Esterbrook #284 Blackstone Pen (Vintage)

Made in the late 1920s and designed for stylish, bold handwriting, the Esterbrook #284 Blackstone has a unique look and feel. The angled, soft-cornered stub creates some of the broadest marks of any writing dip pen we've tested, with generous inkflow and a smooth touch on paper. Line variation is achieved with a change of direction, as with other stub nibs. The black coating on a Blackstone was called "tar coating" and gives this pen extra smoothness and makes it easier to clean. Like other kinds of coatings used for steel pens (usually silver and gold), the black coating acts as a varnish that improves the durability and feel. A chevron-shaped vent hole provides steady flow, and the large body offers great ink capacity. 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.