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View Full Version : Hooded Venus Lever Fill Listed as Esterbrook



Chuck Naill
April 12th, 2020, 04:24 AM
Not much information on these hooded nib Venus fountain pens. I decided to take a $7 chance that it could be restored. The seller listed it as an Esterbrook when Venus was clearly imprinted on the pocket clip.

If anyone has information on the years of production I would be in your debt. I suspect the late '50's given the design difference from the ones in the 1940's, https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA124&dq=venus+hooded+pen&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjBhvTY1uLoAhWGGs0KHXmZCo8Q6AEwAXoECAQQA g#v=onepage&q=venus%20hooded%20pen&f=false

jar
April 12th, 2020, 07:51 AM
Actually quite nice fountain pens. I have several.

http://www.fototime.com/5970B656DCD0ADD/large.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/8BFA45FEEA907A5/standard.jpg

Yours appears to be one of the later versions after they changed the cap to extruded metal.

They also used gold plated steel nibs towards the end so check to see if yours is 14K or plated. They had a top line open nib series sold as "President".

Chuck Naill
April 12th, 2020, 08:05 AM
Actually quite nice fountain pens. I have several.

http://www.fototime.com/5970B656DCD0ADD/large.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/8BFA45FEEA907A5/standard.jpg

Yours appears to be one of the later versions after they changed the cap to extruded metal.

They also used gold plated steel nibs towards the end so check to see if yours is 14K or plated. They had a top line open nib series sold as "President".

Thank you so much for responding. Does the barrel unscrew or is it friction? Any idea the size of the sac I might need. I have one #16 left from Esty restorations.

jar
April 12th, 2020, 01:52 PM
Sorry, no idea on either question. IIRC the last time I needed one repaired I just stopped in at the local fountain pen hospital and in about ten minutes they handed it back feeling MUCH better now. But I think Ike was still President at the time.

Chuck Naill
April 13th, 2020, 05:12 AM
I'll report back when it arrives and I figure it out.

Chuck Naill
April 15th, 2020, 04:14 PM
Pen arrived today. The fit is friction. I use heat. It took awhile to clean out the barrel and nib section. I used a #16 sac I had left over from Esty restorations.

Chuck Naill
April 16th, 2020, 04:28 AM
The Venus is back together and drew water so I filled with Waterman Serenity Blue and gave it a test write. It writes drier than the Parker 21, but more wet than either "51". The nib is smooth and the pen comfortable in the hand.

Given than later Venus bought Esterbrook, I felt I needed to experience one of their pens. I am not as impressed with the materials as with an Etsy, the pen works and can be easily restored with a #16 sac.

Chuck Naill
April 17th, 2020, 04:19 AM
This might help to date this hooded Venus. The ad is from 1954.