Esterbrook History

[Charles Skinner]

Is the total number of U. S. Esterbrooks made and sold known?

C. S.

[Hobiwan]

The only numbers I was able to come up with in my limited research were:

 

During their production of dip pen points, they reached a number of "3 million gross annually"; and

 

At the height of fountain pen production (early/mid '50s?), "600,000 a day".

 

Those were newspaper and/or historical society reports of the '50s (I forget who said what).

 

HTH

[estie1948]

For those who do not know, Paul Hoban (Hobiwan) is the author of The Fountain Pens of Esterbrook. It is a fantastic book that includes not only history, detailed descriptions of the Esterbrook fountain pens, photographs, but many pages of reproduced Esterbrook Company advertisements. I highly recommend it for anyone who has been truly smitten by the Esterbrook fountain pen.

 

Since his book would be the first place I would go looking for an answer to this question and he has already given his answer, I will shut up.

 

-David.

[AAAndrew]

I think Paul's number for dip pens may be a little low, especially for the height of their steel pen manufacturing.

 

I have an article from The American Stationer in June of 1914 that gives you some idea of the number of steel (dip) pens Esterbrook was pumping out.

 

1914 was close to the height of Esterbrook steel pen manufacturing. It was definitely when they made the most styles, over 250. A few years later, during WWI, Esterbrook cut back to only a limited number of styles as part of the war effort, to reduce the amount of steel used to make styles that didn't sell as well. After the war, they brought some of the styles back, but definitely not all.

 

In the article, which was about the pen industry in Camden, NJ, it says that "over 250,000,000 pens are made in Camden annually." In Camden you had two major manufacturers: C. Howard Hunt and Esterbrook. There may have been a few other much smaller factories, but I would say it conservative to say that over 80% of these millions were made by these two manufacturers.

 

Hunt at that time employed over 150 people, and Esterbrook over 500. Extrapolate the ratio of workers to the number made, and I think you can safely say they made quite a few. It also mentions that "an operative can cut from forty to forty-five thousand pens in a day of eight hours, and her hands will move about seven miles in doing it."

 

To clinch it, though, in April of 1914, also in The American STationer was an ad. for Esterbrook that claims "over 200,000,000 Pens Each Year" are produced.

 

 

 

They made A LOT of pens. Before fountain pens, Esterbrook was the largest manufacturer of steel pens in the US, and one of the very largest in the world. I don't think it was only marketing hype when they said they made more pens then all other American manufacturers combined.

 

They got a bit of a late start in fountain pens because their dip pen business was so dominant, but I'm sure they made a lot of the fountain pens, especially the J pens, as they are so plentiful today.

Edited June 20, 2016 by AAAndrew

[DanDeM]

To clarify, the pens cited by The American Stationer and illustrated in the

Esterbrook ad are what we now call nibs. Not to be confused with fountain

pens that have a lever, cap, barrel, clip, sac, etc.

[pajaro]

For those who do not know, Paul Hoban (Hobiwan) is the author of The Fountain Pens of Esterbrook. It is a fantastic book that includes not only history, detailed descriptions of the Esterbrook fountain pens, photographs, but many pages of reproduced Esterbrook Company advertisements. I highly recommend it for anyone who has been truly smitten by the Esterbrook fountain pen.

 

Since his book would be the first place I would go looking for an answer to this question and he has already given his answer, I will shut up.

 

-David.

 

A. great book to read. It set me off buying a few dozen Esterbrooks. I tried different types, and liked the M2 and Safari pump filler best.

[jdllizard]

That was the first book I bought when I started in this "hobby".

 

And darn glad I have it!

[Starguard]

Anyone know where this can be purchased? Amazon is out and it's not on e-Bay.

[AAAndrew]

Check eBay. You may be buying it directly from the Author.

[Starguard]

Check eBay. You may be buying it directly from the Author.

 

 

That would be awesome!

[welch]

To sense how hard Paul (Hobiwan) had to work to write the book, consider that Venus Pencils absorbed Esterbook in the late 1960s, moving Esterbrook from Camden, NJ (just across the Delaware from Philadelphia) to Cherry Grove, NJ. I think Venus dumped Esterbrook's corporate records. Compare that to Parker, which moved corporate archives from Wisconsin to Newhaven, UK (or "England", as they etched on their pens!) and finally to France.

