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Just found an Esterbrook. Which model?


pingis

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Hi all. I'm back after a long time of silence. Now I have started to go through inherited pens again. I just found an Esterbrook pen which I know nothing about. Can anyone tell me what model it is? How old would you say it is? Any information would be appreciated.

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Looks like a J-series pen, but whether an SJ, LJ, or full-size J I can't tell without knowing the size (the J pens are the standard ones, LJs are thinner than Js, and SJs are much shorter and IIRC thinner than the Js -- about the same girth as the LJ pens, but don't quote me.

A bit hard to tell from the photo whether it's grey or green, but looks like the "mackerel" celluloid.  Also can't tell what the nib is from the photo (I can't read the number) but there's a good article on Richard Binder's site: http://www.richardspens.com/ref/nibs/renew_point.htm

As for the approximate date, there are other people here who are way more knowledgable about vintage Esterbrooks than I am.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Thank you so much for the answers. I have taken another picture with the Esterbrook next to a very standard pencil. The length of my (green) Esterbrook is slightly more than 12 centimeters. I have had a closer look using a magnifying glass and it says Made in England on the pen and 2668 on the nib. Will this help to figure out what I found?

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You can get a rough approximation of age by looking at the pen's lever.  Newer ones have a rounded top, in earlier models the lever has a straight top.  

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I believe you have an Esterbrook SJ.  They measure about 4.75 inches in length when capped which would be just slightly more than 12cm.   This could easily be confirmed by looking at the lever which, on an SJ, is longer than the distance from the end of the lever to the tip of  the end of the pen.

Just a caution here.  If you try to move the lever and it is resistant to any movement, do not force it.  Old lever filler pens that are put away with ink still in the pen will often have an ink sac that has become brittle and hard.  Forcing the lever could damage internal parts.  I've had some J series pens with functional vintage sacs and others that were totally caked internally with dried ink and a brittle sac.  The good news is that Esterbrook J's are one of the easiest to repair.

 

Cliff

“The only thing most people do better than anyone else is read their own handwriting.”  John Adams

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Thanks for the new answers. Indeed it seems to be an SJ, and an early one. I tried moving the lever and it would only move two or three millimeters so I guess my pen needs some service. 

I found a brilliant video on Youtube that tells about the differences between the J series pens:

 

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Richard Binder has a very simple straightforward page about Esterbrooks on his website including the colors, dimensions and a brief history.

 

As Richard notes, "The easiest way to identify a J is to observe that the jewel in the cap is noticeably larger than the barrel-end jewel."  An LJ is the same length, but the jewels are the same diameter.   The SJ  jewels are the same diameter, but the distance between the end of the lever and the button on the barrel end is shorter than the lever.

 

Richard also has a chart showing the different sizes of nib by number.

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One final thing, if you decide to re-sac the pen yourself, do not unscrew the nib before you attempt to remove the section from the barrel.  Do not ask me how I know that this leads to disaster.😨

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Thanks again. I totally love Richard Binder's website. It is so nice to see something created by someone who is totally in to something. Pen Lady: That is some good advice. Thank you so much. I still haven't decided. Should I keep this pen? Should I sell this pen? If so - should I get it working before selling it? So many questions. Luckily I am in no hurry deciding.

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If it is your only vintage Esterbrook, I’d suggest keeping it. Getting one working yourself, and using it is a great feeling. These pens are as good as when they were made. The one caveat is, it’s hard to have one vintage Esterbrook. 
 

My first Esterbrook was a J green one that was transitional with only one jewel which is on the cap. 

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Well, as far as I know this is my only Esterbrook but I still have some inherited boxes to go through. So, owning an Esterbrook might be addictive... Then I am not sure if I dare getting it working😀

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You should keep the Esterbrook.  Everyone needs at least one Esterbrook in regular use or rotation.

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A full service pen shop providing professional, thoughtful vintage pen repair...

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15 minutes ago, Ron Z said:

You should keep the Esterbrook.  Everyone needs at least one Esterbrook in regular use or rotation.

I'll keep it for now then. I didn't know everyone needs an Esterbrook. Now I know😁

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Once you figure out, and obtain the nib of your choice for the Esterbrook, it tends to go in and out, back in and out of rotation. 
 

I got my supplies from Anderson Pens. I’ve only replaced one J bar, which was the most daunting for me.  It has to be trimmed down to size, then filed to remove sharp edges. Sac are easier. They still have to be trimmed to size. You’ll need talc and shellac which Anderson has. There are likely videos on how to re-sac an Esterbrook. 

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One other thing to note - what style lever is it?   If it's what they called the spade lever (flat end), then the pen is likely a '40s model.   The spoon lever (rounded end) may be a '50s pen.
And, yes, everyone should have at least one Esterbrook pen in their collection.  At least one.  😎

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48 minutes ago, gweimer1 said:


And, yes, everyone should have at least one Esterbrook pen in their collection.  At least one.  😎

 

I trust you mean, at least one of EVERY COLOR....

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59 minutes ago, gweimer1 said:

One other thing to note - what style lever is it?   If it's what they called the spade lever (flat end), then the pen is likely a '40s model.   The spoon lever (rounded end) may be a '50s pen.
And, yes, everyone should have at least one Esterbrook pen in their collection.  At least one.  😎

My pen has got the spade lever so it is an older one😀

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1 hour ago, gweimer1 said:

And, yes, everyone should have at least one Esterbrook pen in their collection.

Agreed.  I'm not an Esterbrook collector but I've managed to acquire 3 Dollar Pens and 4 J Series pens as well as a Safari (cartridge fill).  They are nice, functional designs and I periodically have one inked.  Even so, I plan to sell the Safari and one of the Dollar Pens.  I need to pare down my total number of pens.  Since classifieds is still broken it will have to be the bay I guess.

 

Cliff

“The only thing most people do better than anyone else is read their own handwriting.”  John Adams

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Now I have had a look at some tutorials on Youtube. It seems as if there is a lot to get and to keep in mind when working on these pens. I still have to make up my mind. Should I restore it or not...

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