All Pens and Ephemera

Its imprint is faded, but we think we spy a 1951 date code on this Parker 51 fountain pen. There's a burgundy barrel with a gold filled cap. The cap looks pretty darned good, but you can see some big scars on the pen's hood. Click the headline for close-ups. Happily enough, the aerometric filler is still working great with its original pli-glass sac. You will write a nice smooth medium line with its 14k gold nib. There's a pearl-grey "jewel" on top of the cap. 13.7cm capped.

Photographs don't do justice to this stunning Namiki Custom 845. At a quick glance it is a handsome grey-and-black luxury pen. Turn it under the light to see flecks of emerald green and sapphire blue! It is a subtle pen until it isn't, and then it blows your mind. Our preowned pen has a little light wear but nothing serious. Click the headline for close-ups. Its 18k gold medium nib is like most Japanese pens, meaning it writes closer to a fine than most American and German medium nibs. It is a little dry, but that might change the more you write with it. Complete with original box and papers. 14.5cm capped.

Parker 51 Specials were the pen of the every day person. They were everything that a standard 51 was, but they had a more affordable steel nib. Octanium, we believe is the correct word they used...but still basically steel. Our vintage pen is in great condition. Its lustraloy cap is dent-free, and there is minimal wear on the hood and barrel of the pen. Its original aerometric filler is still in good shape. We flushed some stubborn blue out of it, but there might still be a trace. We love the way it writes a nice medium line. It is firm with a bit of genuine feedback, but we don't find it to be scratchy. 13.7cm capped.

Many might consider the Parker 45 as the last Parker fountain pen for the everyday person of the golden age of fountain pens. Ours writes beautifully, but it has some surface wear on its blue pen barrel and hood. The golden cap has some wear, too, but no dents. It doesn't have its original filler, but these still take modern Parker cartridges and some Parker converters. We believe this pen has a 14k gold nib. You will write a nice, smooth fine line with it. 13.6cm capped.

Many people go ga-ga for the stunning Omas Arco designs, but the blue-and-orange "Saffron" design really blows our mind. This is the large Omas Paragon at 14.1cm in length while capped. It is in good working order, with a smooth piston fill. It does have some wear from use but no cracks, brassing or deep scratches. Also included are its original boxes and papers. Beyond the stunning celluloid is a delightfully smooth two-tone 18k gold nib that writes a juicy medium line. This one sports the year 1997 on the section. Click the headline for close-ups.

Coming from across the puddle is this handsome red-marbled Conway Stewart No. 286 fountain pen. We aren't 100% certain when these were made, but we are guessing the 1950s. We restored it with a new ink sac. There are no cracks, but the pocket clip is completely "brassed" and the cap ring has some brassing issues, too. The barrel imprints are very faded but still legible with a little help from magnification. The 14k gold nib has an odd dent near its base by the section. You will write a dry fine line. 12.5cm capped.

Carry two of your most prized writing instruments with style in this supple, leather pouch. The two sides of the pouch are divided. One side is big enough for a Montblanc 149 and the other side is just "write" for a Montblanc Classique...or similar-sized pen of any brand. Minimal wear from past use. We aren't sure anyone guess it wasn't brand new.

Enjoy a uniquely dark copper-colored Esterbrook SJ model fountain pen. Most of these are much brighter and more vibrant, but this classic Estie has a more earnest quality. No cracks or deep scratches, only light wear from use. Both of its circular black "jewels" are complete. We restored our vintage pen with a new ink sac. Another nice feature of this pen is its upgraded 9128 steel nib. You will write about as nice and smooth an extra-fine line as any Esterbrook steel nib can write. 12cm capped.