Old-fashioned pen is a term used to describe writing instruments that were used before the invention of the modern ballpoint pen. The two most common old-fashioned pens are the PLUME and the QUILL. A PLUME is a feather that has been cut and sharpened to form a writing tip, while a QUILL is a feather that has been cut and sharpened to form a writing tip and then inserted into a holder. Both of these pens were used for centuries before the invention of the modern ballpoint pen.