Where Do You Intend To Go With Pen Collecting?

[Jon Szanto]

Well said, Waski. I would never argue past that, and won't.

I'm going to always hope for an epiphany, of course, but proselytizing for pens as aesthetic-only objects would go against my Quaker roots. May you enjoy your pens, in your way.

[Mags]

My Dad was a backyard mechanic and he loved to tune and fix engines and cars. His tool box was an ever expanding repository of the right tool for the right job. The alternative usually involved a hammer being applied to a situation as a last resort.

Well for me the pens I have purchased are sort of like his tool box. Each addition is a tool for my use. I am not so much a collector though. My pens all get inked and used and if they don't work they require my tinkering repair, the repair of an expert or the application of a hammer to ensure they are out of my life.

I recently filled my toolbox so I may slow down. Though Dad did in the end have two toolboxes and three as he wanted tools to hand down to his sons. I may have to ensure my tools of the trade are handed down one day too.

[mhosea]

Like most objects with a practical function, the aesthetic layer gets added to compete for sales, and, because tastes vary, variety is added as well. As a result, pens became both tools and art.

However, something different is going on with today's luxury LE pens. I think these pens are designed to appeal to collectors who will buy them and perhaps display them but probably never use them.

[top pen]

I've been trying to get rid of the pens I don't use lately. Most the cheap ones were easy enough to give away and I did this in 2 PIF's on here and 2 on FPN I thought that when you'd get back a fiver or less it's better to just pass them on and hope they will get used by others.

I've got another one which I will PIF in the not too distant future however after that it's going to be hard as I think the Safari that I've barely used and a Cross Century II that has an iffy nib will be next on there way out but the problem is with converter's that's £50 of pen that I'd be lucky to get half that for know. That in my mind is the hardest thing to except inevitable big losses when slimming down a collection of pens you have bought new.

[Spikey Mike]

I have a handful of pens that I use ... a Parker 51, a sterling silver 75, a 45 TX and a couple of others which all get used regularly. Most are quite battered and all have a story attached to them which makes them quite personal to me.

I also have a far more extensive collection of pens which never get used, and many of which have never been used. I like Parker Pens from the 60's to the 80's so most of my pens fall into that era with 45's, 75's, 50's 180's etc etc. Most of these live in their boxes locked in a filing cabinet and seldom if ever see the light of day. I have far too many to ever use, and have no intention of ever dipping them just to see what they are like, they are simply a collection of, what to me are beautiful, items that I have a liking for.

The only thing I do actually use these pens for is as photographs to illustrate my little website ...http://www.pencollect.co.uk - which is more or less my way of writing down information about them so I can refer back to it as well as share it with anyone else who may be interested.

Only 1 is a non Parker and that one was a gift from Teri at Peyton Street Pens - a Duke which is surprisingly pleasant to use.

[chatminouche]

Very interesting question... I have struggled with this question many times...

My fountain pen fancy started long ago when as a young girl, I was walking to my favourite store - the stationery store, of course - and there on the ground, glinting in the morning sun, was a shiny fountain pen... twenty years later, I still have my treasure, and have begun to add to it...

Now, the world of fountain pens is vast and once you start looking around, you could be looking forever... but I couldn't have them all, so I had to narrow my choices... I decided to collect only black pens - as a representation of my love of black and white photography - but that quickly deteriorated with the rainbow of beautiful colours to choose from...

So I really thought about what I wanted to gain from my collection... and I found that I am, first and foremost, a user of pens... therefore, I have decided to collect pens that are comfortable in my hand and that are enjoyable to write with... I have discovered that a lot of pens out there are huge!! I need a smaller pen for my hand... but rather than a disadvantage, I consider this an advantage as it weeds out a lot of pens for me simply because of ergonomics... Right now, I've swapped my Ahab for a Nib Creaper, and I love my Kaweco Sport and my Lamy for everyday writing... My list of potential pens has now been narrowed for me, and contains a TWSBI 580 and Mini, Sailor 1911S, Sheaffer Sagaris... I also dream of owning a Mabie Todd because I want at least one vintage flex pen to play with...

