All Pens and Ephemera

Even people who aren't into lady's pens have to shout when they see this Parker Duofold. A streamlined model, it still looks really sharp today in its orange permanite cap and barrel with reblackened hard-rubber end caps. Only the tassie shows brassing. Overall, the pen does show some wear from use, annnnd there is a crack in the barrel threads. However, if you write with a light hand, it should be okay. We restored this pen with a new ink sac, button and pressure bar. It still has its Christmas-tree inkfeed. You will write a fine line with a little feedback using its 14k gold nib. 11.8cm capped.

We aren't certain about the official Esterbrook letter designation for this model, but it relates to the Esterbrook J-series of fountain pens. Our vintage pencil is a lovely mint green and still in good working order. Cap actuated, you click the tail cap to advance or retract the .9mm lead. A couple spare leads are under the tail cap, but the eraser is long gone. A crisp imprint greets you on the barrel, and it only has light wear from use. 12.3cm.

It is nice to find a Parker Sonnet with an 18k gold nib. We think most of them are plated steel these days. That would seem to date this pre-owned pen a little. Solidly built, this pen shows a some wear in places, but it is in great shape. It comes with a Parker converter, but it also can use Parker cartridges. Click the headline for close-ups. You will write a smooth broad line when you find the sweet spot. This pen also squeaks a little as it writes and can get a little scratchy outside of its sweet spot. 13.4cm capped.

Following the grand success of the Skyline model, next came the Eversharp Symphony. Moving to a more slender profile, as most pens of the era did, the Symphony did not meet the same success as the Skyline. In fact, it was a bit of a flop that helped lead to the end of the Wahl-Eversharp brand as it was known at that time. It isn't a bad pen, though. Nice, easy to maintain lever-filler. No frills but no fuss, either. Ours has been heavily worn but not cracked. Originally sold as part of the Gregg Shorthand Method, this pen bears an enameled Gregg top jewel and "Gregg" nib. Click the headline for close-ups. You'll write a nice fine line with its 14k gold nib. 13.4cm capped.

Blessed are those who love writing with a pen from Vatican City. This collectible ballpoint from the Vatican Museums sports themes of landmarks and images from all around the Vatican. It comes with its original box and paper. It features a "Vatican Museums" refill, which is really a Parker-style refill easily found anywhere in the U.S....and probably everywhere else. The Holy Pen Designer seems to have had a thing for modern Parker Duofold ballpoints. The pen is nicely weighted and shows a little light wear from use. 12.9cm.

Cashing in on the enormous success of its Parker 51, Parker decided to create a more affordable version of the pen to reach even more customers. This pen is the Parker 21. One of the biggest differences between them is that the 21 has a steel nib, and the 51 has a gold nib. Our vintage pen is in good working order, complete with a working original pli-glass ink sac. Its nib is more of a fine-medium that has a little feedback at the tops and bottoms of letters. You should be able to see a big crack in the barrel where it threads to the section. Don't grip it too hard or use to much pressure, as you will get it to wiggle in your hand a bit. Click the headline for a close-up. 13.4cm capped.

Not every vintage pen is going to be the belle of the ball. Today's Parker Duofold from 1942 seems to have been somebody's loyal workhorse. A great deal of the cap band is heavily brassed. There's a hairline crack in the cap lip running up under the cap band. The pen shows overall wear, and the 14k gold nib looks a little wonky. Click the headline for close-ups. HOWEVER, we restored it with a new diaphragm, and it writes surprisingly well. You'll find it is a wet medium with a touch of feedback. It actually writes much better than it looks. Perfect for a daily driver that doesn't mind another ding or two. 13.2cm capped.

The 2014 Montblanc Writers Series fountain pen was dedicated to Daniel Defoe. He is most famous for the classic "Robinson Crusoe." This preowned luxury pen comes with all of its complete papers and boxes. The pen looks perfect...except for the nib. The 18k gold nib is losing its ruthenium or platinum plating. Click the headline for a close-up. We filled the pen with water, and we aren't certain if it has ever been used. We dipped the nib and it writes a smooth medium line. 14.3cm capped.