All Pens and Ephemera

Some pen historians blame the Eversharp CA line of pens for effectively bankrupting the company. Spending millions on the rights to the Biro ballpoint refill patent, the company rushed their ballpoints into production without perfecting their manufacture and use. It also slapped a lifetime warranty on the pens, and nearly all the pens failed, resulting in crippling refunds. This is the Eversharp CA from the Fifth Avenue line, the second model to include a ballpoint design. Click the headline for close-ups. This pen is burgundy with golden trim. It shows light wear but no cracks or dents. The pocket clip jiggles. Notice the coiled refill? It was the company's effort to include even more ink in each pen. We don't think there is a replacement refill that will work in this pen. 13.4cm capped.

Have you ever seen close-up photos of the roiling flames on the surface of the sun? That is what the barrels of these amazing Delta Dolcevita Millennium fountain pens look like to us. It contrasts gorgeously with the black cap and tail piece. Gold accents help, and the silver laurels around the center of the big cap ring is the icing on the cake. It might not be the longest oversized pen, but it is very girthy. Our pen includes a standard international converter and booklet. We have no idea how the booklet managed to stay with it when the box disappeared. You will write a nice medium line with its 18k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. Minimal wear from use. 14cm capped.

Semi-flex nibs usually go for a premium these days, but you can get a nice one here if you don't mind a small pen. Our chased black hard rubber Conklin 25P actually looks close to mint condition. Crisp imprints and chasing. No cracks. A piece of the crescent lock is missing, but the lock still works. Click the headline for close-ups. You will write a nice line from fine to about 1mm wide with its 14k gold semi-flex nib. There's a little feedback, but it won't prevent you from making the most of the writing experience. 11.1cm capped.

If you like handsome, rugged, oversized pens, the Monte Verde Giant Sequoia is for you. Our preowned pen comes complete with its original boxes. The pen is in great cosmetic conditions with only light wear from use. Also included is a working standard international converter. The steel nib is marked fine, but we find it writes a nice, firm extra-fine line. Easy to grip for hands with arthritis and other soreness issues. 14.2cm capped.

Abalone shells from California's kelp forests of the 1930s dapple this black cap and barrel of this classic Sheaffer Balance. We believe Sheaffer called the design Ebony and Pearl, but it was really abalone. Our slender, full-length vintage pen looks pretty good for 80-odd years. You'll see some scratches, wear and brassing, but there are no cracks. We restored this pen with a new ink sac. The ink-viewing window is ambered, but you can still see through it. You will write a nice fine line that some might think leans toward medium with its 14k gold nib. You might feel a little feedback on ascenders and descenders. 13.7cm capped.

We've been lucky to get any number of these big boys into the shop lately. Here it is, the boss of the boardroom, the Montblanc 149. It is the world's most recognizable luxury pen. Our pen is in excellent condition, with a smooth working piston filler. Its only significant flaws are some scratches on the black dome with the logo. No cracks. Light wear from use, otherwise. We can send photos of the scratches, if you like. Our favorite part about this pen is its big, fat, smooth tri-tone 18k gold nib that writes a broad line. An excellent signature pen and daily writer for those who are bold writers. There is a serial number in the cap band, "Pix" under the clip and a threaded brass bit under the blind cap. 14.7cm capped.

Here's something you don't see every day: the Eversharp Coronet! We think these vintage pens represent the very pinnacle of art deco design in pens. We especially love the red cathedral triangles on the top of the gold-plated cap. We restored this pen several years ago, and it still seems to work well. The barrel is engraved "W.F.D." The cap and barrel only have light wear from use. The 14k gold nib is marked "Semi Flex." You will find it writes more of a smooth fine, but you can push it a little for some line variation. We just urge extreme caution. The pencil design matches perfectly but is engraved "Dawco." The pencil doesn't seem to be working, although it is cosmetically in very good shape. Click the headline for close-ups.

Parker Duofolds were the most popular pens of the 1920s, but not everyone could afford one. The Parker Lucky Curve was a more affordable option. It is the thinner, less flashy version. We don't know if this is its original box, but it is a great vintage box with instructions. We restored the vintage pen with a new ink sac. The main part of the cap and barrel are black permanite, and the section and end caps are black hard rubber. Click the headline for close-ups. You will write a nice fine line with its 14k gold nib that also flexes just a little. Light wear on the cap and barrel. Looks pretty sharp. 13.4cm capped.