All Pens and Ephemera

Never underestimate the joy of a Cross Townsend pen. We think these rollerball pens are vastly underrated. Green marble with gold-plated trim looks great. There is light wear on the trim but nothing especially egregious. The worst of the wear is on the nose-cone where the refill emerges. Somehow, some of it has been chewed away. Yes, the metal seems chewed away! Nevertheless, the brand-new refill seems stable for writing. Click the headline for a close-up. 15cm capped.

Italian artisans resurrected the lost are of orange-hard-rubber pens with woodgrain designs when developing the Stipula Novecento fountain pen. Sterling silver accents turn this pen from simply functional to a functional work of art. The piston filler is a little stiff but still works well. We restored the finish by removing all the chocolate hazing. The finish about 98% haze free and looking really sharp. You will write a fine line with its two-tone 18k gold nib. It has a little feedback. A delightful preowned luxury pen that can be a real highlight for any collection. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.9cm capped.

A true classic for any pen collector or writer, the Sheaffer Balance Lifetime is an unstoppable force of American manufacturing in the 1930s. Our oversized model is fully restored with a new ink sac. No cracks, no brassing, no deep scratches. Our pen only has light wear from use. Its monster 14k gold nib writes a very nice extra fine line with only the lightest of feedback for such a stiff nib. 14.2cm capped.

We have always loved the more sophisticated stylings of the Waterman L'Etalon fountain pen. It is a model that was retired way too early. Ours is in great shape with a little wear from past use. Our preowned pen comes with a working standard international converter. It also takes like cartridges. Click the headline for close-ups, and you will see its stately 18k gold nib. It writes a buttery smooth, wet, fine line. 13.9cm capped.

New Old Stock pens are always fun, even it they are from a lower tier. This Venus fountain pen bares a distinct resemblance to the Parker 51. Certainly, the hooded nib was all the rage. Unlike a 51, this pen is a lever-filler, and we just replaced the ink sac. You will see a little wear on the pen from rattling around an old drawer or box for the past 70 years or so. As it is N.O.S., we haven't dipped or written with it. Its matching ballpoint pen has a click top to engage the non-working vintage refill. Just under the clip is the refill release. A fun early ballpoint pen. Too bad they don't make these refills, any more.

Sapphire flames glint off the light as you spin this Waterman Rhapsody pen in your hands. With only light wear from use, it still looks really sharp. You will write a smooth, fine line with its two-tone 18k gold nib. This pen fills with an original Waterman standard international converter (included) or cartridge. A great preowned pen for any occasion. 14cm capped.

The deep-red marbling of this Waterman Rhapsody evokes a deep, quiet power and elegance. Our pre-owned pen is in excellent condition with nothing more than very light wear. Its brass-barrel construction gives it added strength, balance and fluidity over other luxury pens. Click the headline for close-ups. You will write a nice-smooth line with its two-tone 18k gold nib. Comes with a standard international converter. It also uses like cartridges. 14cm capped.

Marbled emerald-green really glints off the light gorgeously when you rotate it under a light. Quite attractive. Our preowned Waterman Rhapsody is truly music to your writing sensibilities. A luxury pen, it is in close to like new condition with only light wear...if any. You will write a fine line with its two-tone 18k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. We think the nib writes a little on the dry side with light feedback, but we also think that with more regular writing the line with get more consistently fluid with its ink flow. The cap snaps on the front and tail of the pen. It refills with the included standard international converter or like cartridges. 14cm capped.