What Are Some Awesome, Inexpensive Vintage Fountain Pens I Can Buy?

[MBFan]

I've got a Parker 21 and it is a phenomenal pen, plus they can be found for relatively little money. Enjoy the hunt, I find it's half the fun!

[Shaughn]

Vintage is at least older than you are... according to some here.

 

Parker 25 - though it is as Marmite, you love it or hate it.

 

As a source for pens - do have a look at the Pay it forward thread in this FPNuthouse... and try your luck.

[Sasha Royale]

After a tiny droplet of silicon lube around the inside of the barrel, you will get great value out of the Reform 1745.

Also, the first generation Sheaffer cartridge fountain pen wa sold to school kids in the 1960's. Many were lost,

crushed, melted, and dog-chewn. (?) The survivors sill write well.

 

By the way, the Esterbrook J-series includes the "J", "LJ", and "SJ".

[ISW_Kaputnik]

Many good suggestions. It's all about what appeals to you. Definitely look for bargains, but if you could get another four Esterbrooks at $20 each, might you want to a get single pen that appeals to you for $80 instead? And if you're really patient, you might find that $80 pen for $40 or $20 after all.

 

Did someone mention Eversharps yet? I like both my Skyline and Symphony. There are usually a couple on Peyton Street Pens, or you might find a fixer upper cheaper on eBay. Very nice gold nibs.

 

I really like my vintage Conklin Crescents (not to be confused with the modern reproductions you can get). The sacs are really easy to replace, although because the pens are so old, sometimes you'll get one with a broken pressure bar. Some of these have really nice nibs, too.

 

And of course, I do like my Esterbrook Js, SJs, and LJ. I even got an Esterbrook mechanical pencil. I think I have enough Esties, now.

[Stephen2020]

Osmiroid 65 and Osmiroid 75 with their many nib types - brilliant!!!

[jescereal]

These are all awesome replies! Thanks!

[Nihontochicken]

... I suggest a Parker 45 "Flighter" ... , particularly if you can find one without the plastic end and with a gold nib.

Don't look now, but there is one currently up for grabs on fleabay with a matching pencil, though not identified as such in the title. Just do a search on "PAR11".

[Lothianjavert]

There are lots of choices... you can go for more Esties in different sizes/colors as well as buy different nibs...

 

On the 'bay if you watch you can periodically get good deals on more common Sheaffer Balance sizes/colors as well as some of the Triumph nibbed pens and snorkels. They may need to be restored, but even so many are still a good deal. All of the Sheaffers I have are excellent writers. I guess some collect the old sheaffer school cartridge pens- I have a bunch and they also write well, but I'd go for a Balance or triumph nib first.

 

Occasionally you can also get a Parker Vacumatic for a good price. Both of the vacumatic majors (golden pearl and emerald pearl) that I use as "house pens" were ebay purchases for about 35.00 each with shipping. I expected to need to have them restored and figured that in but they both arrived fully functional, just dirty. They are my husband's favorite pens so they get used a lot. The VS is a good basic pen that just isn't as popular, so you may be able to get one at a good price. Same for the Parker Challenger or Vacumatic Juniors.

 

Also look for Wahl/Eversharp pens. The Skylines in plain colors go for good prices as do some of the smaller pens and even with restoration should fit into your budget. The Dorics and the larger gold seals do go for a premium though and usually aren't even close to my range.

 

My suggestion is to read and to learn and keep watching. There are decent deals here at times and there are still deals to be had on ebay. I have not had luck at local antique shops, but they seem to price ridiculously- i.e. a Wearever with a bent nib is 175.00.

[PDW]

Where do you start? School pens are often cheap and reliable so how about some cartridge favourites.

 

Wearever cartridge pens are fun, but you'd have to refill the cartridge (which occasionally turn up as spares) using a syringe. Good size pens and very reliable if the previous owner hasn't messed up the nib.

 

One of my current writers is a transparent-barrelled Sheaffer round-ended school pen, bought with a new cartridge already installed (the current ones fit so no problems there) for GBP 6 delivered. All the joy of seeing the ink sloshing around you get with a clear eyedropper with none of the hassle. The challenge is to collect all the barrel colours ...

[Eduardo]

Take a look at Eversharp pens... They are somewhat overrated, but with a few luck, you will get lovely vintage pens... My newest acquisition, is an Eversharp Slim Ventura gold filled set (fountain pen + mechanical pencil in excellent condition) by 32 bucks...

[Z-Tab]

Sheaffer made some excellent pens that seem relatively underpriced for the vintage market. I got a working Snorkel Sentinel for $30 that is one of the smoothest writers I own.

 

If you learn how to replace a sac on your own, you can pick up some super cheap lots on eBay. Vintage pens that need minor repairs go for a fraction of the cost of working pens.

[VAgal]

There are a lot of great suggestions here for vintage pens, and you have three of the best already. For seeing some vintage pens from outside of the "big names" - I would suggest looking at the FPN Classifieds, in particular ads from Bella Pens. I have never bought anything from him, but he always seems to find nice examples of inexpensive vintage pens from a wide range of manufacturers. It could give you some ideas of other pens to look for.