A nib is the part of a quill, dip pen, fountain pen, ball point or stylus which comes into contact with the writing surface in order to deposit ink. Different types of nibs vary in their purpose, shape and size, as well as the material from which they are made.
Quill pen and ink bottle
Metal nib by Perry & Co.
Detail of a Visconti stainless steel fountain pen nib and feed
Tip of a fountain pen nib
A quill is a writing tool made from a moulted flight feather of a large bird. Quills were used for writing with ink before the invention of the dip pen, the metal-nibbed pen, the fountain pen, and, eventually, the ballpoint pen.
Quill and a parchment
Ink bottle and quill
A nib cut from a bird's quill
Feathers in stages of being made into quills