For sometime now, I’ve been collecting vintage Esterbrook fountain pens. They were my introduction to budget fountain pens and the wide array of nibs that were available for them. Not to mention that those celluloid colors really are lovely.

If you’re not familiar with Esterbrooks, they were fountain pens sold from 1948 through the early 70s and had replaceable nibs that could be purchased for $0.60-$1.15 depending on if you wanted the standard Renew-Point or the Durachromes. A large portion of these plastic-bodied pens were considered “dollar pens” so even in the 1950s, these were not expensive pens.

I’ve also collected quite a few different nibs over the years. The holy grail was the 9128 Flexible Nib NIB which works beautifully. But in the end, my favorite has become the Fine Stub nib. I am now on the hunt for more of the stub nibs that were available and, of course, a few more body colors to fill out my collection.

All you vintage Esterbrook fountain pen fans might want to take a close look at this collection. See anything unusual? These pens all belong to my friend Rob L. He has been squirreling away vintage fountain pens for as long as I’ve known him. This week, he brought his rare and unusual Esterbrooks to share with me — and as a result, with you as well!

If you’re not familiar with Esterbrooks, I’ll fill you in on what makes these so special. The first pen on the left is a lovely root beer color and is considered the early-1940s bandless $1.00 pen. What makes this one unusual is the lack of a chrome ring around the cap opening. The turquoise pen is a $1.50 super-rare cracked ice model that is difficult to find, and when you do, the auction prices get ridiculous. Rob wouldn’t tell me what he paid for it simply saying he got “a really good deal on it”. The middle pen is a early model J-series Visumaster (circa 1941 or so) which is so unique because of the striping pattern and a small clear plastic band around the grip to see your ink flow. The black pen is an early 30s V-Clip. The last pen is a hard rubber pen in the $1.00 style. According to the information I could find online, by the time the $1.00 pens were introduced, Esterbrook had switched to plastic. This one remains a bit of a mystery.

With Esterbrooks, you can easily collect the pen bodies separate from your nib preference. The nibs can easily be swapped out so that’s why I didn’t bother to show the actual nibs of these Esterbrooks. Rob squirrels away NOS Esterbrook nib units too, so as long as he finds a pen body he likes, he can put in his favorite nib unit. He kindly provided me with my 9128 flexible nib, mint in the box, so I say, “Keep squirreling those Esterbrook parts, Rob!”

If you’ve seen my Esterbrook collection, you’ll know that I have mostly J-Series Transitionals and Double Jewels which date from the 1940s to the early 50s so seeing Rob’s rare vintage gems was quite a treat. Sadly, he made me give them back.

(shoutout to Esterbrook.net for all the handy information, and to Rick Conner’s Penspotters, Anderson Pens and Ward-o-Matic for the vintage ads!)

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.

(image via Rick Conner Penspotters)

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.

(from the Rob Latimer collection)

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.

(chart via ET IN ARCADIA EGO on FPN)

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.

Shown here for scale from top to bottom, a modern Kaweco Classic, a vintage Esterbrook transitional and a modern Kaweco Student pen.

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.

If I wasn’t such a fan of the vintage Esterbook pens, I don’t think I ever would have imagined myself as someone who would buy a pink fountain pen. But… I have a secret desire to own an Esterbrook in every color they were ever sold in (maybe not every variation… that would get complicated). I have just about all the major iridescent colors except Root Beer/Copper (if you’re looking to unload one, let me know!) so it was time to start on the hunt for the pastels.

They were several solid colored pastels sold in the Esterbrook line: pink (sometimes looked sherbet orange and later a brighter reddish color), blue (pale and then a brighter hue), yellow, green (in a couple hues), grey, lilac and the coveted white “Nurse’s pen”. So I have a ways to go but the pastel pens are often as expensive if not more expensive than the larger J-series icicle/iridescent pens of the same period. I think this is partly because those light colored plastics were often stained by the inks used at the time and their smaller size and narrower barrel may not have withstood the years of abuse as well as their larger cousins.

This particular pen came with a #9668 nib which is the Master Point standard medium “General Writing” nib. It looks to be in good shape but I could hear the dried rubber flakes when I moved the pen so I know it will need a new ink sac… someday. In the meantime, I just dip my nib in an ink bottle and can get anywhere from a few lines to a whole page of writing from one dip.

As you can see, the purse pen is quite a bit shorter and a little narrower than a standard J-series double-jewel Esterbrook. It measures just 4.25″ capped compared to the 5″ regular pen. The cap can be posted for writing to give a longer tool but in general, I don’t think the purse pens would be comfortable for most people with large hands to use. Oh, we of the dinky-hand club highly approve! It fits in my small hands as comfortably as the Kaweco Sports do.

I decided that if I was going to own a pink pen, I might as well own some pink ink so I picked up a bottle of Edelstein Turmaline, the Ink of the Year from 2012 from The Pen Place in Crown Center, Kansas City. They still had it in stock. The bottles for the Edelstein line are so elegant and, to be honest, I kind of like this particular shade of pink. It reminds me raspberries.

At first, I used the #9668 General Writing nib that was in the pen but it was a bit too wide for my taste. The ink did get some nice shading as a result and the nib wrote super smoothly but it was just a bit too wide for me.

I switched out for a MIB #9555 shorthand nib which has the numbers stamped in a wide vertical line. It seemed appropriate to have a Shorthand nib in a pink purse pen, like something one of the secretaries on Mad Men might have carried.

The line width of the #9555 shorthand nib works well for me, I’d compare it to the F or EF nib in my Kaweco Sports. All in all, I am quite happy with this purchase. Ebay auctions can be a gamble and for all the “meh” purchases of the past, this one is a big winner!

(Ironic artwork)

Paper:

• World War 2 Diaries Found in Attic (via Notebook Stories)
• Pocket Notebooks: What does Fountain Pen Friendly really mean? (via Ed Jelley)
• Paperblanks Journals (via Inkophile)
• Moleskine Cahier Pocket Notebook (vi Ink of Me Fondly)

Pens and Ink:

• Esterbrook #1461 Rigid Fine (via Fountain Pen Quest)
• Kaweco Carribean Turquoise Ink (via The Pencil Case Blog)
• Kaweco Allrounder Fountain Pen (via Office Supply Geek)
• Delta Fusion 82 Fountain Pen Review (via From The Pen Cup)
• Friends don’t let friends let the ink dry up in their fountain pens (via Rhodia Drive)
• Pilot Razor Point Marker Stick Pen 0.5MM Review (via The Royal Warrant)

50 Shades of Grey: Mechanical Pencils (via Wired)

Pencils:

• Forest Choice Pencil by Palomino (via The Daily Carry)
• Tombow 2558 B (via Economy Pens)

Misc:

• US Postal Rate Increases (via Letter Writers Alliance)
• Printable Calendars (via Paper Pastries)
• Inspiring Mousepads (via Domesticatd Desk)

Spring is the perfect time to pull out the Esterbrooks, dust them off and see which ones need a little spring cleaning. This is my whole Esterbrook collection and I can see a gaping absence of a brown or rootbeer model as well as a need for several more pastel pocket pens to fill out my collection. And I don’t have even one mechanical pencil.

