Paper, ink, seal

sunday

Old documents are an essential part of an exhibition on the art of writing. The oldest document in the Carinthian Provincial Archives dates back to 832.(Bild: Christina Natascha Kogler)

One of mankind's greatest achievements is probably the development of writing: From love poems to marriage contracts, from promissory bills to the founding of companies, everything can be agreed with writing and with sometimes precious writing instruments - exciting, curious, beautiful things about a cultural technique that has fallen into oblivion.

"It's fascinating!" says Joachim Eichert, who has been collecting writing instruments such as nibs and inkwells, fountain pens and pencils for 40 years, but only intensified this passion in 2017 when he put his motorcycle down for good.

"Before the war, all fountain pens were artistically designed, but not afterwards. During the war, when no metal was available, pens were made of glass," says the former member of the National Archives, who continues to research many areas of history, pointing out a glass specimen from his extensive collection.