What did they use if not have pens or pencils in the 1890s?

During the 1890s, people primarily used dip pens and ink for writing. A dip pen is a writing instrument that consists of a nib attached to a holder. The nib is made of metal and is shaped to form a point that can be dipped into ink. The user would hold the dip pen in one hand and dip the nib into an inkwell with the other hand. They would then write by drawing the nib across the surface of the paper.

Fountain pens were also available during the 1890s, but they were not as common as dip pens. A fountain pen is a writing instrument that contains its own ink reservoir and does not require dipping into an inkwell. The ink flows from the reservoir through a nib to the paper. Fountain pens were more convenient than dip pens, but they were also more expensive.

Pencils were also available during the 1890s, but they were not as popular as dip pens or fountain pens. Pencils consist of a solid core of graphite enclosed in a wooden barrel. The user would sharpen the tip of the pencil to expose the graphite, and then they would write by drawing the pencil across the surface of the paper. Pencils were less messy than dip pens and fountain pens, but they were also less precise.