ES383 Esterbrook Relief No. 2-L. (Medium Stub)

ES383 Esterbrook Relief No. 2-L. (Medium Stub)

Date: c1930s

Size: Capped - 134mm; posted - 162mm.

A very unusual Esterbrook Relief No. 2-L - Esterbrook's second lever filled pen that came straight after the Relief no.1 and made in England.  These pens were actually manufactured for Esterbrook by Conway Stewart.  The pen is made from black ebonite with some lovely wavy hoop machine chasing running the full length of the barrel and cap.  Ususally, the 2-L pens are made from plain celluloid, so this one is a rather unusual variation.  Both barrel and cap are very nice and glossy with no noticeable surface scratches.  The trim is all gold plated, with some wear to the pocket clip and some foxing to the filling lever; it does polish up nicely though.  The cap has a domed hard rubber top with a red band between the top and the washer-style pocket clip.  The pocket clip is imprinted "RELIEF" down the stem and has a teardrop at the bottom end.  The barrel imprint is still in nice condition - a little wear but still complete and easily read.  The short gold plated filling lever has a small circular end tab.  The nib is a 14 carat gold Esterbrook Relief No. 2 in a medium stub point.

I have fully serviced this pen.  The nib writes very smoothly with a very good wet line.  It produces some rather attractive line width variation from a fine to a good solid medium width with no effort at all.  Usually, the nibs on these pens are broad obliques - this makes a nice change, and as it is not as broad as usual it would make a very manageable every day writer.