I have one with a gold fine nib and gold trim. I bought it at the Boston (Commonwealth) Pen Show from the owners. Nice guys(two I think). The pearlessence of the material is superb. The slot for the clip allows for the cap not to have a discontinuity of the material pattern at the top of the cap. An exquisite feature. I test drove different nibs at the show and this was great. More of an extra fine which is what I was looking for. I'm not a fast writer so wet nibs pool link on the page around the nib for me. The shine is flawless. The inside of the cap has a floating section that seals the nib. Before the cap threads engage, you can feel a small spring force. Not a problem. If you quickly and forcefully close the pen and miss align the nib it will jam but only from one angle. It can be done but it's not a problem for me. Weight and balance is good and the threads are very good as a place to grip the pen. The nib is laser etched with Esterbrook 1858. The other scrolling work on the nib is pressed in with an F for fine. There is a small o-ring where the barrel screws into the main section and you feel the ring engage the smooth sealing metal area so my hunch is that it is designed to be used as an eye dropper pen if you wish. As for the name of the pen? I don't care what they all it. I'm glad the pen is made and in my hands. A Ford mustang GT made today isn't made by the same company that made the original even if the company didn't change hands. I wouldn't say no to either. Keep safe. Cheers, Dave
I believe that it would be much more palatable if the new design at least embodied the spirit of the original pens and the original company. Esterbrook's were AFFORDABLE to the "everyman" sort! They were attractive, colorful, tough, moderately sized (even for the fashion of the time), very reliable pens with a multitude of nib options to customize the pen to the buyer. The new Esties tic very few of those marks. Just my $0.02
Not to mention that to use the old school nibs (which was a big selling point at the time, with their many many many MANY nibs), you have to fork out £20 or so for a converter unit. The cynical part of me wants to say that whoever revamped this (was it Kenro Ind.?) thought it would be a good money maker, mass produced them and are selling them for quite a bit more than what they should be, while marketing it as something different. Not reborn, it's not been brought back to life and stop kidding yourself. I never knew I felt so strongly about it.
Totally agree. I love the old pens, I adore them and they got me into pen collecting! Do I think this pen looks great and would I want one? Yeah why not it seems to be a quality product. Is it an "Estie"? No way. If you have to pay extra to use the old nibs, it is not an Estie, it just isn't.
Stephen, you make a very interesting point with regard to the pen living up to its historical standards, and if I owned some of the vintage models I’d probably be a bit point off by an entirely new look. However, I love the pen! It’s beautiful and there’s something very special I’d like to also mention that’s easy to overlook. Even a step down section can be too big in an oversized pen for someone with average hands. But THIS pen is not only large and striking in appearance, but has a somewhat smaller grip than the typical oversize pen. Never thought I’d say it, but I may be purchasing my first oversize fountain pen. To of course use with my SBREBROWN ink! Thanks for reviewing this pen.
And I agree., if this had been a Japanese, for $200 one would tend to get gold.. $230 and you can have a Pilot 912. $288, an 823. I know gold nibs are not everything. I'd like this pen.. I would prefer the oversized pen to be in the $160 range. I have one vintage Esterbrook and of course this is nothing like that pen. Now I know the Esterbrooks were designed to be affordable to many. These pens Don t seem to mirror that philosophy. I have to Bespoke British Pens.. a Churchill, and a Winston. Not like the Winston that John gifted to you years ago.. a modern version. Fairly identical in design, but does not have the engraving. I seem to prefer that approach. Different name, same lovely historic pens. Sorry for the length.. one more: five years ago, my wife and boys were in NYC. Of course I had to go to the FP Hospital. I panicked, and did not have much to spend. So of course I purchased a Mabie Todd! Nice, inexpensive brand. Except, as we know, the famed company is long gone. This was a Chinese pen like a Jinhao, or Wing Sung.. they can make nice pens, but they are not Mabue Todd! So, in summary it can be hideous, or as in the case of thed Bespoke folks, lovely! Thanks for considering! Frank
Thank you for sharing your impressions and reflections on this Esterbrook-named pen. Henceforth I will all the more treasure my two 1950’s Esterbrook pens. Lovely celluloid pens. I like small and nimble pens, as it turned out!
Thank you for the review... it is a pretty pen and a nice size. However I have to say that it's fine to revive older brands.. but you have to either change the name or pay homage to the originals. Some people may be familiar with an older brand and buy the pen on the back of that and then maybe be a bit disappointed as it doesn't "feel" like the original.
You have raised a very good question Stephen.You were so nice to use the term "philosophical" which is a larger concept than what it is actually an ethical concern. They are luring the customers with the name and overcharging them with an inferior product. But then thats the way companies conduct business in America. Thank you!
The ethical/philosophcial questions are valid. I take issue with this claim though, "overcharging them with an inferior product". Modern Kenro/Esterbrook pens seem to be well regarded by the community at large. Their pricing is not completely unreasonable going by comparables in the marketplace.
The adapter enables you to use all those vintage Esterbrook nibs. How many other resurrected brands do something like that? I would love it more if they just gave you the adapter. But the relationship with the old brand is the ability to use those vintage nibs. I think that's pretty cool. And the new pens are nice. The new pens are well made. The new pens are attractive. (They ARE a bit too pricey.) But I like them.
I have the Estie Standard in Evergreen with a Medium nib and absolutely love the thing. Beautiful, writes perfectly everytime, stays capped for several weeks and still writes without effort. I also have the adapter for the original Estie nibs but haven't bought any yet. So, yes, resurrecting and using a name from the past when the product has little in common with the original models does seem a bit deceptive to me. Does it soften that "uncomfortable" feeling just a bit since it DOES have an adapter for the original nibs? I don't know. Probably a bit. Btw: it has been idle for at least three weeks and wrote right away --- with an ink from someone named SBRE Brown. Pretty good testimony for both ink and pen I believe.
11:34 Áncora, not Ancóra. Both are words in Italian (and both ordinarily written without accents, which makes it impossible to differentiate them when they occur out of context), but they are unrelated and have different meanings and pronunciations. "Áncora," the name of the pen, means "anchor"; "ancóra," which is cognate with French "encore," means "again."