Of the eight shown, five are in full working order with nibs installed. Two have my favorite stub nib, the Falcon Fine Stub 2442, the gray on the left has the legendary 9128 flex nib, the pastel pink has the 9788, the blue has the 9550.

Of course, while I had the pens out, I felt it necessary to do a little record keeping so I created a little spreadsheet inventory of the nibs I currently have and which pen they are residing in.

Clearly, I have more nibs than pens but not nearly all the possible nib options that are available:

(image via Richard Binder)

I would really like to try the 9314F Master Point version of the Fine Stub, the 2048 or 9048 “Shaded Writing” and several others. Like jelly beans, with Esterbrooks, you can’t have just one!

Do you ever come across a pen or a nib you think “this is my signature pen?” The one that makes your handwriting look better without doing anything but using it? That’s how I feel about the Esterbrook 9314F Relief Fine Stub. Its from the “higher end” line of nibs from Esterbrook, the Master series and I was lucky enough to borrow a NOS version from Harvey  from the blog, My Antique Pens.

The 9314F  has a nib that is flat at the tip like a stub but its angled slightly down to the left. I had previously fallen in love with the 2442 Falcon nibs which also have the angled nibs but this was my first opportunity to compare Durachrome (the 2000-series) to Master Points (the 9000-series) Renew nibs in a head-to-head. I guess its almost a head-to-head since there is also a 2314F nib that is labelled a “Fine Stub”. I am not sure what the difference is between the 2442 fine stub and the 2314F fine stub so I guess this is as close as I’ll get at the moment.

It became obvious when comparing the three nibs that my original, well-worn 2442 is definitely lost its crispness but it writes very smoothly and consistently. The NOS 2442 writes similarly to the 9314F but I noticed that the finest cross strokes were not quite as fine in the 2442.

I still feel like I’m learning about falcon nibs, this sub-category of nibs. Some say the Falcon (also called Relief) nib is designed for people who write with a backwards slant. Others say it was meant for left-handed writers. For a bit more information about Relief/Falcon-style Esterbrook nibs, this thread on FPN is quite enlightening.

What I discovered with all three of these nibs is that I can easily write with them and get a broader stroke with some pleasing thins without altering my left-handed, overhanded writing position. I often have difficulties with broad nibs entirely and wider stub nibs are a challenge as I can’t always get the nibs to make even contact with the paper. Ah, the challenges of lefties!

(A huge thank you to Harvey at My Antique Pens for letting me take this little rarity out for a spin)

(UPDATE: Corrected post title and link to Harvey’s blog. Sometimes, I swear I should not be allowed near a keyboard before 10am and a WHOLE pot of coffee!)

Have I ever told you’all how much I love getting questions about pens, paper and the like? This week, I have two awesome questions.

Beth, the reference librarian asked:

I have a new TWSBI 580 with a custom ground nib (pen was purchased with that nib) and at the same time I purchased a second nib (the whole nib unit) also custom ground – I really like both nibs. One nib is obviously in the TWSBI, which is a nice pen, but I would love to put what I call the “back-up” nib in a different pen, preferably one under $100. that uses a cartridge/converter system. I read about nib-swapping all the time but am not sure just which nibs are compatible with which pens. I don’t think the 580 nib unit will fit the TWSBI mini, but if it did I would go with that. (even though the same filling system.) I am nervous about pulling the nib out of the screw-on unit until I know what I am doing. Am I making sense here? Any advice would be most appreciated!

With a little elbow grease I was able to pull the nib out of my TWSBI Mini. The nib is a size 5 (according to the smarter-than-me folks over in the Pen Addict Slack Channel). The only cheap pen I could find that had a size 5 nib was a Pilot Metropolitan. Pilot nibs have a little flange and a groove nicked out to get them to grip the feed that the TWSBI nib does not have. But… the nib does fit into the feed of a Pilot Metropolitan albeit very loosely. I assume this method would also work in other Pilot pens like the Prera or Plumix. So it is possible to use the TWSBI nib in other pens with a little luck but its not the best fit. If I find any other pens that take size 5 nibs with a cartridge/converter system.

As for switching the nibs between a Mini and a 580, that should just require untwisting the nib unit and sliding the grip section off to expose the nib/feed unit. Then they could easily be swapped between the Mini and the 580.

The second question actually appeared in the Pen Addict Slack Channel.I’m sorry I don’t remember who asked but here’s my results!

A member of the group asked if the Esterbrook 9128 fine flex nib was more or less flexible than the Noodler’s Ahab/Creaper.

The Esterbrook 9128 nib is not super flexible but, for a steel nib, it gets some decent variety and it does not railroad like the Noodler’s nibs do. The 9128 is very smooth and easy to get going while the Noodler’s flex nibs require some adjusting in the feed to get the flow going. So, its a bit of the apples-to-oranges comparison since a Noodler’s flex pen is readily available for about $20 and a vintage Esterbrook with a 9128 flex nib is considerably more expensive ($75 and up). If you’re looking for a flexible nib, a vintage fountain pen with a 14K nib will probably be much more flexible or you might want to consider a Desiderata nib holder.

For sometime now, I’ve been collecting vintage Esterbrook fountain pens. They were my introduction to budget fountain pens and the wide array of nibs that were available for them. Not to mention that those celluloid colors really are lovely.

If you’re not familiar with Esterbrooks, they were fountain pens sold from 1948 through the early 70s and had replaceable nibs that could be purchased for $0.60-$1.15 depending on if you wanted the standard Renew-Point or the Durachromes. A large portion of these plastic-bodied pens were considered “dollar pens” so even in the 1950s, these were not expensive pens.

I’ve also collected quite a few different nibs over the years. The holy grail was the 9128 Flexible Nib NIB which works beautifully. But in the end, my favorite has become the Fine Stub nib. I am now on the hunt for more of the stub nibs that were available and, of course, a few more body colors to fill out my collection.

The post My Vintage Esterbrook Fountain Pens appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Have I ever told you’all how much I love getting questions about pens, paper and the like? This week, I have two awesome questions.

Beth, the reference librarian asked:

I have a new TWSBI 580 with a custom ground nib (pen was purchased with that nib) and at the same time I purchased a second nib (the whole nib unit) also custom ground – I really like both nibs. One nib is obviously in the TWSBI, which is a nice pen, but I would love to put what I call the “back-up” nib in a different pen, preferably one under $100. that uses a cartridge/converter system. I read about nib-swapping all the time but am not sure just which nibs are compatible with which pens. I don’t think the 580 nib unit will fit the TWSBI mini, but if it did I would go with that. (even though the same filling system.) I am nervous about pulling the nib out of the screw-on unit until I know what I am doing. Am I making sense here? Any advice would be most appreciated!

