Esterbrook Relief No7 - Info?

[mikey_abz]

Good morning,

 

I was given this pen and I wanted to find some more information about it (age, value etc) is not in the best condition as you can see.

The cap has a crack and is missing the clip, main body is in ok condition although Im unsure of the internals as I'm not sure how it operates. The Nib has the r.h.s tine bend down, I suspect this could be quickly fixed however I'm not confident to do it (as I can be heavy handed ha).

Would it be worth restoring it, if so who should I speak with?

Sorry for the questions, ignorance, I normally buy new pens this is my first vintage (although I was given a few old parkers at same time).

Mike

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by mikey_abz

[Hobiwan]

Well, the pen is a button-filler, similar to Parker's Jack-knife and Duofold models. You unscrew the black blind cap from the end of the barrel, revealing a button that as you push it in, compresses a sac inside. Release the button and the sac expands to draw ink. First, verify the sac is OK/replace the sac, by removing the section (carefully).

 

Looks similar to the Relief #2S, which has only a single band on the cap.

 

Other than that, it seems very rare to me, as this is the first I've heard of the model, for what that's worth.

 

Definitely worth restoring.

[mikey_abz]

Well, the pen is a button-filler, similar to Parker's Jack-knife and Duofold models. You unscrew the black blind cap from the end of the barrel, revealing a button that as you push it in, compresses a sac inside

 

 

I've tried unscrewing the back section but its not moving very far/if at all - don't want to over do it incase it breaks.

 

Cap looks like Relief Model 4-L (thin, thick, thin bands). The material used on the barrel end and cap finial is like a matt (vulcanized rubber??) not glossy/lacquer material.

Edited May 14, 2018 by mikey_abz

[mikey_abz]

Well it has now been sent away for restoration. Will show more photographs once I've received it back.

Edited May 20, 2018 by mikey_abz

[AAAndrew]

If Paul says its the first he's ever seen, that really means something. After all, he literally wrote the book.

 

Congrats! One of these relief pens is on my bucket list. Hope you share "after" photos and how it writes.

 

Andrew

[eckiethump]

I have the pen and hopefully the clip that fits,looking forward to getting this back to working order, back in work shop on a couple of days.

[eckiethump]

I have a suitable Relief cap clipand the pen is actually a piston filler based on the Conway Stewart 700/800.It is at the moment receiving the internal soaking to ease the mechanism which is now moving.Interesting pen CS only ever made the 700/800 as piston fillers.

Eric

[Hobiwan]

Check out this thread https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/334801-anatomy-of-a-esterbrook-button-filler/?hl=relief

I should suggest what the innards look like on your pen.

[Tom Heath]

Your have a terrific pen

 

Minus the issue which you fortunately sent it out to a competent repair person.. If he had parts most likely

he's been at it a while

 

Relief pen in this country as very scarce and in high demand

 

Do use your new pen and let us know how it performs for you

[mikey_abz]

Your have a terrific pen

 

Minus the issue which you fortunately sent it out to a competent repair person.. If he had parts most likely

he's been at it a while

 

Relief pen in this country as very scarce and in high demand

 

Do use your new pen and let us know how it performs for you

Thanks for your comments, once I receive it back I'm not sure if I would want to use it (afraid of damaging it). I will decide when it comes back. I'm not a vintage pen user and while I would like to own a Parker vacumatic in blue or purple its not something I've gone and bought. There are too many modern pens that catch my eye.

I'm glad I came on here to find out more about it as I was considering ditching it due to crack 😮

 

Is this colour called blue marble?

Edited May 28, 2018 by mikey_abz

[mikey_abz]

That is the pen back from Eckiethump thank you for a great job.

Pictures below:

 

[eckiethump]

I've had that clip for around 10 years, I'm really glad it ended up on such a deserving pen.

Eric

[Hobiwan]

Magnificent rare pen! I hadn't noticed the scoring on the button in the earlier pics. That sets it apart from all the other Reliefs even more. One could speculate that it was the last of the English Relief pens of that model era. Even if you're not a serious collector, it's definitely a prize pen. Congratulations! And thanks for sharing it with us.