Very nice pen, I like the big size, but I think it is too expensive for what it offers. It's about the price of a Momento Zero Grande, but if I could justify the decision to buy a Leonardo I can't do that for an Esterbrook .... yes, the issue that you referred to does exist.
I like the review, I own the pen purchased at Laywines in Jan on a business trip. All good but my cap failed so its currently cleaned and tossed in the not currently working pile. Carey is suppose to set me up with a replacement nib so I can re-engage using it!
How does the weight of the Estie compare to the weight of the Montegrappa Extra? I love the the weight of the Extra so if the weight is the same, I might go for the oversized instead of the regular size. Thanks!
the new Esterbrook company does have pens that look more like the OG estierbrook, the Esterbrook Phaeton 300R for example, and I think they started out with models even closer to OG esterbrook pens... maybe that helps?? idk
I recently bought my first Estie (a regular size in Botanical Garden with a fine steel nib). It’s beautiful, but it’s also the most okay/mediocre writer I have. I like the pen, but I certainly don’t love it, either. I’m glad to have it, but I definitely regret paying full retail price for it ($175-ish at the time of purchase).
Thank you Dr. Brown nice review !! For me it is an issue, I think that to revive the brand it would be better to maintain the link with the brand's previous products.
I have the separately-sold adapter for vintage Esterbrook nibs. In my case, the adapter does not work with vintage nibs (and I have tried it with several). That is puzzling, because those nibs work with my vintage Esterbrook pens, and the adapter is not complicated at all. It doesn't bother me that the revitalized Esterbrooks are a different design from my vintage ones. which are of cheap plastic, and lever-fill. The new ones are superior pens. Regarding revived brands: I have a Conklin crescent-fill. It is a faithful reproduction of the vintage Conklin that Mark Twain lauded. I bought it at a pen show because it is a curiosity and I didn't have one. I had to send it back to the manufacturer because the fill system didn't work properly. I used only a couple of times after I got it back, primarily because I simply don't like the look/feel of the pen.
My heart sank the instant that you uncapped it :( What the heck is with that step up mannnn... Whyyy do they botch the grips on so many pens :( I dont know what they are thinking.. this pen looks great on your shelf i guess..
I think the step-ups are ugly too but i guess i need to hold one to know if its comfy.. which is the main thing. Tonnes of pens have grips like these but i actually havent really tried one yet somehow. I have a J and SJ though.. :)
@@joshuanorris5860 - I don't know if this will help or not, but my Esterbrook is the "standard" size and has a very minimal step from the grip to the barrel. It also has plastic threads on both the barrel and grip that are comfortable in my opinion. [edit correction: plastic from grip to cap, plastic to metal from the grip to the barrel. Sorry.] I bought mine in November 2019, but have no way of knowing if it came from a much earlier stock (is it an older version or the current version?). Anyway, the standard sized version might work better for you. (ps: I also dislike large step downs whether it is barrel to grip or barrel to cap.)
Stephen, you pose an interesting question regarding the "resurrection" of old brand names. I have seen this in the watch world also. In my opinion, this "resurrection" of names is a way to revive an old brand that has been forgotten, but still has some brand recognition (however small). I think in the case of Esterbrook they are being honest by stating that "... an american classic reborn..." so they kind of are hinting that this is not the original version. Also this allows a company to re-use an old name without having to through the process of creating brand awareness (I may be wrong here), of a brand new brand. Anyway my 0.02c on this.
Peter Hofmann - I'll buy that 0.02 cent opinion ;-) -- it really is an interesting question and yours is an interesting viewpoint. While I dislike cheap "knock-offs" that "steal" and mimic a brand in order to sneak past the unsuspecting, I saw the same Esterbrook statement you did and took no offense at their offering. Shucks, I even bought one and love it. So, the "discomfort" that I, and probably some of us, feel is truly minimal. At least they're being more transparent about their product! Kudos to them and maybe their reborn Esterbrooks will flourish!!
I think this is a good point you bring up. From a branding point of view they are playing on the name and charging for it too (with that price point). But for some this might cause cognitive dissonance because the original design etc. is not being delivered or something different (e.g. innovative plus the old style nib). I think having some differentiated element or a nod to the original pens might have reduce the cognitive dissonance. I don't know these pens so don't know what they are like now or years ago - apart from what you have shown in the video. I suppose an exaggerated example of that is Ferrari - they always have a "look", sound, feel etc no matter from what age you buy one from.
For me, the Esterbrook name is no issue at all. Any good pen company will evolve and innovate. I appreciate that I have the option to acquire a current production Esterbrook to add to my assembly of vintage Esterbrooks. (Note I say "assembly" and not "collection." My Esties are not organized in any particular order.) I have an oversized pen, same color as your review model. I got mine with a Gena Salorino Journaler nib. The nib is advertised as a Medium stub. Mine is more a Fine stub, but it does produce some good flair. The nib is smooth as glass. I also bought an MV adaptor to accommodate vintage Estie nibs. The adaptor works very well. All told, I am very satisfied with this pen. Price? Yeah. That is an issue, isn't it? I paid $280 USD for mine: $200 for the pen; $40 for the Journaler nib; $40 for the adaptor. But I am so happy with the pen, and the prospect of using some of my numerous Estie vintage nibs, that I am content to ignore the elephant in the room. But that is just me and my personal decision.
Let's look at it this way. Are the new Esterbrook owners related to the old Esterbrook owners? Or did they in effect by the company name? If so, then what if Esterbrook had never taken a hiatus and just continued to design and make pens? And what if those pen designs evolved over time? Into this pen?
A great and thought provoking review. I agree with you on reviving brand names. Just because you use the name doesn’t mean you have the pen, the history, the enjoyment people had with that brand. It would be like me making a car and then calling it an Oldsmobile. It’s not an Oldsmobile. I think if you revive the name, revive the models. I liken it to a knock off pen, one, say that looks like a Parker 51. It’s not. Neither is a fake Montblanc. You’re trading on the name, not the product. And the product and history is where the value is.
THANK YOU for addressing the unabashed money grab that Kenro made with the revived Esterbrook. The Estie is not an Esterbrook. It may be a fine pen, but it’s not an Esterbrook, and it bears no ties to the history of the brand.
