Accession Number

1986.008.0883b

Creation Date

circa 1620

Description

Divider from quill holder 1986.008.0883a.

Exhibition Label

Case Caption (2023):

A Colonist— Gaspar De Rojas

Gaspar de Rojas had immigrated to Peru with his family as a boy, and lived in Lima, where he had become a prominent merchant. He imported textiles and other manufactured goods from Europe and also traded in leather, wax, and fur. He was the agent responsible for a consignment of 100 silver ingots on the Santa Margarita, and 11 on the Nuestra Señora de Atocha.

De Rojas had risked the transatlantic voyage several times. Records state that in 1616 he returned to Peru from Spain accompanied by his bookkeeper and an enslaved mulatto man. In 1620, he sailed with an enslaved African named Felipe Biafra. Aboard the Santa Margarita, he was traveling with his nephew, don Francisco de Rojas. They both drowned in the shipwreck.
Object Caption (2023):

Quill Holder                                                                        Quill Pens Goose feather 
Brass (c.1610)                                                                   (Modern)
Gift of Jamestown Inc.
1986.008.0883a-b

Quill pens are believed to have been invented in Spain in the 6th century but were soon in use throughout Europe. They were usually made from goose feathers and were the best writing instrument available until invention of the fountain pen in the 19th century.

Quill pens did not have a “nib” so the point had to be sharpened frequently to maintain legibility. Having an array of prepared pens saved the writer from interruptions.