Vintage Pens

A third-tier pen with first-tier semi-flex quality is difficult to find. However, our Hi Writer pen from what looks like the 1920s has just that. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. What will dazzle you most is the smooth medium steel nib that gently flexes to about 1mm wide. Click the headline for close-ups. Yeah, the nib looks rough. If we polished it, it would lose all of its gold plating. Otherwise the pen has some minor marks and stains. The pocket clip is and comes out if you pull it out in a Z shape. 12.7cm capped.

Among the standard colors of the Parker Vacumatic, burgundy is the most difficult to find. Our vintage pen set is a little unique, as the pen marked 1938 sports a lock-down filler that doesn't lock down. We think is is a marriage of parts by some old repair many years ago. It works well now with a new diaphragm. It is difficult to see in the photo, but the barrel clarity is nice and not badly ambered. Just a little ambered. No cracks. The cap has a black jewel and the tail's blind cap has a burgundy jewel. The two-toned 14k gold nib is still two-toned. It writes a dry, extra-fine line that needs some breaking in if you were planning to write with it. The matching pencel works well and has a 1940 date. It is pre-loaded with a 1.1mm lead, a hardened eraser but no spare leads. It, too, shows a little wear from use.

At the height of the Great Depression, Parker needed a lower tier pen to help meet market demand for new pens that weren't as expensive as its flagship Vacumatics. Enter the Parker Challenger. This is actually a slightly higher-end version known as the Parker Challenger Deluxe. It is a slightly larger pen using the old Parker Duofold filling mechanism. It also has some sweet art deco design. We restored this one with a new ink sac. It has minimal brassing and no cracks. Only light wear and discoloration, too. You will write a dry, fine line with its 14k gold nib. 12.9cm capped.

Deep candy-apple red and black marbling make for a dynamic design on this Parker Challenger Deluxe. Our vintage pen has been fully restored with a new ink sac. There's some brassing on the ball of the clip and a circle of wear to the right of the clip near the top of the cap. Otherwise it is in great condition with no cracks and otherwise light wear from use. You will write a very smooth, wet medium line with its 14k gold nib. It has 1935 date codes. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.8cm capped.

Canadian-made Parker Moderne sets aren't easy to come by, especially when they are in this amazingly good condition. Compared to the matching pencil, this bronze, white and blue fountain pen is only a shade or two discolored from absolute perfection. The colors match so well, it is strange to think that no one has tried to replicate them since the 1930s. No cracks, but heavy brassing on the pocket clip. Our vintage pen is fully restored with a new ink sac. The nib writes a fairly smooth extra-fine line with a touch of flex for some line variation, if you go easy on the 14k gold. The pencil works well. Twist the tail cap to advance and retract the 1.1mm lead. Pen measures 11.3cm capped.

Often overshadowed by its more famous brothers and sister of the Parker Pen family, we find the Parker Royal Challenger set a fantastically handsome pair, especially in this bronze-colored celluloid. It isn't quite mint, but it is a superb example. No cracks. Only light wear and a touch of brassing can be found on either writing instrument. The fountain pen is fully restored with a new ink sac. You can still see through its slightly ambered ink-viewing section, too. You will write a dry, smooth fine line with its nib. The pencil works great. Twist the tail cap to advance or retract its 1.1mm lead. A semi-fresh eraser and spare leads are under the cap. Pen is the larger size at 13.1cm capped.

Sheaffer nibs are among of our favorite nibs ever made. This Sheaffer Lifetime Ringtop has a delightfully smooth 14k gold nib. You will write an extra-fine to fine line with great flow. We restored this pen with a new ink sac. There are no cracks, but it has a little brassing on the trim. The lovely jade green has some discoloration, but it looks pretty good over all. A great vintage pen for looks and use. 12cm capped.

Easily one of our favorite vintage pen designs of all time: the Parker Duofold Geometric! Who doesn't want a pen covered in flying toothbrushes?! Fully restored and ready for action, the fountain pen has a new ink sac. No cracks in the cap or barrel but significant brassing on the trim. You'll also find some wear from use and that the barrel is discolored a couple shades darker than the cap. You'll write a nearly buttery smooth fine line with the 14k gold nib. Cracks won't effect the performance of the nib, but there is a short sideways crack on each side of the nib just above where it enters the section. Click the headline for close ups. The matching pencil shows brassing and wear, but it is in good working order with spare 1.1mm leads.