Desk Pen Edition Of Show Off Your Esterbrooks

[Anne-Sophie]

It is a wonderfully of-the-period pink. With matching pen. It's the only one I've ever seen, but then I haven't been looking for Morrisets for very long. The only other colors I've seen are brown, black, brown swirl and red.

I figured it might be pink, because of the great contrasts it makes with the blue but the cocoa looks mauve in my picture.

 

The Azure inkwell is exquisite!

 

Thanks for sharing the un-boxing pictures, it shows how judicious use of cardboard, smaller boxes and wrapping paper could save us from the unbearable waste of redundant plastic packaging.

 

Back to the pleasant inkwells, I found that Carter Ink made a dark blue and a purple inkwell. I would love to find unusual colors, but so far, the only one I could get were black.

 

As it happens, a space has been freed for future inkwells eventual display.

Edited March 9, 2017 by Anne-Sophie

[AAAndrew]

The cocoa is a kind of brownish-mauve. It's not a terribly attractive color, but it's very indicative of the period. As is the mid-60's avocado green, the 50's azure blue and the 40's pink.

 

I'm more of a "representative example" rather than "one of every type" collector. Though I seem to be working on that with Esterbrook dip nibs. I'm up to 78 different numbers and still looking. That doesn't count variations in finish, imprint (556, I'm looking at you!), or date. If those are counted I have 141 different styles of Esterbrook nibs.

 

We all have our little quirks.

[gweimer1]

The cocoa is a kind of brownish-mauve. It's not a terribly attractive color, but it's very indicative of the period. As is the mid-60's avocado green, the 50's azure blue and the 40's pink.

 

I'm more of a "representative example" rather than "one of every type" collector. Though I seem to be working on that with Esterbrook dip nibs. I'm up to 78 different numbers and still looking. That doesn't count variations in finish, imprint (556, I'm looking at you!), or date. If those are counted I have 141 different styles of Esterbrook nibs.

 

We all have our little quirks.

 

After spending most of my time on Esterbrooks, and the more I learn, this is what I have concluded.

 

Esterbrook is a top quality pen, more like a first tier than lower. Esterbrook has a unique view of pens - they mastered the art of the writing experience. They have more nib variations than anyone else. When they moved to fountain pens, it was a continuation of that. They made an attractive and durable nib holder (including an ink supply). They offered few variations of the pen, but still several of the nibs. Esterbrook has, in my mind, always been about the joy of actual writing.

[AAAndrew]

 

After spending most of my time on Esterbrooks, and the more I learn, this is what I have concluded.

 

Esterbrook is a top quality pen, more like a first tier than lower. Esterbrook has a unique view of pens - they mastered the art of the writing experience. They have more nib variations than anyone else. When they moved to fountain pens, it was a continuation of that. They made an attractive and durable nib holder (including an ink supply). They offered few variations of the pen, but still several of the nibs. Esterbrook has, in my mind, always been about the joy of actual writing.

 

Completely agree. For Esterbrook the nib was supreme. The pen was "merely" the holder. It doesn't have to be fancy (steel furniture), but the experience of writing was paramount. And since this experience is most affected by the nib, they put most attention on that. Compare how many different models of pen they had at any one time compared to how many different models of nib, and you'll see what was important. They were in the nib business for almost 70 years before they seriously got into the pen business.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I suspect you're right. Even three years ago, I wasn't all that interested in vintage pens, much less Esterbrooks. Now I fear I'm starting to collect them. Even re-sac them!

[Anne-Sophie]

 

Very basic question.

 

Do any of the dip pens nibs that are associated with desk pens are available in broad?

[AAAndrew]

The vast majority of Esterbrook dip-less pens you will encounter will be the "later" ones which accept any of the same Renew-point nibs that the regular Esterbrook pens accept.

[ac12]

Broads are available. But broad and stubs are difficult to find and usually scooped up quickly.

If you can find a similar size Broad nib, with a bit of work, it can be installed into an Esterbrook nib assembly.

[Runnin_Ute]

I suspect you're right. Even three years ago, I wasn't all that interested in vintage pens, much less Esterbrooks. Now I fear I'm starting to collect them. Even re-sac them!

No fear about it, I am collecting them. Purchased my first in the summer of 2013. It was a green J with a 9550, I need blue and red J's to complete the color set.

[Runnin_Ute]

Broads are available. But broad and stubs are difficult to find and usually scooped up quickly.

If you can find a similar size Broad nib, with a bit of work, it can be installed into an Esterbrook nib assembly.

I lucked into a broad. (2464) When my Bell Systems LJ showed up it had one installed. (Thanks EoC!!)

 

II just picked up my first medium (1551) the rest are EF (9450,9550) and F (Venus, 1555 Gregg)

[Anne-Sophie]

 

I wonder if there has been new desk pens acquisitions since March.

 

If so, would you be willing to share your pictures?

 

 

[pajaro]

 

After spending most of my time on Esterbrooks, and the more I learn, this is what I have concluded.

 

Esterbrook is a top quality pen, more like a first tier than lower. Esterbrook has a unique view of pens - they mastered the art of the writing experience. They have more nib variations than anyone else. When they moved to fountain pens, it was a continuation of that. They made an attractive and durable nib holder (including an ink supply). They offered few variations of the pen, but still several of the nibs. Esterbrook has, in my mind, always been about the joy of actual writing.

 

I don't think I would call the Esterbrooks top quality pens. The functioning and the variety of nibs are very good, but the cosmetics don't come up to Parker or Sheaffer, generally. I have tried a lot of these pens, and a lot of the nibs including some of the harder to find 2xxx and 9xxx nibs. I think Esterbrook might be a good Tier 1 1/2.

 

Pelikan and Montblanc in their lower end lines are far ahead. There is a different overall quality in those and in most Parker and Sheaffer. Sheaffer school pens, which are very good writers, would be more like Esterbrook..

[penbrute]

Here's what appears to be a dip-less 444 inkwell but it's somewhat different from the ones I've seen so far. The internal inkwell-container is metal (not glass or plastic). The outer base appears to be marble. Rest of the parts are familiar looking, the pen hole interface is just like the 444.

 

If anybody knows, what is the metal? After all these decades, it isn't rusted in the least. Mere aluminum?

 

 

 

Thanks.

Edited May 5, 2017 by penbrute

[ac12]

PB

Probably stainless steel.

 

I don't have a 444, yet.

[penbrute]

PB

Probably stainless steel.

 

I don't have a 444, yet.

 

Thanks. You may be right but I was under the impression that even stainless steel would corrode over time when exposed to ink. (Perhaps aluminum too.) When I got the inkwell, it had dried ink in it, so it's a used (60+ year old?) one, yet the metal looks shiny and clean.

 

I intend to use it, and am wondering whether only certain type/brand of ink should be used to be safe.

[AAAndrew]

That's a new one on me. All the ones of that style I've seen are glass, but then I've never seen one in a marble base. The rusting will depend a great deal on how long it was wet and with what kind of ink.

[Anne-Sophie]

 

More inkwell acquisitions facilitated by the garage sale and flea market season in the northern hemisphere and still nice weather in the southern one?

 

 

[Anne-Sophie]

 

Did anyone had the luck to find more desk pens, this summer?

[AAAndrew]

Did anyone had the luck to find more desk pens, this summer?

Yes, but not Esterbrooks. They've been a bit thin on the ground.

[gweimer1]

I did get one of the earlier copper desk pens with the black tail, and it has a 8556 nib on it. It needs a little work, but I got it pretty reasonably. I have gotten more Sheaffer desk pens of late....probably 5 or so, and a steal of a deal for one with the S5 nib.