[mikey_abz]

Magnificent rare pen! I hadn't noticed the scoring on the button in the earlier pics. That sets it apart from all the other Reliefs even more. One could speculate that it was the last of the English Relief pens of that model era. Even if you're not a serious collector, it's definitely a prize pen. Congratulations! And thanks for sharing it with us.

 

Thank you Paul, I believe that what this forum is about, sharing information and gaining experience. I'm glad that you (and others) took the time to reply and that helped sway my decision to have it repaired.

 

Having received the pen in the "original" condition to the untrained eye that could have very easily been thrown in the bin and lost forever.

 

As I disclosed from the beginning, I'm not a vintage pen guy - however the interest I have gained in this pen alone has made me open my eyes to the older offerings in particular vintage Conway Stewart pens. Of which I have bought two in the past week (Mr Eckiethump will be busy ). https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/336832-vintage-conway-stewart-addiction

Should this pen be of interest to anyone for their individual collection please feel to get in contact via PM (I hope this statement doesn't breach the rules - if so I will remove it).

 

Mike

Edited June 8, 2018 by mikey_abz

[gweimer1]

Very nice!

[mikey_abz]

Gents,

I've seen a CS100 that I want to buy, what would you say this pen would be worth so I can sell it to fund future pens?

Regards,

Mike

[antoniosz]

Ah... the No 7
The reliefs are beautiful pens, albeit sensitive (especially their caps - like yours.
By 1936 there were:

No. 1 The basic model at 7/6 (7 shillings and 66 pence)
No. 2L and 2S (i.e. level and stub(button) fillers) at 12/6
The ladies short and thin (ribbon) pen No. 22 at 12/6 and the longer but thin No.5 at 15/-
No 6 which was the manifold pen at 18/6 and

the deluxe 3L and 3S at 21/- as well as the monster No. 4 (the largest and most expensive one) at 30/-

Then in 1938 they introduced the No. 66 at 5/6 and No. 90 at 7/6 and the visible ink supply No. 7 at 25/-
So interestingly it was not the most expensive but it is definitely a rare one.
Since 2009 when Brian told me about the No7, I have "seen" (electronically) one like yours and another in black cracked ice. It is definitely for the advanced Esterbrook collector. If it were not for the cap it would be easily at $400-500. With the repair in the cap it is hard to say. But definitely a very interesting pen...

Edited June 11, 2018 by antoniosz

[mikey_abz]

Ah... the No 7

The reliefs are beautiful pens, albeit sensitive (especially their caps - like yours.

By 1936 there were:

 

No. 1 The basic model at 7/6 (7 shillings and 66 pence)

No. 2L and 2S (i.e. level and stub(button) fillers) at 12/6

The ladies short and thin (ribbon) pen No. 22 at 12/6 and the longer but thin No.5 at 15/-

No 6 which was the manifold pen at 18/6 and

the deluxe 3L and 3S at 21/- as well as the monster No. 4 (the largest and most expensive one) at 30/-

 

Then in 1938 they introduced the No. 66 at 5/6 and No. 90 at 7/6 and the visible ink supply No. 7 at 25/-

So interestingly it was not the most expensive but it is definitely a rare one.

Since 2009 when Brian told me about the No7, I have "seen" (electronically) one like yours and another in black cracked ice. It is definitely for the advanced Esterbrook collector. If it were not for the cap it would be easily at $400-500. With the repair in the cap it is hard to say. But definitely a very interesting pen...

 

 

 

Thank you for the additional detail. Having tried to research it further on the internet I found next to nothing on this model pen (no images of any others).

I have put it on the well know auction site at the lower end of the estimate, trying to account for the cap/restoration.

[eckiethump]

According to Steve Hulls CS book this model retailed at in 1935, 30/- old lsd money about £1.50 now or at that time aprox. $6, not a low end model price for a modestly sized pen

[antoniosz]

According to Steve Hulls CS book this model retailed at in 1935, 30/- old lsd money about £1.50 now or at that time aprox. $6, not a low end model price for a modestly sized pen

 

I think what you said refers to the No. 4 which was the top of the line. No. 7 (according to the same source - Steve Hulls) was from 1938 at 25/- Still quite expensive - the second most expensive of the line.