My first Estie

[Estycollector]

9 hours ago, Rob G said:

Exactly fifteen years have gone by since I started this thread. Whoa. My handwriting is a bit shakier, but I still have my "Bell System Property" Estie with a cursive-italic 9668, loaded with Private Reserve Electric Blue.

 

It works just fine.

 

Rob G

I called Ma Bell and they want their pen back. Just kidding of course. 

[PPPR]

These are my very first two Esterbrook fountain pens. The first, a blue CX-100, was purchased in the early 1960s. We had started learning cursive handwriting in school. Fountain pens were required, and this is the pen my parents bought for me. It was used regularly until cartridges were no longer available in the early 1970s. The last cartridge died after a few years of refilling. (Who knew cartridges would become as rare as hen's teeth.) A few years ago I purchased a pack of reasonably priced NOS cartridges on eBay, and the pen has been brought back from the dead.

 

The black J was purchased from Daly's Pen Shop in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA (R.I.P.) in 1983. Inspired by Glen Bowen's book on collectable fountain pens the year before, I went looking for an LF FP even though none were no longer being made. The ladies behind the counter, who I later learned had been working at Daly's since before the ballpoint, took pity on me. From the depths of the backroom, they produced that NOS black J. Even better, a young niece broke the LF when playing with the pen. These same ladies fixed this pen for a reasonable cost with nary a word. Talk about sentimental value.

 

I call them "these ladies" because the two ladies were always in the shop when I visited. If memory serves, a newspaper article about the shop said they'd worked at Daly's from the early 1940s.

[gweimer1]

50 minutes ago, PPPR said:

These are my very first two Esterbrook fountain pens. The first, a blue CX-100, was purchased in the early 1960s. We had started learning cursive handwriting in school. Fountain pens were required, and this is the pen my parents bought for me. It was used regularly until cartridges were no longer available in the early 1970s. The last cartridge died after a few years of refilling. (Who knew cartridges would become as rare as hen's teeth.) A few years ago I purchased a pack of reasonably priced NOS cartridges on eBay, and the pen has been brought back from the dead.

 

The black J was purchased from Daly's Pen Shop in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA (R.I.P.) in 1983. Inspired by Glen Bowen's book on collectable fountain pens the year before, I went looking for an LF FP even though none were no longer being made. The ladies behind the counter, who I later learned had been working at Daly's since before the ballpoint, took pity on me. From the depths of the backroom, they produced that NOS black J. Even better, a young niece broke the LF when playing with the pen. These same ladies fixed this pen for a reasonable cost with nary a word. Talk about sentimental value.

 

I call them "these ladies" because the two ladies were always in the shop when I visited. If memory serves, a newspaper article about the shop said they'd worked at Daly's from the early 1940s.

 

Nice pens.   I bought a lot from Daly's on eBay.   I used to get up to Wisconsin, so I'd have him hold my purchases, and I would go up and visit when picking them up.  That Sheaffer store display they had was really cool.  It's a shame they folded, but the last move out to the west side may have hurt them.

[PPPR]

15 hours ago, gweimer1 said:

 

Nice pens.   I bought a lot from Daly's on eBay.   I used to get up to Wisconsin, so I'd have him hold my purchases, and I would go up and visit when picking them up.  That Sheaffer store display they had was really cool.  It's a shame they folded, but the last move out to the west side may have hurt them.

 

I moved across country in 1983, so I missed the decline. Here's something you may recognize.

 

[Rob G]

On 4/28/2024 at 6:38 AM, Estycollector said:

I called Ma Bell and they want their pen back. Just kidding of course. 

I guess these guys are after me too.

[pianopenpal]

I think I went a little overboard and picked up several firsts to fix up... The green J has a broken clip, and the blue J is missing the jewel. All the nibs are good, a few had 9xxx nibs, and I lucked out that not one of the sacs are crunchified. They're still getting re-sacked though, though...!

 

Will I be able to poach the cap jewel off the green one for the blue pen? I think I'll need to hunt for a green cap either way...

 

[Estycollector]

3 hours ago, pianopenpal said:

I think I went a little overboard and picked up several firsts to fix up... The green J has a broken clip, and the blue J is missing the jewel. All the nibs are good, a few had 9xxx nibs, and I lucked out that not one of the sacs are crunchified. They're still getting re-sacked though, though...!

 

Will I be able to poach the cap jewel off the green one for the blue pen? I think I'll need to hunt for a green cap either way...

 

They are quite lovely. @gweimer1 will be able to advise and maybe obtain the parts you need. 

[FarmBoy]

Use the broken clip pen as your parts source. 
 

Dont trust an old sac. 

[Baka1969]

Here are my first Esterbrooks. A modern Estie and vintage LJ. I also have an SJ and two incoming J models. Thanks to Brian for getting me started. 

 

I might get a B and/or Transitional J. What I really want is a good source for the nibs and play nib rolling. (It's a twist on rolling tubes).