Who Loves Desk Pens?

[Keyless Works]

Edit....just realized I put this in the wrong place. Moderators please move to the writing instruments section.

 

I just received my first desk pen an Esterbrook #444 dip-less set with a 9668 Nib. For $35 restored (no idea if this was a good deal especially considering it was designed for a public counter) I cannot believe how much I like this pen! I don't know why I never considered desk pens before. The dip-less design is really nice but it doesn't seem to be common; was it considered a bad design?

 

Are there a lot of desk pen fans out there? If so what are your favorites? And what should be my next desk pen with a max budget of $300.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Keyless Works

[raging.dragon]

Are you looking for a modern or vintage deskpen?

[Keyless Works]

I am not picky I would be open to both vintage and modern. I am interested in the pen being a good writer more than anything.

[Oranges and Apples]

I've always liked the idea of a desk pen set and then years later I figured out that there is a guy who customizes it for you (who knew!) and a couple of weeks after that this happened:

http://imageshack.us/a/img43/7781/015ngj.jpg

They are two Pilot Custom 74 one in fine and the other in broad in the clear demonstrator finish.

Pen stand made by Jebs Pens.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Oranges and Apples

[rvthof]

And the big question: who makes these pen stands?

Looks quite nice

[longweight]

Oh wow! I wish that MB had desk pens!

[Roger W.]

For vintage nobody made more desk sets than Sheaffer. No one made bigger sets than Parker. Might be what the Pen Desk Set Company worked out as desk sets of Sheaffer, Parker and Wahl were combined in this one company that shared all of their patents from 1928 until 1950 when it was disbanded. Sheaffer made over 700 different sets from 1924 until 1941, this period I would describe as the golden era of desk sets.

 

Roger W.

 

http://sheafferflattops.com/images/67d.jpg

 

http://sheafferflattops.com/images/916G3.jpg

 

http://sheafferflattops.com/images/1012c.jpg

 

http://sheafferflattops.com/images/desk%20pens.jpg

[tonybelding]

I love desk sets! I always have a desk pen inked and ready at my computer workstation. It's handy and less likely to wander off than a regular pen.

 

Most of the ones I have are Sheaffers. The brown-striped vac-fill Triumphs from the 1940s are fantastic once you get the filler restored. The Snorkels are good too. The later cartridge-filling black Imperials with the inlaid nibs are sleek, minimalist designs and just about foolproof, and excellent writers.

 

I also have a 1920s Wahl-Eversharp in mottled red Ebonite, and a great vintage OMAS Extra piston-filler, which I'm quite proud of.

 

Oh yeah... And a few Esterbrooks. I also have a Dip-Less set, which is definitely cool. My only caveat is that they do suffer from more evaporation than your typical desk pen, so you want an ink that's tolerant of it. A "safe" and low-saturation ink is your best bet, and you may need to add a bit of water from time to time, if it starts to become too concentrated.

[mhosea]

I actually snagged a couple of desk pens in as many weeks, a snorkel and a "fat" touchdown filler from 1949 (I guess, unless these lingered on in desk pens for longer). I like them, especially the fat touchdown.

[Uncle Red]

I have this Sheaffer Dolphin set, it's not in the best shape but it stays at work all night/weekend. I keep it loaded with Diamine Registrar's Ink with a push button converter from Peyton Street Pens (Teri responded to my question about converters on a Sunday, she gives great customer service).

Edited February 5, 2013 by Uncle Red

[Oranges and Apples]

  On 2/5/2013 at 10:50 AM, rvthof said:

And the big question: who makes these pen stands?

Looks quite nice

 

Thank you and it was made by Jebs Pens. I edited my post to include his work.

[Osmaroid]

I have bought desk sets for several years - I particularly like Art Deco sets. A few of my eclectic collection are shown below - not all art deco, and not all old.

