Esterbrook Oval Point #788-GP Gold Plated Nib (Vintage)

Beautiful and very rare, this gold-plated Esterbrook #788 dip pen was the premium model offered to well-heeled customers in the 1930s. Today, the standard steel-grey version can still be found regularly if you know where to look, but the gold-plated nibs are increasingly hard to find, even in small quantities. They feel a bit smoother than the steel version, and they're nicely hand-ground at the tip.

The Esterbrook Oval Point #788, with a firm and easy-to-use upturned point, was one of the most popular writing pens of its day, following in the footsteps of several other successful Esterbrook spoon pens. As the #788 became one of the company's best-sellers, it also became the prototype for several similar models in the 1930s and 1940s.

Thanks to the protective coating applied to all dip pens (even new ones produced today), these 90-year-old pens are in excellent vintage condition. You may notice harmless discolorations and scuffs, but each nib has been individually checked for rust and other defects by our experts and is 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.