 

It would be wonderful to know how Esterbook grew, to have design sketches...especially to know how they decided to produce interchangeable nib-units, or "points". Wonderful to have the internal correspondence. As best I can tell, we have advertisements, the pens themselves, and some issues of the company's internal magazine.

 

Amazing work, "Hobiwan"! (Of course I have a copy of the book!)

 

(I doubt that Esterbrook was making 200 million nibs per year in the pre-fountain pen days. The entire US population would have been about 100 million. Is it possible that Esterbrook sold two points for every American every year? Ah...advertising!)

[Hobiwan]

It would be wonderful to know how Esterbook grew, to have design sketches...especially to know how they decided to produce interchangeable nib-units, or "points". Wonderful to have the internal correspondence. As best I can tell, we have advertisements, the pens themselves, and some issues of the company's internal magazine.

 

Beyond the Renew Point sketches on the patent document (from 1931?), I can only add my speculation that its invention and production may have been suggested/influenced by Richard Esterbrook (the Fifth, as far as I know, and Dorothy Jean Esterbrook's father).

 

After his service as a pilot/observer in England's Royal Flying Corps (predecessor to the RAF) during WW-1, he eschewed following in the family footsteps, and worked at N.Y. Telephone Co. as an engineer until retirement in 1958. Telephone circuits were quite primitive in 1918. But I know from my experience as a circuit installer with Western Electric (Ma Bell's tech subsidiary in the South) that by 1967, the switching circuits were modular and repetitive. Making a call went from requiring an operator to being able to dial direct. And installation of the circuits was a simple matter of bolting banks and banks of identical relay circuits onto a steel framework, then wire-wrapping pairs of color-coded wires in a prearranged pattern over and over again. All this modernization designed, of course by communications engineers, of which RE5 was one.

 

Now while Richard was not directly connected with the Company, I'm sure he would have had the ear of its execs (and we've found Estie J-pens engraved "N.Y.Tel.Co"; he was at least that much involved). So, it just might be that his experience with aircraft engines and communications gear prompted him to suggest or at least consult with the Company on something like easily replaceable points as a unique way for the new American Esterbrooks fountain pens to stand out from the rest of the pack.

 

... during the Great Depression ...

 

... for only a buck (& up).

 

Anyway, if I were writing the screenplay, that's how I'd spin it.

 

P.S. to all, thank you for your kind words regarding the book. I'm happy that it's still of use, even though it's 24 years old, and much more in the way of useful (and accurate) information has been unearthed by dedicated fans.

Edited July 19, 2016 by Hobiwan

[pajaro]

Your book has a lot of wonderful pictures and great information. Before I would sell it or trade it I would have to sell or trade most of my pens.

[mmg122]

Paul's book is also the first "pen book" I ever purchased and still my favorite. I always have it at hand. You might try buying it at Pendemonium.com. Sam usually has a few copies lying around.

[gweimer1]

Anyone know where this can be purchased? Amazon is out and it's not on e-Bay.

 

Sorry I didn't see it sooner. Paul has one up on eBay now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Fountain-Pens-of-Esterbrook-book-/222222624264?hash=item33bd802608:g:KpgAAOSwVL1WBx9u

[Federalist Pens]

To sense how hard Paul (Hobiwan) had to work to write the book, consider that Venus Pencils absorbed Esterbook in the late 1960s, moving Esterbrook from Camden, NJ (just across the Delaware from Philadelphia) to Cherry Grove, NJ. I think Venus dumped Esterbrook's corporate records. Compare that to Parker, which moved corporate archives from Wisconsin to Newhaven, UK (or "England", as they etched on their pens!) and finally to France.

 

It would be wonderful to know how Esterbook grew, to have design sketches...especially to know how they decided to produce interchangeable nib-units, or "points". Wonderful to have the internal correspondence. As best I can tell, we have advertisements, the pens themselves, and some issues of the company's internal magazine.

 

Amazing work, "Hobiwan"! (Of course I have a copy of the book!)

 

(I doubt that Esterbrook was making 200 million nibs per year in the pre-fountain pen days. The entire US population would have been about 100 million. Is it possible that Esterbrook sold two points for every American every year? Ah...advertising!)

