Best Vintage Pens On Budget

[robynsnest]

In your opinion, what are the best vintage fountain pens for someone beginning to collect antiques and on a budget. I own quite a few modern fountain pens but nothing vintage. I love the look of them and am thinking of stepping out there so I'm looking for opinions. I honestly don't know what I'm looking for since I have no experience here so your reasons for why you like the pen would be helpful also.

[gweimer1]

Let me be the first to recommend Esterbrook pens. They are simple, classic, and reliable pens. They also have the advantage of replaceable nibs, so you can try different nibs without having to get a whole new pen.

 

I also happen to like the feel of Sheaffer nibs, and you can find a decent pen somewhat reasonably priced with a little diligence.

[dgturner]

I concur with Esterbrook being the best choice as first vintage pen. I always have an Esterbrook in (my carry) rotation, I cannot say that for the other brands. Sheaffer is the next most common vintage brand in rotation, the pen in my dayplanner is usually a vintage Balance (further, it is usually one of two, both c. 1938).

[Inga]

I agree with the Esterbrook suggestions, but just be warned they are very addictive.

[ac12]

Esterbrook

[inkstainedruth]

Just to throw another name out to you -- Morrison.

They're third tier, but have some quality pens. Okay, the gf overlay ringtop was not a "budget" pen. OTOH, it was in working condition when I got it, and has a very juicy nib (most recently it had some fills of Diamine Emerald -- a very nice pen/ink combo.

And my most recent acquisition, another little ringtop, cost more in shipping from Ebay than the pen did. Total outlay was less than $8 (some slight apologies to the one other bidder -- I came across the listing with an hour and a half left to go on the auction and said, what the heck? Another couple of bucks or so, to get a new sac, and maybe some elbow grease to get it working. It's my fourth Morrison (I also recently picked up a sterling silver overlay, although not a filigree like on the first one) for not too bad a price. I think it was less than what a blue Esterbrook Tranny with an 8xxx nib went for over the weekend -- that was an auction I was watching but got side-tracked and forgot to actually put in a bid; then it went for more than I could currently afford to have paid (so if any FPNers got it, post what you think of the nib when you get it....).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[scrivelry]

The best first vintage pen may actually be the question - where do I get my first vintage pen?

 

Most of mine have been from ebay, but I am very willing to mess with things, re-sac, etc. With care you can find a nice pen with a nib that looks ok in close pics for under twenty dollars if you are looking at lower tiers, and replace the sac If this is your sort of thing.

 

If not, then maybe your best bet is to look at Peyton Street Pens, other reilable vintage dealers here, or getting one at a pen show where you can try it out. It may be a little more than some pens go for on ebay, but in some cases it will be less, and in either case, if you've chosen a good vendor you will have a pen that will work for you and which, if, after using it a little while, you find does not suit you, you can probably resell easily enough.

 

All that said, I also think Esterbrooks are great. Other very reliable and wellknown vintage pens include, on the younger side, Parker 45's and later Sheaffers of many models, often with cart/converter filling systems which have the positive, if you do go the ebay-on-my-own route of being dead easy to replace. (Just don't get a really slim Sheaffer - those carts are hard to find.)

 

For earlier vintage/antique, I can't really say much on my own - most of mine are third tier and I've replaced the sac, or are waiting for me to get up the nerve to do something more complicated to them.

[kestrel]

Esterbrook, again. Lots of bang for the buck even with an inexpensive 2668 nib. Tough, reliable, and attractive with enough colors to keep you interested in collecting. Morrison's are fun, too. As Ruth said, a third tier pen but rather well made and I have found some very nice writers in the mix. Watch for the occasional Eclipse or Summit going for a bargain price, especially if it has a Warranted nib. Wearever Pennants can be worthwhile if they don't have the dreaded plastic rot disease and the metal parts aren't corroded to dust. Keep an eye out at flea markets and antique stores for the undervalued pen. Take gambles on brands you don't know if the price is right. My first Eclipse was a bargain at $5.00 US and it is one of the nicest writing vintage pens I own.

 

Finally, enjoy the hunt and the chase. Collecting pens is one long journey of discovery and that journey is half the fun. The other half is finding a Nassau Green "51" for nine dollars.

 

Happy hunting.

