Restored one at a time · Online since 2007 · Norwich, Connecticut
Pens with a past, ready for your desk.
238 IN THE CASE · 14-DAY RETURNS · 30-DAY REPAIR PROMISE · ONE OF EACH
This week’s edits
Chosen by hand, described honestly
Golden-Age Parkers
Vacumatics and Duofolds from the decades Parker got everything right. Laminated celluloid, arrow clips, nibs with real character.
40 PENS · $39.99–$999.99
A First Fountain Pen, Under $150
Restored workhorses that forgive a new hand. Every one has been resacced, tuned, and written with before it went in the case.
72 PENS · UNDER $150
Celluloid Worth Staring At
Marbled, striped, and laminated barrels from the material's golden decades, patterns no modern resin quite reproduces.
15 PENS · SEARCH “CELLULOID”The case
101 VINTAGE PENS · 100 PRE-OWNED PENS · 32 PENCILS · 5 INKWELLS & BLOTTERS
Every pen on this site passed through my hands.
Owner Nathaniel Cerf has been a fountain pen junkie since the age of 9, when he first found his late grandfather’s Sheaffer Lifetime Balance and began writing with it. Years later, while teaching a fencing class in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Cerf met a fountain pen repairman who began teaching him the art and science of vintage pen repair.
- Restored: lever-fillers, button-fillers, crescent-fillers, Vacumatics, TouchDowns and Sheaffer Snorkels
- Described honestly, capped length and flaws included
- Return it within 14 days for a full refund of the item price
- Problems found within 30 days: “let us know and we’ll do what we can to fix it”
Nathaniel Cerf, owner and restorer · About us · Our Guarantee
The vault
14 GRAIL-GRADE PENS · $1,499.99–$16,499.99
Know your nibs
What the line actually looks likeAsk the Pen Market
Tell it what you want to write with.
“A flexible nib under $200”, “can you fix my grandfather’s Vacumatic”, “do you buy Cross Century pens”. Every price, count and date in its answers is computed from the catalog and from the policies on this site, never guessed. It is an AI assistant, not Nathaniel; when the question needs him, it says so and hands you the phone number.
- Prices and stock come from the live catalog
- Repair scope and guarantee dates come from the published pages
- Estimates and offers come only from Nathaniel: (847) 708-5062
Start with one of the questions on the right, or write your own.
How do I start collecting pens?
The whole series
How Do I Start Collecting Pens: Why Are Some Pens More than Others?
A good friend recently asked me why some pens cost more than others. The cheeky, glib and true answer is supply and demand. But, it is more than that. Sometimes it is marketing. Sometimes its trends in the marketplace. This is a “Big Red” senior Parker Duofold made of orange Permanite. However, he was asking…
How Do I Start Collecting Pens? Vintage vs. Modern
You can’t go wrong with vintage or modern pens. In either case, it is best to do a little research to know what to look for to get the best deal. It also helps to know if you intend to use or display them. MODERN PENS Most people who are new to collecting pens start…
How Do I Start Collecting Pens? Know Thy Obsession
Starting a pen collection isn’t always easy. There are soooooo many great pens out there in need of a good home. Where do you begin? There is no right or wrong way to begin, but sometimes it helps to narrow your options. Do you like dip pens, fountain pens, ballpoint pens or rollerball pens? Do…
Sell to us
Collections bought for cash or consigned.
Looking to cash in on your pen collection? Perhaps you inherited a collection you don’t want? Depending upon what you have, we can offer several options from cash to consignment.
Get an offerTrading Post
Our classifieds. $5 a listing.
Sell your pens directly to our customers on our classified ads section. It only costs $5 per listing, and you keep your pen until someone pays you. Unlimited Posts: $125 a year.
See the listingsThe bench
Repairs: lever to Snorkel.
Ink sac spring a leak? Vacumatic won’t fill? Got a family heirloom you want to get restored? More than 20 years of experience restoring classic writing instruments. Free estimate.
Send a pen