Tis The Season For Icicles! A Family Picture...

[jdllizard]

Here is my newly completed Esterbrook Icicle collection!

 

 

But notice the odd, pointed shape of the jewels on the silver one, both jewels are like that, with no evidence of anything ever being replaced. And to make it even more strange, there is no Esterbrook barrel imprint of any kind on the silver one. The only marking at all is the Esterbrook on the clip. ???

 

Anyone ever come across this before?

 

[londonbooks]

Awesome little collection. I've never seen jewels like that before. Could it be a prototype made by Esterbrook?

[FarmBoy]

Awesome little collection. I've never seen jewels like that before. Could it be a prototype made by Esterbrook?

Not a prototype.

[londonbooks]

Not a prototype.

I just found this type jewel on Richard Binder's site. Look in the Esterbrook J series family page about 1/2 way down. It is the cap jewel for a ballpoint pen.

[jdllizard]

Doing some research I came across this old thread that seems to verify my strange silver Estie Icicle is just another oddball, uncommon, but not unheard of, and not the first one of its kind to be found.

 

The FPNer in post #7 describes an identical one.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/20968-strange-icicles/

[bfg]

I have all five and two extras. I have only one like that and it is green. Most of mine don't show imprints but I assumed they had worn off. Does anybody know if the material on these is basically the same as on the J pens?

 

 

[jdllizard]

I have all five and two extras. I have only one like that and it is green. Most of mine don't show imprints but I assumed they had worn off. Does anybody know if the material on these is basically the same as on the J pens?

 

I'm not positive, but the handfeel and just eyeing the pens make me think the icicles are a different type of material than the regular J family of Esties.

 

They just look and *feel* different in the hand.

[Tom Heath]

After retrieving my old , Avo Uvezian cedar Cigar box which houses my Esterbrook Icicle Pens

I find I have 17 pieces to look over for subtle differences

 

I have singled out 9 pieces to look more closely

I find I have two with original factory sticker

 

2 with one end only with the conical, dimpled end jewel , one on the cap the other on the barrel end

 

I have several with no factory imprinting

 

The Green pen has a unique Circular factory imprint : Esterbrook made in USA

 

A Blue having made in Hecho de Mexico

 

Enjoy

TJ

 

Look closely at last photo you will see some overall length differences

Looks like my photos came up out of intended order, hope you like 'em

[robert1962]

After retrieving my old , Avo Uvezian cedar Cigar box which houses my Esterbrook Icicle Pens

I find I have 17 pieces to look over for subtle differences

 

I have singled out 9 pieces to look more closely

I find I have two with original factory sticker

 

2 with one end only with the conical, dimpled end jewel , one on the cap the other on the barrel end

 

I have several with no factory imprinting

 

The Green pen has a unique Circular factory imprint : Esterbrook made in USA

 

A Blue having made in Hecho de Mexico

 

Enjoy

TJ

 

Look closely at last photo you will see some overall length differences

Looks like my photos came up out of intended order, hope you like 'em

Very nice grouping and run down. I have a similar dozen, or so, spread with one Mexico and one unmarked. Icicles are pretty neat. I really like the vibrant green that Esterbrook used for this series. It is one of my favorite Esterbrook colors.

 

There seem to be several odd variants out there from the late production era. I have two with the circular imprint. Both of these have short, cheap levers and yes, short cutouts (a standard Esterbrook lever won't fit). One (green) has a long molded section and the other (blue) has a super-long section, which makes the pen noticeably longer than standard. It also has a smooth cap band. Both are a step down in overall fit and finish, but I like atypical pens, flaws and all.

 

Is one of your silver pens an SJ? I have Copper and Silver SJ Icicles, both w/ US imprint. These short fellows don't seem to come along too often, though I don't really follow Esterbrook, much.

 

All of these came from the wild, mostly in Washington State, some years back.

 

Hope this Holiday weekend is finding everybody in health and happiness.

 

Bob

[londonbooks]

So reading these posts about the pointed type jewel I guess Richard Binder's observations about this are no longer accurate. Here is a quote from his webpage about these pointed jewels -- "An indication of the thoughtful design typical of Esterbrook is the creation of a unique cap jewel shape for each of the writing modes: concave for the pencil, pointed for the ballpoint pen and slightly rounded for the fountain pen. The differences between the jewels allows the user to discern by touch which instrument he or she is about to remove from pocket or purse."

 

Then there are pictures of the pointed type jewel on the cap of a ballpoint pen. So I guess at some point Esterbrook decided to use this type jewel on other pens such as the icicles. Interesting.

[Tom Heath]

Okay London Pens you made me look

 

One of my Gray Icicles has a cap which is noticeably smaller than the others

 

I suspect it is an SJ did icicles come in SJ hopefully it is a yes and I can stop wondering

 

The Barrel fits this pen but the threads are snug

 

The Red SJ screws in a tad better

 

Your thoughts are welcomed.

 

I thought all Icicles were LJ' s

[jdllizard]

After retrieving my old , Avo Uvezian cedar Cigar box which houses my Esterbrook Icicle Pens

I find I have 17 pieces to look over for subtle differences

 

Avo Uvezian you say? A very fine gentleman, and maker of some fantastic cigars!

 

 

(I'm the one on the right) :-)

[jdllizard]

Okay London Pens you made me look

 

One of my Gray Icicles has a cap which is noticeably smaller than the others

 

I suspect it is an SJ did icicles come in SJ hopefully it is a yes and I can stop wondering

 

The Barrel fits this pen but the threads are snug

 

The Red SJ screws in a tad better

 

Your thoughts are welcomed.

 

I thought all Icicles were LJ' s

 

There are SJ Icicles according to the old thread I linked to above, but I've never seen one myself.

[seanruss]

A handsome collection! I have a red barrel and cap along with some extra parts that i've been meaning to put together for a while.