With a little elbow grease I was able to pull the nib out of my TWSBI Mini. The nib is a size 5 (according to the smarter-than-me folks over in the Pen Addict Slack Channel). The only cheap pen I could find that had a size 5 nib was a Pilot Metropolitan. Pilot nibs have a little flange and a groove nicked out to get them to grip the feed that the TWSBI nib does not have. But… the nib does fit into the feed of a Pilot Metropolitan albeit very loosely. I assume this method would also work in other Pilot pens like the Prera or Plumix. So it is possible to use the TWSBI nib in other pens with a little luck but its not the best fit. If I find any other pens that take size 5 nibs with a cartridge/converter system.

As for switching the nibs between a Mini and a 580, that should just require untwisting the nib unit and sliding the grip section off to expose the nib/feed unit. Then they could easily be swapped between the Mini and the 580.

The second question actually appeared in the Pen Addict Slack Channel.I’m sorry I don’t remember who asked but here’s my results!

A member of the group asked if the Esterbrook 9128 fine flex nib was more or less flexible than the Noodler’s Ahab/Creaper.

The Esterbrook 9128 nib is not super flexible but, for a steel nib, it gets some decent variety and it does not railroad like the Noodler’s nibs do. The 9128 is very smooth and easy to get going while the Noodler’s flex nibs require some adjusting in the feed to get the flow going. So, its a bit of the apples-to-oranges comparison since a Noodler’s flex pen is readily available for about $20 and a vintage Esterbrook with a 9128 flex nib is considerably more expensive ($75 and up). If you’re looking for a flexible nib, a vintage fountain pen with a 14K nib will probably be much more flexible or you might want to consider a Desiderata nib holder.

The post Ask The Desk: Swapping TWSBI Nibs & How Flexible is the Esterbrook 9128 appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

I got lucky enough to be able to purchase the NOS Esterbrook Aztec Gold purse fountain pen and pencil set from Jesi (aka JesiRaine of BYOB Pen Club) a few weeks ago. The pen even had the sticker on it.

I had never seen the Aztec Gold color before so I couldn’t resist this set. It’s my first in the “brights” purse pens. Yet another of the Esterbrook rabbit holes. I went for the most beautiful example for my first so it will be hard for any others to live up to it.

The post Eye Candy: Esterbrook Purse Pen Set appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Editor’s Note: I asked Jesi to write this post. “How to get started with Esterbrooks” is something I’ve wanted to write about for a long time but with someone as knowledgeable about Esterbrooks as Jesi on hand to do a far better job than I would, it made sense for her to do it. She wanted me to make it clear this was not a sales pitch to buy her pens even if I say “Buy her pens” because I do. No bias. Okay, maybe a little.

Thanks, Ana! A bit of a disclaimer — in order to keep this post to something that is useful to those who are not yet familiar with Esterbrook pens (or vintage pens in general), I have glossed over many of the fine details about the pen company.  In order to learn more about Esterbrook in the present, read this post.  If you want more details, please see the amazing Esterbrook.net by Brian Anderson including his page of links for further reading.

I am known for having a bit of an interest in Esterbrooks (understatement). I first became enamored with vintage pens when I realized how many fountain pens were available but unusable due to their condition.  I’ve always loved fixing and tinkering so I picked up some broken pens at a show; the rest is history.

Esterbrooks seemed to be present every time I looked for vintage pens that needed repair.  There are a few reasons for this; Esterbrooks were one of the most popular pens in the 1930s to 1960.  They were everywhere because they were inexpensive and sturdy; workhorse pens that were made to stand up to years of use. Esterbrooks that are sold now are anywhere from 60 to 90 years old, still ready to be used daily.

Most Esterbrooks on the market belong to the J series. They are easy to identify by the colors of the pen body (black, red, gray, green, copper or blue), the striated, swirled pattern and the clip.  Shown below is an Esterbrook J on the right with an earlier Esterbrook dollar pen on the left.  The J below on the right is also classified as a “transitional” pen, identifiable by the lack of a jewel on the bottom. This example includes a jewel with three ribbed lines and — Esterbrook was transitioning from the dollar pen to the iconic J pen.

Now for size.  The J series contains three sizes, J, LJ, and SJ. The J is the standard pen, 5 inches long and 1/2 inches in diameter.  LJ pens are the same length as the J pen, but more slender at 3/8 inches in diameter.  SJ pens keep the slender diameter of the LJ pens, but they are shorter as well at 4 3/4 inches.  The photo below shows an SJ pen between two J pens.

Pencils and ballpoint pens were also a part of the series, below is the photo of a pencil in the center. Ballpoint Esterbrooks can be difficult to find; the refill for these pens was a proprietary refill only manufactured by Esterbrook.  Once the company stopped producing these, the pens were nearly useless other than collecting and I believe many were thrown out.  However, due to the ingenuity of John Hubbard, adapters are now available to make these useful again.  Read this post to find out more.

You may also notice that the pen on the left in the photo above has a different pattern on the body.  This is called an icicle pen for the straight pattern of the striations.  Due to the rarity of this pattern, it is a more expensive pen and sought after by many collectors.  It’s not often you see pinstriped pens!

The final type of Esterbrook I will talk about here is the Purse pen, often called the Pastel pen.  The size on these pens is CH, as slender as the above SJ pen but shorter as well.  They were produced to be used by women and were sized to fit in a pocket or purse.  These pens were sold individually or as a set.  The Petit Pak refers to a set of matching fountain pen and pencil that included a plastic sleeve (shown below on the left).

The Purse pens were produced in two different series which can be identified by the color of their jewels.  Those with black jewels were made between 1954 and 1957 and are true pastel colors; pink, peach, yellow, blue, aqua, gray, lilac, and white. The second series of Purse pens were not actually pastel colors.  They have jewels that (usually) match the color of the pen; Trianon pink, Aloha Yellow, Country Green, Peacock Blue, Tempo Red, and Arctic White.

Finally, the feature that set Esterbrook pens apart from most other pen companies at the time: the interchangeable nibs. Esterbrook produced many different styles of nib units that could be changed by the consumer; the nib units are removed by unscrewing and could be replaced by screwing in a new unit.  These units were available at two different price levels, the less expensive solid Durachrome nibs (the red and white boxes below) and the more expensive Master series (green boxes below) that were tipped with iridium. Each series contained a wide variety of nib choices, including extra fine through broad, stub and italic, flexible nibs and rigid.  Any of the Esterbrook pens (except specific models that I won’t talk about here) could use any of the nib units.

I hope this guide has been helpful to anyone looking to start into the vintage pen world; I always say that Esterbrooks are a great way to dive into vintage pens and among the least expensive vintage pens to purchase.  Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!

The post Intro to Vintage Esterbrooks appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

I’ve been thinking about the best way to review the Philadelphia 2019 Pen Show. I know there are plenty of pen show reviews out there and if you didn’t attend a show it can be overwhelming to look through all of the reviews;  if you were at the show, it can get repetitive to read through several reviews since you were there and know what generally took place.