Right now, I intend to go to my first pen show in November, and try as many pens as I can, and let my heart guide me to the next pen in my collection...

[Mags]

Very interesting question... I have struggled with this question many times...

My fountain pen fancy started long ago when as a young girl, I was walking to my favourite store - the stationery store, of course - and there on the ground, glinting in the morning sun, was a shiny fountain pen... twenty years later, I still have my treasure, and have begun to add to it...

Now, the world of fountain pens is vast and once you start looking around, you could be looking forever... but I couldn't have them all, so I had to narrow my choices... I decided to collect only black pens - as a representation of my love of black and white photography - but that quickly deteriorated with the rainbow of beautiful colours to choose from...

So I really thought about what I wanted to gain from my collection... and I found that I am, first and foremost, a user of pens... therefore, I have decided to collect pens that are comfortable in my hand and that are enjoyable to write with... I have discovered that a lot of pens out there are huge!! I need a smaller pen for my hand... but rather than a disadvantage, I consider this an advantage as it weeds out a lot of pens for me simply because of ergonomics... Right now, I've swapped my Ahab for a Nib Creaper, and I love my Kaweco Sport and my Lamy for everyday writing... My list of potential pens has now been narrowed for me, and contains a TWSBI 580 and Mini, Sailor 1911S, Sheaffer Sagaris... I also dream of owning a Mabie Todd because I want at least one vintage flex pen to play with...

Right now, I intend to go to my first pen show in November, and try as many pens as I can, and let my heart guide me to the next pen in my collection...

Let your heart guide you in November but there will be many choices and lots of things to buy so plan to buy two. It's hard to go to a pen show for just one pen unless you took a subway 5 min to be at the show. If you are travelling an hour or more plan to load up. Pilot Prera is a nice smaller pen and Kaweco Dia too.

[chatminouche]

Thanks for the advice Mags! We are traveling pretty far, a few hours, to get there... when I told my boyfriend how much I wanted to put aside to spend, he was a little shocked... but I won't be able to get to a show often, so I hear ya...

And thanks for the suggestions... I've been eyeing the Prera

Very interesting question... I have struggled with this question many times...

My fountain pen fancy started long ago when as a young girl, I was walking to my favourite store - the stationery store, of course - and there on the ground, glinting in the morning sun, was a shiny fountain pen... twenty years later, I still have my treasure, and have begun to add to it...

Now, the world of fountain pens is vast and once you start looking around, you could be looking forever... but I couldn't have them all, so I had to narrow my choices... I decided to collect only black pens - as a representation of my love of black and white photography - but that quickly deteriorated with the rainbow of beautiful colours to choose from...

So I really thought about what I wanted to gain from my collection... and I found that I am, first and foremost, a user of pens... therefore, I have decided to collect pens that are comfortable in my hand and that are enjoyable to write with... I have discovered that a lot of pens out there are huge!! I need a smaller pen for my hand... but rather than a disadvantage, I consider this an advantage as it weeds out a lot of pens for me simply because of ergonomics... Right now, I've swapped my Ahab for a Nib Creaper, and I love my Kaweco Sport and my Lamy for everyday writing... My list of potential pens has now been narrowed for me, and contains a TWSBI 580 and Mini, Sailor 1911S, Sheaffer Sagaris... I also dream of owning a Mabie Todd because I want at least one vintage flex pen to play with...

Right now, I intend to go to my first pen show in November, and try as many pens as I can, and let my heart guide me to the next pen in my collection...

Let your heart guide you in November but there will be many choices and lots of things to buy so plan to buy two. It's hard to go to a pen show for just one pen unless you took a subway 5 min to be at the show. If you are travelling an hour or more plan to load up. Pilot Prera is a nice smaller pen and Kaweco Dia too.

[Jon Szanto]

Unless talking about new pens, one of the worst feelings is to regret passing up a pen at a pen show, knowing you will likely never see that pen again.

