Esterbrook School Medium Firm #556 Pen Nib (Vintage)

Produced with several different names and slight design changes over at least five decades, the Esterbrook #556 pen was a standby in the company's lineup and a fixture in classrooms. With a subtly rounded tip, a firm feel with some flexibility, and a large vent hole for extra ink capacity, this was a great pen for beginners—and it still is!

Our stock of Esterbrook #556 pens is mixed in origin and manufacture date, with some made as early as the 1920s and others made as late as the 1950s. Therefore, you may notice small differences in the shape, finish, stamp, and grind, since Esterbrook changed its production practices several times during this period.

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.