Knowing all of that and trying to present something a bit different, I have decided to present my pen show review from the view of a vendor since, well,  I am a vendor.  This means it will be heavy on photos before and after the show, totally lacking some events* (if I was too busy to even touch my phone’s camera), and perhaps a different viewpoint than other reviews.  It also means that if you want to see what happened during the busy daytime, you will want to supplement this review with another.  I hope you enjoy this slightly different take!

* Seriously missing from this review is the great time we all had at the Pen Show Mixer arranged by the lovely and hardworking Lisa Vanness from Vanness Pens. It was a blast, but I wasn’t able to take any photos.  Kimberly has a nice collection of photos from the mixer here, though!

Packing Up

As a vendor who usually takes a flight to shows, a big part of packing up is cutting down on weight.  I’ve tried to find good ways to protect pens in the smallest space.

It’s amazing how much you can fit into a suitcase.  Sometimes it’s only tough finding room to pack clothing.

Getting There

I find flying over the midwest to be a beautiful experience.  I personally like to see rivers through farmland.

I’m always ready for the pen show as I fly out.  Headphones let me actually believe planes can be quiet.

Those who drove to this particular show found the parking a bit on the expensive side.  As far as I could see, though, this was the only downside to the location.  Beautiful hotel, lots of restaurants close by…

The Hotel

This is a view of the hotel restaurant from the mezzanine level where the vendors’ tables were located.  As I said, beautiful hotel.  Lots of space as well.

A BIG hotel.  I thought it was great that there was no 13th floor.

The view from a hotel room was never too big of a deal to me – until suddenly it was. So now I always get a photo.

Before The Show

We were allowed to set up for the Philly show the night before it opened.  That helps quite a bit since no one wants to arrange anything at 7 am.  It’s a great time for me to talk to people who have arrived early — a laid back feeling with the excitement of the show ahead. Nik Pang decided to get more calligraphy practice in by making me a lovely sign for my table.

Just behind me, the Andersons were setting up as well.  Sandra (The Cupcake Master of the Universe) looked like she was ready for the show to get going! Phil and Ashley (aka SgtStretch and MrsSgtStretch) stopped in for chat time.

The Table

Nik has quite a way with pens and ink.

My table was all set up the night before, ready for the public on Friday.

This is my favorite part of my table!  The Esterbrook testing station all ready for people to try lots of vintage nibs.  I love being able to help people find the nib they enjoy, one that they know how it feels before they head home.  I was overjoyed to come across this testing station a few years ago.  This may have graced the counter at a department store in the early 1950s.

The Food

I may or may not eat healthy food while I’m at a show.  However, at least it is colorful!

I also have amazing friends who will bring back stir-fried noodles for me late at night.

And of course, there are plenty of treats and snacks and possibly a rogue bottle of wine.  After the pen show closed for the night, personal pens and cookies came out, this time supplied by my wonderful roommate, Kimberly.

The PENS!

So, the reason pen lovers come together for these shows: the pens!  One popular spot was the Franklin Christoph Prototype Trays.  These were placed out each morning — one of a kind patterns and materials.  On Friday morning, the trays were laid out but no one was allowed to pick them up until 9 am.  It was a tough rule to follow.

The dark purple pens on the tray to the right are Franklin Christoph’s most recent pen model, the 46.  It is the same length as the 45L but slightly wider and it uses a #6 nib (a standard size in many modern fountain pens).

And the Esterbrooks!  This collection brought joy to my heart.

Of course, I needed to purchase a Franklin Christoph.  This is a Pocket 66 pen in a beautiful rose, brown and gold material from Mike Allen’s Woodshed Pens.  I call it Chocolate Covered Strawberry.

The People

Even though the pens are central to a pen show, the people are what make a pen show memorable and worth all of it.  Franklin Christoph announced the return of their popular S.I.G. nib due to the hard work of Dr. Audrey Matteson who is now their main nib grinder.  Audrey did an amazing job at the show!

Mike (Inkdependence), Kimberley, and Andy stopped by with big smiles for me! They often provided me with food, soda, and restroom breaks.  Thank you!

At the end of the show, I was finally able to get a photo of the ever elusive Ralph Reyes. And a computer bag.

Andy and I shared a ride back to the airport on Monday.  Notice how well her hair matches her scarf!

Lisa Anderson has been a good friend to have and has a wonderful smile.

Nik Pang and Ian Schon were catching up with one another as the last vendors packed up to head back home.

Going Home

Heading back home after a show is bittersweet.  Saying goodbye to everyone after a busy time together is tough but I love going back to my family and the (relative) quiet of home.  The end of the show means it’s time to head back to my beloved workbench to restore more pens and nibs for the next show.

This time, I had plenty of cold and snow waiting!

The post Philadelphia Pen Show 2019 Review: A Vendor’s View appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

The second release from the new, improved relaunch of Esterbrook is the Phaeton 300R (MSRP $85, street price $68). While the Estie was designed to be a modern fountain pen that could also use the original Esterbrook screw-in nib units, the Phaeton is a retro-styled fountain pen with a semi-hooded nib reminiscent of mid-century pen design.

The Phaeton 300R ships in the same box as the Estie. It’s a red textural fabric box, like burlap, with white foil stamped logo on the top. It’s neither overly flashy nor overly cheap which is appropriate for a pen at this price point.

The Phaeton 300R is available in several acrylic colors: red, blue, green and black with a silver cap and gold plated clip and nib. It ships with a plunger-style converter.

The nib is only available in a medium width presently but its a presently crisp medium.

The Phaeton weighs 18gms capped or posted and a mere 8gms unposted. It’s a small pen overall measuring just 5.5″ (14cm) capped, 4.875″ (12.5cm) uncapped and 6″ (15.3cm) posted. It takes its dimensions from vintage pens so it might not work for everyone. It does post though.

In writing, I wasn’t sure I was going to like the Phaeton because I don’t usually write with medium nib pens but the Phaeton has a crisp, almost italic-like grind on the nib making it a pleasant writing experience. I find most medium nib pens to be rather flat and round creating a rather uninspired writing experience — like writing with a ballpoint pen. So, the more crisp, flat medium angle on this nib (and it could just be the nib I received) is a pleasant surprise.

Overall, the pen speaks to me aesthetically. I missed my chance to get one of the Aurora Duo Cart pens last year which fulfilled a similar vintage vibe and the Esterbrook Phaeton is at a much better price point.

I do hope that other nib sizes will be offered at some point but the medium nib is actually quite appealing.

Tools:

• Paper: Rhodia Uni-Blank No. 16 with 6mm guide sheet
• Pens: Esterbrook Phaeton 300R in Signal red MSRP $85 $68
• Ink:  Birmingham Pen Co. William D. Boyce Emerald Scout (part of the Ink Parcel subscription)

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Fountain Pen Review: Esterbrook Phaeton appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Review by Laura Cameron

Ever since the Esterbook Estie came out, I’ve been wanting to get one. However, the original colors didn’t scream “Buy me!” so I figured I’d wait until I saw one that did. This past summer the Cobalt Blueberry (I’ve also seen it called the Blueberry Ice) screamed loud and clear. And so one came home with me!

