I'm not a collector -- more an accumulator. I have a small accumulation of 7 FPs which includes a couple of modern piston filler Pelikans which I really love. I think that if I have a lever filler, that would just be it for me. I write with all my pens and I'm not looking for anything rare or collectable. Modern rather than vintage, I'm thinking, because I want to use the pen and I'm under the impression that vintage pens can be a little "fussy." Celluloid is nice, but I'm completely okay with acrylic.

I've looked on the web at some Conway Stewarts and they're very nice -- kinda expensive though. Any others you could recommend?

Doug

I would go for a CS 58, no doubt. If purse helps, then I would go a bit higher, perhaps to one of the various Indigenous People LE's by Delta...

I think the Conway Stewart pens are very nice, but if thats too much, how about a nice vintage Esterbrook? Good writers, lots of colors and nibs available and they run about $30.00!

I agree my $25 Esterbrook lever filler is among my most reliable enjoyable pens.

Tom

For what you're after, Estie is the way to go! Not picky at all, and built like a Sherman tank. On top of that, they're celluloid and very color stable to boot! Did we mention the interchangeable nibs yet? The different sizes? If you like the M200, an Estie J is roughly the same size but a bit thicker. The LJ is a thinner model. The SJ a shorter model. I'd suggest checking out two websites: www.richardspens.com and www.esterbrook.com for information and research purposes.

An Esterbrook would be a great pen, but so would a lever-fill Sheaffer (IIRC, Sheaffer invented the lever fill). Or, come to that, a vintage C-S. Pens from the 1930s-50s really normally aren't fussy at all, and there are very few modern lever-fillers. I think when the modern Sheaffer Balance was introduced there was a lever-fill LE model, but it was very expensive.

Best

Michael

who could also suggest an Eversharp Skyline as an excellent LF, though perhaps a bit less robust than an Esterbrook or a Sheaffer

O my God, what have I done! I just put a Conway Stewart Dandy on my credit card at Swisher! I couldn't help myself, I swear. But it was on clearance, so it's okay, right? Hey, the thing is small enough to fit in my aloha shirt pocket. I must have had too much wine -- I did the right thing, though, right? Someone tell me I did the right thing...

Swisher has a great return Policy, so if the pen doesn't write well for you they will fix it or refund your money.

Only you can decide if the "value" equals the "price".

Good luck.

You did the right thing! I almost bought a Dandy from Swisher, great close out price, but went for a CS 58 from Pear Tree as they had the color I was looking for (meteor). What color did you buy?

Kevin, I ordered it in amber. This is the first pen I'll be getting without actually handling in person -- a test of my ability to picture something accurately in mind. I queried Peartree but they only had cartridge/converters in stock. I got a chuckle when I noticed that my email was answered by a James Partridge.

Doug

HDoug, you bought your Dandy from a good, reputable company with a good return policy. I hope you like your leverfill pen, and I hope you tell us about it after you get it in hand.

I don't know what your situation is for pen buying. Do you have brick and mortar shops easily accesable? I do not. 95% of my pen buying is via the internet out of necesity. That "pen buying" includes actual pens, inks, pen accessories and most of my paper. I can say from experience that it is a bit of a talent to picture the item you want. For that reason, boards like this one are a very big help to clarify what pens are like, whether you ask a specific question yourself or you read what others ae discussing.

Another part of the equation is finding good, reputable people to buy from. Fortunately, there are several out there in cyber space who cater to our hobby. I have no affiliation with any of these folks, except that I trust them and buy from them frequently. You will find Swisher, Pendemonium, Richardspens, The Fountain Pen Domain, Tryphon and John Mottishaw to be among the good guys. There are more, but these are the folks I go to most frequently.

And look on the bright side. When you get a pen in the mail, you get to sit down at your own desk or writing table, in lighting you are familiar with, to hold the pen amd maybe dip it to see how it writes. In a b&m shop, I find I invariably stand in a completely unnatural position to try a pen, and I end up with only a vague idea of how it might perform.

Good luck. Welcome to a wonderful addict ... er, ... hobby.