A common office supply in their day, Esterbrook Bank Pens have been prized by artists ever since they were discontinued in the 1970s. Today, there is very little new stock available of these early 20th century pens. (Even rarer is the chrome “Radio Pen 914” version, added later to Esterbrook’s lineup, which was famously used by Charles Schulz.)

In our extensive testing of vintage Esterbrooks, the #14 Bank Pen is definitely a standout. It’s unusually large at 42 mm long and 6 mm wide, with a slightly tapered body and a fountain-shaped vent hole. Quite a bit of ink can be loaded without loss of control, and you can write with an Esterbrook Bank Pen at a variety of different letter sizes.

Our stock of Bank 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.