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Estie - "bell System Property"

Slpederson

By Slpederson
in Esterbrook

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Slpederson Mint

Slpederson

Posted
Posted

I'm new to Esties, so this may be old news to all of you. I picked up a few J models in a batch on Ebay, and the black one is embossed "BELL SYSTEM PROPERTY" (with the quotation marks), once there was white paint in the engraving but it has mostly worn off. Did the US phone company once issue Esterbrook J models as office pens? It seem that is what I have. I'll be interested to hear any history anyone knows, and how common these are currently.

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Runnin_Ute Museum Piece

Runnin_Ute

Posted
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I don't know exactly how common, but I have an LJ that is a Bell System Propery "skunk".

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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bfg Near Mint

bfg

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Posted (edited)

You can find the stamped on both J pens and desk set pens. There seem to be quite a lot of them but remember the Bell system was a huge monopoly but in the 50s and 60s.

Edited by bfg
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Ron Z Museum Piece

Ron Z

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They're quite common. I have a bunch of them for parts. I've seen them in SJ, J and transitional.

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Sasha Royale Museum Piece

Sasha Royale

Posted
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I suspect that they were office/desk pens. I remember seeing an unsued

box of 10 for sale, on Ebay. They were all LJ size. The year would have

been 2012. If one of us won it, please humor my curiosity. How much ?

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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Tom Heath Vintage

Tom Heath

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Fortunately the Bell System was broken up by Supreme Court Justice Black

 

I guess thank's to him was are no longer to possessors of stolen property of the Bell System

, that might have made us accessories to petty theft, huh

 

any other say but...

penfancier1915@hotmail.com

 

Tom Heath

 

Peace be with you . Hug your loved ones today

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Chiro75 Extremely Rare

Chiro75

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I have a bunch and I love them. If you want to revive the printing, try cleaning it well and then use a white crayon to rub over the print. Wax will embed in the engraving.

Steve. Just plain ol' Steve.

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Linedog Mint

Linedog

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Posted

I love mine, but then again I do work for the "Bell System".

Pop Tarts and gravy, It's whats for breakfast.

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blINK Extremely Rare

blINK

Posted
Posted

My apologies if this sounds stupid, but my Bell Systems Estie has no quotation marks. Are there different imprints on different pens or was it just a random thing?

Chris

 

Carpe Stylum!

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AAAndrew Antique

AAAndrew

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Bell marked pretty much everything of theirs, including tools. I have a Bell System hammer, and I've heard of Bell System tools of all kinds, with braces (as in Brace and Bit) being also quite common. I've seen a bunch of Bell System Esties so they must have been the standard pen for a number of years.

 

They're still cool, though. But then I like the Esties marked with company names.

 

“When the historians of education do equal and exact justice to all who have contributed toward educational progress, they will devote several pages to those revolutionists who invented steel pens and blackboards.” V.T. Thayer, 1928

 

Check out my Steel Pen Blog. As well as The Esterbrook Project.

"No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the mistake is to do it solemnly."

-Montaigne

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Linedog Mint

Linedog

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Oh man, Bell System marked everything, from hammers, pliers, screwdrivers to first aid kits.

Pop Tarts and gravy, It's whats for breakfast.

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shock_milan Near Mint

shock_milan

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Posted

Today I found a utility hole cover marked 'Bell Systems' on my walk. Didn't even notice before.

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Tom Heath Vintage

Tom Heath

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Bell Telephone

 

Today I just found these 1951 Perfect Attendance Award Pencils

 

Three were in the available group so I bought al three pencils, they are Pencil Floatie

 

I

The Box says" Perfect Attendance Award "

The Bell Telephone Company of Pa

 

Lower portion of box Name of Recipient " Dorothy O. Decker" Received 12/27/51 ( Holiday Gift )

 

Office: D.T.S. Lehigh Yrs. Perfect Att. 1 Year

 

The pencil was made by the Secretary Pen Co. of Union, NJ ( same as the quality pen maker )

The Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania

 

Attendance Award D. O. Decker

 

I have three such Award Pencils each having one or more Bell System ( Blue Bells)

inside one has three could this have been special ?

 

Thought you might like to see these since we were on the subject of Bell System Property

and Esterbrooks.

 

Comment invited

penfancier1915@hotmail.com

 

Tom Heath

 

Peace be with you . Hug your loved ones today

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welch Antique

welch

Posted
Posted

They are common enough, but everyone who uses an Estie needs at least one. Or two.

 

Others? "AAA"...yes, the American Automobile Association. One of the auto-makers...Pontiac, I think, but I'm not going to dig through my Estie-stash to make sure. At least one school system in the Midwest.

 

Anyone have other Esterbrook company pens?

Washington Nationals 2019: the fight for .500; "stay in the fight"; WON the fight

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wastelanded Collectors Item

wastelanded

Posted
Posted

I've seen a black "Consolidated Edison" Estie for auction before.

"I was cut off from the world. There was no one to confuse or torment me, and I was forced to become original." - Franz Joseph Haydn 1732 - 1809
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AAAndrew Antique

AAAndrew

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Posted

I have a AAA set in black still with stickers on in the box. Just never bothered getting the stickers off.

 

I also have a pen marked

James Losey

Atlas Point

Safety Committee

 

I wonder if Atlas Point refers to the chemical plants at Atlas Point in Delaware.

 

It's a nice, grey J pen, still with sticker and a Dura No. 2668 Medium Firm nib. How very conservative and sober. Just right for the safety committee to give out.

 

Would love to find a red one with a cool engraved business name.

 

“When the historians of education do equal and exact justice to all who have contributed toward educational progress, they will devote several pages to those revolutionists who invented steel pens and blackboards.” V.T. Thayer, 1928

 

Check out my Steel Pen Blog. As well as The Esterbrook Project.

"No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the mistake is to do it solemnly."

-Montaigne

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Chiro75 Extremely Rare

Chiro75

Posted
Posted

I have a business engraved red one. I forget what the biz was, will look tonight and try to share pics.

Steve. Just plain ol' Steve.

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Rob G Extremely Rare

Rob G

Posted
Posted

I have a bunch and I love them. If you want to revive the printing, try cleaning it well and then use a white crayon to rub over the print. Wax will embed in the engraving.

 

I used White-Out on mine. Worked great. Filled in the letters, let it dry, and buffed off the excess with a microfiber cloth.

 

Rob G

 

"Sacred cows make the best hamburger." - Mark Twain

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gweimer1 Antique

gweimer1

Posted
Posted

I have a black rubber barrel, stamped "AT & T Systems".

 

I also have a pencil embossed with an insurance company name from Plymouth, WI. I've seen another with a car dealership name from Sheboygan, WI.

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