[robynsnest]

Thank you for your suggestions and please continue to share if you have more. I am eyeing some Esterbrooks now. You're right too. I can see how these are addictive. Lovely pens, lots of choices.

[robynsnest]

p.s. what do you think of the Wahl Eversharp? I hear good things on another search but I value the opinions here pretty highly.

[chud]

Wahls can be good deals too, depending on what you find. Keep an eye on eBay, and be patient. If you have any interest in doing basic restoration that can open up a lot of possibilities, because you can often get a nice pen that needs basic work for a pretty good price. Basic repairs like replacing a sac on a lever-filler are not difficult and can save you quite a bit of money.

[ac12]

He he, I forget about the Parker 45.

I don't consider the P45 vintage, because I used them "new" in college. Not older than me, so it isn't vintage.

But the P45 is a GREAT pen.

 

The Eversharp Sykline are nice pens. The plain plastic pens are more economical, they get more expensive as you get striped cap and body, and gold cap.

 

Both the Esterbrook and Skylines are sac pens, so you should get them restored, as the inks sacs are over 50 years old, so even if they do work, they could fail tomorrow.

[ac12]

 

Wahls can be good deals too, depending on what you find. Keep an eye on eBay, and be patient. If you have any interest in doing basic restoration that can open up a lot of possibilities, because you can often get a nice pen that needs basic work for a pretty good price. Basic repairs like replacing a sac on a lever-filler are not difficult and can save you quite a bit of money.

 

Until you have overheated and damaged an Esterbrook body trying to get the section out....like I did.

[balson]

sheaffer lever fillers and touchdowns can be had for less than $30 if you hunt them out and generally are very good writers.

 

esterbrook J's are the go to intro to restoring vintage pens, with the exception of the jewels they are almost impossible to break. if you hunt in the wild you can find them for around $10, ebay they usually go for more unless its a large lot of them.

 

eversharp has a lot of good affordable pens. eversharp skylines turn up pretty regularly for around $25 or less, they are a little more fragile than most sheaffer or esterbrooks but if you go slow and are careful i think they are just as easy to restore.

 

there are a ton of third tier pens that are great pens but its hard to say any brands that are consistently strong

[PAKMAN]

Esterbrook, Parker 45, Eversharp Skyline

[sandy101]

Parker 45 is a good one - it is easy to maintain and does not have the cachet as the P51. And yes, it is "vintage" since the last one was manufactured in '88 - nigh on 25 years ago.

[robynsnest]

Thanks to everyone for great suggestions. I should clarify what I'm looking for. I am in no way prepared to restore any pen (no tools and no know how) so I would have to purchase a restored version. I am also looking more towards early 20th century styles. I just purchased an Eversharp Skyline from Peyton street and it's wonderful. I'm already hooked and would like to find similar pens. So if you can recommend either other brands from that era or perhaps additional reputable dealers. I like Peyton street immensely and will definitely be back but I would like to browse others just to see what's available.

 

Let me edit this post to say that I can't stop browsing Peyton Street Pens. Does anyone have like a cool million to give away? I could spend so much on vintage pens. Oh my!! What about the Schaeffer Balance. That name seems to pop in my memory for some reason but I don't know why?

Edited October 22, 2014 by robynsnest

[gweimer1]

I was going to mention Sheaffer pens. I've got a couple, and I really like the feel of the Sheaffer nibs, especially the Triumph nib. So far, my favorite is the Statesman, which just seems to fit right and actually helps me to write better.

 

 

And, if you're interested, I have a burgundy Statesman that I just refurbished that I'm planning to sell.

Edited October 23, 2014 by gweimer1

[amberleadavis]

Whatever you do, don't go to the Esterbrook loaner program.

 

Do not try an Estie.

 

They are contagious... once you try one, you get hooked. The addiction is brutal.

 

I LOVE my Sheaffers...but Esties... they kill me. I just love them... they sing to me.

[ac12]

 

Whatever you do, don't go to the Esterbrook loaner program.

 

Do not try an Estie.

 

They are contagious... once you try one, you get hooked. The addiction is brutal.

 

I LOVE my Sheaffers...but Esties... they kill me. I just love them... they sing to me.

 

I got bit by the Esterbrook bug, and bit HARD.

I need to get a new pen case just for the Esterbrooks.