Thanks Stephen, I like this new iteration of the brand. I have a cobalt regular that my wife and kids gave me last Father's Day. I then bought myself a black rhodium trim oversize or Senior. I love both.. I'd like the Honeycomb Senior for my birthday in May.. I agree an out the metal threads.. Thanks for your great work! Frank from Boulder, Colorado.. locked down in the Rockies!
I agree with your qualms about reviving brands that have no connection to the original. Esterbrook is just the latest. On the other hand, the people who have Wahl-Eversharp made a point to revive some the company’s better known models - using modern technology (cartridge/converter rather than lever filler) and materials. The one model I have is extremely well made and an excellent writer. Maybe a bit overpriced - the only reason I have it is that it was the last anniversary gift my late wife got for me, so it is doubly precious. But without any sentimentality it remains an excellent - and one that pays true homage to a classic American brand.
I think some people will debate anything. It writes, looks and feels good to you or it doesn’t. Opinions are your own. As I say, put it in a balloon and let it go! Nice to see your review of the pen.
W. Jochymczyk Don’ t get me wrong here, I enjoy all of Stephens reviews. I am just saying that the hard core pen fanciers like any other collector seems to carry the subject to the nth degree. I have never been a debater but I still have strong opinions and I love pens. Thanks for sharing your comments.
it's not an esterbrook because it's so expensive. Esterbrooks are/were popular because of their good value for money. The Dollar pen was a big success. This Esterbrook isn't a bad pen, but it is a bad Esterbrook. It's just another pen in a nice acrylic with a jowo no.6 nib.
I purchased an Esterbrook for less than $20 new back in the 60’s and it is still a beautiful writer. I find it difficult to put it away and with Akkerman’s ink, beautiful! No dry starts, good flow and a smooth medium writer.
Stephen, you are my favorite reviewer. Fair, balanced and detailed. I have but one grouse: why the hell do you compare size with a Pilot Parallel? It is NOT the standard pen most of use serious users/accumulators/collectors have to hand! Now if you used a Peli 800 or a Duofold or even the much loved Visconti HS or anything we could get some size context. But for many sorry most of your viewers a Parallel!!!! Wtf????
I agree on the philosophical issue. I'd add that the "re-branding" of these companies almost always entails a much higher price on pens of moderate quality. In Esterbrook, this is a bit galling in that the old brand identity was inexpensive pens for Everyman. The new Esterbrooks are more of a luxury brand without the luxury. Maybe this is the only model that works today, but it's disappointing.
Regarding recycling the Esterbrook name. In my mind it's not a bad or a good thing, it's a profitable thing, and companies are [mostly] created and exist for profit.
I bristle a bit that it looks nothing like the original, and the price is so high. Easterbrook was known for its affordability. Not this one. Like selling a Bic at Namiki prices.
Hi Stephen, I agree with you. I’m not comfortable with the reviving an old respected name. For instance, in the world of astrology, it’s sometimes seen that a younger practitioner will take up the name of an older and respected Institution - and claim that they are continuing the teachings, themselves having little or no previous connections with the founder. Its disingenuous. My best, Vernon
This is four months after the posting of this video but giving my opinion. I have an old Esterbrook that I got for a great price and I adore. I also have this new Honeycomb Estie. I have no problem with a brand being revived with new styles. That's how I see it....it's just new designs and concepts under the established name. I think most of the Lamys are ugly. Wouldn't own them with maybe the exception of the 2000 which I find appealing compared to the unsightly Safari. Kaweco? Ugly as well but I adore my copper Liliput, which is streamline compared to those weird shaped atrocities that I usually see. Love me most Viscontis but there are a few that make me go eck! We can name brands that have a unique release that differs from their market style for what they're primarily known. We just don't know what Esterbrook will do over the next few years. It's kinda fun to see how it will find its way in the modern market. They may revive that vintage style as an anniversary pen or even revive the whole line in conjunction to its current lineup, which I would love. I think a pen company does its customer base, the loyal and the potential, a disservice by not exciting them with new releases. How different is it than car manufacturers evolving over time? I mean, are we still driving Ford's Model T? I think most important is consistency in quality of product and customer service. Are we as consumers going to get value for our dollar in a pen that will hopefully bring us joy and will keep us loyal to a brand?
$200 for a steel nib and a cap with several issues? For that price I want a really really nice pen with a good not scratchy nib. I don't know where that pen is made, but I do know that law and behold aliexpress sells a lot of nice acrylic pens with similar or better "spec sheets" for about $50. Do the math.
Having purchased from Aliexpress, unless you live close by, it takes nearly a month, if you receive what you order. Perhaps not such a good choice for someone impatient and just wanting a fountain pen of a certain brand.
In the corporate world, companies are often taken over with the main objective of securing a customer base and whatever sentimental attachment those customer have for company or product. It's difficult to imagine a corporation being sentimental, yet they clearly account for it in their transactions. It is a reasonable presumption that a revived company will continue where the old company left off (with slight adjustments), like an apprentice replacing a master. Occasionally a company might be resurrected by an apprentice or workers, or even fans of the original product. Too often, however, it is little more than a bait and switch, where the original product is replaced with another. It provokes a strong reaction as it plays on our sentiments, and can feel pretty ghoulish, like reanimating the dead. I'm not sure where Esterbrook fits in this. Using the Esterbrook brand has certainly smoothed their entrance into the market, and the product is decent, if overvalued. On the other hand, they have not remained faithful to the original product, and that goes beyond modernising production.
The brand resurrection issue or its sibling, exportation (foreign Sheaffer, Waterman, Parker etc.), matter only to the degree one has a specific fond memory of the original brand and its products. Let's be frank, the pen industry has accepted rebranding everywhere because the modern user has little experience with the original and frequently buys a pen for reasons other than authenticity. The pen industry in general can't claim the purity of, say, Ford in the product line and some of the Euro pens were "affectionate copies" of US pens in the era when pens were common and the US was the innovator. The loyalty or nostalgia pen users feel for a bygone brand can be served profitably or ignored. If Esterbrook just brought the old pen line back they might find that folks had moved on to more contemporary designs. In another sense, even brands with unbroken continuity of production have changed, or their product philosophy has changed enough that the original line offered seems outdated. Continuity doesn't drive the market, novelty does. I think any pen startup is a brave operation and probably an unwise use of capitol. It seems that emotion is operating here.