The Estie is a made of resin, in this case a blue and white resin, that gives it a marbled look. The Estie comes with an logo printed Jowo steel nib and is available in XF, F, M, B or 1.1 Stub. In my case I opted for a Fine nib. Finally, the Estie comes in two trim options: silver and gold. For the icy blue, I preferred the silver trim.

One of the things that intrigues me the most about the new Esties is the MV adaptor (sold separately) that allows you to use vintage nibs in your modern Estie. I haven’t tried it yet, but I hope to soon!

So far, I have to say that I’m enjoying the Estie quite a bit. It’s a bit larger than the pens I usually use, but I still find it comfortable to hold and write with. The nib writes smoothly and firmly and the ink flows well through the feed system. I am quite sure I can’t say anything more profound than Jesi on the subject of the Estie.

Overall, I’m really glad I added this one to the collection.

There are still a few available, and of course the next big thing is Honeycomb!

• Paper: Maruman Mnemosyne N182A Inspiration Notebook A5 ($10.50)
• Pen: Esterbrook Estie Cobalt Blueberry with Silver Trim, Fine Nib ($156)
• Inks: Sailor Shikiori Shimoyo (20ml for $12)

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Fountain Pen Review: Esterbrook Estie Cobalt Blueberry appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Both Jesi and Laura have already reviewed the Easterbrook Estie already but I was feeling left out so I wanted my chance to try this new incarnation of the Esterbrook brand. I was able to get an Esterbrook Estie Honeycomb with gold hardware and a medium nib.

I won’t talk much about the history of Esterbrook here since Jesi went into detail about it in her review or about the adapter available for the Estie which makes it possible to use vintage Esterbrook nibs with your modern Estie pen using a cartridge or converter since that’s also been covered.

One of the details that neither Jesi nor Laura mentioned was the packaging. It’s the same box that is used for the Phaeton 300R as well. The red fabric box has a sort of origami unfolding and cream interior that is inviting. It’s not as “pen coffin-y” as a lot of pen boxes. There is an elastic to hold the pen in place and it lays on a padded platform. The lid is foil stamped, in white, with the Esterbrook logo. After my comments regarding the Vertex packaging, the Esterbrook packaging is the perfect balance of protective without being “too much”. I’d always prefer boxes that can be completely recycled or can have legitimate second-use but that’s not always something that pen manufacturers are thinking about when planning their boxes. Maybe someday?

While I normally prefer silver hardware on my pens, with the warm golden tones on the Honeycomb, the gold hardware really works with the resin material creating a warm overall look.

The nib is a stock Jowo nib etched with the Esterbrook name and “1858”.

This really is a beautiful pen. I know I don’t have a ton to add about the aesthetics but the cracked, caramel resin is stunning to look at. I just kept taking pictures of this pen.

The true delight was the nib. (Ignore that I wrote “Fine” on my writing sample. It is definitely on the finer side of medium).

I haven’t used a medium Jowo nib before and it wrote beautifully. I really like it. And to be completely honest with you, I usually hate medium nibs. Both Bob and I have been picking up this pen and using it and commenting on how much we are enjoying it. That’s say A LOT. He usually writes with a fire hose and I usually write with a needle and we both like this pen and the nib. I usually like small pens and he likes oversized pens. To say that this is the perfect “in-between” sized pen that works well for larger hands and smaller hands might just jinx the magic.

To compare it to some other pens in my collection, left to right: Franklin-Christoph P45 (different model), Birmingham Pen Co. Model-A, the Esterbrook Estie (regular size), Sailor Pro Color (different model), and Pelikan M605. The Estie is a little bit longer than the ProColor but similar in width to the most of these models.

All of these pens post except the Model-A but the Estie gets a bit top heavy for me. The Estie is 6.875″ (175mm) posted which is really long for me. Uncapped, it’s only 5.25″(133mm) and capped it’s only 6″ (152mm) which is considerably more managable in hands that wear kid-sized gloves.

In terms of weight, the resin material keeps the pen light and easy to hold at only 26gms filled and capped and 17gms uncapped. You can see why this pen is so appealing.

Overall, if you have yet to consider an Esterbrook Estie, there are now several resin colors to choose from as well as the standard size and the oversize models. Being able to try out vintage nibs on the Estie (with the addition of the adapter, from Pen Chalet or Goldspot) makes this pen a no-brainer.

Tools:

• Paper: Rhodia Uni-Blank No. 18 with 7mm guide sheet
• Pen: Esterbrook Estie in Honeycomb with Gold Hardware (from Goldspot or Pen Chalet $156USD)
• Ink: stock blue cartridge included with pen

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Kenro Industries for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Fountain Pen Review: Esterbrook Estie Honeycomb (Medium Nib) appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

I couldn’t resist styling the new Esterbrook Estie Lilac Slim (MSRP $185US) with my most matchy-matchy handbag. Can you blame me?

Seriously though, I was very excited to hear about the new Estie Lilac and to find out that they had introduced a smaller, slimmer version was an added bonus.

But first, let’s cover all the standard details:

The Estie ships in the same red textile box that all the other pens have shipped in.

Nestled inside the cushioned ivory interior is the lovely pen. The Estie Slim comes with both a converter and cartridge.

The downside of the Slim model is that it will not work with the MV-Adaptor that allows for the use of the vintage Esterbrook nibs that can be used with the standard sized Estie pens.

The Lilac is a brilliant violet with a crushed resin look. I think the silver hardware looks great with the purple color. I think the color choices keep getting better with the Estie. The new Esterbrook Estie started with some very classic colors but they have been slowly exploring more adventurous colors with each release.

The Schmidt #5 nib is very similar in size to the original vintage Esterbrook nibs so I was really hoping that they had developed a new converter that would work with the Slim model. Oh well. It’s still a gorgeous pen.

The Estie Lilac Slim features a #5 Schmidt nib rather than the #6 Jowo nib that is on the standard sizes Estie.

I liked the medium nib on my Estie Honeycomb so much I got a medium on the Lilac Slim as well. Of course, since the Honeycomb is a Jowo and the  Lilac Slim is a Schmidt nib, it’s not really fair to compare.

The Schmidt nib has a little bit of bounce and writes pretty well out of the box. While not a flexible nib, the Schmidt nib is a pleasing writing experience. I know there are some that firmly prefer Jowo over Schmidt but I have not had issues with one over the other.

When compared with the original Blueberry Estie in standard size, it’s easy to see both the color and size difference. The Lilac Slim weighs in at a scant 21gms capped and filled compared to the full sized Estie at 26gms. Uncapped, the Slim is just 12gms compared to 17gms for the full-sized Estie.

Capped, the Slim is about 5.5″ to the full-size Estie’s 6″. And uncapped, its just 4.8″ to the full-sized Estie’s 5.25″ length. There’s a difference in overal width too which can be a comfort issue too. I prefer a slightly more slender pen because my hands are so small.  (I was just complaining yesterday that my most recent travel coffee mug was too big for me to hold with one hand comfortably without fear of dropping it. I have to carry it with two hands like a toddler. So embarrassing!)

