On Sale: Pens, Pencils, and Ephemera

As if bronze arco celluloid wasn't enough to get you excited, this is the grand poobah Omas Grand Paragon pen. Larger than a standard Paragon, ours measures 14.75cm long. The height of Italian luxury pen making, this is a stunner for any collector. It is tough to see at a glance, but there is some wear on this pen that is quite visible up close. No cracks, deep scratches, brassing or other serious flaws. Just lots of wear from daily use. We found it by luck, as it came in an Omas Milord box with a leather sleeve. This was obviously not a Milord the second we set eyes on it. Click the headline for a close-up. You will write a medium-broad line with its 18k gold nib. There's a little light feedback, too. Its piston still operates smoothly.

Many people go ga-ga for the stunning Omas Arco designs, but the blue-and-orange "Saffron" design really blows our mind. This is the large Omas Paragon at 14.1cm in length while capped. It is in good working order, with a smooth piston fill. It does have some wear from use but no cracks, brassing or deep scratches. Also included are its original boxes and papers. Beyond the stunning celluloid is a delightfully smooth two-tone 18k gold nib that writes a juicy medium line. This one sports the year 1997 on the section. Click the headline for close-ups.

Montegrappa Extra 1930 is a confusing name for a pen, as it made many decades after 1930. Nevertheless, it was made with all of the elegance of that decade's luxury design. Montegrappa is easily our favorite Italian pen manufacturer. It uses the most beautiful of celluloids, solid precious metal trim and its nibs are soooo damned smooth. This preowned luxury pen sports a "green marble" design and sterling silver trim. It was gently used and looks like it is in mint condition on a passing glance. Yet, a very close inspection reveals some wear to the celluloid where it rattled around a desk drawer for a little while. However, you really need to look closely to see it. You will write a delightfully smooth medium line with its 18k gold nib. Oddly, we don't see the gold purity stamp on the nib, but these pens all came with 18k gold nibs to the best of our knowledge. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.8cm capped.

Moxie the cat is helping to model this handsome Waterman Carene Deluxe rollerball pen. It has a bronze barrel and vermeil cap. In this case, vermeil is a silver plated cap that has been plated over in gold. It is one of the less common Carene models. There are no dents or long, deep scratches. There are a few very short shallow scratches and other marks of light wear. Happily enough, these preowned luxury pens take regular Waterman rollerball refills AND Pilot G2 gel refills. This one sports a blue G2! There is just enough weight in the pen to really make it write smoothly with some gentle momentum. These are among our favorite rollerball pens. Click the headline for close-ups. Meowy Christmas. 14.5cm capped.

Building off the nostalgia for the Parker 51, the company launched what they hoped would be a more modern version of the pen in the Parker 100. This set included both the rollerball and ballpoint version of the pens in the original box. To be honest, it is quite possible they were never sold as a set in the box when they first came out, but that is how we found and are selling them. Each instrument looks great and works well. There's a little scuffing from the cap snapping to the section of the rollerball. Otherwise, they are still cosmetically beautiful. Each has its respective working, black refill.

We'd take a Cross Peerless 125 ballpoint pen any day over a Montblanc LeGrand ballpoint. Large for easier gripping, we love its 23k gold plate and metal construction. There's a Swarovski crystal in the cap jewel. Plus, it takes more affordable, easy-to-find ballpoint refills. This pen is almost perfect with only a couple small scratches. No dents. It comes with its original box and papers. It also has a snazzy acrylic block display. Also includes a working, black Cross refill. 14.5cm

Don't overlook the Cross Peerless 125 rollerball pen as a modern luxury pen. It is a large, rugged, handsome pen that writes as smoothly as any competitor. Marking 125 years since the original Cross Peerless appeared in 1889, this pen features a textured look that is 23k gold plated. A Swarovski crystal serves as the top jewel in the cap. This pen looks great except for a little wear. No dents nor deep scratches. Comes complete with its original box, papers and an acrylic "Cross" pen stand that is a little difficult to see in this image. This pen cost more than $500 when brand new at the original retail store. 14.4cm capped.

Perfection in vintage pens is such an elusive target. This Wahl-Eversharp Gold Seal gets awfully close. Its "Brazilian Green" or "Bronze Green" finish is stunning without much, if any, discoloration. There is no brassing on the oversized fountain pen except for a tiny sliver on the edge of the lever. Fully restored, both the vintage pen and pencil work well. Under a bright light you can see some shallow scratches on the caps and barrels. You also can see some marks where the pen's cap rubs against the barrel when it closes. Very minor wear, but it didn't just roll off the assembly line. You will write a smooth extra-fine (or fine, depending on how you define extra-fine) line with its 14k gold nib that screws in and out of the pen. You will notice it is not a "Signature" nib, but it was likely a replacement nib the store that sold it used to customize the nib for the original owner. The pencil takes 1.1mm leads. Its biggest flaw is brassing on the nose cone. Pen measures 13.4cm capped.