Filling Mechanism: Pencil

We aren't certain about the official Esterbrook letter designation for this model, but it relates to the Esterbrook J-series of fountain pens. Our vintage pencil is a lovely mint green and still in good working order. Cap actuated, you click the tail cap to advance or retract the .9mm lead. A couple spare leads are under the tail cap, but the eraser is long gone. A crisp imprint greets you on the barrel, and it only has light wear from use. 12.3cm.

Play it safe and write out your New Year's resolutions in pencil to better go back and fix them as you go. We think the best way to do that is with the Montblanc Writers Series Jules Verne pencil. This stunning luxury pencil is only lightly used with just a shade of wear. It works great. Twist the tail cap to advance or retract the .7mm lead. It comes with an almost new eraser and spare leads. We love the way the guilloche waves ripple under the blue-enamel surface. Unfortunately, we no longer have the original boxes and papers. 14cm.

Perhaps our favorite color combination on the Parker 100 pencil is this sky-blue and brushed-gold design. Our preowned luxury pencil is in great working order with a new eraser and spare .5mm leads. You'll see some scratches on the brushed gold cap and nose cone. Twist the cap to advance the lead or close up/retract the lead mechanism. Makes math, crosswords and sudoku more fun. 13.8cm.

It seems a misnomer that Parker Duofold Jr. pencils are called juniors. They are about the same length as the seniors, just a little thinner. There's only one little dimple in the golden tail topper. The rest of the vintage pencil shows a little wear from use and brassing. The tail-twist mechanism works great, advancing and retracting the 1.1mm lead. There's a spare lead but no eraser under the tail topper. 13cm.

Finding "clean" lapis blue in vintage writing instruments is difficult in our modern age. The white flecks are nearly perfect in the blue barrel. It has a nice, deep, crisp imprint, too. There are no significant dents or scratches. A little brassing can be found. The pen works well. You can easily advance or retract the 1.1mm lead with a twist of the tail cap. Remove the golden tail topper to reveal the remains of the hardened eraser with spare leads below it. 13cm capped.

Parker Duofold pencils are remarkably made and engineered devices. Nearly 100 years after its manufacture, this black-and-pearl design still works great. Senior length, this pen is a great sample of these vintage pencils. It has some noticeable wear from use. The tail topper has a little denting from a drop and a few little dimples on its side. Traces of brassing can be seen. It writes well with a 1.1mm lead that advances smoothly with a twist of the tail topper. 14cm capped.

Dignified and confident is the aura of this senior-sized Parker Duofold pencil in a burgundy and black design. It advances and retracts a 1.1mm lead with a smooth, easy twist of the tail cap. It has a little wear, but there are no cracks and minimal brassing. The streamlined black topper has a few little nicks from drops and such. A very nicely engraved signature graces the back of the cap. It appears to read "Charles M. Auriett." The last name is difficult to read; the "A" is definite the U, R, and I all look the same. Maybe it is really "Auuett," but that seems unlikely. Possibly "Arruett." Although nicely engraved, it is easy to overlook by anyone watching you write. No eraser but some spare leads. 13.1cm.

If you are looking for a bargain on a Parker Duofold Senior pencil, please take a closer look. Nearly 100 years old, this orange permanite beast is still working well. Twist the tail cap to advance and retract its 1.1mm lead. Click the headline to see easily that it is more than a little flawed. The pencil got dropped years ago on its twist top crown, denting it down on one side. Plus, its permanite outer shell has a bad crack under the pocket clip. 14.1cm.