What vintage pens will best fit my hand?

The best way to try pens, of course, is in person, but getting access to a large number of vintage pens is not practical for most buyers, save at a pen show. Leaving aside for the moment the question of selecting a suitable nib, one can get a good idea of pen proportions by reference to our list of pen dimensions (pen lengths are listed in the catalog, but not diameters).

Note that the vast majority of vintage pens fall into the 10 to 12 mm range (measured at the thickest part of the barrel), with all but the very largest oversize pens measuring under 14 mm. Modern pen designers have scaled up their products for maximum visual impact, so do not expect to find many vintage pens of the same girth as the larger new pens. On the other hand, you will be able to put the older pen into a shirt pocket, and it will be easier for the average hand to hold.