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Alternative Source For Esterbrook J's

sargetalon

By sargetalon
in Esterbrook

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Sasha Royale Museum Piece

Sasha Royale

Posted
Posted

:puddle:

Sargetalon and Bruce have Estie J's in Dubonnet Red, the filler levers are different.

When/why did they change ?

 

(And, you guys thought nobody was paying attention.)

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

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Harlequin Collectors Item

Harlequin

Posted
Posted

From what I've been reading, Estie changed the design in the late 40s or early 50s. Maybe they did it a couple of times from flat to half moon to full round and you can use that to approximately date the pen?

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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
Posted

The round paddle-like fillers are later. Thankfully the round levers are easier to work and don't dig the fingernail so much as the earlier fan-shaped levers. I'm sure glad most of you revel in lever fillers. The squeeze fillers are easier to work.

 

The M2s generally seem to sell for less. On two recent ebay auctions I paid $11.00 + $3.00 shipping for a gray M2 (2668) and $12.10 + $5.90 shipping for a turquoise M2 (2556). $14.99 and free shipping for yet another SJ with 9460 nib. Slumber on.

"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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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
Posted

Hey, I was right! cool! *happy at the ability to demonstrate some FP knowledge!*

It gives you a feeling of satisfaction when this stuff falls into place.

 

By the way, that's a great avatar!

"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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Harlequin Collectors Item

Harlequin

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hey, I was right! cool! *happy at the ability to demonstrate some FP knowledge!*

It gives you a feeling of satisfaction when this stuff falls into place.

 

By the way, that's a great avatar!

Thanks. When I saw it I was pretty enamored of it pretty quickly, so I snatched it specifically to use here. I think it really evokes an "inky" feel as well as looking cool!

Edited by Harlequin
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Yomillio NOS (New Old Stock)

Yomillio

Posted
Posted

If you keep a close eye on eBay, there are certainly some deals to be found amid the many over-priced offerings. I've now purchased 3 in the past few weeks, all under market value and in decent shape. You just have to be quicker to find-and-buy than others :)

Waterman Phileas F - Parker 51 Blue Diamond Vac - Esterbrook J 9788 (Extra Flex M) - Esterbrook J 2314M (Relief M Stub) - Lamy Safari XF - Hero 616

 

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
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Amen.

"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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OcalaFlGuy Museum Piece

OcalaFlGuy

Posted
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You can sometimes do better on the crappy listings with poor pics or just one crappy pic if, If, IF and only IF! you ask the seller and get good answers on the few Estie danger areas. (Cracks, Clip, Jewels)

 

If you're really lucky the seller will just send YOU the answers and Not post your questions and his answers back to the listing. Then YOU have some intel other bidders (who didn't do their homework) don't have.

 

If you can't see, don't know, and can't find out, don't bid.

 

Friends don't let Friends Braille bid. :thumbup:

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

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Harlequin Collectors Item

Harlequin

Posted
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I'm glad you mentioned the jewels- other than cosmetics, do they have a function that would definitely be impaired if they were cracked or chipped in any way? And can you elaborate on why the clip would be a danger area?

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Mags Vintage

Mags

Posted
Posted

I am thinking the jewels require a tool to remove and reinstall them and the pen cap tops are hard to find and can cracks the barrels in repair exercises. I expect a loose clip no longer keeps the pen in a suit breast pocket and again is a cracking risk if you have to repair it but Bruce may have other explanations also.

Rob Maguire (Plse call me "M or Mags" like my friends do...)I use a Tablet, Apple Pencil and a fountain pen. Targas, Sailor, MB, Visconti, Aurora, vintage Parkers, all wonderful.

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OcalaFlGuy Museum Piece

OcalaFlGuy

Posted
Posted (edited)

Keep in mind that while other more expensive pens were designed with future repairs at least somewhat in mind, it is unlikely that was the case with the inexpensive Estie. If you broke one, for what they cost, the company just expected you'd buy another one. Probably two of The Most critical points to the Estie design was how Fast could a company worker put one together, and how consistently the same they could, pen to pen.

 

Jewels. Purely decorative so far as I know.[1] No known sources for quantities of them other than from other pens. The correct way to replace involves removing the inner cap and knocking the jewel out from the inside. Basically a PIA to do.

