Not Worth Much

October 16, 2018

I was trying to figure out if some of the Esterbrooks have any value, and I found this listing:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Fountain-Pens-Blue-Celluloid-by-Esterbrook-2312-Nib-Vintage-Calligraphy-/302865298709?hash=item46842db515%3Ag%3AM0kAAOSwf2pbiXZg&nma=true&si=WucpkzV05QNFjnAzMY220igwRqE%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

So, I am guessing they are worth very little.

October 16, 2018

Someone got a pretty good deal. This pen restored at a pen show would go $35-45 easily, in my opinion.

October 16, 2018

Dang. I wish I had spotted the listing. While I would have preferred a 9212 nib, those seem to be exceedingly rare. And the pen itself is a blue....

The end of September I was poking around some antiques stores in Westfield, NY (top end of Lake Chautaqua) and picked up a "root beer" J for ten bucks. The 1555 nib was pretty mangled, but I've got spare nib units.

Yeah, PAKMAN is right -- someone got a deal.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

October 17, 2018

Dang. I wish I had spotted the listing. While I would have preferred a 9212 nib, those seem to be exceedingly rare. And the pen itself is a blue....
The end of September I was poking around some antiques stores in Westfield, NY (top end of Lake Chautaqua) and picked up a "root beer" J for ten bucks. The 1555 nib was pretty mangled, but I've got spare nib units.
Yeah, PAKMAN is right -- someone got a deal.
Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Ask Corgicoupe about the 9312. I lent mine to him, plus the 2312, and he prefers the 2312. So do I. There might be something odd about my 9312. I was surprised to see the sale of 2312 pen for $15. The NOS 2312 nib cost $35. I found the little box for it the other day. There are some vintage and more current italics that are as good: Sheaffer S-1 for Cadet, Sheaffer Prelude italics. You see these on ebay from time to time.

October 17, 2018

Dang. I wish I had spotted the listing. While I would have preferred a 9212 nib, those seem to be exceedingly rare. And the pen itself is a blue....
The end of September I was poking around some antiques stores in Westfield, NY (top end of Lake Chautaqua) and picked up a "root beer" J for ten bucks. The 1555 nib was pretty mangled, but I've got spare nib units.
Yeah, PAKMAN is right -- someone got a deal.
Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Nice find. This is why I still haunt antique stores. I was in the same shop in late June and found only a Mars pen that was clearly a copy of the "51." Cracked hood, messed up nib and loose clip all for only $85.00 US.

October 17, 2018

I would want to see a 9312 before purchase. The 2312 is simple and straightforward. As Pajaro said, I preferred it over the 9312.

October 17, 2018

Nice find. This is why I still haunt antique stores. I was in the same shop in late June and found only a Mars pen that was clearly a copy of the "51." Cracked hood, messed up nib and loose clip all for only $85.00 US.

To be clear, I didn't buy the Esterbrook with the 2312 for $15.00 in the link. I just found that doing some research on ebay. I was trying to guage the rarity of the italic nibs. I would think they are a little uncommon, and 2312 and 9312 are both probably $25 to $50 nibs, possibly depending on how worn down they are. I bought the 2312 NOS for $35 several years ago, and the 9312 for about $37 NOS around 2012. Some modern italics are cheaper and are about as good as a 2312. A Lamy Safari italic is a little sharper at the edges, but you could work that out. If I just wanted an italic nib, I don't know that I would choose 2312 or 9312. Sheaffer made an italic set for Prelude that I found on ebay, fine, medium and music italic sections, converter, Prelude stainless pen and ink. Around $15 in a tin. I think 2312 and 9312 are mainly good for Esterbrook Collections, but the 2312 is fun to use.

October 17, 2018

I have only seen one 9312 nib for sale on eBay (and it was sort of "nose-bleed level" priced ). And before that I'd met someone who is a calligrapher from Portland OR who had an Estie with a 9312 nib (it's the first time I'd ever even seen one, although I knew they existed). She was excited that I knew what an Esterbrook pen was -- and then I saw the nib and just goggled....

Basically I'm trying to get a complete set of 9xxx nibs, so I can see what ones I like and don't like -- and then I can start paring down the stash. And the advantage of that series is that they've got tipping. At this point I have most of them; I'm missing 9312 (expensive) and a couple of the 9314 Relief nibs (okay, I do have a 9314 F, but it looks as if there's a crack in one tine). And I've seen references to something that's a "9650 Medium (Manifold)" -- but can't tell if it's just a typo for 9460 Medium Manifold).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

October 17, 2018

I have only seen one 9312 nib for sale on eBay (and it was sort of "nose-bleed level" priced ). And before that I'd met someone who is a calligrapher from Portland OR who had an Estie with a 9312 nib (it's the first time I'd ever even seen one, although I knew they existed). She was excited that I knew what an Esterbrook pen was -- and then I saw the nib and just goggled....
Basically I'm trying to get a complete set of 9xxx nibs, so I can see what ones I like and don't like -- and then I can start paring down the stash. And the advantage of that series is that they've got tipping. At this point I have most of them; I'm missing 9312 (expensive) and a couple of the 9314 Relief nibs (okay, I do have a 9314 F, but it looks as if there's a crack in one tine). And I've seen references to something that's a "9650 Medium (Manifold)" -- but can't tell if it's just a typo for 9460 Medium Manifold).
Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

That's interesting. The 9xxx nibs with tipping are usually recommended for long term durability. My 9312 never felt as smooth as the two 2312s I have. I thought I would send it to a nib person to have it checked out for stuff like baby's bottom. It's possible the nib wasn't properly finished at the Esterbrook factory. It was NOS before I put ink to it. One of the 2312s came in a pen, and use might have rendered it smooth. The 9314 nibs are left obliques. The broad ones are pleasant. Early on I chanced to buy four 9314-F nibs NOS. They are very nice. Some people did borrow them through the loaner program we had. I was surprised no one ever asked to borrow the 9312 or 2312 when we had that program. I think I had them on the list.

October 18, 2018

After reading this thread, I looked in my Spare Nibs Box.

I discovered a few NOS, boxed 2314M nibs (Relief Medium Stub) and a NOS, boxed 2284 nib (Broad Stub).

I have a 2314M in a Grey J and enjoy using it for note taking. It's really quite smooth and wet!

Alas, I must have 50+ assorted Js, SJs, and LJs stuffed in two boxes, all pens I've picked up for under $10 (that's my Esterbrook rule) while hunting other pens. They seem to pop up nearly as often as the "Wherevers."