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Thread: The Allure of Expensive Pens

  1. #61
    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Allure of Expensive Pens

    Quote Originally Posted by Pendragon View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Detman101 View Post
    The common sentiment I've seen expressed around here is "More expensive is better than yours" or "cheap=garbage".
    The little-peen "I'm better than you" crowd champions things like these...expensive baubles.
    Then things must have recently changed a very great deal. For many years, Montblanc pens and their owners were regularly panned on the pen forums, as were all other "status symbol" pen owners. Limited edition pens designed to be collectibles were also heavily criticized. From what I have seen over the past 15 years, it was people outside of the forums who had the "My pen is very expensive, so I am better than you" attitude. Maybe things have changed around here, but I doubt it. The folks here are a pretty down to earth crowd.
    Nah, things haven’t changed. That remains an inaccurate assessment.

    It’s reminiscent of the complaints from readers of YA and genre fiction that they are being oppressed by the vast hordes of Proust & Joyce readers.

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  3. #62
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    Default Re: The Allure of Expensive Pens

    I'm not surprised that there are high-dollar pen collectors who have the attitude that they are better than other collectors simply by virtue of the cost of their pens. But I've also seen similar snobbery from people who like a particular type, brand or style of pen, whether that's Jinhaos or Pelikans or antique or vintage or contemporary or Japanese or German or whatever. I could be hurt or offended, but since pen collecting is simply an enjoyable pastime/hobby for me, I choose to see it as abundant, perhaps overabundant enthusiasm for a particular aspect of this pastime. I'm going to keep on buying what I want and what I like, and enjoying my adventures in collecting. If others don't like me or my pen choices, okay. I don't have to associate with people who don't like one or the other, and I don't have to associate with people whose tastes or behavior I find not to my liking. Okay, so I'm open to other opinions, and I'm not going to get particularly fussed about it.

    I see pen collecting the way I saw my last two real vacations: I was hell-bent on enjoying myself. Nothing and noone was going to change that. I was going to enjoy my vacations, even if that meant enjoying being stuck in traffic, or disgusting food, or whatever obstacles came my way. And you know what? I did enjoy those vacations. With pen collecting, I'm going to enjoy meeting cranky, opinionated people because the alternative is not enjoying the experience. Of course I'll enjoy meeting simpatico, fun people as well, but that's easy.

    So yes, I have a few pens I consider expensive (although all under $1000 list price each), and I have some very cheap pens (Jinhao sharks). I have two Montblancs, one vintage and one new. I will be looking for two more Montblancs, one more vintage and one more new, but with no great urgency. I'm also planning other fountain pen purchases, antique through new releases. I like the process of finding the pens and getting them in the mail. Of course I like using them as well. And I like looking at pictures (pen shows not being an option at present) of pens, even pens I don't want for my own collection. Especially in the expensive range, there are some pens that I find quite interesting for any number of reasons. Some of the Duponts come to mind. I like to see what various craftspeople come up with within the limitations of the fountain pen form. I don't always like what they come up with, but I still like to see their efforts.

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  5. #63
    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Allure of Expensive Pens

    Quote Originally Posted by TFarnon View Post
    I see pen collecting the way I saw my last two real vacations: I was hell-bent on enjoying myself.
    /thread

    Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

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    TFarnon (October 9th, 2020)

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