Description
Esterbrook has been part of American writing life since 1858. Founded in Camden, New Jersey by Richard Esterbrook, the company built its early reputation on precision manufactured steel nibs that were affordable, reliable, and available in more varieties than any other maker of the era. By the mid-20th century, Esterbrook nibs were so embedded in everyday American writing that they could be found in offices, schoolrooms, and drawing tables from coast to coast. Notable users included President John F. Kennedy and Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts. After a long period of dormancy, the brand was reborn in 2019 under new ownership, and the modern Esterbrook , with its flagship Estie fountain pen, its growing ink range, and its genuinely playful brand personality , quickly built a devoted following among pen enthusiasts around the world.
That brand personality is on full display in the Pigeon Poop collection. Esterbrook’s mascot, Winston, is a pigeon — curious, clever, and full of city charm, illustrated in a distinctive style by artist Anne Nossack. The Pigeon Poop ink takes its name from Winston’s most reliable contribution to urban life, but the colour it delivers is considerably more elegant than the name suggests. Pigeon Poop is a rich, complex plum-violet that sits in the beautifully ambiguous space between purple and violet — darker and more serious than a lilac, warmer and more characterful than a standard grape purple. It shades pleasantly in broader nibs, revealing the full depth of the colour in wet strokes while maintaining legibility and precision in finer line weights.
Esterbrook inks are formulated to perform reliably in all standard fountain pens, including those with converter or cartridge filling systems. The formula is well lubricated, supporting smooth ink flow and minimising the risk of hard starts or skipping. Cleaning with water is straightforward in most cases. For pens that have been left filled for an extended period without use, the Zest-it Fountain Pen Cleaner stocked on this site provides a more thorough clean for stubborn ink deposits. The 50ml glass bottle features Esterbrook’s classic cream and red label design —understated, vintage-inspired, and easy to identify on a crowded ink shelf.
For the pen enthusiast who enjoys a bit of wit in their stationery, Pigeon Poop is precisely the kind of ink name that turns a first-time purchaser into a repeat customer. It is also, without qualification, a genuinely beautiful colour that works equally well across journalling, correspondence, sketching, and everyday note-taking.
