Though we may frequently think of outdoor fountains when we hear the word “fountain,” the word is actually developed from the Latin word “fons” which means spring or source of water. Thus, the term “fountain pen” developed because they include reservoirs or containers of ink unlike early pens that were dipped in an external source of ink before writing with them and did not feature an internal source of ink. It is hard to say when they were first developed. The first may have been as early as the 10th century when there is some evidence that a fountain-style pen was created at the request of Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah. There is also evidence that Leonardo da Vinci may have created and used a prototype of one. We do know that they were in use in Europe and referred to as “fountain pens” by the 17th century. Want to know more? Check out The Missing Ink: The Lost Art of Handwriting by Philip Hensher (Z40 .H46 2012).