Filling Mechanism: Piston Filler

In the 1930s, Conklin and Sheaffer each developed a piston filling mechanism that required just a single stroke piston with a gasket on it to create vacuum pressure to fill a pen's entire barrel with ink. It was a revolutionary design. Conklin called its pen the Conklin Nozac. Some of the pens were imprinted with an ingenious gimmick of a word gauge to show how many words were left in the pen before a refill. This limited edition recreation of that pen is a beautiful, oversized masterpiece. Tiny silver flecks look like stars in the night sky of this translucent blue and amber fountain pen. Numbered only 110 of 898, the word gauge purports to hold 7 million words per refill. We have not tested that gauge's accuracy, but we did test fill it with water and it works well. The insides are a little stained from past blue ink. You will write a smooth medium line with its 18k gold nib. Minimal wear. Complete with boxes and papers. Click the headline for a close up. 14.8cm capped.

Paying tribute to the 7 continents of Earth, Aurora created a special edition of luxury pens. This is the Aurora Afrika. Quite possibly new old stock, the white piston on this pen shows no trace of ink. In fact, this warm orangy brown pen with black swirls is almost entirely perfect. Click the headline for close ups. We don't see much, if any, wear. The only flaw we see is that the gold filling of the limited edition number has fallen out of the back of the cap. Yet, it is still easy to read the imprint that this is pen number 4309. There's a beauiful onyx on top of the cap. Marked under the 18k gold nib is an "M" for medium point. We have not written with this pen, in case it is, in deed, new old stock. Comes with original boxes and papers. Its bottle of ink is still sealed. Pen measures 12.9cm capped.

Pineider is another of the great Italian pen makers that we don't feature often enough. Our preowned luxury pen is in mint condition. It is the limited edition Pineider Back to the Future. Numbered 76 of 949, this isn't the Marty McFly "Back to the Future" you might be thinking of. This special edition focuses on Italy in the year 1949, as the nation emerged from the destruction of World War II--a time of rebuilding, it was leading the way in fashion, art and culture. The futuristic design of the pen is based on the concept of an Egyptian reed stylus made of modern carbographite. You fill the pen with a piston. It writes with a stunning 1.3mm stub nib made of 14k gold. Also included are its original box and a handsome coffee table back by designer and film director Pier Luigi Pizzi as he looks back on that golden age. The photos are lush and classic. However, the text of the book is in Italian. Click the headline for a close-up of the nib. Pen 14.7cm capped.

Ever wonder what it felt like for Howard Carter to be the first to enter King Tut's tomb after hundreds of years? Entering the enchantingly elaborate and beautiful Montegrappa Luxor pen might be as close as most of us get. A modern pen, it carries the weight and history of Egypt's ancient pharaohs. Its sparkling blue cap and barrel represent the life-giving Nile river. Sterling silver hieroglyphs surround the pen. Like many of the items tucked into Tut's tomb, this pen is New Old Stock and never before used. Protected by a suede wrap in a woven shroud, the pen is completely scratch, dent and crack free. The piston-filler seems stuck from disuse, but this pen is more decorative art than daily user. Additional shipping charges may apply due to the unusually large height and weight of the boxes.

NEW OLD STOCK! The Sun King of France is honored by Montblanc with this fabulous Montblanc Patron of the Arts Louis XIV fountain pen. Still sealed in its original plastic, our golden pen comes complete with all of its boxes. An absolute must for Montblanc collectors and Francophiles. Responsible for the art and elegance of the French enlightenment, King Louis XIV was behind the development of Versailles and the palatial Opera Garnier in Paris. He also waged wars to expand France's borders and was known for his lovers. The carefully engraved Montblanc pen is a fitting tribute to the Sun King's cultural renaissance in France.

Few pens look as truly regal as the Montblanc Prince Regent limited edition pen. The golden filigree over a large blue cap and barrel is just so stately and refined. A true preowned luxury pen. However, unlike most preowned luxury pens, this pen is New Old Stock and still sealed in its original protective bag! Obviously, it comes with all of its original boxes and papers. Oddly enough, the wooden box is missing one of its four felt pads at the corners. The enclosed booklet has a tiny dog ear at the tippy-top of a corner. Nevertheless, this pen is completely original and unused! A must for any serious Montblanc collector.

Omas celebrated the British return of Hong Kong to China in 1997 with a beautifully ornate sterling silver fountain pen called the Omas Return to the Motherland. Our preowned pen is like new and has never been used! New Old Stock luxury writing. It comes with all of its original boxes and papers. We worked the piston without any ink or water, and it moves smoothly. Click the headline for close-ups. Its two-tone 18k gold dragon nib is marked medium. There is a little tarnish from sitting in its box all these years, but the finish is perfect. No scratches or marking.

Our eyes about popped out of our heads when we saw that TWISBI Ecos in transparent orange were limited editions now getting more than $230 on a famed auction site that shall not be named. We offer one such pen here that has been cleaned and readied for a new home. Only light wear on the pen and no internal staining. Click the headline for a close-up to see its "B" steel nib. You will find it to be a surprisingly smooth nib that sings a little as it glide along the page. 13.9cm capped.