Well, I finally found an early "spear" lever 1934 Esterbrook Dollar pen. I have the parts to restore.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/185535762@N03/eZ0853
Well, I finally found an early "spear" lever 1934 Esterbrook Dollar pen. I have the parts to restore.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/185535762@N03/eZ0853
catbert (November 15th, 2019), countrydirt (November 15th, 2019), Scrawler (November 26th, 2019)
Nice. Is the term "spear" in reference to the clip?
Spear refers to the earlier version of the Dollar pen lever. The later version is wider and flatter at the end.
azkid (November 17th, 2019), Chuck Naill (November 18th, 2019), pajaro (December 1st, 2019)
The pen came today. Everything except the nib disassembled easily. The 2556 nib is flat on the bottom rather than rounded. Anyone know if this was an earlier design. Anyway, my concern for the rubber plastic didn't materialize. I took the old j bar out and cleaned off the rusted areas and placed it back.
I just listed one of those nibs in my Etsy store.... so here are some pictures of the one I have https://www.etsy.com/listing/7535481..._manager_table
Thank you for posting, but the one that came on the Dollar is a flat bottom where yours is rounded. Rather than destroy, I left it on the sac holder, just cleaned and air dried. I just attached the sac. Hopefully it is no stropped up and will draw in ink.
I should be able to water test this evening.
Well, after a 12 hour soak and a padded needle nose, the 2556 was out. I decided to replace it with a posting nib/9550. After inking, I understand now what a posting nib is all about. Extreme fine point.
I wrote for about an hour and I can say that I do, but it is very different. I can understand why it is for posting since I can write very small letters and numbers precisely. I have a 9668 in the Deluxe and 9556 in the Transitional model which are wetter and less fine. I've been fortunate to have found these nibs in like new or new condition for less than $10. So, I have $18 in the dollar pen, $3 for the new sac, and $9 for the nib. I was able to remove and clean up the original J bar.
The cap and pen body look the same and perhaps this is actually a later Dollar since the shirt clip is wide rather than pinched at the top of the cap. However, the spear shaped lever still puts in in the early mid 1930's I would think.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/185535...posted-public/
Last edited by Chuck Naill; November 21st, 2019 at 04:59 AM.
My restored collection to date.
carlos.q (November 23rd, 2019)
Chuck Naill (November 23rd, 2019)
Finished '34 Dollar
I am confused about the cap on this pen. According to one source, the cap in '34 should have a pinched narrow section near the cap whereas mine is wide. Since the nib was a very early flat feed type, I am confident this section is original. And, the cap and bottom have a similar or same wear look.
Last edited by Chuck Naill; November 23rd, 2019 at 06:20 AM.
So, after further study, I now know what I thought was a 1934 Dollar turned out to have a 1938 clip. I was able to win this one last evening for about the same price, $19. Interesting that $19 in 2019 is the equivalent of $1 in the mid '30's.
azkid (November 28th, 2019)
azkid (November 28th, 2019)
Thank you for your advice. On the Dollar Pens I didn’t soak at all because I had heard water and the old rubber don’t mix well. I did soak the part that holds the nib and to which the sac is attached.
I, too, have restored a lot of pens. I never soak anything. Everything comes apart with dry heat and patience.
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