I wanted to compare the Estie Slim to other pens as well like the TWSBI Eco, a Lamy AL-Star and a Kaweco Sport for size. Above are the pens all capped. Below are the same pens posted, except for the Lilac Slim which doesn’t post.

Unposted, the Lilac Slim is shorter than a Kaweco Sport when its posted.

Overall, I think the Estie Slim will be a great addition in the new Esterbrook pen line-up. It’s beautiful and introduces a wider size range to the brand. It’s unfortunate that it does not continue to support the vintage nibs but I’m not sure how important that is to the pen community as a whole. For many, continuing the Esterbrook brand in a respectful way is more important than continuing to tie it to the older nib technology.

Included with my shipment were these lovely shaped paper clips and bookmarks which is a lovely addition. The bottom clip is the original Esterbrook factory building, in case you’re curious. I’m not sure if these will be available for purchase or if they are a special promotion. Ask your favorite retailer!

Tools:

• Paper: Rhodia Uni-Blank No. 16 with 6mm guide sheet
• Pens: Esterbrook Estie Lilac Slim ($148 at Pen Chalet or Vanness Pens)
• Ink:  Sailor Studio 143 ($18 for 20ml bottle)

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Kenro Industries for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Pen Review: Esterbook Lilac Slim Estie appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Once again, the new Esterbrook company, in the hands of Kenro Industries, is creating new and innovative pen designs. Esterbrook launched the Camden Classic at the end of 2019 in Graphite, Rose Gold and Brushed Silver with both fountain pen and rollerball models, and now they have released their limited edition Camden Composition (MSRP$195, Street Price $156). This release is limited to just 250 of each design and will be available in classic Back to School Black Composition and Spring Break Fluorescent Green Composition with both fountain pen and rollerball options. There will also be a Fall Leaves Burgundy Composition available as well (in the fall, of course).

The Esterbrook Camden Composition ships in the tweedy, academic-looking magnetic box. Tres apropos!

The inside of the packaging is the padded pen bed and includes the microfiber cloth, a standard international cartridge and a converter (in the pen at present).

The pen itself is a lovely with textural, spatter paint-over-metal. It has a simple, slightly cigar shape to it with a simple, tapered, spring-loaded clip.  The simple pen shape lends itself to a busier paint/material. Around the base of the cap, where it meets the body of the pen, is a fine, white line and the Esterbrook logo monogram. On the end cap is the new Esterbrook X logo on the microfiber cloth.

The grip is a smooth molded plastic. The threads are noticeable if you grip low enough but the grip section seems long enough that it’s unlikely to be an issue. There is a slight step-up between the grip section and the barrel of the pen but it’s been rounded off a bit so it’s not particularly noticeable. The cap seal with a “cushion cap” mechanism that has a bit of a spring seal to it. It reminds me of the snap-and-seal of Platinum and Wancher.

The nib is a standard #6 Schmidt nib. I tested the medium nib. I seem to like the Schmidt medium nibs. There’s a crispness to them with a little bounce. Maybe I’ve gotten to the point where, depending on the nib manufacturer, I have a specific preference for a nib width but all the Schmidt mediums I’ve tried recently, I like. Usually, I avoid medium nibs like my life depended on it but I’m reconsidering that course of action.

When asked what color Camden Composition I wanted to review, it had to be the Lime.  Of course it did. I mean, the photo above had to be taken, right? And this photo was just for size comparison. From left to right: Kaweco Sport, Lamy Safari, Esterbrook Camden Composition (5 7/8″ or 150mm), Pilot Metropolitan and Pilot Prera.

Same pens as the photo above but uncapped which brings me to the only point I haven’t raised yet about the Camden Composition: it does not post. So, in use, the CC is about the same length as a posted Kaweco Sport or Pilot Prera (5 1/8″ or 130mm).

In terms of weight, the Camden Composition weighs about 36gms capped, with a full converter, and about 19gms uncapped.

In writing, I found the weight of the pen and the bouncy nib to be a joy. It’s a really nice pen. The width of the pen is comfortable and easy to hold. The texture is interesting and different. I am a little curious if the paint will chip over time but I guess time will tell. The lime color is joyous and the Composition spatter coloring is very unique. It’s unlike any other pen that’s come across my desk.

Tools:

• Paper: Rhodia Uni-Blank No. 18 with 6mm guide sheet
• Pens: Esterbrook Camden Composition in Lime with Medium Nib (MSRP$195, Street Price $156).
• Ink:  Pen BBS No. 224 Tolstoy (No longer available, recommend Pen BBS No. 342 Matcha Ice Cream $16 as an alternative)

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Kenro Industries for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Fountain Pen Review: Esterbrook Camden Composition (Lime) appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Esterbrook, in its latest incarnation, via the watchful eyes of the team at Kenro, has released its latest fountain pen which is the most ambitious and most anticipated pen yet — the JR Pocket Pen. This pen is their first attempt to create a modern redesign of the classic “J” style Esterbrook fountain pen. It’s a project that has been in the works, at least as an idea, from day one, but was something that the team at Kenro did not want to tackle until they were sure they could successfully recreate the look and feel of the original Esterbrook J as closely as possible.

The JR Pocket Pen ($140) is available in three colors (Capri Blue, Carmine Red and Tuxedo Charcoal) and the option for either silver or gold hardware.

The dangers in undertaking a project like this is that it will never be the same nor should it be. The point of recreating a pen like the J is to make a pen that looks just a classic but might not suffer from being 60+ year old fragile plastic, require fiddly lever-filling or be quite as small as the original since the modern pen user might prefer a larger pen. Of course, there will also be sacrifices required to accomplish goals and things that you and I, as consumers, and Esterbrook, as a company, might have wanted to keep but, for one reason or another, could not be accomplished.

With this caveat, let’s consider the new Esterbrook JR Pocket Pen.

Like previous Esterbrook products, the JR Pocket Pen ships in the fabric covered, magnet closure box that creates an attractive presentation for the pen. The JR ships with a cartridge and a standard international converter as well as a branded microfiber cleaning cloth. I’ve developed quite a collection of these.

Both ends of the JR Pocket Pen are flat. The cap end has an embedded metal disc with the Esterbrook X etched into it while the bottom end has a larger metal cap with no markings or decoration.

The nib of the pen is etched with the new Esterbrook X logomark upgrading the look. The nib is stainless steel nib in rhodium or gold plating, depending on pen hardware and nib options are extra fine, fine, medium, broad and stub 1.1. I tested a medium nib.

I know the next question on many pen aficionados minds will be “Does the JR Pocket Pen have a converter to accept vinta ge Esterbrook nibs?” I spoke with Esterbook/Kenro and the answer is that the converter for the JR Pocket Pen is in production. Due to the pandemic, production and shipping was delayed but the company did not want to wait to release the pen just to wait for the vintage nib converter. It will be available soon and should be priced similarly to the converter that was available for the Estie. Follow-up question and answer, “No, the Estie vintage nib converter will not fit.”

