All Pens and Ephemera

Would the American Automobile Association get more customers today if they handed out free fountain pens with memberships? That would appear to be the story behind this 1950 Esterbrook J-model. Who knows? Maybe it got its kicks in a 4-door Packard rolling down Route 66. It might have rattled around some classic glove compartment given its light wear from use. No cracks, but the cap ring is a tad loose. We restored it with a new ink sac. This vintage pen sports a steel upgrade nib marked 2668. We find it writes a nice extra-fine line with light feedback. 12.6cm capped.

Limited edition pens are always fun, and our Krone Gradient Coral Red is no exception. What makes it especially interesting to us is that it is #4 of 388! We've never had a numbered pen in the single digits before. Mother of pearl blazes into a blazing coral red on the barrel. The brushed steel cap and blind cap serve as nice contrast. Overall, the pen looks great but there are two short but deep scratches on the steel cap. Click the headline for close-ups. You'll write a smooth medium line with its 18k gold nib. We find it makes little scrunching sounds at the top of ascenders and bottom of descenders. You'll also notice it is a bouncy nib capable of line variation. Just be careful, as 18k gold is very soft and easily bent out of shape. 13.6cm capped.

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.