Vintage Pens

Waterman made a ton of pens in the 1940s that all looked very similar but gave them a ton of different names. We think this is the Waterman Stalwart, but you are welcome to correct us, if we are wrong. Blue flames shoot through its beautiful celluloid cap and barrel. No cracks mar this beauty, but you can see a deep scar made by the pocket clip to the right of the bottom of the clip. There are other signs of wear, and the section has lost all of its luster. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. Its 14k gold nib writes a nice fine, maybe fine-medium line with a little bounce. Not a true flex of any kind, you can get a touch of line variation from it. 12.2cm capped.

There is something especially attractive about this all-grey with gold trim Eversharp Skyline pen. It is an uncommon color combination, though not impossible to find. This one was restored before it came to us and has a very fresh ink sac. No cracks but a little brassing and some surface wear. The name "Evelyn Williams" is engraved on the side of the pen. Click the headline for close-ups. There are many Evelyn Williams in this world, and we doubt it was the pen of the famous British painter when she was a teenager. You will write a very smooth fine or extra-fine line with its 14k gold nib...depending on how you define the two nib sizes. 12.3cm capped.

Always diversifying its offerings, the Parker 21 was for the Parker Pen Company a way to attract budget-conscience buyers to their 51 concept. The Parker 21 looks nearly identical, with its shape and hooded nib. The main difference is that the nib is made of steel and not gold, like the 51. This vintage pen actually has a unique restoration job from a previous repairman. Instead of a traditional pli-glass ink sac, this pen has a black-rubber ink sac. The pen is in otherwise good condition. Just the usual wear from previous use. You will write a nice fine line. 13.4cm capped.

Spring is almost here. Why not celebrate with this perky green Esterbrook SJ fountain pen? We restored it with a new ink sac. The cap and barrel are nearly perfect, except for the big chip missing from the top black cap jewel. Its fine-point steel Venus nib is a later replacement nib. We find it writes a little dry and closer to the extra-fine spectrum. 12cm capped.

We have featured many Esterbrook SJ fountain pens over the years, but this is our first with an Osmiroid nib. Osmiroid made a threaded nib assembly the same size as Esterbrook's. Osmiroid typically made nibs for calligraphers. As such, this nib is an extra-fine italic. You will write a surprisingly smooth extra-fine line with subtle line variation. We restored the vintage pen with a new ink sac. No cracks or deep scars on the pen. Justexpected wear from use. 12cm capped.

Adopt some the 1950s style with this Esterbrook CH "Purse Pen." Not quite turquoise, we love this vibrant pastel blue that is very cool, Daddy-O. Unlike so many of these pastel-line pens, there are no cracks! Our pen looks really sharp at writing distance, but a close inspection shows a lot of light surface wear from...likely being carried around in a purse. We installed a new ink sac. You will write a fairly smooth extra-fine line with its steel 1551 nib. There is a touch of feed back, but not bad for an Esterbrook 1000-series steel nib. 11.2cm capped.

We don't think we can call this a pure-bred Parker Challenger. It seems to us that some long-ago repair person fitted it with a new cap band and section. We don't think that Parker Challengers ever came with an ink-view window. And although this section fits well in the barrel, the grip seems a size to small for the barrel. Regardless, we restored it with a new ink sac. ANNNND, it is a great writing pen with a delightfully smooth medium-point 14k gold nib! Our vintage pen shows the wear of past hard work, but there are no cracks. Ready for more hard work, this pen can make for a great daily driver. 13cm capped.

Probably the most successful fountain pen model of all time is the Parker 51. Efficient, effective and easy to use these pens are elegant workhorses. Our vintage pen is in excellent working order with its original "pli-glass" ink sac. The pen shows moderate wear from regular use, but there are no cracks or scarring deep scratches. You will write a very nice, smooth fine line with its 14k gold nib. An ideal pen for someone who is vintage-pen curious or an experience pen lover who wants a pen that just won't quit. 13.8cm capped.