The Bexley Pen Company was founded in 1993 in Columbus, Ohio. They are known for making modern pens inspired by the “Golden Age of fountain pens.” This review is of the Bexley Demeter fountain pen in black with red accent rings, gold colored cap band, and a medium steel nib.
8/10 Packaging: The pen comes inside a black Bexley-branded box with a magnetic flap closure. Also included are filling and cleaning instructions, a warranty slip, and two ink cartridges. A plain black cardboard outer sleeve covers the box. This sleeve also has stickers that read, “Made in U.S.A” and “Bexley Pen Co, Inc. Demeter Collection,” and notes the pen color and nib size.
8/10 First thoughts: The pen looks like it stepped out of the 1930’s. The black cap and body are perfectly contrasted by a gold-colored cap band and red accent bands.
9/10 Design: The pen is light at 17 grams, which is great for longer writing sessions. You can post the cap securely, but it makes the pen a bit long, in my opinion. The overall design of the Bexley Demeter fountain pen is similar to a vintage Parker Duofold or Sheaffer Flat Top fountain pen. The cap secures snuggly with one-and-a-half turns, the grip section has a flare at the end and the threads are smooth and barely noticeable.
The clip caught my attention as it has a small rollerball on the end that allows you to easily slide the pen in and out of a pocket or pen pouch. The clip ring only goes halfway around the cap, causing a small gap; however, this does not affect the strength of the clip. It is possible this is just a flaw on this specific pen as the pictures on Bexley’s website appear to have a clip ring that goes completely around the cap. There is no branding anywhere on the body or cap. It has a shiny black finish with thin red accent bands on the cap and body and a gold-colored cap band that grabs your attention. Nib options are all steel and include Fine, Medium, and Broad.
8/10 Nib Performance: The steel nib is a very smooth, wet writer. I experienced no hard starts even after leaving the pen on my desk for a few days. The two-tone nib adds to the vintage look of the pen and provides a pop of color. I am fond of the simple branding with a stylized “B,” the word “Bexley,” and the letter “M” for Medium nib size. I used KWZ Honey ink, a wet ink, for this review and the pen was a very wet writer showing the nib is tuned very well right out of the box.
8/10 Filling System: The pen is a cartridge/converter filling system. It comes with two ink cartridges, but does not include the standard international converter. The body is solid and the threads are plastic so you should be able to eyedropper the pen if you prefer. I would just add a small amount of silicone grease around the threads to prevent leaks.
7/10 Value: A retail price of $199 is the higher-end of pricing for steel nib. Yet it’s the lower-end of pricing for gold nib fountain pens. It has the look of a vintage pen without having to worry about potentially hard to service filling systems or maintenance issues, which some vintage pens suffer from.
48/60 Overall: The vintage pen design is interesting. Especially since it uses modern materials and has a modern filling system. I always wanted a vintage Duofold or Flat Top, but I have always been concerned with not being able to service those pens on my own. This would be a great substitute for someone that wants the look of a vintage fountain pen with the convenience of a modern fountain pen.
Specs:
Name: Bexley Demeter fountain pen
Design: Black body with red accent bands and a gold-colored cap band
Length: 5 5/16 inches (134.9mm)
Posted: 6.25 inches (171.45 mm)
Diameter: .49 inches (12.5 mm body), .61 inches (15.5 mm cap band)
Weight: 17 grams
Nib: Steel Medium
Filling System: C/C
Pros: Vintage design, rollerball clip, no nib work needed out of the box, screw-on cap
Cons: Higher-end price range for steel nibs and lower-end price range for gold nibs, does not come with a converter
In the same price range:
Platinum 3776 Century
Aurora Duocart
Faber- Castell E-Motion
“Make your mark”
Eric Aycock (Pengeek13)
