Esterbrook Estie Aqua


Esterbrook Estie Aqua spring release

We are pleased to introduce our newest Esterbrook special edition, the Esterbrook Estie Aqua. 

As Richard Esterbrook was setting up shop in the 1850’s in Camden, New Jersey, perhaps the greatest book about the sea ever written was in its first printing: Moby Dick. And while there is nothing in the records to show that Herman Melville had an Esterbrook pen when he was writing his tale, thousands of books about the ocean have been written before and since, so surely some of them must have been penned with an Esterbrook. The Aqua Estie is a new daily writer to celebrate iconic writers, like Melville, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway and even William Shakespeare, all of whom put pen to paper to dispel the mysteries of the oceans. 

The spirit of the sea has been described by these and so many other writers, in song, soliloquy, fiction, memoirs, odes and asides for as long as there have been these words: vast, tranquil, placid, peaceful, ethereal, and dazzling for a start. These boundless and infinite expanses conjure up as many feelings and images as there are words for them: crystal clear waters in every shade of blue surrounding majestic islands, the smell and taste of a salty, briny ocean, the sparkling caps of undulating waves, lazy days spent seeking shimmering shells and building monumental sandcastles and the waning light of the sun as it sets over the water in a symphony of color.  

The Estie Aqua embodies all these words and experiences in a writing instrument. Its acrylic captures the mother of pearl luminosity of shells and the technicolor hue of deep, aqua waters. It is available as a Standard or Oversized gold-trimmed fountain pen with standard Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad or 1.1 Stub nibs and available with the “Journaler” for $50 additionally or “Scribe” nib for $60 additionally. The Estie Aqua is also available as a rollerball or ballpoint pen. 

The Estie Aqua pens are available in limited quantities, which will disappear as swiftly as the tide. 

“There’s magic in the water that draws all [people] away from the lands, that leads them over hills, down creeks and streams and rivers to the sea. -Herman Melville 

Available in EF, F, M, B, 1.1 Stub, Journaler & Scribe

Aqua Fountain Pen model: EAQ716 – $195


Aqua Oversized Fountain Pen model: EAQ706 – $250


Aqua Rollerball Pen model: EAQ717 – $185


Aqua Ballpoint Pen model: EAQ719



Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

Scribe nib for Esterbrook


As we continue to tell the Esterbrook story, we are focused on the company’s tradition of specialized nibs. The Esterbrook Custom Nib Program is our way to highlight exceptional American nibmeisters and we’ve asked some of the most prominent and exceptional nibmeistersin our community to create nibs that are destined to become a part of Esterbrook’s storied legacy. 

We are pleased to announce the second edition in our series, The Scribe Nib, crafted by New York based nibmeister Josh Lax.  

Josh Lax

The Scribe is Josh’s take on an architect nib. Historically, this nib has been bespoke: cut for an individual, their writing style and how they hold the pen. To create this nib for a wider audience, Josh was given the task of cutting these nibs in masse, keeping the integrity of an architect, while avoiding any catch on the top or bottom as one writes with it. Aside from the challenge of the mechanics of the grind, Josh also aimed to bring a new aesthetic to his nib, taking inspiration from the Near East, rather than the more common architect nibs based on European and Far Eastern styles of writing.  

In the depths of the Scriptorium, or writing place, the Scribe was employed to keep track of it all. Most of what we know about the history of this part of the world is because of them. Writing in Aramaic, the scribes were drafting with characters that had spiritual meaning.  

And while they were often writing and copying the mundane, they were also responsible for religious and political manuscripts and for catering to the needs of the sultans as court calligraphers. Tughras, the signature of the sultans, were designed and executed by the scribes, each a complex commission. It is in these seals that we see the curves, movement and arching flourishes the scribes were so adept at. 

The Process

The Scribe Nib is meant to capture these same elements and rhythms for the modern writer. It is a very specific nib that Josh has managed to make usable for everyone. It gives the writer the flexibility of fine downstrokes and broad horizontal strokes and can also be used in reverse for additional variation. Whether you are looking to add more flair to your writing style, are looking for an architect without the need for a personal grind or want to expand your calligraphy skills this is an excellent addition to your collection or as a gift for someone to treasure in theirs. 

The Experience

Thank you to Deniz @science.notes on Instagram


The Scribe nib option retails for $60 on a new Esterbrook Estie and is not sold separately.

To read more about Josh Lax see the article on Story Tellers at Esterbrook


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com