Last Updated on 29/05/2026
The way we work has transformed dramatically over the centuries. The old objects used in the past would be almost unrecognisable to today’s office workers — yet they laid the foundations for every modern tool we rely on. From feather quills to mechanical typewriters, here is a complete history of things used in the olden days, and what eventually replaced them.
Writing Tools Used in the Olden Days
1. Quill Pen & Inkwell
Before the humble ballpoint pen existed, writers and scholars relied on a sharpened goose feather — a quill — dipped into an inkwell. This was the standard writing instrument for over a thousand years. Every letter, contract, and manuscript was produced this way. The inkwell sat permanently on the desk, and writers would re-dip the quill every few words to maintain a steady flow of ink. It was slow, messy, and required significant skill. The fountain pen eventually replaced the quill in the 19th century, followed by the ballpoint pen in the 20th — tools that are now as ordinary as the desk they sit on.
2. Wax Seal & Stamp
Before envelopes had adhesive strips, important letters and documents were sealed with wax. A stick of sealing wax would be melted over the fold of a letter, and a personalised stamp — often bearing a family crest or official emblem — was pressed into the soft wax to authenticate it. Breaking the seal was a clear sign the letter had been opened. This practice survived from medieval times right into the 19th century. Today, digital signatures and tamper-evident packaging have made the wax seal largely ceremonial — though it remains popular for wedding invitations.
3. Blotting Paper
Anyone who has used a fountain pen knows that fresh ink takes a moment to dry. Before modern quick-dry inks existed, writers used blotting paper — a highly absorbent sheet pressed over freshly written text to soak up excess ink and prevent smudging. Every Victorian-era desk had a blotter. They became obsolete as ballpoint pens and then computers took over, but they remained common in offices well into the mid-20th century.
Communication Objects That Were Used Long Ago
4. The Rolodex
If you worked in an office before the 1990s, the word “Rolodex” was part of your daily vocabulary. This rotating card file system held all of a professional’s contact information — client names, phone numbers, addresses — on individual cards that could be flipped through manually. Finding a contact meant spinning the wheel to the right letter. Today, CRM software, smartphones, and cloud-based address books have completely replaced it, but the Rolodex remains a powerful symbol of pre-digital office life.
5. The Fax Machine
For decades, the fax machine was the fastest way to transmit a document to someone in another location. You inserted a paper document, dialled a number, and the machine scanned and sent it over telephone lines to be printed on the other end. Fax machines were essential in offices throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Email and digital document sharing have all but eliminated them — though some industries (legal, medical, Japanese offices) still use them today.
6. Carbon Paper
Long before photocopiers existed, the only way to make an instant copy of a document was to slip a sheet of carbon paper between two sheets of writing paper. The pressure from a pen or typewriter key would transfer the ink pigment from the carbon sheet to the page below, creating a duplicate. Carbon paper was widely used throughout the early 20th century for invoices, forms, and letters. The photocopier made it redundant in most offices by the 1970s.
Organisation & Filing Items from the Past
7. The Typewriter
The typewriter was the defining office tool of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Operators would type on mechanical keys that struck an inked ribbon against paper, producing typed text. The catch? Every decision was final. A mistake meant starting again or leaving a messy correction. Dedicated typing pools — rooms full of typists — were a fixture in large companies. The personal computer and word processor made the typewriter obsolete almost overnight in the 1980s. Today, a keyboard and a backspace key handle what once took considerable skill and patience.
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8. Ledger Books & Paper Filing Systems
Before spreadsheet software like Excel existed, every financial transaction was recorded by hand in large ledger books. Accountants and bookkeepers would spend hours entering figures in neat columns, totalling rows, and cross-referencing pages. Alongside ledgers, paper filing systems — with physical folders, dividers, and filing cabinets full of documents — were the backbone of business organisation. Digital accounting software and cloud storage have transformed this, though best filing cabinets remain a staple in many offices for physical documents.
9. The Franking Machine & Postal Scales
Before digital postage labels, every office that sent large volumes of mail relied on a franking machine — a mechanical device that stamped an official postage mark directly onto envelopes, replacing the need to stick individual stamps. Alongside it sat postal scales to weigh letters and parcels before calculating the correct postage. While franking machines still exist in large organisations, online postage tools and courier booking systems have reduced their use considerably.
Calculating Tools Used Before Computers
10. The Abacus & Counting Frame
Long before calculators, the abacus was the primary calculation tool for merchants, accountants, and traders across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. A frame of beads on rods allowed users to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with remarkable speed. In offices and counting houses, this was the standard for centuries. The mechanical adding machine replaced it in the 19th century, followed by the electronic calculator in the 1970s.
11. The Mechanical Adding Machine
A step up from the abacus, mechanical adding machines — operated by a crank handle — allowed clerks to process calculations faster and with a printed paper record. Burroughs, one of the earliest computing companies, built its entire business on adding machines in the late 1800s. These machines were common in accounting offices until electronic calculators became affordable in the 1970s.
12. The Slide Rule
For engineers and scientists, the slide rule was the essential calculation tool from the 17th century right through to the 1970s. Two logarithmic scales slide against each other to perform multiplication, division, and more complex functions. Every engineer carried one. Then, in 1972, Hewlett-Packard released the HP-35 — the first scientific handheld calculator — and the slide rule became obsolete almost overnight.
From Old Objects to the Modern Office
| Old item | Used for | Replaced by |
|---|---|---|
| Quill pen & inkwell | Writing documents | Ballpoint pen / keyboard |
| Wax seal | Authenticating letters | Digital signature / adhesive envelope |
| Blotting paper | Absorbing wet ink | Quick-dry ink / digital documents |
| Rolodex | Storing contact details | CRM software / smartphone |
| Fax machine | Transmitting documents remotely | Email / cloud sharing |
| Carbon paper | Making instant copies | Photocopier / PDF |
| Typewriter | Typing documents | Computer + word processor |
| Ledger book | Recording finances by hand | Excel / accounting software |
| Franking machine | Stamping postage on envelopes | Online postage / courier apps |
| Abacus | Basic calculations | Calculator / spreadsheet |
| Mechanical adding machine | Faster calculations with paper trail | Electronic calculator |
| Slide rule | Engineering & scientific calculations | Scientific calculator / software |
It is remarkable how many of these old items used in the past — quills, wax seals, carbon paper, Rolodexes — survived for centuries before being replaced within just a few decades of technological change. Today’s office is cleaner, faster, and more connected, but the underlying needs haven’t changed: we still need to write, communicate, calculate, and file.
If you’re looking to stock your modern office with the right tools, explore our full range of office supplies, from pens and writing tools to filing and storage solutions.
