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Esterbrook Bell System Property Question


thaugen

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Thanks for the info. I was confused why this pen would be of any importance, especially when they were free.

Edited by collectingfool
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Note: Hobiwan, who looks remarkably like the author of the best book we have on Esterbrooks, forgot to mention the Great Skunk Debate.

 

(1) Several experienced Esterbrookers maintain that a black Estie "Bell System Property" constitutes an extra color. There are Blue J's, red ones, copper, bright green, etc, plus, it is argued, there is a black Estie with white markings that should be called "Skunk". However, they insist that only a "Bell System" can be a Skunk.

 

(2) Others argue that any black Estie with a company or school system name is also a "Skunk". For instance, I have a black Estie J with "AAA" printed, and another with "Pontiac Motors" etched on the side. I think they are as skunky as my "Bell System" pens.

 

(3) There are even other people who don't care. (Hard to imagine!)

 

(4) Murky question: what if a Bell System Estie has been used so much that the white coloring has worn off? Is it still a Skunk if it's all black, but the words can be read?

 

Edited by welch

Washington Nationals 2019: the fight for .500; "stay in the fight"; WON the fight

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It's so hard to find a J

I see LJs all the time on ebay, but maybe 1 J in the last few years I've been looking

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1: Must have a Ma Bell connection and then it is a real color.

 

2: Pontiac, Tennessee Oil and Coal, AAA, ect. = polecat. Not a color.

 

3: Agreed

 

4: No murk. Once a Skunk always a Skunk

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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Note: Hobiwan, who looks remarkably like the author of the best book we have on Esterbrooks, forgot to mention the Great Skunk Debate.

 

(1) Several experienced Esterbrookers maintain that a black Estie "Bell System Property" constitutes an extra color. There are Blue J's, red ones, copper, bright green, etc, plus, it is argued, there is a black Estie with white markings that should be called "Skunk". However, they insist that only a "Bell System" can be a Skunk.

 

(2) Others argue that any black Estie with a company or school system name is also a "Skunk". For instance, I have a black Estie J with "AAA" printed, and another with "Pontiac Motors" etched on the side. I think they are as skunky as my "Bell System" pens.

 

(3) There are even other people who don't care. (Hard to imagine!)

 

(4) Murky question: what if a Bell System Estie has been used so much that the white coloring has worn off? Is it still a Skunk if it's all black, but the words can be read?

 

 

Question:

 

(1) What about AT&T who used to own the Bell System? A BigMamaSkunk? Grandma Bell?

 

Anyway, I only heard rumors about the great debate. Sorry I missed the show. I like a good debate. Was there any mention of "Educational Samples"? Or would that be a different class altogether?

Edited by Hobiwan

Best Regards
Paul


“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
– Albert Einstein

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I work in communications and these Esties just seem like the perfect fit with me. I have one now. :smile:

 

I love the connection with communications and these pens. Now, there's something else to add to my Must Have list. ;-)

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I love the connection with communications and these pens. Now, there's something else to add to my Must Have list. ;-)

 

Pen love is a disease! Just started bidding on some of these.

 

:lticaptd:

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  • 1 month later...

I have an Estie desk set that is a dark gray, no phone company markings. But the base is a well detailed dial telephone. The handset is loose in the cradle and the ring around the bombers us clear plastic.Does anybody know where this came from?

post-9821-0-56744800-1382419811_thumb.jpg

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I have a black "J" and a black "LJ". They are very nice. I was content for a while. A red one ? A desk pen ?

Contentment is such a "thin-layer" state. :puddle: .

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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So, you guys collect advertising Esties . If you saw that logo on a Papermate you probably would file it in the round file, along with Joe Blow's logoed syringe pen..

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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I have an Estie desk set that is a dark gray, no phone company markings. But the base is a well detailed dial telephone. The handset is loose in the cradle and the ring around the bombers us clear plastic.Does anybody know where this came from?

Oh, LHM! My grandma worked for "The Phone Company"... I must keep a sharp eye out for one of these!

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I did a bit more looking and discovered the bases were by Mastecraft- it was called the Telo-Pen. They also made the Telo-Bank.

I have found only the one above with an Esterbrook but Ruby Lane antiques has one with a ballpoint for sale here:

http://www.rubylane.com/item/161834-16516/Rotary-Telephone-Pen-Holder-Original

Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have an Estie desk set that is a dark gray, no phone company markings. But the base is a well detailed dial telephone. The handset is loose in the cradle and the ring around the bombers us clear plastic.Does anybody know where this came from?

That is one cool desk set. Is it the same size as a regular rotary phone was or smaller?

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The phone desk set is tiny- it will fit on a 3x5 card with room to spare- it's about 4-1/4 inches by 2-1/2 inches.

The detail makes it look full size in a photo :)

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