(Fr. plume; Ger. Feder, Kiel; It. penna).
A stiff feather shaft used as Plectrum material, especially in the past. Quills cut in a manner similar to that of writing pens have served as plectra for psalteries and lutes. The rachis (that portion of the stem between the barbs, rather than the calamus, the tubelike tip implanted in the skin of the bird) of the primary flight feathers of the crow family long provided the principal material for harpsichord plectra. After the barbs and pithy underside were cut away, a point formed from the hard, slightly convex outer surface was pushed from behind through the mortise in the tongue of the jack. It was then cut to size and its strength was adjusted by scraping its underside. Some sources recommended treating the quill with olive oil as a lubricant and preservative. In the present day harpsichord plectra made of plastic continue to be called ‘quills’.
JOHN KOSTER