All Pens and Ephemera

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.

Our photos don't do justice to the beautiful raden design on our Wancher Sekai fountain pen. Tiny flecks of shell illuminate the black cap and barrel with coppery ripples thoughout its stunning Saihi urushi. It looks as if it has stars scattered throughout the night sky with distant clouds of nebuli spanning time and space. Our preowned pen is in excellent condition, with minimal (if any) wear. You will write a nice, smooth medium line with its golden alloy steel nib. You also get a box, pen sleeve and the original 3 cartridges this pen came with. Click the headline for close-ups. 14.1cm capped.

Here's a real sleeper of a great writer. Our Guider Marala fountain pen looks like a great vintage classic in orange hard rubber with mottled black accents. Nevertheless, it is a preowned modern pen. You will write a very smooth medium line with its golden-alloy nib. The pen is a real tanker, too, as it has a huge barrel that simply fills with an eyedropper. Light to minimal wear. No cracks or significant wear. 14.5cm 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.

Ranga hard rubber pens have taken the collecting community by storm. We love this blue Ranga 4CS fountain pen's look. In like-new condition, it has minimal wear. We fitted it out with a converter. It comes with a box that shows more wear than the pen. You will write a fairly smooth fine line with its steel Bock nib. 14.9cm capped.

We don't think a pen has come from an ink manufacturer like this since Carter's Inx in the 1920s. Nevertheless, Noodler's Ink has made this handsome ripple design in burgundy hard rubber. There does not appear to be much--if any--wear on the cap and barrel. Unscrew the barrel to find a piston filling system. You will write a nice semi-flex line with its steel music nib. It goes from around fine to 1.5mm. There is a little feedback but not terrible. A large pen it has nice girth for those who find their hand cramps up too much when writing with skinnier pens. 15.5cm 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.