Esterbrook School Fine Flexible #819 (Vintage)

These rare Esterbrook pens offer gorgeous hairlines and generous flexibility, for lettering sizes around 1 cm. Flexible vintage pens are the most difficult to find, because they were the least popular type of nib in their day—and now, they're the most sought-after type. That's because most midcentury dip pen users were trying to write faster, not more elegantly. And flexible pens are built for beauty, not speed.

This bronze-colored, hand-ground pen was manufactured in the late 1930s. The very large vent hole and dramatically tapered tip contribute to its excellent flex. The ribbed design is reminiscent of the popular English calligraphy nibs of the era, and the performance of this pen is a fitting tribute to those more-famous calligraphy tools.

Thanks to the protective coating applied to all dip pens (even new ones produced today), these pens are in excellent vintage condition. They've been checked for rust and other defects by our experts and are ready to return to service on your desk.

As with any dip pen, you will need to remove the protective coating so that ink will stick to the nib consistently. To remove the coating, simply dip your new pen in ink a couple of times and wipe it off. Repeat until the ink coats the nib completely and doesn't bead up. This process takes about 15 seconds and only needs to be done once, before you use the pen for the first time.

Sold individually. Made in the United States.

About R: Esterbrook & Co.:

Founded in 1856, R. Esterbrook & Co. was the United States' very first manufacturer of steel dip pens. Formerly, these important 19th century tools had to be imported from Europe, but Richard Esterbrook brought expertise and craftspeople from England and opened a factory in Philadelphia.

For over 100 years until the company finally went out of business in 1970, Esterbrook produced the finest steel pens in the country, with a level of quality and a range of shapes that would put contemporary nib manufacturers to shame. Whenever we're able to get our hands on a vintage batch of Esterbrook pens, we're excited to offer them to you. Supplies, of course, are limited.