 

Spinning clips. Not a real function issue as if the clip is close to the cap (see pinned thread here) it would still hold the pen in the pocket even though the clip turns. However, the turning clip could also scratch the cap with the end of the clip. Tightening a clip is the closest to brain surgery for an Estie. It requires some Estie specific tools and is a definite for sure PIA.

 

As mentioned before, in addition to cracks in the barrel end or cap edge, the above two are pretty much deal breakers for me in buying an Estie and I can at least replace the jewels myself if I have to.

 

[1] With the exception of the Transitionals with the screw in jewels. Those jewels also hold the clip secure and in place unlike the pens with the push in jewels that are mainly decorative.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

Edited by OcalaFlGuy
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pajaro Museum Piece

pajaro

Posted
Posted

Cracks in cap lips and in barrels occur in some Esties and are hard to impossible to fix satisfactorily, requiring a donor pen to replace a part. Cracks just become worse over time. I try never to have any pen with a crack in cap, barrel or section. Section cracks leak.

 

The jewels and clips, if cracked or damaged, are just about unobtainable unless you take one from another pen, and then the repair effort is high. To say the repair effort is high is probably sarcastic understatement. Rather than taking one from another pen, you might as well replace the cap or barrel, but then on a J, SJ or LJ the resulting combination of cap and barrel might not look like it goes together esthetically, because of the patterning of the J series plastics.

 

There are so many Esterbrooks coming up for sale that sellers will tell you up front that they are resacced, jewels and caps are intact, clips in a satisfactory state, without cracks, and so on, that I think there is no reason to bid on or buy an Esterbrook with any defect and that is not stated to be resacced. I have bought two beautiful J series pens in the last week so cheaply as to not be able to pass them up, that were resacced and beautiful, polished, with nice imprints, for something like fifteen dollars each, no cracks, beautiful jewels. I would say to you, ask the questions that will inform you about the condition issues, even if they are made public, because I don't think you should buy any Estie with a condition issue. Unless you enjoy resaccing. The other repairs are an avoidable nuisance.

 

Cracks in pastels' cap lips are common. I wouldn't buy any of them with a crack. Don't buy anything if you find a condition issue. You might say excuse an issue for a rarity, but I wouldn't do it, because it is something to apologize for forever, especially to yourself. Condition issues in a collectible item are like rocks in your shoe.

 

 

"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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alc3261 Antique

alc3261

Posted
Posted

I'm glad you mentioned the jewels- other than cosmetics, do they have a function that would definitely be impaired if they were cracked or chipped in any way? And can you elaborate on why the clip would be a danger area?

 

Hi, the loose clips rotate!! Very annoying if you were daft enough to get one without asking!

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png

fpn_1425200643__fpn_1425160066__super_pinks-bottle_200x159.jpg

My Pen Wraps are for sale in my Etsy shop

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Harlequin Collectors Item

Harlequin

Posted
Posted

I'm glad you mentioned the jewels- other than cosmetics, do they have a function that would definitely be impaired if they were cracked or chipped in any way? And can you elaborate on why the clip would be a danger area?

 

Hi, the loose clips rotate!! Very annoying if you were daft enough to get one without asking!

 

Alc, if I've learned ANYHTHING in my time here talking to y'all, it's to ASK THE PEOPLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE! ^_~

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  • 2 weeks later...
samgeee Dipped Only

samgeee

Posted
Posted

Indeed! I want a cobalt blue one soooo badly now.... :puddle:

 

You mean like these? They're right here.

http://www.mainstreetpens.com/salepens/sjestie.jpg

 

Estie "Porn" . . .

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JonSzanto Antique

JonSzanto

Posted
Posted

Just want to point out to people reading this thread that just today, Rick Krantz has posted a massive sale of Esterbrook pens, including a lot of the "Dollar" pens. Look in the FPN classifieds.

"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

~ Benjamin Franklin

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WayTooManyHobbies Extremely Rare

WayTooManyHobbies

Posted
Posted

You can still get lucky in local antique shops, too. The red Esti SJ in the picture was $10.

fpn_1357487259__1357487172027.jpg

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