If you are doing a pre-ink-pen period and you do a trick that involves having the audience member sign or initial something, what writing instrument do you use?

If you are looking for a lookalike, just stick the innards of a pen into a feather. If you want to, put it into a dry inkwell.

If you want to be authentic, how much of your historic audience would be able to sign their names in the first place?

Just a couple of random thoughts.

Patrick

Thanks. I guess I would tell them to make a mark.

Another option is pencils. Yes, they had pencils in the period that currently interests me - California gold rush. Would work for some tricks. Found an old Civil War forum post. Those guys are very serious about historical accuracy.
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/civil-war-pencils.21165/

Ask them to prick their finger and leave their mark.....

If you are doing pre-1600, you might try a stylus.

Here is a definition: "an ancient writing implement, consisting of a small rod with a pointed end for scratching letters on wax-covered tablets, and a blunt end for obliterating them."

Good for ancient Greece, Rome, medieval, etc. They were often made from various animal products, ie. horn, bone, ivory, etc.

HLT

Also you could go with a piece of graphite (ie. what pencil lead is made from).

You can get graphite at an art store for a fairly low price. IIRC I got 12 sticks for about $4.00, but I might be mistaken--it's been a couple of years.

Hope this helps.

HLT

More on the history of pencils.
https://www.officemuseum.com/pencil_history.htm
Reproductions are easily found at many Civil War sutlers

Might be dangerous pre-antibiotics... or tetanus shot. Or now... depending.

How about charcoal, mud, chalk, plant matter & other natural dye stuff?

Https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ink

FWIW, varying forms of "ink pens" seem to go way back.

The mechanical pencil, also referenced in previous posts here, is also rather interesting. Until recently I had forgotten that Anne of Green Gables (Edwardian) used one (I'll double check that).

https://bleistift.blog/2013/08/origins-o......-pencil/

Sorry, I might be a little off on a tangent here, with Edwardian references. I can't find direct evidence (though the second photo below might be a hit) and it's been a long time since I've seen either Anne of Green Gables or the sequel, but of course a mechanical pencil would have been period appropriate for her, regardless.

I just have an image in my mind of her maybe taking one from a pocket when she was writing later exams.
And it just seems a more recent sort of contraption- I think many might be surprised to find out its origins and see one in a period film.

I find antiques very interesting and those from the 19th and early 20th century are so close to our own eras that they're really just a step away, so to speak. And since my father would be nearing 100 years, I've somehow become even more intrigued, I think, by such items since he passed in 2016.

I did find a couple of images of Anne with a pencil, at least.