As with previous Esterbrook pens, the nib worked flawlessly. These nibs are teaching me to appreciate medium nibs (words I NEVER thought would ever come out of my mouth). I matched my ink to the pen body using an older Pen BBS ink but only discovered after I photographed everything that the ink is not currently in production. (SORRY!)

I spent a lot of time with the new JR Pocket Pen sitting next to my extensive pile of vintage Esterbrook pens. I’ve been collecting them for many years and Esterbrook was how I got into fountain pens in the first place. So, much of what I looked for with the JR Pocket Pen surrounded how close it came to the original look-and-feel of the original designs. As I said earlier, there are both good and bad aspects to comparing a modern version of a vintage pen. I am simply outlining the differences so that anyone looking to purchase a JR Pocket Pen can make an informed purchase. Please take my next comments with this in mind.

The clip  is simple and straight, like the original and features the grooves, similar to the original Esterbrook. They are not as defined and do not include the Esterbrook lettering that was featured on the original J pens. The cap band on the JR is a wider, smooth band with the Esterbrook logo type etched into it rather than the ridged, thinner ring of the original bands. The JR Pocket Pen clip is also attached “invisibly” compared to the original J series which is connected to the pen via the silver cap under the jewel.

One of the most notable characteristics of the J series pens are the “jewels” on the ends of the pen, usually in black that are a two-step layer of dots. It moves the look of the pen away from a flat-end pen to a slightly cigar shape. Clearly, the JR Pocket Pen is missing this contrasting element.

The is the addition of a metal ring about two-thirds down the body of the pen. If the JR Pocket Pen was a piston-filler, this ring would make sense but it is not so the addition of the ring is curious and not in keeping with the aesthetic of the original J design. There may have been a cost/manufacturing necessity for this as it is right where the lower third of the pen starts to taper.

The grip section on the JR Pocket Pen is longer and more tapered than the original J Series pens.

Finally, the cap-to-body size is noticeably different. It’s one of the aspects that stood out most to me. There seems to be more bulk (too much material?) for the cap that makes the cap look too big for the pen. It’s a pen muffintop. (Okay, that was an opinion statement. And probably a little harsh but it’s the one thing that I get hung up on with this pen.)

Compared to Other Pens:

First, I wanted to compare the JR Pocket Pen to some of Esterbrook’s other releases. From left to right: the JR Pocket Pen, the Estie Lilac Slim size and the Camden Composition.

The same pens, uncapped. The JR Pocket Pen can be posted while the Camden and the Composition are not postable, at least I’ve found they are not easy to post.

Compared to other modern pens, from left to right: Pilot Decimo, Pelikan M600, TWSBI ECO, Pilot Metropolitan, Esterbrook JR Pocket Pen, Lamy AL-Star, Aurora Optima and Sailor Pro Gear Slim. The JR Pocket Pen is very comparable in size to a Pro Gear Slim.

When posted, the JR Pocket Pen is similar in length to the the Pelikan M600, Pilot Metrolitan and Aurora Optima.

This is the size comparison everyone is waiting to see. The JR Pocket sitting amongst its historical brethren. From left to right: Lady’s Dollar Pen, pastel or CH pen, SJ, full-sized Dollar Pen, shorter Dollar Pen (not actually called an SJ at that point, but similar), the green and black are both Transitional (flat bottom), the JR Pocket Pen,  LJ, J,  and Deluxe. As you can see, the JR Pocket Pen is very similarly sized to the J and the LJ as the name would suggest.

The JR Pocket Pen measures 4.875″ (12.4 cm) closed, 6″ (15.2cm) posted and 4.625″ (11.8cm) unposted. It weighs approximately 20gms capped and 13 gms uncapped with a full converter. The J weighs approximately 15gms capped and 10gms uncapped.

The Esterbrook Pen Nook:

Another item now available from Esterbrook is the navy leather Pen Nook. I received the Triple Pen Nook ($125) to review as well which was perfect to show off the Carmine Red JR Pocket Pen and it’s older cousins.

The case is stitched with contrasting red thread and features the Esterbrook X (infinity) symbol on the magnetic closure.

It’s a hard-sided case to protect your pens from getting tossled in transport from the office to home (when that becomes an issue again) or even in your desk drawer.

The case unfolds to reveal three divided compartments large enough to hold most fountain pens and elastics to keep the pens from unexpectedly escaping, even if the case gets turned over.

In the Esterbrook Pen Nook was the final stop for color comparison between the JR Pocket Pen and my two red vintage Esterbrooks: a Tempo Red Purse Pen and an SJ. The color of the Carmine Red is much closer to the warm Tempo Red than the more rich, striated wine red of the SJ.

Overall, I think the JR Pocket Pen is the fountain pen everyone had been hoping that the new Esterbrook would release. Are there elements of the design I wish were different? Of course. That said, this is a solid step forward into the world of retro pen design.

In fashion, retro is a term used often when clothes are made in the style of a previous time but in new material, sizes and with other modern considerations in mind. Those in the vintage community are of two minds about retro fashion: some love it because it create inclusivity (original vintage items are hard to find, often expensive, require special care and don’t always fit everyone’s needs) and others think they are an abomination (we’ve all heard these arguments in the pen community too. “Just buy a vintage pen. New stuff isn’t as good. They don’t make ’em like they used to… Yadda yadda yadda.”) I believe there is a place for both. I certainly don’t want sourpuss attitudes about either but I appreciate both sides. I want to continue to try to save and maintain vintage objects as long as we can but I also want to make the aesthetic available to wider audiences and if that is easier through retro creations, as long as they are done well and thoughtfully, I wholeheartedly support them.

Tools:

• Paper: Rhodia Uni-Blank No. 18 with 6mm guide sheet
• Pens: Esterbrook JR Pocket Pen ($140) and various vintage Esterbrook pens (prices vary)
• Ink:  PenBBS #220 Watermelon Red (no longer available but other colors are  available)

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Esterbrook for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Fountain Pen Review: Esterbrook JR Pocket Pen appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

By Jessica Coles

A few months ago I heard that the Esterbrook trademark had been purchased by Kenro Industries and the manufacturing of Esterbrook pens was going to restart.  I had many thoughts about this, not many of them comforting. Esterbrook closed their doors for good in 1972.

There was a brief attempt to revive the Esterbrook name in the early 21st century and pens bearing the Esterbrook name began to emerge during this time period. Unfortunately, the pens manufactured during this revival were nowhere near the quality of the previous generations of Esterbrooks.

Then a change took place in the Esterbrook world.  Kenro Industries acquired the Esterbrook name and trademark and began designing what we now know as the Esterbrook Estie.  The Esterbrook Estie is completely redesigned from any previous models – it is important to note that the Estie bears nothing in common with pens labeled with the Esterbrook name and manufactured from 1990 to the present. Nothing.

I was hesitant to be excited about this new Esterbrook because of my own business.  At pen shows, I offer customers the chance to try a wide variety of the nib units manufactured by Esterbrook in the 1940s and 1950s which can be purchased and paired with any of the vintage Esterbrook fountain pen bodies that I also sell.  What impact was this new release going to have?  How would the modern Esterbrooks change the landscape of vintage nibs and bodies?