I'm with you; if you're going to bring back an Estie, bring back an Estie. Otherwise all you've done is make a new Esterbrook model. Just go ahead and call it something else. It is a pretty pen though a tad expensive for a steel-nibbed pen.
Plastic cap on metal threads is a massive no no, usually in the domain of cheap Chinese or kit pens. For me that and a steel nib with only a converter I'd rather go for a TWISBI where you get so much more and is a proven product. It also makes you wonder why the went broke in the first place, and are they making the same mistakes they made in the past. Misreading what their customers want is a fatal flaw these type of manufacturers commonly make, but we'll have to wait and see.
Name recognition is important in marketing success in everything from soft drinks, to laundry detergent, to political candidates, to book authors, to fountain pens, etc. etc. I don't like gratuitously grafting on eponyms in our hobby, but for those who do so, it is not a hobby, it is a business.
I think to buy the name of a historic brand but not strive for any continuity in the brand's models doesn't do justice to the brand's legacy. Why not just launch your own new brand then? Pretty clearly because little about the new Esties, solid and attractive pens though they may be (I agree that's a lovely autumnal acrylic), would set them apart from any number of brands with cartridge converter pens that sport workmanlike steel nibs and pretty acrylics. Without the name, who would even consider paying $200 for this pen? Credit to the new Esterbrook Co for putting out the nib adapter so that the new models can use classic Esterbrook nibs. But IMHO, you're better off just buying a vintage Esterbrook and using the vintage nibs in the real thing. But to each their own!
Resurrected pen companies from the heydays of fountain pens is a crapshoot. They use the old prestige that still has a lot of weight, but use modern methods and materials. Yafa is a good example of pulling in lots of brands from the past. Conklin has come a long way since their first offerings. Esterbrook is a bit overpriced, but the quality is quite good. The gold nib is way overpriced when brands like Lamy offer theirs for 1/2 the amount.
As I see it, a pen company has bought an old name to get knowledgeable people's attention. If this review was created at least in part because of the name "Esterbrook", then they got something for their money. The company knows perfectly well that they will not fool you (the knowledgeable person) with their new product unlike old products under the old name. They know that the knowledgeable may be insulted or in some way put off by this marketing technique, resulting in some push back. Presumably this risk is another cost the company has weighed and chosen to assume. To the less knowledgeable, such as myself, the name "Esterbrook" will carry no particular meaning. I will be attracted to (and find easy to remember) a modern name, designed to appeal to my modern sensibilities. For example, "Moonman". A much more clickable name. However, coming up with such is no trivial task.
I think the name IS an issue if the new pens aren't a replica of the old classic styles. Not all the new pens have to be the old classic style, but, for me, the name will evoke the old classics, and therefore the old styles should be available for people to enjoy. As it is, the Esterbrook is just another decent Acrylic pen, and pretty generic to boot......
Simply put, there's no reason or purpose for them to use the Esterbrook name except for tricking people into thinking they're buying a pen from a company with a long history and prestige, when in reality the pens have nothing to do with the old Esterbrook company except for having purchased the right to use their name. With that said, their new pens are of good quality though. Correct me if I'm missing anything noteworthy there, but that's kind of what I'm gathering here... :)
The use of a classic company name is, in my opinion, manipulative marketing used in an attempt to evoke that comfortable, warm, and ephemeral emotional state, nostalgia. Ah! Remember those good old days? I would prefer a company to produce a product that stands or falls on its own merits without dipping into history to draw attention to the product. Imagine at some point in the future a company releases a compact car, battery operated, and names the car the "Chevy Corvette Stingray" (assuming Chevrolet was defunct). This would be clearly manipulative, but would it be THAT different from the Estie? I'm not so sure.
I question the promoting of this pen as American when it is Chinese. The only thing American would be the attaching of a vintage Esterbrook nib. Conklin does the same thing. It almost has racist undertones, as if the origin of the pen must be hidden so it can be desirable.
I don't like the way this "ressurection" is done. Not only does this pen look completely different than any classic Esterbrook, it also pretends to be an American Classic and its made from cheap Chinesse acrylic, that anyone can get online, in Chinesse factory. None of these things is bad on its own, its just that modern Esterbrook is simply trying to thrive off the sentiment for the old brand. Leonardo pens for comparison don't pretend to be anything they are not, they are made 100% in Italy, from quality acrylics, many of which are also Italian, and cost sometimes even less than modern Esterbrooks...
Great ending remarks. I feel the whole thing deceptive. If the name is brought back, so should the place of origin, be brought into place. It all seem gimmick to me. Some near do well bought a dead name. The name, but true original quality is not in place.
You’re making a big deal out of nothing! It’s a plastic object and not a person. So what’s the harm in giving it a name that most likely doesn’t relate to current buyers who don’t know the original pen anyway.
My mother was the secretary for the Esterbrook VP of Sales in 1949-1950.
I have one with a gold fine nib and gold trim. I bought it at the Boston (Commonwealth) Pen Show from the owners. Nice guys(two I think). The pearlessence of the material is superb. The slot for the clip allows for the cap not to have a discontinuity of the material pattern at the top of the cap. An exquisite feature. I test drove different nibs at the show and this was great. More of an extra fine which is what I was looking for. I'm not a fast writer so wet nibs pool link on the page around the nib for me. The shine is flawless. The inside of the cap has a floating section that seals the nib. Before the cap threads engage, you can feel a small spring force. Not a problem. If you quickly and forcefully close the pen and miss align the nib it will jam but only from one angle. It can be done but it's not a problem for me. Weight and balance is good and the threads are very good as a place to grip the pen. The nib is laser etched with Esterbrook 1858. The other scrolling work on the nib is pressed in with an F for fine. There is a small o-ring where the barrel screws into the main section and you feel the ring engage the smooth sealing metal area so my hunch is that it is designed to be used as an eye dropper pen if you wish.
As for the name of the pen? I don't care what they all it. I'm glad the pen is made and in my hands. A Ford mustang GT made today isn't made by the same company that made the original even if the company didn't change hands. I wouldn't say no to either. Keep safe. Cheers, Dave
I believe that it would be much more palatable if the new design at least embodied the spirit of the original pens and the original company. Esterbrook's were AFFORDABLE to the "everyman" sort! They were attractive, colorful, tough, moderately sized (even for the fashion of the time), very reliable pens with a multitude of nib options to customize the pen to the buyer.
