Vintage Pens

Black ripples on orange hard rubber look fantastic on this Wahl-Eversharp Gold Seal fountain pen. Our vintage pen is fully restored with a new ink sac. We think people will be most interested in its semi-flex 14k gold nib. It has a couple of small dents, but it writes a nice fine line to 1mm wide. There's a little feedback, as many semi-flex nibs do. There is a tiny chip in the lip of the cap but no cracks. You will find some brassing on the trim. We aren't sure that is the original section. Be very careful putting the cap back on the pen. Sometimes you will engage the wrong threads and touch the nib to the cap, as the nib seems too long. Yet, there is one engagement point where the tip of the nib does not touch the cap. Pen measures 12cm capped.

French safety fillers are definitely something we know very little about. Click the headline for close-ups. This is a black, hard-rubber pen by the French company J.M. Paillard. It is the Semper model. Most of the chasing and imprint has been worn down. In the right light with magnification we can see the letters "LLARD" at the end of what would have been the imprint. The safety filler mechanism moves freely but doesn't lock. We couldn't test write with the 18k gold nib because it kept sliding back into the barrel. It seems flexible, but 18k nibs are notorious for being easy to "spring" or ruin. There is a really handsome brass after-market pocket clip on the cap. No cracks in the cap or barrel that we saw. Unrestored. Sold as is. 13.2cm capped.

Among the epic failures of the golden era of vintage pen is the story of the Eversharp Symphony. Designed to replace the wildly popular Eversharp Skyline, this Eversharp Symphony is a handsome pen. We love the dark-blue barrel paired with the chrome and gold-plated cap. Unfortunately for Wahl-Eversharp, its Symphony never quite caught on with the writing public. We restored this pen with a new ink sac. The barrel has some moderate wear but no cracks or nasty scars. No dents mar the cap. You will write a really wet medim--some might call it broad. It has some feedback but not hideous. 14.1cm capped.

We don't normally get so lucky as to have vintage Montblanc pens, but we are very excited to present this Montblanc 234 1/2 G. We think it is from the 1940s, but we aren't certain. This pen was restored about 10 years ago by Montblanc super star Osman Sumer. The piston is still working well, though a little stiff. On the down side, you can see the tail of this barrel has some strange discoloration and possible weakness.. On the plus side, it has a factory oblique double broad nib! The nib matches the marking on the blind cap. Made of 14k gold, this left-foot oblique writes a very juicy line with some nice line variation. It takes a little while to get used to it and find its sweet spot, but it is a blast to write with. No cracks or deep scratches. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.5cm capped.

Bonjour, Waterman #3. We love it when we get French pens from the 1940s. This Waterman #3 is a post-World War II model that we don't think was officially released here in the U.S. We restored it with a new ink sac, and it is a very attractive example. No cracks nor deep scratches. Light wear at worst. You will write a firm, extra-fine line with its 18k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.6cm capped.

A ruby-red vintage pen is just what this holiday season needs. Our Esterbrook LJ has been fully restored with a new ink sac. It sports a steel 1555 Gregg nib, which meant the nib was originally for anyone who took shorthand. Think secretaries and journalists. This can be thought of as the long, slender version of the J-model pen. The cap and barrel have some wear from use, but there are no cracks or major scars. Nice, clean imprint. You will write a surprisingly smooth extra-fine line, if you have a light touch with this firm nib. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.8cm capped.

Due to their unique filling systems, Parker Vacumatics remain a perennial favorite for us. We restored this World War II era vintage pen with a new ink sac and really went to town wet-sanding it to restore its factory luster. No cracks. No brassing. No deep scratches. The only imperfection is an impression on the cap where the pocket clip dug into the celluloid. The blind cap aligns with the barrel about 99% of the way it should. You will write a wet, fine line with its 14k gold nib. The lighter your touch as a writer the less feedback you will feel. We can get it to be almost feedback free, but if you are more heavy handed you will feel a little more. Made in 1944, this one is a beaut that should work well for decades to come. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.8cm capped.

Suddenly playing catch-up to Parker with its transparent barrels, Waterman developed its own see-through barrel pen. The Waterman Ink-Vue was introduced in the mid-1930s. This is an insanely rare demonstrator model of that classic vintage pen! It has some ambering, but it is in really amazing condition. Crisp imprints. No cracks in the main cap or barrel. It appears the inner cap has some fractals. In truth, it is mostly a bulb filler, only it has a cover over the rubber bulb and a lever system pumps the bulb. This pen is so rare and delicate, we've left the petrified original bulb in it. Click the headline for close-ups. The name Val Steiniger is engraved on the tail of the barrel. We don't expect you to write with this museum piece, but its 14k gold nib has a little flex and feedback. 12.8cm capped.