I was able to acquire a tortoise and gold Estie at the Colorado Pen Show.  Three body colors are available to combine with silver or gold trim to complete your Estie build.  I finished mine off with a fine gold colored nib to match the clip.

Considering my experience in the vintage Esterbrook space (along with just a tiny obsession with all things Esterbrook), I was very excited to find my review copy included the Modern to Vintage adapter.  The “MV” adapter allows vintage nibs to be used with the new Estie.  Vintage nibs!  Esterbrook began as a steel dip nib manufacturer and their wide variety of interchangeable nib units set them apart from most other fountain pen companies.  The fact that Kenro honored this heritage should be very meaningful to Esterbrook fans as it demonstrates an understanding of the history and spirit of Esterbrook.

Kenro approached the design of the Estie by trying to visualize the type of pen the Esterbrook company might have created in 2018.  Throughout the course of its history, Esterbrooks have evolved through many design changes.  The material shortages brought on by two World Wars, customer preferences, and technological advances have all impacted the look and performance of Esterbrook Pens over the years.  Some changes have brought wildly successful lines such as the J-series pens, while others have faded into obscurity.

So – how about the actual pen?  I chose the smaller of the two Estie models.  It fits perfectly in my hand when posted and I like the balance and weight.  I can also use it easily unposted, although the pen feels slightly short when doing so.

Similar to the Platinum 3776, the cap of the Estie has a sealing mechanism on the inside.  It does its job excellently. I left the pen inked for two weeks without using it and, when I did go to write, it started immediately.  Due to the way this inner cap is constructed, screwing the cap on takes a slight amount of extra pressure to catch the threads.  This did not bother me at all, and I didn’t notice it after the first time.

The step from the pen body to the section is slight and there is only a single thread. The cap opens with just under one complete turn.  The spring-loaded inner cap pushes the body of the pen a bit, reminding me that the pen has been sealed this whole time.

I love the detail of the one piece cap – there is no finial or jewel as a separate component. The clip is attached above the spring-loaded inner liner inside the pen rather than screwed between the cap and finial.  The clip is another detail that received plenty of design attention.  It slides onto a pocket or notebook cover smoothly, holds securely, and you don’t need to use your other hand to pry it open when removing the pen.

To try out the Estie, I used Waterman Tender Purple.  The gold colored steel nib is beautifully branded with Esterbrook and their founding year 1858.  The pen wrote very smoothly from the start and had a small amount of line variation, enough so that I could feel the page.

The Estie is a cartridge/converter filler and accepts standard international size.  I’ve had no problems with leaking, blobbing, or hard starts; the ink flows beautifully and evenly.  While I carried it around with me for several days, all the jostling and movement did nothing to bring ink out into the cap.

Now we’ve arrived at the true heart and soul of the Estie – the Modern to Vintage adapter!

The adapter was packaged in a cloth bag stamped with Esterbrook; inside was the adapter, another converter, and an ink cartridge.  I’ve heard that some retailers carry another option that includes a vintage nib as well! Mine did not include a vintage nib, but I had a couple already.

This adapter replaces the section on the Estie and only comes in black, so the cobalt and tortoise pens are a bit mismatched when using this option.  I found it didn’t take away from the looks.

The first vintage nib I tried on the adapter was a vintage 1555 nib, new old stock.  The fit was a bit too tight to work with the adapter, and I was concerned that the threads were slightly mismatched.  My second attempt with a 9968 nib proved to be much better, although I did need to use more torque on the nib than I would in a vintage Esterbrook.  I believe this was due to the interaction of the two materials rather than a problem with the threads.

With the nib in place, I filled the second adapter with Waterman Inspired Blue, my favorite for testing vintage writing instruments.  Once the ink made it through the feed, I had no flow problems.  This was amazing to me – these nibs were manufactured between 60 and 90 years ago and designed to be used with a lever-filler fountain pen rather than a converter.  These two filling systems feed ink to the nib in different ways, and I am happy to say that Kenro executed this perfectly. Please note here that there is a converter provided specifically for the Modern to Vintage Adapter.  The regular converter does fit, but not tightly, so make sure to use the smaller converter when using a vintage nib.  I am unsure of the exact type of the smaller converter; it may need to be purchased specifically from Kenro.

I did run into one detail with the Modern to Vintage Adapter that may only be bothersome to the person writing a review.  When exchanging the modern section for the adapter section, there is no way to cap the nib on the other section.  I ended up leaving the modern nib, section, and converter on my desk while using the vintage nib, adapter section, and smaller converter. It is an awkward assembly to store.

So, is it all worth the price?  The Estie comes in at the price of $195 for the standard size or $250 for the oversized model.  The Modern to Vintage adapter is priced at $40 or $50 with a vintage nib. This brings the full price to $235 to $300 MSRP.   The pen is very well made.  Kenro has paid attention to each detail throughout the design process and has not cut corners to add margin.  The Estie feels like a well-made pen that looks great and writes very well.  One caveat – relative to comparable pens, the price is fairly high for a steel nib.

The Estie is a well constructed and elegant pen that exists alongside many other well constructed and elegant pens by many other manufacturers.  Without something to differentiate the Estie from the rest of the market, I would say that it is overpriced.

Fortunately for the Estie, two things set it apart in the pen world.  First, the Esterbrook name and the almost universal recognition it received throughout the dip nib and fountain pen era.  All it takes is a visit to a pen show to appreciate the number of people who experience the overwhelming nostalgia and recollection an Esterbrook can bring.  Memories of mothers, grandfathers and other family members who used and loved Esterbooks can bring a sense of familiarity to the admittedly overwhelming world of vintage and modern pens.  In our digital world of uncertainty and chaos, an Esterbrook feels like home.

The second and most important thing that sets the Estie apart is the adapter.  Vintage Esterbrooks often face criticism about their small ink capacity and their fit in larger hands.  The Estie fixes both of these problems while still allowing a single pen to use a large variety of nibs that are completely missing in the modern fountain pen world.  Although expensive custom modern pens have been adapted for use with vintage nibs, there have been no commercially available adapters that allow their use.  Until the Estie.

While hunting for vintage Esterbrook nibs in the wild can be difficult, online retailers are beginning to carry and offer the original Esterbrook nib line (Naturally I am one of those).  No other modern pen offers such a wide variety of nib choices for various writing styles. Plus, by purchasing more than one vintage nib, you can completely change the look and feel of your writing with a twist of a nib unit.  No need to buy another pen.

Taking into consideration the construction, look, name, and adapter that are offered by the Estie, I would say that absolutely, this pen is worth it.  The Esterbrook name has been given a chance to continue on and I hope this is not the last innovation we see from the Esterbrook-Kenro combination. We will never be able to know exactly where Esterbrook would be today if they had hadn’t closed their doors, but I think Kenro has stayed as faithful as possible to the ideals of Esterbrook in the design of the Estie.  The spirit of the Esterbrook is alive and well.

And yes, it also comes in a nice box.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided on loan by Kenro Industries for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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