I always get tickled by the goofy stuff designers do, myself included, like proudly showing their affinity for a particular color, right down to its Pantone designated number. So, yeah to Pantone for offering this lovely array of “chips” available as computer desktop wallpapers. I, of course, chose PMS 382C… but really, who is surprised by that?
My pal Carolee recently emailed me a question and was kind enough to let me post the question and response here.
…do you have any good sources for a vintage esterbrook? I recently got a Parker Vac and I’m starting to fall in love with vintage pens. I don’t know how much to pay for the esterbrook….any tips?
Let me start by saying I am in no way an expert on Estebrooks though they were some of my first forays into fountain pens and definitely my first foray into vintage pens.
Let me start with a little history about Esterbrooks. When most people get interested in Esterbrooks, they are talking about the plastic pens that started being produced in the 1930s and continued on into the 1950s. There are “Dollar Pens“, transitional, double jeweled and many other sub-classifications with the range. For a detailed history, check out RichardsPens who gives a great overview of the J Series of Esterbrooks.
The big deal with Esterbrooks are the nibs. The nib is a Renew-Point which was the first nib that could be unscrewed from the pen and replaced easily and quickly and was what set the Esterbrook apart. This lead to a huge array of different nib units that could be swapped out on your pen as needed.Nibs were available for just about every need from super fine stiff nibs for accounting and writing on carbon copies to italic and flexible nibs for calligraphy and decorative writing.
This is what lead me to the Esterbrooks. I was in my early days of learning calligraphy and looking for ways to spend more time practicing and less time dipping to re-ink my pen. I heard about the coveted #9128 Fine Flexible nib and loved the look of the marbled plastics of the barrels so I went hunting.
Shown in the picture above are three grey marbled LJ models, a black transitional, a red marbled “purse pen”, a large blue LJ and my favorite marbled green “Dollar Pen”. I have also been able to collect an assortment of NOS (new old stock) Renew-Point nibs, including that coveted #9128 flexible nib. All of my pens were purchased on Ebay over several years and I got lucky, they are all in good shape structurally but all need new ink sacs and some needed nib units. For me, though, this wasn’t a big deal.
I use most of my Esterbrooks as dip pens as I am too lazy to send them off to have them re-sac-ed or learn how to do it myself. As I write, I dip the nib into a bottle of ink and can then write for at least a page before I have to dip again. So, if you are looking to try your first Esterbrook, it may not be necessary to get a completely restored pen or even one with a nib unit if you are willing to make the purchases separately. You could easily purchase an Esterbrook pen body on Ebay and then get a nib unit from a reputable vendor like Anderson Pens. If you have the luxury of attending one of the Pen Shows around the US, there are often vendors who sell replacement ink sacs or can fix up your newly acquired Esterbrook.
If you hoping to get a pristine Esterbrook that has been restored with a new sac, then I would recommend checking in with a high-quality reseller like Anderson Pens. They specialize in Esterbrooks and have a really great reputation in the community.
Do you have a color preference with the Esterbrook pens? The black or marbled pearl colors are usually easier to come by. The pastels get pricey if you are hoping to find one that’s not stained or discolored from age.
With all this said, Esterbrooks from the J Series can be found on Ebay starting in the range of $20 to $45 depending on the gamble you take in buying the pen. Fountain Pen Network’s classifieds section is also a great place to research and shop for Esterbrooks. Often times, the smaller ladies “purse pens” are a little less expensive for the marbled plastic or black plastic models but the pastel models do tend to be more expensive. If you are looking for the rare or more unique plastic finishes like the aqua cracked ice Esterbrook in the middle of Rob’s case shown above, you may need to save up your pennies for awhile.
If you are interested in an Esterbrook specifically for calligraphic nibs, I also recommend looking for Osmiroid pens. Osmiroid used the same threading for their nib units as Esterbrook though I don’t think the nibs were as of high a quality as the original Masterpoint collection from Esterbrook. Its pretty easy to find reasonably priced sets of unused or lightly used Osmiroid calligraphy sets on Ebay. Just stick to the “65” and “75” series of Osmiroids to be able to swap out nibs with Esterbrooks.