The new Esties tic very few of those marks.
Just my $0.02
Not to mention that to use the old school nibs (which was a big selling point at the time, with their many many many MANY nibs), you have to fork out £20 or so for a converter unit. The cynical part of me wants to say that whoever revamped this (was it Kenro Ind.?) thought it would be a good money maker, mass produced them and are selling them for quite a bit more than what they should be, while marketing it as something different. Not reborn, it's not been brought back to life and stop kidding yourself. I never knew I felt so strongly about it.
Totally agree. I love the old pens, I adore them and they got me into pen collecting! Do I think this pen looks great and would I want one? Yeah why not it seems to be a quality product. Is it an "Estie"?
No way. If you have to pay extra to use the old nibs, it is not an Estie, it just isn't.
Thank you, Stephen. The colour of the flake acrylic has a vintage tone to me.
Yeah the shape of the barrel makes me think of a vintage esterbrook too. The way it keeps tapering. Cigar shaped i guess.
Stephen, you make a very interesting point with regard to the pen living up to its historical standards, and if I owned some of the vintage models I’d probably be a bit point off by an entirely new look. However, I love the pen! It’s beautiful and there’s something very special I’d like to also mention that’s easy to overlook. Even a step down section can be too big in an oversized pen for someone with average hands. But THIS pen is not only large and striking in appearance, but has a somewhat smaller grip than the typical oversize pen. Never thought I’d say it, but I may be purchasing my first oversize fountain pen. To of course use with my SBREBROWN ink! Thanks for reviewing this pen.
And I agree., if this had been a Japanese, for $200 one would tend to get gold.. $230 and you can have a Pilot 912. $288, an 823. I know gold nibs are not everything. I'd like this pen.. I would prefer the oversized pen to be in the $160 range. I have one vintage Esterbrook and of course this is nothing like that pen. Now I know the Esterbrooks were designed to be affordable to many. These pens Don t seem to mirror that philosophy. I have to Bespoke British Pens.. a Churchill, and a Winston. Not like the Winston that John gifted to you years ago.. a modern version. Fairly identical in design, but does not have the engraving. I seem to prefer that approach. Different name, same lovely historic pens. Sorry for the length.. one more: five years ago, my wife and boys were in NYC. Of course I had to go to the FP Hospital. I panicked, and did not have much to spend. So of course I purchased a Mabie Todd! Nice, inexpensive brand. Except, as we know, the famed company is long gone. This was a Chinese pen like a Jinhao, or Wing Sung.. they can make nice pens, but they are not Mabue Todd! So, in summary it can be hideous, or as in the case of thed Bespoke folks, lovely! Thanks for considering!
Frank
Thank you for sharing your impressions and reflections on this Esterbrook-named pen. Henceforth I will all the more treasure my two 1950’s Esterbrook pens. Lovely celluloid pens. I like small and nimble pens, as it turned out!
Thank you for the review... it is a pretty pen and a nice size. However I have to say that it's fine to revive older brands.. but you have to either change the name or pay homage to the originals. Some people may be familiar with an older brand and buy the pen on the back of that and then maybe be a bit disappointed as it doesn't "feel" like the original.
You have raised a very good question Stephen.You were so nice to use the term "philosophical" which is a larger concept than what it is actually an ethical concern. They are luring the customers with the name and overcharging them with an inferior product. But then thats the way companies conduct business in America. Thank you!
The ethical/philosophcial questions are valid. I take issue with this claim though, "overcharging them with an inferior product". Modern Kenro/Esterbrook pens seem to be well regarded by the community at large. Their pricing is not completely unreasonable going by comparables in the marketplace.
Marketing, Marketing, Marketing! The NEW Esterbrook... And why so expensive ? In my mind it does not reflect what Esterbrook was standing for
Thanks! I was really curious about this fountain pen.
The adapter enables you to use all those vintage Esterbrook nibs. How many other resurrected brands do something like that?
I would love it more if they just gave you the adapter. But the relationship with the old brand is the ability to use those vintage nibs.
I think that's pretty cool. And the new pens are nice. The new pens are well made. The new pens are attractive. (They ARE a bit too pricey.)
But I like them.
Thank you Stephen. You are one of the creators who are helping me get through this unusual. Time.
You and Azizah stay well!
I have the Estie Standard in Evergreen with a Medium nib and absolutely love the thing. Beautiful, writes perfectly everytime, stays capped for several weeks and still writes without effort. I also have the adapter for the original Estie nibs but haven't bought any yet.
So, yes, resurrecting and using a name from the past when the product has little in common with the original models does seem a bit deceptive to me. Does it soften that "uncomfortable" feeling just a bit since it DOES have an adapter for the original nibs? I don't know. Probably a bit.
Btw: it has been idle for at least three weeks and wrote right away --- with an ink from someone named SBRE Brown. Pretty good testimony for both ink and pen I believe.
No hard start after a while of being idle is a sign of a well thought design.
I totaly agree with you
11:34 Áncora, not Ancóra. Both are words in Italian (and both ordinarily written without accents, which makes it impossible to differentiate them when they occur out of context), but they are unrelated and have different meanings and pronunciations. "Áncora," the name of the pen, means "anchor"; "ancóra," which is cognate with French "encore," means "again."
Very nice pen, I like the big size, but I think it is too expensive for what it offers. It's about the price of a Momento Zero Grande, but if I could justify the decision to buy a Leonardo I can't do that for an Esterbrook .... yes, the issue that you referred to does exist.
Jowo nibs are quite good... What do you have to say Stephen? Jowo or Bock? Which one is better?
I like the review, I own the pen purchased at Laywines in Jan on a business trip. All good but my cap failed so its currently cleaned and tossed in the not currently working pile. Carey is suppose to set me up with a replacement nib so I can re-engage using it!
Whoops meant replacement cap.
How does the weight of the Estie compare to the weight of the Montegrappa Extra? I love the the weight of the Extra so if the weight is the same, I might go for the oversized instead of the regular size. Thanks!
