Esterbrook Dipless Desk Set

[Djehuty]

In my recent foray onto eBay, I let an Esterbrook Dipless desk-pen and inkwell get away from me, because it was starting to get rather expensive, and I'm not sure what a reasonable price for this sort of thing might be. It was nearing $40.00; I know that would be far too much for a standard Estie, but what about this "Dipless" pen set? If I see another, how far should I pursue it?

 

[jmkeuning]

They are not worth as much as the fountain pens with bases.

 

Of course, this is only my experience. I suppose it depends on the model.

 

If I was after one I would not go over $30. And you should be able to get one for cheaper than that!

[Quicksilver]

I like Dip-Less sets. That said, they shouldn't cost you much. I traded a bottle of ink for a 407, and I shelled out like $10 for a 444 (my current set I use all the time at work). You can probably get one cheaper in the Marketplace, as I find those not "in the know" tend to over value what they are worth.

[Djehuty]

Hmm... the dipless is the fountain pen with a base, isn't it? I may have mis-named it. It's a fountain pen that looks rather like a dip pen, but isn't, and it has a base which may or may not be an inkwell (it's hard to tell from the description, and the seller had no idea what he was selling).

 

[Quicksilver]

Esterbrook made two different types of desk sets (bases with pens). The standard desk sets are the "eight ball" variety (DB 116L), and their pens are lever fillers like normal Esties, except they naturally have no cap and instead of a jewel at the back of the pen, there's a long taper end.

 

http://www.esterbrook.net/desksets.shtml

 

The other style is the Dip-Less. Their bases were designed to hold ink, the pens not. The pens were similar to the standard one, except that they didn't fill, they were just plastic pens that you screwed a nib into. It could still take standard Renew Points, but was meant to dip into the base to get its ink. There were 6 different models of the Dip-Less family, and two different sized pens.

 

http://www.penpedia.com/w/index.php?title=..._Dip-Less_Bases

http://www.penpedia.com/w/index.php?title=...k_Dip-Less_Pens

[jmkeuning]

It can be hard to tell the two pens apart when looking at bad pictures, but the barrel on the dipless is shorter than the standard lever-filler.

[Djehuty]

Ahh, I see, thank you. This was a dipless non-fountain pen. I'm glad I didn't spend $40 on it!

 

[jmkeuning]

It can be hard to tell the two pens apart when looking at bad pictures, but the barrel on the dipless is shorter than the standard lever-filler.

 

 

FWIW, I am referring to many ebay pics. . . not anything in specific.

[zachgeo]

Hi everyone -- sorry to revive, and hijack, a month-old thread! This is my first post here, and I came across the forum whilst looking for the right pen to go with a 440 Dip-Less base that I found while rooting through an unused antique desk in our office storeroom (the base was under a pile of documents dating back to the '60s!). My question re Dip-Less pens is: are all non-lever Esterbrook desk pens "dip-less," or are there differences? I am looking at two auctions on ebay for pens still in their boxes -- one is in a white box, with red lettering that simply is labeled "Esterbrook Desk Pen," and I see no indication of a lever. The other is in a red box, with white lettering specifically labeled "Esterbrook Dip-Less Pen." There's yet a third with no box. All look alike to my untrained eye. So, does it matter which one I bid on -- is there a difference in the construction of that labeled a "desk pen" vs. that labeled a "Dip-Less" pen?

Edited February 22, 2008 by zachgeo

[FarmBoy]

Hi everyone -- sorry to revive, and hijack, a month-old thread! This is my first post here, and I came across the forum whilst looking for the right pen to go with a 440 Dip-Less base that I found while rooting through an unused antique desk in our office storeroom (the base was under a pile of documents dating back to the '60s!). My question re Dip-Less pens is: are all non-lever Esterbrook desk pens "dip-less," or are there differences? I am looking at two auctions on ebay for pens still in their boxes -- one is in a white box, with red lettering that simply is labeled "Esterbrook Desk Pen," and I see no indication of a lever. The other is in a red box, with white lettering specifically labeled "Esterbrook Dip-Less Pen." There's yet a third with no box. All look alike to my untrained eye. So, does it matter which one I bid on -- is there a difference in the construction of that labeled a "desk pen" vs. that labeled a "Dip-Less" pen?

 

Welcome to the Esterbrook madness.

 

Take a few minutes and visit www.esterbrook.net/. The Dipless bases were made for use with a pen that did not have an ink sac, but, the standard Esterbrook desk pens will work in the base if you choose to do so.

 

There are a lot of Esterbrook Dip-Less pens to chose from and they use the same Re-New points as the other pens. There are special nibs and Re-New points that were intended to be used only on the Dip-Less pens.

 

If you look, you will be able to find a good pen for under $10 and new points can be found in many places. Make sure your gasket isn't damaged before you fill the base with ink. You can use any regular fountain pen ink but do not use India ink.

 

Enjoy,

 

Todd

 

 

[zachgeo]

HI Todd,

 

Thanks for the info. So, is it really the nib that makes the pen "dip-less"? I've been reading that the dip-less pens write longer, but it is unclear to me what they write longer than, and what makes them do so! I'll see if I can find the answer on the link you gave me.

 

I'm not entirely new to Esterbrooks, though I never knew much about them until this search for a dip-less pen. I used an Esterbrook fountain pen all through law school in the '80s -- it had belonged to my mother when she was in high school back in the '40s. The nib broke at some point, and then I misplaced the pen....

 

[Welcome to the Esterbrook madness.

 

Take a few minutes and visit www.esterbrook.net/. The Dipless bases were made for use with a pen that did not have an ink sac, but, the standard Esterbrook desk pens will work in the base if you choose to do so.

 

There are a lot of Esterbrook Dip-Less pens to chose from and they use the same Re-New points as the other pens. There are special nibs and Re-New points that were intended to be used only on the Dip-Less pens.

 

If you look, you will be able to find a good pen for under $10 and new points can be found in many places. Make sure your gasket isn't damaged before you fill the base with ink. You can use any regular fountain pen ink but do not use India ink.

 

Enjoy,

 

Todd

 

[Titivillus]

In my recent foray onto eBay, I let an Esterbrook Dipless desk-pen and inkwell get away from me, because it was starting to get rather expensive, and I'm not sure what a reasonable price for this sort of thing might be. It was nearing $40.00; I know that would be far too much for a standard Estie, but what about this "Dipless" pen set? If I see another, how far should I pursue it?

 

I would say something around $14 to $20 for a good version and maybe higher if it came with box, papers and tissue.

 

Kurt

 

[Titivillus]

HI Todd,

 

Thanks for the info. So, is it really the nib that makes the pen "dip-less"? I've been reading that the dip-less pens write longer, but it is unclear to me what they write longer than, and what makes them do so! I'll see if I can find the answer on the link you gave me.

 

Well not really :roflmho: it isn't the nib that makes the pen dipless but the base. You can screw in any estie nib to the holder and then insert it into the base and start writing ( of course you filled the base first!). Inside the base there is something similar to a flexible feed that is always wet with ink so when you put the nib back into the base it goes between the flexible fins and soaks up ink. Maybe because there is no major restriction between the nib's feed and the ink supply that more in is transferred.

 

 

Kurt

[zachgeo]

Got it -- thanks! So I don't really need to look for a pen that is specifically labeled as dip-less -- as long as it fits the base.

 

I just cleaned out the base -- the gasket appears to be in excellent condition, as is the red fill ring. Amazing how much old dried ink there was in this thing, and how easily it washed out! Now I just need that darned pen...