Fountain Pens with Nib Size: F

When Esterbrook went from making Dollar Pens to J-model pens, it ran out of Dollar Pen caps and opted to use the new J-model caps on the remaining Dollar Pen barrels. It is difficult to tell the original ones from the repairmen who replaced broken Dollar Pen caps with J-caps. We found this pen this way, but that doesn't mean anything. What is interesting is the top jewel on the cap has 3 lines instead of the usual concentric circles. The color match is pretty close to perfect between the cap and barrel. We restored the pen with a new ink sac. You will this upgraded steel 9461 nib that is firm and very smooth as it writes a fine line. No cracks, deep imprint, some wear from use. 12.4cm capped.

In the 1940s, if you needed a cheap, reliable pen that was easily customized, you got yourself an Esterbrook Dollar Pen. We restored this black model with a new ink sac and new 1555 Gregg Shorthand nib. There are no cracks or deep scratches, but the early plastic cap on this pen has warped a bit. It can be difficult to get the cap on and off. You will write a nice fine line with its steel nib. There is a little feedback, but we wouldn't call this a scratchy pen...not compared to other Esterbrooks with the same nib. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.1cm capped.

Streamlining gave the Parker Duofold a fancy edge in the late 1920s. These red-marble celluloid models were even hotter. We just restored this one with a new ink sac. We also got the topper to the cap much darker, as it had substantially more chocolate hazing than it does now. Heavy brassing on the ball of the pocket clip and on the bottom cap band. No cracks, but there is a wear mark around the barrel where the cap posted. You will write a firm, fine line with its 14k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. The pen isn't junior sized...nor is it oversized. 12cm capped.

The Sheaffer Snorkel enthusiast in us wants to call this a Sheaffer Valiant, but sometimes the earlier Sheaffer TouchDown pens are different from the later snorks. We restored this elegant vintage pen with a new ink sac and O-ring. No cracks mar its surfaces, but there are a couple little nicks that the gleaming black helps hide. You will write a very nice fine line with its firm "Triumph" nib made of two-tone 14k gold. Class up your daily work routine with this classic pen.

Pastels dominated the 1950s' Technicolor landscape, and Esterbrook Purse Pens specialized in those soft colors. This robin's egg blue pen has a great cap and barrel with no cracks but some discoloration. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. The pocket clip is on nice and tight. Click the headline for close-ups. You will see there is a crack in the section near the nib. It is a short crack, and we think we've successfully sealed it with rubber cement. You will write a buttery smooth fine line with an upgraded steel 9556 nib. 11cm capped.

Have you ever seen the shimmering tendrils of plasma in the night sky known as the Northern or Southern Lights? It is a fantastic scene, with the most common color being green ribbons that stretch across the sky. Some German designers took inspiration from these rare events to create the Pelikan Polar Lights fountain pen. Also designated an M640, it is a delightful limited edition pen. We find it to be a little larger than a standard M600, and it has more bowed middle in its design, instead of a straight barrel. Our pen is in great working order and seems to have seen minimal use. It looks almost mint. You will write a very smooth fine line, although the rhodium-plated 18k gold nib is listed as a medium. Includes its original box a papers. 13.6cm capped.

We've seen a lot of cool desk pens in our day, and we really love this frosted-brown-glass pelican made for an Eversharp Doric desk pen. It looks even more impressive with back lighting as the bird looks as if it is standing on rippling water. The glass is perfect without any cracks or chips. There is a very small crack in the celluloid trumpet's bottom, and the gold plating polished off the trim of both the trumpet and pen. We restored the pen with a new ink sac and J-bar. The very tip of the taper has been broken off. The section has a little chocolate hazing. This is a nice thick, larger pen. We love its smooth, fine-point 14k gold nib. It isn't an original Doric nib, but it an Eversharp replacement from a decade later. Click the headline for close-ups. Pen is 20.2cm long. Base 10.5cm L X 9cm W X 12.5cm H.

Who says pens need to be serious all the time. Some can be serious fun! Take our Hechter Travel Pen for example. It is like writing with an entire safari in Africa. As far as quality goes, it is just a basic fountain pen with a steel nib. It comes with a converter, too. The clip seems to have heavy brassing, and the pen has some wear. There is a little crack in the lip of the cap. Do NOT post the cap on the tail. You will write a fine line with a little feedback. 14cm capped.