I agree, revive a brand ...fine... but call the new and updated product something different, good review Stephen.... Jude
the new Esterbrook company does have pens that look more like the OG estierbrook, the Esterbrook Phaeton 300R for example, and I think they started out with models even closer to OG esterbrook pens... maybe that helps?? idk
I recently bought my first Estie (a regular size in Botanical Garden with a fine steel nib). It’s beautiful, but it’s also the most okay/mediocre writer I have. I like the pen, but I certainly don’t love it, either. I’m glad to have it, but I definitely regret paying full retail price for it ($175-ish at the time of purchase).
Thank you Dr. Brown nice review !! For me it is an issue, I think that to revive the brand it would be better to maintain the link with the brand's previous products.
I have the separately-sold adapter for vintage Esterbrook nibs. In my case, the adapter does not work with vintage nibs (and I have tried it with several). That is puzzling, because those nibs work with my vintage Esterbrook pens, and the adapter is not complicated at all. It doesn't bother me that the revitalized Esterbrooks are a different design from my vintage ones. which are of cheap plastic, and lever-fill. The new ones are superior pens.
Regarding revived brands: I have a Conklin crescent-fill. It is a faithful reproduction of the vintage Conklin that Mark Twain lauded. I bought it at a pen show because it is a curiosity and I didn't have one. I had to send it back to the manufacturer because the fill system didn't work properly. I used only a couple of times after I got it back, primarily because I simply don't like the look/feel of the pen.
My heart sank the instant that you uncapped it :(
What the heck is with that step up mannnn... Whyyy do they botch the grips on so many pens :(
I dont know what they are thinking.. this pen looks great on your shelf i guess..
Maby with a pen that big you have to have a step up i dont know....
I guess i would have to hold it to really know if i like it..
It works for some, not for the others. I personally don't mind it.
I think the step-ups are ugly too but i guess i need to hold one to know if its comfy.. which is the main thing.
Tonnes of pens have grips like these but i actually havent really tried one yet somehow.
I have a J and SJ though.. :)
@@joshuanorris5860 - I don't know if this will help or not, but my Esterbrook is the "standard" size and has a very minimal step from the grip to the barrel. It also has plastic threads on both the barrel and grip that are comfortable in my opinion.
[edit correction: plastic from grip to cap, plastic to metal from the grip to the barrel. Sorry.]
I bought mine in November 2019, but have no way of knowing if it came from a much earlier stock (is it an older version or the current version?). Anyway, the standard sized version might work better for you. (ps: I also dislike large step downs whether it is barrel to grip or barrel to cap.)
@@randy-9842 interesting, thanks.
The old J and SJ have no step up at all :p
Stephen, you pose an interesting question regarding the "resurrection" of old brand names. I have seen this in the watch world also.
In my opinion, this "resurrection" of names is a way to revive an old brand that has been forgotten, but still has some brand recognition (however small). I think in the case of Esterbrook they are being honest by stating that "... an american classic reborn..." so they kind of are hinting that this is not the original version. Also this allows a company to re-use an old name without having to through the process of creating brand awareness (I may be wrong here), of a brand new brand.
Anyway my 0.02c on this.
Peter Hofmann - I'll buy that 0.02 cent opinion ;-) -- it really is an interesting question and yours is an interesting viewpoint. While I dislike cheap "knock-offs" that "steal" and mimic a brand in order to sneak past the unsuspecting, I saw the same Esterbrook statement you did and took no offense at their offering. Shucks, I even bought one and love it. So, the "discomfort" that I, and probably some of us, feel is truly minimal. At least they're being more transparent about their product! Kudos to them and maybe their reborn Esterbrooks will flourish!!
I think this is a good point you bring up. From a branding point of view they are playing on the name and charging for it too (with that price point). But for some this might cause cognitive dissonance because the original design etc. is not being delivered or something different (e.g. innovative plus the old style nib). I think having some differentiated element or a nod to the original pens might have reduce the cognitive dissonance. I don't know these pens so don't know what they are like now or years ago - apart from what you have shown in the video. I suppose an exaggerated example of that is Ferrari - they always have a "look", sound, feel etc no matter from what age you buy one from.
For me, the Esterbrook name is no issue at all. Any good pen company will evolve and innovate. I appreciate that I have the option to acquire a current production Esterbrook to add to my assembly of vintage Esterbrooks. (Note I say "assembly" and not "collection." My Esties are not organized in any particular order.)
I have an oversized pen, same color as your review model. I got mine with a Gena Salorino Journaler nib. The nib is advertised as a Medium stub. Mine is more a Fine stub, but it does produce some good flair. The nib is smooth as glass. I also bought an MV adaptor to accommodate vintage Estie nibs. The adaptor works very well. All told, I am very satisfied with this pen.
Price? Yeah. That is an issue, isn't it? I paid $280 USD for mine: $200 for the pen; $40 for the Journaler nib; $40 for the adaptor. But I am so happy with the pen, and the prospect of using some of my numerous Estie vintage nibs, that I am content to ignore the elephant in the room. But that is just me and my personal decision.
Estie de beau stylo
I have nothing against reviving a brand, but this has nothing in common with the old pens I love.
Let's look at it this way. Are the new Esterbrook owners related to the old Esterbrook owners? Or did they in effect by the company name? If so, then what if Esterbrook had never taken a hiatus and just continued to design and make pens? And what if those pen designs evolved over time? Into this pen?
Stephen sir, you are always with the same energy and enthusiasm. 🙏, the pen is fantastic, no word's.
They let you use old stock nibs, so I guess it is OK for them to use the name Esterbrook.
The fact they allowed all the collectors to use the old nibs is great. Worth the purchase.
A great and thought provoking review. I agree with you on reviving brand names. Just because you use the name doesn’t mean you have the pen, the history, the enjoyment people had with that brand. It would be like me making a car and then calling it an Oldsmobile. It’s not an Oldsmobile. I think if you revive the name, revive the models. I liken it to a knock off pen, one, say that looks like a Parker 51. It’s not. Neither is a fake Montblanc. You’re trading on the name, not the product. And the product and history is where the value is.
THANK YOU for addressing the unabashed money grab that Kenro made with the revived Esterbrook. The Estie is not an Esterbrook. It may be a fine pen, but it’s not an Esterbrook, and it bears no ties to the history of the brand.
Thanks Stephen, I like this new iteration of the brand. I have a cobalt regular that my wife and kids gave me last Father's Day. I then bought myself a black rhodium trim oversize or Senior. I love both.. I'd like the Honeycomb Senior for my birthday in May.. I agree an out the metal threads..
