All Pens and Ephemera

There's a Van Gogh "Starry Night" quality to this Sailor 1911 fountain pen in a lapis-like blue. It looks to be almost new, but we know it has been used, as we flushed some old ink out. A Sailor converter is included. Click the headline for close-ups. You will see its 14k gold nib is marked "H-M" for hard medium...no flex. As it is a Japanese nib, it writes finer than an American or European medium nib. There is a little feedback from the rigidity. 14cm capped.

One of the advantages of a luxury pen by Waterman is its brass-barrel construction. Way more rugged than the "precious resin" of a Montblanc, the still-elegant Waterman Carene can remain true under a lot more stress and pressure. Click the headline for close-ups and see a couple of chips in the finish of the "amber-shimmer" lacquer coating. There also might be some seepage around the nib. In spite of these issues, this pen is ready for plenty more writing. You will write a nice fine line with its 18k gold nib. Included is a standard international converter. 14.5cm capped.

Easily mistaken for a Parker Challenger Deluxe, this appears to be a large Parker Thrift Time pen...or possibly another Depression era vintage pen from Parker. We restored it with a new ink ink sac. We find it to be a really handsome pen with some wear from use back in the day. No cracks but heavy brassing on the pocket clip. You will write a nice, wet medium line with some feedback using its 14k gold nib. These pens helped sustain Parker during the Great Depression when most people couldn't afford their premium Vacumatics. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.9cm capped.

If you like a preowned luxury pen with nice girth and a smooth 1mm stub nib, you are going to love this Aurora Talentum fountain pen. Golden trim and a brick-red cap and barrel make a handsome combination. Only light wear can be seen on the pen. It is way more fun to focus on its dynamic 14k gold nib. Included with the pen is its Aurora converter. We believe these also take Parker converters and cartridges, in case you can't fine Aurora ones. 13.6cm capped.

Perfectly plated two-tone 14k gold arrow nibs on Parker Vacumatics are difficult to find. Click the headline to witness a really beautiful nib up close. You'll write a wet medium line with a little feedback. Our Parker Vacumatic Major is a nice pen in its entirety. Made in the third quarter of 1942, who knows what action this vintage pen might have seen. Yet, we suspect it mostly saw a well protected desk given its lack of cracks or deep scratches. Just some general light wear from use. It was engraved with the name John D. Parks. Decent barrel clarity. It was recently restored before we obtained it. It comes with a 1947 version of the pencil that comes preloaded with a 1.1mm lead. It is a little more worn. Pen measures 13.5cm capped.

The invention of wireless communication in 1895 revolutionized the world. Guglielmo Marconi is generally credited with inventing the radio, and in 1995 the Omas Marconi fountain pen celebrated the 100th anniversary of that incredible achievement. Our pre-owned luxury pen is designed with rings symbolizing radio waves, and the pocket clip represents the transmitting key. Fill this pen with the smooth moving piston activated by a blind cap in the tail. The pen was a user that shows a little wear but no cracks or significant scratches. You will write a very smooth medium-fine line with its 18k gold nib. Unfortunately, we do not have the original boxes or papers. 13.7cm capped.

Click the headline for the close-ups. Enlarge the nib photo. Notice how the two-tone 18k gold nib says "OM"? In theory, this means the pen has an oblique medium nib. However, we don't notice any oblique action in the nib. It mostly feels like a lightly scratchy fine point. Overall, this Pelikan Souveran M400 is in excellent condition with only minor wear from use. No cracks or significant scratches. Its piston filler moves smoothly. It is a little bit older than it looks. You can see the top jewel logo etched in green: a mama pelican with two chicks. 12.5cm capped.

Swiss pen maker Caran D'Ache makes luxury pens with such precision, it is remarkable. Our Caran D'Ache Laque Noir is New Old Stock and still in its original box. Never used, this pen comes with golden trim and a beautiful Chinese lacquer finish. "M" on the 18k gold nib indicates it is a medium point. However, to preserve its NOS integrity, we have not dipped it to see how it writes. A clean converter is in the pen. We love the sword clip, which is always a nice touch. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.5cm capped.