Just won a J in Cobalt Blue on Fleabay. Can't wait to get it in after all I've heard about them.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=160276725940

Welcome to the Estie Club! Blue is a good start....
Mars

They're excellent pens. Enjoy.

Blue is my favorite color and you will most certainly enjoy it. Don't buy any more though, because once you put them together in the pen chest SJ's start sprouting up.

Best-
Brian

And now I know what happened..........

Enjoy the pen and congrats!!

Nice price too!!

Yes, those are great colors... That nib will take some abuse too, it's like a lawn dart!

Excellent choice. Welcome to the club!

I posted this earlier but it seems to have disappeared...
the blue one

and I just won this one....

Oh, I have an SJ in this color - it's lovely!

I hope this quote from the seller ["This pen will likely need a good cleaning because it sounds like there is dried ink on the inside when shaken like a maracas."] doesn't mean it needs a new sac. Let us know if it arrives in useable condition!

I always expect a vintage pen to need work unless it is listed as rebuilt by a reputable dealer.

The blue arrived today and is in excellent cosmetic shape. It is gonna need a new sac, and the nib is very toothy, but I think it's because it's new! I'm gonna get lynched in the Shaeffer Forum, but the Estie fits my hand better than my Balances.

I hear evil laughter. And I like it.

Well, the Brown one showed up today nad the sac is till good! Woohoo! Loaded it up with Manuscript Brown and it is a niiiice combination.

Congratulations - I just got my first Dollar pen. I must keep it away from the J's, as I don't want little Transitionals all over...

I joined the Estie club a couple of months ago with the purchase of a refurbished Transition off eBay. The seller threw in three extra nibs as part of the deal. That pen writes beautifully, and I'm now addicted to Esterbrooks. I just purchased my second one, a refurbished J (in gray with the same type finish as yours) that came with four more Esterbrook nibs. I just got it today and it also write very nicely. The neat thing about having all the extra nibs is that it's almost like having nine pens for the price of two - a type of deal I find hard to resist.

I have a question for the experts on this forum: is there a standard reference work describing the various Esterbrook models? From what I've been able to glean cruising the Esterbrook forum, there seem to be quite a large number of models, colors, etc. It's a bit confusing for a beginner.

Later,
Ron

Ron,

Try THE Esterbrook website here. There is also Paul Hogan's book. This thread will connect you up with the author.

The rest of the knowledge base is pretty well here on FPN in the archives and in a few of the bigger collections. If you have a question just ask one of the usual suspects will have at least an idea to help out.

Todd

I agree with Todd there, and Pauls book is really full of the history and background of the Esterbrook Co. that will make you puff your chest a little about the humble Estie.

Ron-

Actually, compared to some other brands, Esterbrook has a very predictable set of sizes and colors. Pretty much most models come in three sizes and in the standard six colors. Beyond that it's got variations enough for even the hardest of hard core anal retentive collectors. Hmmm..., who could I be talking about here? AZ?? Greg? Me?? No...

Best-
Brian
(feeling spunky, but needs to get to work)