Thanks for your great work!
Frank from Boulder, Colorado.. locked down in the Rockies!
Totally agree with that philosophical point. 👏🏻
It’s an attractive pen but feels a cheat. Well, a bit.
I agree with your qualms about reviving brands that have no connection to the original. Esterbrook is just the latest. On the other hand, the people who have Wahl-Eversharp made a point to revive some the company’s better known models - using modern technology (cartridge/converter rather than lever filler) and materials. The one model I have is extremely well made and an excellent writer. Maybe a bit overpriced - the only reason I have it is that it was the last anniversary gift my late wife got for me, so it is doubly precious. But without any sentimentality it remains an excellent - and one that pays true homage to a classic American brand.
Hello my friend. I was just curious if you are an orthodox Christian ?
I think some people will debate anything. It writes, looks and feels good to you or it doesn’t. Opinions are your own. As I say, put it in a balloon and let it go! Nice to see your review of the pen.
THIS is also your opinion, and yet I won't tell you to keep it to yourself and/or to stop debating stuff that I don't like, will I?
W. Jochymczyk Don’ t get me wrong here, I enjoy all of Stephens reviews.
I am just saying that the hard core pen fanciers like any other collector seems to carry the subject to the nth degree. I have never been a debater but I still have strong opinions and I love pens. Thanks for sharing your comments.
it's not an esterbrook because it's so expensive. Esterbrooks are/were popular because of their good value for money. The Dollar pen was a big success. This Esterbrook isn't a bad pen, but it is a bad Esterbrook. It's just another pen in a nice acrylic with a jowo no.6 nib.
It would be nice if they had made the pen more like the original pens.It would had been nice if they had revived an Esterbrook prototype pen.
Where is the pen made?
In China
I purchased an Esterbrook for less than $20 new back in the 60’s and it is still a beautiful writer. I find it difficult to put it away and with Akkerman’s ink, beautiful! No dry starts, good flow and a smooth medium writer.
They bought the name and patents i thought.
Stephen, you are my favorite reviewer. Fair, balanced and detailed. I have but one grouse: why the hell do you compare size with a Pilot Parallel? It is NOT the standard pen most of use serious users/accumulators/collectors have to hand! Now if you used a Peli 800 or a Duofold or even the much loved Visconti HS or anything we could get some size context. But for many sorry most of your viewers a Parallel!!!! Wtf????
Because it is what I have at hand. I'm moving to a Metropolitan.
Thank you. Better, much better!
I agree on the philosophical issue. I'd add that the "re-branding" of these companies almost always entails a much higher price on pens of moderate quality. In Esterbrook, this is a bit galling in that the old brand identity was inexpensive pens for Everyman. The new Esterbrooks are more of a luxury brand without the luxury. Maybe this is the only model that works today, but it's disappointing.
Great looking pen, EXCEPT for the chrome threads, which ruins the pen for me . . .
Regarding recycling the Esterbrook name. In my mind it's not a bad or a good thing, it's a profitable thing, and companies are [mostly] created and exist for profit.
I bristle a bit that it looks nothing like the original, and the price is so high. Easterbrook was known for its affordability. Not this one. Like selling a Bic at Namiki prices.
I agree, $200 price tag should come at least with a gold plated nib.
I believe you can get this pen with gold plated nib and clip (I may be wrong however). Afterall its not really a step up from the polished steel nib
@@haltes Okay, thanks! If it is available the same price then $200 price tag is justified,if the buyers have to shell out more, then not so much...
I prefer it posted.
Hi Stephen, I agree with you. I’m not comfortable with the reviving an old respected name. For instance, in the world of astrology, it’s sometimes seen that a younger practitioner will take up the name of an older and respected Institution - and claim that they are continuing the teachings, themselves having little or no previous connections with the founder. Its disingenuous. My best, Vernon
This is four months after the posting of this video but giving my opinion. I have an old Esterbrook that I got for a great price and I adore. I also have this new Honeycomb Estie. I have no problem with a brand being revived with new styles. That's how I see it....it's just new designs and concepts under the established name.
I think most of the Lamys are ugly. Wouldn't own them with maybe the exception of the 2000 which I find appealing compared to the unsightly Safari. Kaweco? Ugly as well but I adore my copper Liliput, which is streamline compared to those weird shaped atrocities that I usually see. Love me most Viscontis but there are a few that make me go eck! We can name brands that have a unique release that differs from their market style for what they're primarily known.
We just don't know what Esterbrook will do over the next few years. It's kinda fun to see how it will find its way in the modern market. They may revive that vintage style as an anniversary pen or even revive the whole line in conjunction to its current lineup, which I would love.
I think a pen company does its customer base, the loyal and the potential, a disservice by not exciting them with new releases. How different is it than car manufacturers evolving over time? I mean, are we still driving Ford's Model T?
I think most important is consistency in quality of product and customer service. Are we as consumers going to get value for our dollar in a pen that will hopefully bring us joy and will keep us loyal to a brand?
$200 for a steel nib and a cap with several issues? For that price I want a really really nice pen with a good not scratchy nib. I don't know where that pen is made, but I do know that law and behold aliexpress sells a lot of nice acrylic pens with similar or better "spec sheets" for about $50. Do the math.
Having purchased from Aliexpress, unless you live close by, it takes nearly a month, if you receive what you order. Perhaps not such a good choice for someone impatient and just wanting a fountain pen of a certain brand.
In the corporate world, companies are often taken over with the main objective of securing a customer base and whatever sentimental attachment those customer have for company or product. It's difficult to imagine a corporation being sentimental, yet they clearly account for it in their transactions. It is a reasonable presumption that a revived company will continue where the old company left off (with slight adjustments), like an apprentice replacing a master. Occasionally a company might be resurrected by an apprentice or workers, or even fans of the original product. Too often, however, it is little more than a bait and switch, where the original product is replaced with another. It provokes a strong reaction as it plays on our sentiments, and can feel pretty ghoulish, like reanimating the dead.
I'm not sure where Esterbrook fits in this. Using the Esterbrook brand has certainly smoothed their entrance into the market, and the product is decent, if overvalued. On the other hand, they have not remained faithful to the original product, and that goes beyond modernising production.
