Here we have the Esterbrook Phaeton, an uncommon pen from the 1960s:
Look! It's hooded!
They were a bit late to the hooded nib game (the Parker 51 debuted in 1941), but as their customer base was being rapidly eroded by ballpoints, they had to try *something*. Unfortunately it also meant eschewing their famous replaceable nib units.
The decorative indent on the hood was originally gold, like the Parker 61. And like the Parker 61, the gold tended to fall out.
Also, this is a cartridge pen. Esterbrook cartridges were similar to Sheaffer's, and I guess you can use Sheaffer carts so long as you pre-drill a hole in them. I was lucky this one had an original cartridge. I've refilled it with Rohrer & Klingner Alt Bordeaux.
It's not the greatest pen. The build quality isn't up to Esterbrook's old standard. The hood is stained with ink, and the clutch ring on the barrel is loose. But it writes well, with a bit of feedback, and the cap still fits snug.