[bluefeathers]

Like most objects with a practical function, the aesthetic layer gets added to compete for sales, and, because tastes vary, variety is added as well. As a result, pens became both tools and art.

However, something different is going on with today's luxury LE pens. I think these pens are designed to appeal to collectors who will buy them and perhaps display them but probably never use them.

Now I finally understand why the LEs are so over-the-top! It makes perfect sense; since it will never be used, all the pen's meaning has to be written on the surface of the pen and told to the viewer through its design. This is my pet peeve, but some of the designs are practically an insult to one's intelligence!

To answer the question, i like to think of my pens as a collection since I got back into fountain pens about a year ago and started acquiring expensive pens. If I had the means, I would probably become a collector, since I appreciate the vintage patterns and celluloids of many big brands, like Parker and Waterman, for themselves, and I enjoy learning about the history almost as much. But I think for me that impulse does interfere with being a user. If I wasn't a writer, it probably wouldn't matter...and it would probably be better if I collected something else! My collecting tendencies are limited to Pelikan, but I only plan on collecting the vintage + modern pens I like most within that brand to limit the number of pens I have.

[pajaro]

I have been collecting pens for over forty years, and I have gone in this direction and that. You can't try everything all at the same time; it takes time to acquire that special vintage or modern pen you want. It took me years to get a plum Parker 51, and I still haven't gotten the Pelikan M625 Place de la Concorde. It takes time to get acquainted with each pen also. Focus? This depends on whether you have the kind of self discipline to maintain a focus. I just go this way and that, trying stuff. I have sold or traded some pens to get pens I thought I would like to try. So, the Pelikam M800 and M1000 are gone, and the MB 149 is long gone. Great pens for someone else. Other makes and models I have small groups of, in colors and nib sizes. Acquire stuff at your own speed, try not to get burned out and just enjoy it.

[Brisboy]

I find I am mainly buying things that strike me as interesting or appealing. I do have in mind that I'd like to collect at least one of each of the Parker 5s. So far I have a black 45 and just picked up a blue trimmed flighter 25 which I like more than I thought I would. Parker 15 (jotter) will probably be next, although I'm eying of some moderns too (handled a monteverde napa recently and loved it). I guess I'm mostly looking for something unlike what I already have.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Wellll, uhmmmmmm....I am becoming a one-ink-per-pen user/collector.

When I find an ink that absolutely LOVES a particular pen, I tend not to want to use other inks in it. Which means I need a lot of pens, in case one 'claims' a particular ink.

You may think the combos are laughable. An expensive ink in a knockaround pen? Works for me, though.

'Golden pairs' so far include:

Blue Lamy Safari M and MB Midnight
Haolilai Goldenpen and MB Leonardo Red Chalk (no other pen shades this ink so well)
Red-swirl Parker Frontier M and JHerbin Terre de Feu
MB Generation (no clue what nib but it's wide and wet) and Diamine Beau Blue
Sailor Progear Black Velvet MF and Waterman Havana
Lamy Safari Neon Coral 1.1 and...L Neon Coral. Naturally.

[tiffanyhenschel]

My first fountain pens were Levenger True Writers bought through eBay. I had two pens and two inks--Raven for work and Amethyst for fun. For five years, that is all I used. Then for some unremembered reason, I started looking at fountain pens online. I stumbled across FPN and eventually FP Geeks.

Needless to say, I have expanded beyond two pens. My first "expensive" pen after I found FPN was my Edison Herald. Since then, I've gone through a vintage phase (because that's what everyone else was doing) and a Montblanc phase. At one point I had four 149s of various vintages and two Writer's Editions. They're nice pens, but they brought more stress than joy.

In the last two years, I have found my particular fountain pen groove. Out of all the pens, I have kept eight Edisons, a Namiki Falcon, a Waterman 12, and a Shawn Newton pen that I just received. I am in the queue for a Ken Cavers pen, but that won't be ready until August of 2015.

