Filling Mechanism: Piston Filler

Words such as legendary get thrown around far too loosely, but Babe Ruth was, unequivocally legendary. A gifted pitcher at the start of his career and a remarkable hitter for his entire career, there are few who have surpassed any of his stats. The Krone Babe Ruth fountain pen pays tribute to the Sultan of Swat in fitting fashion. Its display box is wrapped in flannel that looks like the Babe's New York Yankees uniform. The pen sports his likeness in sterling silver ripping a homer out of the stadium known as the House that Ruth built. A sliver of one of his actual bats is preserved in the "jewel" at the top of the pocket clip. New Old Stock, this pen was never inked or used. Numbered 8 of only 288. We aren't sure how or why but the included ink bottle is half empty. The velvet slip that holds the pen seems to have aged, hardened and cracked at its bottom. Everything else is perfect. Click the headline for close-ups.

If you found an original "jade marble" Pelikan 101 in this condition from 1935, you might come close to retiring with the money you'd get for it. Luckily for you, Pelikan returned to this classic vintage pen with the limited edition Pelikan Originals 1935 Of Their Time fountain pen. It pays loving tribute to that classic pen with modern materials and improved manufacturing techniques. This modern luxury pen is new old stock! It has never been used. We filled it once with water just to make sure the original piston is still working properly, and it is in great working order. It has never been dipped. Its 18k gold nib is marked "M" for medium point. Complete with original boxes and papers. Click the headline for close-ups. 11.7cm capped.

In the 1930s, Conklin and Sheaffer each developed a piston filling mechanism that required just a single stroke piston with a gasket on it to create vacuum pressure to fill a pen's entire barrel with ink. It was a revolutionary design. Conklin called its pen the Conklin Nozac. Some of the pens were imprinted with an ingenious gimmick of a word gauge to show how many words were left in the pen before a refill. This limited edition recreation of that pen is a beautiful, oversized masterpiece. Tiny silver flecks look like stars in the night sky of this translucent blue and amber fountain pen. Numbered only 110 of 898, the word gauge purports to hold 7 million words per refill. We have not tested that gauge's accuracy, but we did test fill it with water and it works well. The insides are a little stained from past blue ink. You will write a smooth medium line with its 18k gold nib. Minimal wear. Complete with boxes and papers. Click the headline for a close up. 14.8cm capped.

Paying tribute to the 7 continents of Earth, Aurora created a special edition of luxury pens. This is the Aurora Afrika. Quite possibly new old stock, the white piston on this pen shows no trace of ink. In fact, this warm orangy brown pen with black swirls is almost entirely perfect. Click the headline for close ups. We don't see much, if any, wear. The only flaw we see is that the gold filling of the limited edition number has fallen out of the back of the cap. Yet, it is still easy to read the imprint that this is pen number 4309. There's a beauiful onyx on top of the cap. Marked under the 18k gold nib is an "M" for medium point. We have not written with this pen, in case it is, in deed, new old stock. Comes with original boxes and papers. Its bottle of ink is still sealed. Pen measures 12.9cm capped.

Pineider is another of the great Italian pen makers that we don't feature often enough. Our preowned luxury pen is in mint condition. It is the limited edition Pineider Back to the Future. Numbered 76 of 949, this isn't the Marty McFly "Back to the Future" you might be thinking of. This special edition focuses on Italy in the year 1949, as the nation emerged from the destruction of World War II--a time of rebuilding, it was leading the way in fashion, art and culture. The futuristic design of the pen is based on the concept of an Egyptian reed stylus made of modern carbographite. You fill the pen with a piston. It writes with a stunning 1.3mm stub nib made of 14k gold. Also included are its original box and a handsome coffee table back by designer and film director Pier Luigi Pizzi as he looks back on that golden age. The photos are lush and classic. However, the text of the book is in Italian. Click the headline for a close-up of the nib. Pen 14.7cm capped.

Ever wonder what it felt like for Howard Carter to be the first to enter King Tut's tomb after hundreds of years? Entering the enchantingly elaborate and beautiful Montegrappa Luxor pen might be as close as most of us get. A modern pen, it carries the weight and history of Egypt's ancient pharaohs. Its sparkling blue cap and barrel represent the life-giving Nile river. Sterling silver hieroglyphs surround the pen. Like many of the items tucked into Tut's tomb, this pen is New Old Stock and never before used. Protected by a suede wrap in a woven shroud, the pen is completely scratch, dent and crack free. The piston-filler seems stuck from disuse, but this pen is more decorative art than daily user. Additional shipping charges may apply due to the unusually large height and weight of the boxes.

NEW OLD STOCK! The Sun King of France is honored by Montblanc with this fabulous Montblanc Patron of the Arts Louis XIV fountain pen. Still sealed in its original plastic, our golden pen comes complete with all of its boxes. An absolute must for Montblanc collectors and Francophiles. Responsible for the art and elegance of the French enlightenment, King Louis XIV was behind the development of Versailles and the palatial Opera Garnier in Paris. He also waged wars to expand France's borders and was known for his lovers. The carefully engraved Montblanc pen is a fitting tribute to the Sun King's cultural renaissance in France.

Few pens look as truly regal as the Montblanc Prince Regent limited edition pen. The golden filigree over a large blue cap and barrel is just so stately and refined. A true preowned luxury pen. However, unlike most preowned luxury pens, this pen is New Old Stock and still sealed in its original protective bag! Obviously, it comes with all of its original boxes and papers. Oddly enough, the wooden box is missing one of its four felt pads at the corners. The enclosed booklet has a tiny dog ear at the tippy-top of a corner. Nevertheless, this pen is completely original and unused! A must for any serious Montblanc collector.