It looks that I have a weak point for those early esties with the paper band.
This one is supposed to be a Relief 66 (at least according to the band which says: "Relief - No. 66 Medium - Including Tax 10/1 "). Actually all the characteristics of the Relief 66 are there. The large gap between the band and the cap lip, the metal top inscribed "Relief" (see Brian I studied your stuff), and the inscription is MADE IN ENGLAND.

Brian, is the 66 not inscribed "Relief-66" in analogy with the Relief 90?
Also why does it say "Including Tax 10/1", I though 66 means 6 shillings and 6 pence? The 10/1 is confusing. What does it mean if not price?



Anyway this pen came with this 1314 nib - one of the more unusual and the most (or only?) sought after of the 1xxx series. A soft ("flex") relief stub. The nib here is shown with a flat feed and it has a pin - I will try to get a good picture and show it.



But I thought that this next one might fit it better Dont pay any attention Glenn, this is another uninspiring Esterbrook nib. A starburst two tone Osmiridium-relief!... Hey Brian, what do you think? I still remember you comment in this post of yours

Boring, truly boring Antonios. Why do you clutter up your collection with boring junk like this?

But, as I'm feeling a bit bored today anyway, you can send it to me.

I never realized Esterbrook was founded by Quakers. I really have to spend more time over at Brians site.

Thanks for sharing!

John

10/1 meant 10 shillings and a penny tax included, I'd say about $2 in 1950's or 60's dollars. Maybe 10 or 12 bucks in 2005 currency. Prices were low in thu UK in those days, wages were low too.
Some pieces of history are rather inexpensive...
Happy Nerw Year!

Daniel thanks. I hitnk however that you have the year wrong We are talking mid 30s - not 1950s In this case according to http://eh.net/hmit/ukcompare/:

In 2004, £0 10s 1d from 1935 is worth:
£22.67 using the retail price index
£23.83 using the GDP deflator
£84.71 using average earnings
£98.34 using per capita GDP
£125.55 using the GDP

Multiply by 1.8 (roughly) to get dollars

Happy new Year to you too!

AZ

Antonios-

Wildly late reply on this one, but the holidays have kept me too busy to think about the subtlties of Relief.

I had heard many years ago on acpp (I think) from a British collector the 66 and 90 designations for 6 shillings and 6 pence. I'd be happy to be corrected if this is incorrect.

I also have what appears to be a Relief 66 that isn't marked as such. It is longer than a standard 66 or 90, and also has a 1314 nib. Oddly enough, I was never able to get another re-new-point in the pen, almost as if the diameter of the nib was different on this one.


Most however, were marked clearly "Relief 66" just like the 90, and I've only ever seen one (now two) without this imprint. When I get home I'll have to double check what there actually is for an imprint on this one.

How long is your pen? Does the cap just have "RELIEF" on the top or are there also lines in a circle on the cap? Plastic or HR?

Yeah, I do remember what I said about your nib, beautiful speciman, not often seen like that. Makes me jealous.

Thanks for the display, nice pen!
Brian

Are there any catalogs for the Reliefs out there?

Intersting. No other regular renew point fits in mine either but the two tone starburst does. The reason for this is that there is a step in the internal diameter of the section. The 1314 (which has a flat feed and a pin) is shorter in length than all later renew points. So are the two tone starbursts

It just has RELIEF only. It looks plastic to me.

9

AZ

I have a brochure for the Conway Stewart Relief, but have never seen anything for the Relief 66/90. I'd be curious to see one though, as they were made in colors (I have a 66 in Blue similar to a BTL). This is a particularly interesting period of Esterbrook history as there were CS made Relief before and after the 66 and 90 were made.

Best-
Brian