamer trunk that Cheryl is restoring. Pretty cool, huh?

Last reviewed July 25, 2025 · Drippy Musings is the ThePenMarket.com blog

Nathaniel Cerf · About us · Ask us anything

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