Posts filed under Esterbrook

Esterbrook Niblet Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

I don't think my obsession with pocket pens will ever fade (I sure hope it doesn't), so it stands to reason that my gotta-try-em-all quest would bring me, eventually, to the Esterbrook Niblet. And I'm so glad it did. I'm a huge fan of Esterbrook and their bold dive into all things analog. And while I haven't loved all of their products I've tried, I love how adventurous they are. This pen has all the vintage vibes that Esterbrook does so well, but it brings it back to basics with great success.

This Niblet, in Raven, has a matte black acrylic body with gold-plated accents. The cap unscrews from the grip section, then screws onto the back of the pen to post it, creating a comfortable full-length pen. I enjoy writing with it uncapped, as well. The cap is clipless, and has a small, gold-plated roll-stop on it to keep the pen from escaping your writing surface.

The biggest surprise of this pen is under the cap, where the pen has a full-size #6 Jowo gold-plated steel nib. And because it's a full-size Esterbrook nib, some retailers, like Goldspot Pens, offer it in the full lineup of Esterbrook nib grinds, like stub, mini stub, scribe, architect, needlepoint, elastic, journaler, italic, etc. This one is a mini-stub, which gives me a lovely fine italic quality to the writing. It is a delight to write with. The flow is perfect. The lines have character. It never skips. It writes even when I've neglected it for a week. I really can't say enough good things about this nib. That's been my experience with Esterbrook in general.

The pen comes with a mini-converter, so you can use bottled ink with it. It can also take standard international short cartridges. It comes in the characteristically opulent Esterbrook packaging, which includes a felt travel case, nestled securely in a decorative gift box. Every time I get an Esterbrook pen, opening it feels like an event. Like we're celebrating something. Which we are--celebrating a new Esterbrook pen.

The Esterbrook Niblet is currently for sale at Goldspot for $157.50. I think that's a very fair price. I love that Esterbrook has such great quality pens that have stayed under the $200 price range. While it's still a lot for a pen, I think they're one of the best-priced brands on the market right now. The Niblet comes in a variety of Esterbrook's most popular materials and colors, as well, so if you're as taken with this small wonder as I am, you're bound to find one that speaks to you.

(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on October 15, 2026 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Esterbrook, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Esterbrook Brass Nib Bookmark Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

Esterbrook is officially the source of all desk accessories I didn't know I wanted until I saw them. The latest to hit my collection is the Brass Nib Bookmark. I've had pen nib inspired page markers before, but this one is huge and substantial, which is cool, but has a downside. It definitely says THIS PAGE in a way that broadcasts my love for fountain pens, but it's not going to work great for every book.

The brass nib bookmark is made from a thin sheet of brass that has been precision-cut to shape. The thinness of the brass gives it flexibility so that it can slide over a page or journal cover like a paperclip. As a decorative object, it's fantastic. It looks cool and adds a stationery sophisticated air to any writing kit. It is not, however, the most practical tool. You know I'm all for ditching practicality for aesthetics when I feel like it, but I am rather protective of my books.

The issue with the bookmark is that brass is heavy. And even when cut quite thin, this is still somewhat thick for a bookmark. When it slides over the page, it weighs the paper down and wrinkles it a bit. And wedging the layers of the bookmark open causes it to gape a little so that it doesn't lie completely flat. On thin paper, I'd worry it might tear a page. So it doesn't work as well as I'd like for its intended purpose. Definitely don't use it in your library books!

But, far be it from me to abandon a cute desk accessory. What I have found is that, because it slides over a page like a paperclip, it makes a decent paperclip. When clipped to a cardstock cover of a notebook, it doesn't have the same tearing potential as it does with a thin sheet of paper. Then it becomes a place to tuck away small notes--and we all know how I accumulate those. I know I'm not alone. It can't hold a lot, though, before it starts to gape like alligator jaws.

I do think this might work better with more sturdy paper, like in sketchbooks. It's also nice just as a display piece. I have still been using it, jut not as it was intended, and I think that's fine. It sells for about $17, which is not a bad price for a nice-looking brass desk accessory. It's on the steep side for a bookmark, I suppose, but even the regular cardstock ones at the bookstore can sell for $7 or $8 these days, which makes this a reasonably priced upgrade, if not the most functional one. Sometimes my notebook just needs to look good, because a good-looking notebook makes me want to write more.

(This product was purchased from Goldspot at a discounted price.)

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Posted on July 30, 2026 by Sarah Read and filed under Esterbrook, Accessories Review.

Esterbrook Estie Nouveau Bleu Ballpoint Pen Review

For when you want to feel fancy but need to be practical, Esterbrook offers some of their prettiest materials in a ballpoint pen. The ultra-classy Nouveau Bleu material, an elegant acrylic in shades of blue with gold veins and flecks, comes with either gold or chrome trim.

Esterbrook Estie Nouveau Bleu Ballpoint Pen

The pen has a faux cap, so that it looks like a posted pen, but the cap section is really a twist mechanism that deploys the tip from the nose cone. This cap-like end pulls off to reveal the cartridge. It takes a Parker style cartridge, so there are a lot of options for different inks and colors to choose from. It comes with the Esterbrook refill, which writes very nicely. It's smooth with no skipping and less smudging than many ballpoint inks.

The twist mechanism is simple and secure. It hasn't ever accidentally twisted or resulted in ink staining. It also works as a perfectly silent fidget. It lacks the tactile clunk of a click pen, but it's still satisfying.

The clip has just the right balance of firmness and springiness, so it has the perfect hold in a case, pocket, or clipped to a folder.

The Esterbrook Estie ballpoint pen sells for $125 and it comes in many of their most popular materials, like Raven and Seaglass. It's a great way to enjoy some of their prettiest designs at a lower price point than the fountain pen.

This is a good pen for work if you have a fancy job, and also a good pen if you have a regular job and want to feel fancy! And it's the perfect pen if you have a special occasion like a wedding or birth and you'd like to sign the paperwork with something special, but you can't use a fountain pen due to the ink properties. It would also make a great gift for someone who loves pens but doesn't like the maintenance of fountain pens.

I've been really enjoying ballpoint pens for their practicality lately, and pens like this help me meet my daily writing needs while still enjoying fine writing tools. These are pretty and well made, and they elevate a simple grocery list, or bring an important formality to life's big moments. If you haven't tried a fancy ballpoint, this is a fantastic one to add to your pen collection.

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