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caleath
May 24th, 2013, 03:24 PM
Title pretty much says it all. I have the beginnings of a collection. I have a silver and a red one, what is the most difficult color to find? I haven't seen a blue or copper one yet.

thagbert
May 24th, 2013, 03:28 PM
Translate please!

Jon Szanto
May 24th, 2013, 03:34 PM
@Thagbert:

An Esterbrook "Transitional" is a pen that comes after the earlier... Oh, heck, just go and look at Brian Anderson's site (http://www.esterbrook.net/j2.shtml). It will answer this question and most anything else you need to know about Esties (just go back to the Home page and start looking through all the info).

As to collecting Trans, I have three. At first I thought I was going for a broad and deep dive into Esties, but decided I didn't like all the pen colors. I've settled on getting a Trans, J, and SJ in black, copper, red, and green. The blues don't thrill me, except for a blue Dollar pen I like a lot, and the silvers leave me meh. I only need a red Tranny to finish up.

I think. I need to go look!

Farmboy
May 24th, 2013, 06:28 PM
Jon,

You realize there are two jewel styles and at least two clip variants......

Todd

Farmboy
May 24th, 2013, 06:29 PM
And Skunk, don't forget the skunks.

Jon Szanto
May 24th, 2013, 06:34 PM
You realize there are two jewel styles and at least two clip variants......
You'll note I said A Trans in the four colors.

I'm wedging them in between kettledrums and xylophones as it is. Stop To Be Forcing Hoarding On Me!

Jon Szanto
May 24th, 2013, 06:35 PM
Besides: why would anyone want a non-Toaster Top?

Laura N
May 24th, 2013, 07:35 PM
...I only need a red Tranny....

Is it too soon for a fountain pen "ewhoring" joke?

And you could even do the rim shot. :)

Jon Szanto
May 24th, 2013, 08:39 PM
...I only need a red Tranny....

Is it too soon for a fountain pen "ewhoring" joke?
Hardly.

Though I didn't think you'd be the first to bite!


And you could even do the rim shot. :)

Indeed. 2958

79spitfire
May 24th, 2013, 08:54 PM
I love Transitionals.. I have a Green, a Black and a Blue. I had no idea there was a Trans-Skunk... Now I need that

I can't call them Trannies... Brings some disturbingly vivid images to mind....

Farmboy
May 24th, 2013, 09:56 PM
Jon,
The A is a completely different model. You should have a set of those too.

Jon Szanto
May 24th, 2013, 10:06 PM
The A is a completely different model. You should have a set of those too.
I just checked: only one of the three is a Toaster Top. And now this!

Fuckin' A.

klpeabody
May 27th, 2013, 08:06 PM
I'm loving this thread! Of the two Esterbrooks that I own, both are transitionals. I have a green and a grey, and I use them both frequently. Definitely among my favorites. Like 79spitfire, I just can't go there with the "Tranny" reference. I do think it's pretty funny tho. :D

OakIris
May 29th, 2013, 11:31 AM
I guess "one" is not much of collection, but it is a start! I love the Art Deco look of the "toaster top" Transitionals, but only have one of them so far, a lovely copper/rootbeer Transitional that I found on eBay at the end of April. I hope to get more of these....

And I'll bite - what is an Esterbrook Skunk pen? Black and white comes to mind, but I don't have a clue really and a Google search brings up hits from FPN - but FPN is once again inaccessible. (Can't even get to the website today, it is as if the site has been removed from the Internet!)

There was a gorgeous (IMHO) Transitional Nurse's pen on eBay earlier this month - didn't have the toaster top jewel but it was in pristine shape. White pens don't ordinarily appeal to me, but this one was an eye popper, at least for me! Here a couple of pictures from the eBay listing:

3088

3089

I did bid on it, but not near enough $$ - it went for slightly more than $132.00 (USA.)

Holly

ETA: FPN is back up so I was able to find out what Farmboy meant by "skunk" pen - the black Bell System Property pens; the imprint of the company name (Bell's) is in white. Not sure that Esterbrook would have ever used this as a model name, though! :p Here is a photo from a post by FPN member Rabbit:

3107

Jon Szanto
May 29th, 2013, 11:34 AM
The A is a completely different model. You should have a set of those too.
I just checked: only one of the three is a Toaster Top. And now this!
I was doing some work last night and realized I had forgotten about a 4th Tranny, a nice black. And it's a TT - I'm batting .500!

TSherbs
May 29th, 2013, 12:23 PM
I have a green, and just love its look and its smooth response on paper.

Marsilius
May 29th, 2013, 09:42 PM
The transitional is my favorite model. I have a green and a copper, and love the clean line that comes with having no jewel on the bottom. Keeping my eye open for blue a red transitional Js.

caleath
June 2nd, 2013, 09:14 PM
I won a blue one on eBay, I don't think it's a toaster top but that's ok!

Frank
June 4th, 2013, 10:38 AM
I have one "Toaster Top" Copper Trans-J in my collection!

I have had several other trans-J pens, but have sold them over the years.

Regards,
Frank

Scrawler
December 29th, 2013, 05:58 AM
I thought I had a red transitional-but it turns out it has the cap off a later J model. No toaster and slightly warped. Still the barrel is very nice and that ruby red is beautiful. Next time I have a pen budget I am going to hunt down a proper cap and put a 1945 W2 nib in it.

chad.trent
December 30th, 2013, 06:27 AM
I have several transitionals. I like them more than regular Js. I am also a big fan of the dollar pens. I have tried to get a couple of the $1.50 pens, but they all end up going for more than I'm willing to pay.