Vintage Pens

Few pens taught as many American teens how to write with an "ink pen" as the humble Esterbrook. These vintage pens were often required by high schools and trade schools for secretaries and stenographers. Affordable, reliable and easily customized with screw-out nibs of more than 3 dozen point styles, it is easy to see their appeal. We just restored this classic Esterbrook J model with a new ink sac. It comes with an upgraded steel 9550 nib. You will write a firm, extra-fine line with true feedback...not scratchy scratchy. Experienced pen users might understand better. 12.6cm capped.

Here's a rare treasure from way back in 1906! We love the gold-filled filigree on this Parker 33. This pen clearly did not experience the 1906 earthquake that destroyed San Francisco. However, the top of the cap has some sizable spots of brassing from wear. There's a little brassing near the tail, too. We polished them out, but it won't stay gleaming without continued polishing. Click the headline for a close-up of the original 14k gold nib. We love the old-timey "Lucky Curve" script. There are no engravings on the initial plate of the filigree. Only slight chocolate hazing of the black hard rubber. No cracks. The section unscrews easily. You will write an extra-fine to nearly 2mm wide line with its flexible nib. It isn't a wet noodle. 13.9cm capped.

Perfection in Parker 51 Demostrators is damned near impossible to find. Yet, legendary pen repairman Stuart Hawkinson asked us to sell his vintage pen beauty. Click the headline for close-ups. No fractals. No ink stains. He added a fresh diaphragm. It looks as if there is a thin snowflake inside the ink reservoir of the pen. The steel cap has a couple little marks...really small...from just existing for 70-odd years. Its 14k gold nib is an extra-fine nail. We would never dip this pen to write with it, but the nib feels very scratchy to our finger tips. Seriously, though. Who would defile such perfection by filling it with ink? 14cm capped.

Who says teens shouldn't have a good pen for school? The Sheaffer Cadet was aimed at the beginners fountain pen market. With a great TouchDown filler, this is a more sophisticated way to ink up a basic pen. We replaced the ink sac and O-ring. You will write a very smooth fine line with its steel F1 nib. Overall, the pen looks pretty good. There is a little wear. Worst of all is some chrome plating missing from the cap band. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.3cm capped.

Here's a real granddaddy of vintage pens. It is a black hard rubber Sheaffer Lifetime Senior with etched pinstripes in the cap and barrel. It also has no white dot. It is that early! Fully restored with a new ink sac, it is ready to write. Brassing can be found on the ball of the pocket clip, but the rest of the pen is free of the blight. Click the headline for close-ups. There is a little chocolate hazing on the cap and barrel. It is worse on the cap, which is a little more faded in its pinstripe imprints. No cracks, chips or serious scratches. You will love its nib the most! Smoothly write from extra fine to more than 1mm wide with its semi-flex properties! A very rare semi-flex nib. Notice that the Lifetime nib has a serial number? This might indicate it is an early replacement nib, as the original nib had no serial numbers. 13.6cm capped.

If you are a Sheaffer Snorkel fan who happens to be named Richard S. Dolins, today is your lucky day. We restored this Sheaffer Statesman with a new ink sac, point seal and O-ring. Click the headline for close-ups. You will see this pen is worn and engraved. It has a smooth sweet spot that writes a broad line a little higher of an angle of attack then we normally write with. At our usual writing angle it writes more of a medium with a little feedback. This is the "Triumph" nib made of "palladium silver." A classic vintage pen that still has some good life left in it. 14.2cm capped.

A little overlooked by its Big Red brother, this senior sized Parker Duofold in black hard rubber remains a classic vintage pen. We restored it with a new ink sac. You can see that it has oxidized a little with some very dark chocolate hazing. There is brassing along the edges and ball of the pocket clip and a little on the cap ring, too. The great news is that there isn't a a crack, chip or dent in the cap or barrel. No deep scratches but the imprint is worn a little thin. This comes with a "Christmas tree" inkfeed. You will write a nice, slightly dry fine-medium line with its 14k gold nib. You can feel the paper under the nib, but we wouldn't call it scratchy. Click the headline for close-ups. 14cm capped.

More rarities are on display with this Esterbrook Dollar Pen. Please note the three incised cap bands. Add on the rare 1314 left-foot oblique nib, and you have an interesting classic Estie. No cracks or deep scratches. The only cosmetic issue, other than light wear from use, is the pitting on the lever filler. We restored this pen with a new ink sac. The oblique nib on this one is very sharp and scratchy. Yet, it delivers nice line variation for a trade off. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.1cm capped.