If you decide to hunt around Ebay for your first Esterbrook, just remember to check the sellers reviews and if something looks to good to be true, it usually is. Good luck and please let me know if you venture into vintage Esterbrooks.
Just wanted to let you know that I’ve got new stamp designs coming to the shop in the next week or so. The designs are postally-themed like the ones shown here plus a couple other new designs. These are all original designs based on the looks of vintage air mail envelopes and postage.
Some will be available with the classic wood handle and other in the smaller, more compact wood block style. I like the handle-style because they fit on my vintage stamp carousel but I also like the wood blocks as they are more portable. Let me know if you’all have a preference.
Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong for work and my absolute favorite thing to do was to take a trip across the harbor after work on the Star Ferry. I didn’t have a lot of free time so a quick jaunt gave me a scenic view of Hong Kong for the low, low price of ($2.50HK during the week and $3.50HK on the weekends which is about $0.35-.50US) so when I heard about the special Midori Traveler’s Notebook: Star Ferry Edition, I had to order one.
I have always been curious about comparing the Midori notebook to its more reasonably -priced cousin, the Pelle so I guess this is my chance.
The set includes a passport-sized Traveler’s Notebook in camel leather that has been embossed with special branding indicating that it is the “Star Edition”, a special refill that features a Star Ferry route map and a brief history. There is also a certificate for a free ride on the ferry, should you find yourself in HK and out of pocket change.
The notebook kit costs $54 but if you already own a passport-sized Midori notebook, the special Star Ferry insert is $11US. There is currently a delay in Star Edition notebooks coming into the US, postponed until June, but you can pre-order them and have them shipped when they are available.
Additional items are available in the Star Edition line including stickers, metal charms, clips a rubber stamp, printed masking tape and a Midori Bullet Pencil in bright green with Star Ferry branding.
When my notebook arrives, I’ll do a follow-up.
(via Resor Shop with a shoutout to Patrick Ng and Gourmet Pens for keeping me informed!)
Acquired any new pens or office ephemera this week? Put your Instagram username in the comments so I can see your fresh goodies! And if you want to follow me, see the link in the sidebar.
Yesterday, a co-worker showed me his Tom Bihn Field Journal and I was fascinated. I’ve visited the Tom Bihn site in the past because people always rave about the bags that they make but I had not seen the Field Journal product before. My co-worker had filled his journal with printouts of all the projects he was working on and using it as a great way to tote his notes to and from meetings all over our gigantic campus.
The Field Journal is a small 3-ring binder with a zip-around cover. The outside includes a pocket with a key strap and room to carry lots of little bits. The paper inside measures 5.5″x8.5″ (US half-sheet) and each journal comes filled with 100 sheets of lined or grid paper. For an extra $7, you can upgrade the paper to Crane though the site is not specific about the exact paper. Inside there are pockets to hold pens and other tools. When zipped, there are carrying handles and a strap to be able to carry the binder over your shoulder for easy carrying.
For a more thorough description and demo of the bag, check out the video. Towards the end of the video, they demonstrate how to flip the 3-ring binder to be on the right-hand side for lefties. I love any company that thinks about how to accommodate us lefties!
The Field Journal is available in four colors, base price is $80.
UPDATE: Both The Pen Addict and Okami/Pens Paper Inks…Whatever wrote extensive reviews of the Tom Bihn Field Journal if you’d like some hands-on information.
What an odd coincidence occurred this week. I had just recently come across the “replica” Parker 51 pens made in China called the Hero 616 only to find an fascinating article on counterfeit pens on the Tiger Pens Blog. The article discusses the manufacturing of knock-off pens that ranged from fake Sharpies to counterfeit Mont Blancs.
So, I wonder, is there any harm in buying a Hero 616? Parker no longer produces the much-coveted Parker 51 pen and most of the user information suggests that the pens are made from cheaper plastic and gold tone versus 14K gold nibs. Currently, Ebay seller YesPen sells a pack of three Hero 616 for less than $13. That’s considerably cheaper than even the worst quality vintage Parker 51.
And the irony? There are mentions in some of the listings for Hero 616s about how to spot a fake. Yep… even replica pens get counterfeited. Who knew?