 

 

Sorry to correct you

But its actually Cherry Hill, NJ...

 

Springdale Road North (Cherry Hill Corporate Center)

A very large community about 5-6 miles east of Camden.

The Cross street is still called Esterbrook Lane even today!

This is not far from my store Drop-Stop!

 

Regards,

Frank

[Starguard]

 

Sorry I didn't see it sooner. Paul has one up on eBay now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Fountain-Pens-of-Esterbrook-book-/222222624264?hash=item33bd802608:g:KpgAAOSwVL1WBx9u

 

Thank you! I've got a bid in. Wish me luck!

[AAAndrew]

...

 

(I doubt that Esterbrook was making 200 million nibs per year in the pre-fountain pen days. The entire US population would have been about 100 million. Is it possible that Esterbrook sold two points for every American every year? Ah...advertising!)

 

I believe that it is possible. Esterbrook sold their nibs not just in the US. And these were made to be disposable and sold by the gross. Think of the number of disposable ball-point pens produced each year.

 

Here's an example. The US Quartermaster Corp Depot in NYC, which included the Isthmian Canal Commission (the planning group which eventually built the Panama Canal) advertised in March, 1907 a call for bids for the fiscal year 1907-08. Here's what they were looking for, and who won the bids to supply the nibs and at what price per gross. At the time the retail price for a gross of Esterbrook 048's, for example, was 75 cents.

 

100 gross steel pens, Spencerian No 1, Blackburn & Anderman, 67 cents

25 gross Esterbrook No. 9, Blackburn & Anderman, 38 cents

100 gross Esterbrook, No. 048, D.A. Tower, 45 cents

15 gross Esterbrook, No. 135, Blackburn & Anderman, 45 cents

25 gross Esterbrook No. 239, D.A. Tower, 45 cents

25 gross Esterbrook No. 284, D.A. Tower, 45 cents

25 gross Esterbrook No. 313, D.A. Tower, 45 cents

25 gross Esterbrook, No. 314, Blackburn & Anderman, 45 cents

25 gross Esterbrook, No. 311, D. A. Tower, 45 cents

25 gross Esterbrook, No. 442, Blackburn & Anderman, 45 cents

25 gross steel pens, ball pointed, No. 516, D. A. Tower, 68 cents

15 gross Glucinum pens, Richard Best, 73 cents

In May they published another, and their largest, call for bids.

800 gross Falcon pens, Esterbrook, No. 048, $256

800 gross long steel pens, Esterbrook, no. 313, $256

150 gross fine point pens, Esterbrook, No. 135, $48

600 gross pens, Falcon stub, Esterbrook, No. 442, $192

600 gross pens, Falcon golden stub, Esterbrook, No. 339, $192

100 gross ladies' Falcon, Esterbrook, No. 182, $32

200 gross small stub pens, Esterbrook, No. 239, $64

50 gross Text-writer pens, Esterbrook No. 334, $16

50 gross Text-writer pens, Esterbrook, No. 335, $16

100 gross Judge's quill pens, Esterbrook, No. 313, $32

100 gross pens, medium fine Esterbrook No. 444, $32

…

D.A. Tower:

400 gross Spencerian pens, No. 1, $254.52

400 gross Spencerian pens, No. 2, $254.52

400 gross Spencerian pens, No. 3, $254.52

That's over 700,000 nibs, just for the US Quartermaster Corp. office in New York City. Not all Esterbrook, but multiply that by all of the city, state and federal government offices, the tens-of-thousands of businesses, tens-of-thousands of students, and all of the individuals who wrote letters and you start to really add up. 200,000 is not a completely outrageous number. Esterbrook was also probably five times larger than their nearest US competitor.

Edited August 23, 2016 by AAAndrew

[Starguard]

I got my copy! It is very informative I'm very happy to have it. Thank you Hobiwan for the nice note and the two blotting sheets!

[welch]

 

 

Sorry to correct you

But its actually Cherry Hill, NJ...

 

Springdale Road North (Cherry Hill Corporate Center)

A very large community about 5-6 miles east of Camden.

The Cross street is still called Esterbrook Lane even today!

This is not far from my store Drop-Stop!

 

Regards,

Frank

 

 

(Smacking myself in the forehead...)