The brand resurrection issue or its sibling, exportation (foreign Sheaffer, Waterman, Parker etc.), matter only to the degree one has a specific fond memory of the original brand and its products. Let's be frank, the pen industry has accepted rebranding everywhere because the modern user has little experience with the original and frequently buys a pen for reasons other than authenticity. The pen industry in general can't claim the purity of, say, Ford in the product line and some of the Euro pens were "affectionate copies" of US pens in the era when pens were common and the US was the innovator. The loyalty or nostalgia pen users feel for a bygone brand can be served profitably or ignored. If Esterbrook just brought the old pen line back they might find that folks had moved on to more contemporary designs. In another sense, even brands with unbroken continuity of production have changed, or their product philosophy has changed enough that the original line offered seems outdated. Continuity doesn't drive the market, novelty does. I think any pen startup is a brave operation and probably an unwise use of capitol. It seems that emotion is operating here.
I can't believe nobody noticed " quagmire " 😂
I'm with you; if you're going to bring back an Estie, bring back an Estie. Otherwise all you've done is make a new Esterbrook model. Just go ahead and call it something else. It is a pretty pen though a tad expensive for a steel-nibbed pen.
Plastic cap on metal threads is a massive no no, usually in the domain of cheap Chinese or kit pens. For me that and a steel nib with only a converter I'd rather go for a TWISBI where you get so much more and is a proven product. It also makes you wonder why the went broke in the first place, and are they making the same mistakes they made in the past. Misreading what their customers want is a fatal flaw these type of manufacturers commonly make, but we'll have to wait and see.
Name recognition is important in marketing success in everything from soft drinks, to laundry detergent, to political candidates, to book authors, to fountain pens, etc. etc. I don't like gratuitously grafting on eponyms in our hobby, but for those who do so, it is not a hobby, it is a business.
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet :)
Mine was very smooth. Mine posts.
I think to buy the name of a historic brand but not strive for any continuity in the brand's models doesn't do justice to the brand's legacy. Why not just launch your own new brand then? Pretty clearly because little about the new Esties, solid and attractive pens though they may be (I agree that's a lovely autumnal acrylic), would set them apart from any number of brands with cartridge converter pens that sport workmanlike steel nibs and pretty acrylics. Without the name, who would even consider paying $200 for this pen? Credit to the new Esterbrook Co for putting out the nib adapter so that the new models can use classic Esterbrook nibs. But IMHO, you're better off just buying a vintage Esterbrook and using the vintage nibs in the real thing. But to each their own!
Resurrected pen companies from the heydays of fountain pens is a crapshoot. They use the old prestige that still has a lot of weight, but use modern methods and materials.
Yafa is a good example of pulling in lots of brands from the past. Conklin has come a long way since their first offerings.
Esterbrook is a bit overpriced, but the quality is quite good.
The gold nib is way overpriced when brands like Lamy offer theirs for 1/2 the amount.
As I see it, a pen company has bought an old name to get knowledgeable people's attention. If this review was created at least in part because of the name "Esterbrook", then they got something for their money. The company knows perfectly well that they will not fool you (the knowledgeable person) with their new product unlike old products under the old name. They know that the knowledgeable may be insulted or in some way put off by this marketing technique, resulting in some push back. Presumably this risk is another cost the company has weighed and chosen to assume.
To the less knowledgeable, such as myself, the name "Esterbrook" will carry no particular meaning. I will be attracted to (and find easy to remember) a modern name, designed to appeal to my modern sensibilities. For example, "Moonman". A much more clickable name. However, coming up with such is no trivial task.
Ichiro Fakename they get the knowledgeable once and never again. Problem, methinks!
Esterbrook Resurrected
I think the name IS an issue if the new pens aren't a replica of the old classic styles. Not all the new pens have to be the old classic style, but, for me, the name will evoke the old classics, and therefore the old styles should be available for people to enjoy. As it is, the Esterbrook is just another decent Acrylic pen, and pretty generic to boot......
Simply put, there's no reason or purpose for them to use the Esterbrook name except for tricking people into thinking they're buying a pen from a company with a long history and prestige, when in reality the pens have nothing to do with the old Esterbrook company except for having purchased the right to use their name. With that said, their new pens are of good quality though. Correct me if I'm missing anything noteworthy there, but that's kind of what I'm gathering here... :)
The use of a classic company name is, in my opinion, manipulative marketing used in an attempt to evoke that comfortable, warm, and ephemeral emotional state, nostalgia. Ah! Remember those good old days? I would prefer a company to produce a product that stands or falls on its own merits without dipping into history to draw attention to the product. Imagine at some point in the future a company releases a compact car, battery operated, and names the car the "Chevy Corvette Stingray" (assuming Chevrolet was defunct). This would be clearly manipulative, but would it be THAT different from the Estie? I'm not so sure.
Listen, this pen is a fake (in terms of design) of Montegrappa elmo 01 and at the same price. Insane business plan.
I question the promoting of this pen as American when it is Chinese. The only thing American would be the attaching of a vintage Esterbrook nib. Conklin does the same thing. It almost has racist undertones, as if the origin of the pen must be hidden so it can be desirable.
I don't like the way this "ressurection" is done. Not only does this pen look completely different than any classic Esterbrook, it also pretends to be an American Classic and its made from cheap Chinesse acrylic, that anyone can get online, in Chinesse factory. None of these things is bad on its own, its just that modern Esterbrook is simply trying to thrive off the sentiment for the old brand. Leonardo pens for comparison don't pretend to be anything they are not, they are made 100% in Italy, from quality acrylics, many of which are also Italian, and cost sometimes even less than modern Esterbrooks...
Great ending remarks. I feel the whole thing deceptive. If the name is brought back, so should the place of origin, be brought into place. It all seem gimmick to me. Some near do well bought a dead name. The name, but true original quality is not in place.
Is this a tool for stabbing brains? I'm confused by the channel's direction of late. (The obligatory "lol" may be considered as understood in future).
You’re making a big deal out of nothing! It’s a plastic object and not a person. So what’s the harm in giving it a name that most likely doesn’t relate to current buyers who don’t know the original pen anyway.
This is overpriced. Buy a vintage, restored Esterbrook J with a choice, then, of a couple of dozen nibs.
It's a bad thing