Gillott 303
| |
| Gillott 303 | |
| Manufacturer | Joseph Gillott's Steel Pens |
| Nib No. | 303 |
| Descr. | |
| Tip | EF |
| Markings | Exterior |
| Mark 1 lateral L | 303 |
| Mark 2 | JOSEPH |
| Mark 3 | GILLOTT'S |
| Mark 4 | EXTRA FINE |
| Mark 5 lateral L | ENGLAND |
 | |
Ackerman Pens says that "The Gillott 303 might be the single most popular dip nib for illustration. It is used by calligraphers, fine artists, cartoonists, and comic book artists, which covers the gamut of drawing talent. [...] Gillott 303 nibs are extremely flexible and fragile, and liable to snap and rust. You can draw a wide variety of line widths using Gillott nibs, and the finest line is very fine. A professional artist working eight hours a day can go through two or three Gillott 303 nibs a day."
The Blam Nib site points out that the Gillott #303 is considered one of the Joe Vitolo's Dream Points. While there is controversy over choosing any nib as the "best," there's no question but that the Dream Points are rare, coveted by many, and hard to find.
Described in contemporary advertising (Zanarian) as: "Gillott's No. 303. A pen used largely for drawing purposes. A good pen for preparing writing for photo-engraving. For copper-plate script and re-touching."
Other contemporary advertising (Pinterest) describes the #303 with an "extra fine point. Uses: lettering, sketching, etc."
Joseph Gillott's "tag line" advertising routinely touted his company's special appointments, as "Pen Makers to His Majesty the King," and "Metallic Pen Maker to the Queen." They also undertook a publicity campaign to warn the public of counterfeit Gillott's nibs, produced under the names Gillot and Gilott.
Versions
There are no additional versions of the Gillott #303 Pen in the Chappy's Nibs collection, as pictured below (bronze-finish).
Photos
Click any image for a full-resolution photo: 1650 x 480. The image with the ruler is 2300 x 1196.