It isn't a hard and fast rule, but I greatly enjoy buying my pens from small, custom makers. I want a Scriptorium pen somewhere along the line, a Nakaya Portable with the Swallowtail, and a new Edison or Newton pen once in a while. That will keep me going for a long while.

Then there are the oblique dip pen holders, which is a whole new rabbit hole. I'm just learning enough about those to even start a wish list.

[KBeezie]

Right now I'm kind of in the bloated stage mainly from impulse buys and trying out a bunch of different things, and offloading some of my cheap-to-mid pens as I scale it down to ones I feel the most comfortable with.

My direction is kind of confusing to say the least in terms of a collection. It's not exactly narrowed down to one particular brand or geographic region. In the beginning it was basically a crapload of cheapies mostly Chinese, which I've nearly completely offloaded.

To date I have not paid more than $100-ish for a pen.

I seem to have two major brand/geographic focus when it comes to modern and vintage:

Modern

Seem to gravitate mostly towards Pilot and in some regards Platinum, especially on the inexpensive side. Probably because I write small, I like finer nibs, and generally both brands have been pretty consistent, especially Pilot on their inexpensive offerings.

I had a couple 78G, couple Metropolitans and a Falcon (SF), but I got rid of those in a trade, thus leaving me with the following Asian pens which are mostly modern:

• Petit 1[FP-Fine], 2[Sign] and 3[Fude] (the Petit2 Felt/Sign pen will probably be given away)
• Pilot Elite Mini w/ 18K Soft Fine (~ 1970s)
• Pilot Lady Elite (Coral Section) w/ 18K Fine (~ 1980s)
• Pilot Vanishing Points Blue Carbonesque w/ 14K Fine (2005), and Black Carbonesque w/ 18K Medium (2008), will probably be getting rid of one (maybe both depending), clip on grip just isn't my thing.
• Platinum PTL-5000 (Black with some aftermarket Maki-e Work) w/ 14K Extra-Fine (currently got this one listed for sale)
• Platinum PTL-10000 Red with gold trim and 18K Medium Nib
• Platinum Century 3776 Bourgogne/Burgundy with 14K Medium Nib

The other modern (-ish, as in 1970s onward) pens (with the exception of the ones currently for sale) are coincidentally seem to be all German except one (though I have a Bexley Jitterbug coming... so I guess that makes two modern American Pens?).

• Montblanc 225 (~70s), Black piston filler with a platinum coated cap and a platinum coated 14K EF (like a Japanese EF) inset nib
• Pelikan M250 (~'92-'96), Black and Gold Trims, Piston Filler, 14K Medium Nib
• Lamy Safari (Carbon Black), Steel EF, F, and 1.9 Nib
• Faber-Castell BASIC (Leather), Steel F
• Kaweco AL-Sport (Raw Aluminum), Steel M
• Monteverde Invincia Deluxe Nighthawk (v.1) w/ Goulet 2-tone EF

Vintage

My vintage collection is definitely geographically specific, but I'm not sure exactly which way it will go brand wise, if it ever does gravitate to a specific brand. For the sake of argument I'm considering vintage anything older than the 1970s. (I seem to like Pilot for 70s/80s, though I love my Montblanc especially for it's very fine perfectly flowing nib).

It's certainly Sheaffer leaning, it would have been sort of more affordable to go with something like esterbrook, but they just didn't appeal to me much. But as it currently stands 100% of my pre-70s collection is American, and with the exception of one, they're all restored.

So far in that department(including the ones I have up for sale marked with a *):