 

The first is an art deco nude in glass that I recently acquired on eBay - it takes a very slender pen, which makes me wonder if it were of later manufacture and actually made for a ballpoint desk pen. Regardless, it is my current favorite.

 

 

Another art deco holder that came with a pen that still had a paper band on it giving information about the pen materials, cleaning etc. and which unfortunately has the manufacturer's name unreadable. It has a Signature gold plated nib, which leads me to believe that this is a third tier maker.

 

 

The Esterbrook "8 Ball" is well known and readily available on eBay etc., but this also came in colors (can't call these 8 balls, I assume!). I have a green with matching pen and a gray where the pen does not match - I don't know whether the pen's plastic has darkened with age or whether the pen was made in more than one shade of gray.

 

 

A Levenger holder (made for the True Writer Obsidian pens) that I bought new a few years ago. I do not believe that it is still available, but it is a modern stand in the style of one from the 1920s or 1930s

 

 

A couple of modern desk pens. The brown mottled pen in the rear is an Indian ebonite pen I bought new a few years ago - I believe that it was made by Ratnam. It is actually a dip pen, but from memory it is also made as an aeromatic or eyedropper filler. The front pen is a Pilot that I bought last week from JStationary for the bargain price of only $11! (no affiliation - just a customer). It did need some nib work to get it to be a smooth writer, but now is a nice desk pen for everyday use.

 

Edited February 6, 2013 by Osmaroid

[philm]

My tastes lean toward vintage Sheaffer - Roger (previous post) is the expert on these. They are so varied and interesting...

 

I have only a few, and this is one of my favorites ~ many should be well within your budget - happy hunting!

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y50/munsonhsr/sheaffer%20pens/Desk%20Sets/cb9422cb-5a81-41cf-ace5-e0cb803ccb41_zps887317d8.jpg

 

Phil

Edited February 6, 2013 by philm

[Penne Stilografiche]

  On 2/5/2013 at 2:42 PM, longweight said:

Oh wow! I wish that MB had desk pens!

Actually the did make desk pens in the 50's and 60's, and they have modern meisterstuck desk pen sets. You can find them on bay if you are interested.

[ZachWasniak]

  On 2/5/2013 at 8:52 AM, Oranges and Apples said:

I've always liked the idea of a desk pen set and then years later I figured out that there is a guy who customizes it for you (who knew!) and a couple of weeks after that this happened:

http://imageshack.us/a/img43/7781/015ngj.jpg

They are two Pilot Custom 74 one in fine and the other in broad in the clear demonstrator finish.

Pen stand made by Jebs Pens.

Sweet set of pens!

[ZachWasniak]

Does anyone have a good reccomendation on good beginner desk pen, low budget?

[Osmaroid]

  On 2/9/2013 at 4:21 PM, ZachWasniak said:

Does anyone have a good reccomendation on good beginner desk pen, low budget?

 

The Esterbroook "8 Ball" and desk pen is pretty good - if the nib is not good, it is easily replaced as it is the standard Esterbrook screw in. Usually available on eBay for very reasonable prices as desk sets do not seem to be as popular as normal fountain pens..I just did a quick search on "Esterbrook Desk Set" and found many, and even when restricted to "Buy It Now", they were available from $26 including shipping.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Osmaroid

[Roger W.]

  On 2/9/2013 at 4:21 PM, ZachWasniak said:

Does anyone have a good reccomendation on good beginner desk pen, low budget?

 

You can get a lot of vintage Sheaffer sets for $20 or less.

 

Roger W.

[jbb]

I made my desk pen out of parts of other incomplete desk sets.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8249/8535754934_cb5059b16a_o.jpg

[Bo Bo Olson]

Only have two,one is beautiful white marble; but I will have to find desk pens to match the trumpet.

It is a thing to do.

It is nice to grab my Sheaffer touchdown, to take a quick note.

Though I'd get a desk pen with a tad more flex than that nail, if I start in that direction.

 

I think the US guys got an advantage there with Parker and Sheaffer desk sets.