• Sheaffer MiLady Balance, Carmine Striated, 2-tone 14K Feathertouch Extra-Fine Nib
• Sheaffer Craftsman Lever*, Persian Blue, Monotone 14K #33 Extra-Fine (probably more like an XXF) nib
• Sheaffer Touchdown Admiral, Evergreen Green, 2-tone 14K Feathertouch Accounting Nib
• Sheaffer Touchdown Statesman, Persian Blue, 2-tone 14K Fine Nib
• Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral*, Black, Monotone 14K M2 Medium Nib
• Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral, Burgundy, Monotone 14K EF~F Nib
• Sheaffer Tuckaway Vac, Post-war Gold Pearled Striated, Triumph 2-tone Nib
• Parker 51 Vac (1948 Q1, 1950 Nib), Cordovan Brown, 1/8 14K Gold Filled Cap, 14K ~Fine to Medium Nib
• Parker Parkette (1950 Q1)*, Red, Steel Fine Nib [cleaned up and working]
• 1958 Ultra "Italian Import"* gold/black crossweave and wet fine nib. (pretty sure it's an American store brand)
• Eversharp Skyline, Burgundy body and original cap replaced with a Black/Green one I fixed up. 14K ~Fine Nib
• Eversharp Skyline Demi, Army/Navy (Green/Red) wide-band derby cap with a navy blue body/dome. 14K EF~F nib.

So unless someone could get me hooked on something Japanese/German/etc from before the 70s it looks like I'm strictly American on the pre-70 vintage. But I kind of want to narrow that down to a few unique models I like so that they are more often in Rotation.

[Jon Szanto]

So unless someone could get me hooked on something Japanese/German/etc from before the 70s it looks like I'm strictly American on the pre-70 vintage.

All I can say is that if you don't want to own a Pelikan 400NN in tortoise, you are missing out on one of the great and handsome pens of all time. Flawless design and function, timeless elegance in execution. Everyone's tastes differ, but that one, in my eye, is nonpareil.

[KBeezie]

So unless someone could get me hooked on something Japanese/German/etc from before the 70s it looks like I'm strictly American on the pre-70 vintage.

All I can say is that if you don't want to own a Pelikan 400NN in tortoise, you are missing out on one of the great and handsome pens of all time. Flawless design and function, timeless elegance in execution. Everyone's tastes differ, but that one, in my eye, is nonpareil.

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that pen is probably more than $200... (it does look nice, but I'd probably like it more in the green striated, just curious how it is compared to the M250).

[Jon Szanto]

So unless someone could get me hooked on something Japanese/German/etc from before the 70s it looks like I'm strictly American on the pre-70 vintage.

All I can say is that if you don't want to own a Pelikan 400NN in tortoise, you are missing out on one of the great and handsome pens of all time. Flawless design and function, timeless elegance in execution. Everyone's tastes differ, but that one, in my eye, is nonpareil.

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that pen is probably more than $200...

1. Depends on how long and how hard you hunt. I found one for less, and the best of them was a pen/pencil set, pristine, with alligator case, for around $215 (now owned by the Mrs.).

2. Why is that the point? You could certainly get rid of some less-remarkable pens and add in a couple bucks and you'd own something really treasure-worthy. I have inexpensive pens, and more expensive pens. They all have their place. Something like the Pelikan is like nothing you own.

[KBeezie]

1. Depends on how long and how hard you hunt. I found one for less, and the best of them was a pen/pencil set, pristine, with alligator case, for around $215 (now owned by the Mrs.).

2. Why is that the point? You could certainly get rid of some less-remarkable pens and add in a couple bucks and you'd own something really treasure-worthy. I have inexpensive pens, and more expensive pens. They all have their place. Something like the Pelikan is like nothing you own.

Point #1 is pretty obvious, but 200 is still kind of high for me for a single pen (at this time).

Point #2 is more along the lines of I'd want to have some kind of experience with a pen to know whether or not I'd like it before dropping that much on one. I've not spent more than around $100 on any pen I've owned yet. Though in that respect one 400NN = 3, maybe 4 pens I've spent money on.

I guess the nutshell is, before I'd spend more than 100 on something, I'd kind of like to have the opportunity to feel it in my hand or something equivalent. West Michigan ain't exactly Pentopia.

[Jon Szanto]

I don't know what to say. You ask about someone getting you "hooked" on a pen. You didn't say you had to try it and purchase it and it had to be under a certain amount and all whatnot. Bought within reason, that pen could be easily resold, as it is a favored pen, an iconic Pelikan.

Honestly, I shouldn't even answer these things. Good luck, Karl.