Best collectable pens

[elescher]

Hi,

I want to buy a fountain pen as a gift for a business associate, $500.00 - $750.00. Can anyone recommend a brand name, vintage, etc., or where to go to buy something I know will be authentic? I did Google and was somewhat overwhelmed so I thought I would give this a try. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

Ps
I know you can spend thousands on these vintage pens but it's the thought that counts, right?

 

[DaveyF]

I have an aunt who is BIG into pen collecting. She collects Wyvern's and Parker's along with the occasional Montblanc. Ebay seems to be a good source.

 

[garylkoh]

If you want to impress him, a Montegrappa. Current limited edition will run in your price range. Some become cult objects and then command more.

 

[Steve Williams]

I am a pen collector.

I would recommend the Montblanc annual Limited Edition pens. These are limited numbers and are collectors items. They command great $$$ on Ebay.

They are different since 1992

http://www.montblanc.com/en-us/flash/default.aspx/#/collections/limited-editions

 

[FrantzM]

FAr from a pen collector.. Montblanc is the Rolex of pens ... In term of writing well they may have to take a back seat to Montegrappa however... The balance of the Montegrappa pens is easily felt as superior to that of most Montblanc and once you really write with the stuff their superiority is evident ...

This said one of the best looking pens around IMO are the St Dupont Defi , by the way slightly below your price range:



St Dupont are in general great looking items. Their lighters are the stuff of legend

 

[Steve Williams]

FAr from a pen collector.. Montblanc is the Rolex of pens ... In term of writing well they may have to take a back seat to Montegrappa however... The balance of the Montegrappa pens is easily felt as superior to that of most Montblanc and once you really write with the stuff their superiority is evident ...

This said one of the best looking pens around IMO are the St Dupont Defi , by the way slightly below your price range:

View attachment 12553

St Dupont are in general great looking items. Their lighters are the stuff of legend

The Montblanc Limited Edition pens are in the $500-$1000 range depending on which pen chosen etc

BTW, The Montblanc Meisterstück is a classic that only goes upin value

I bought mine new in 1995 for $195 and today it sells for over $1000

 

[Keith_W]

Funny that, I like pens too

For me, pens are very personal things. What I like may not be the same as what you like. For a start, my pen must be a piston filler. Piston fillers use the entire body of the pen to hold ink, so they last much longer than cartridge fillers. I also like my pens to be light and well balanced, which immediately rules out things like Montegrappa which I find much too heavy for my liking. It needs to be correctly sized for my hand.

Last but not least, it needs to have a superb nib. Nibs tend to vary in quality, some have a bit more flex which may be a good or bad thing depending on your writing style. I tend to write quite lightly, so I prefer more flex.

If you are buying a secondhand or vintage pen, make sure that the rhodium at the tip of the nib is not worn off. If it is gone, the nib will be quite scratchy. The other common problem is dried out rubber (if it is a piston filler), and problems in the feeder (results in poor flow of ink, or leaks). Vintage pens are not everyday writing instruments, unless you happen upon a really good example. I would recommend that you buy new.

As for which pens I like - I don't like any of the pens in current production, except for the Pelikan M1050 and maybe a Mont Blanc 149. I used to like Omas, but that was before they changed their design to be half metal - IMO this made the pen bottom heavy and unbalanced. I used to like Sailor as well (a very underrated brand!!) but newer Sailors are cartridge fillers. As for Mont Blanc - there is something about their obvious branding, their boutiques with their smarmy salespeople and their money grubbing "limited editions" that rubs me up the wrong way. I do admit they make good pens though.

My current daily writer is a Pelikan 1050. It looks understated to the point of boring, but it otherwise ticks all the boxes.

 

[Steve Williams]

The other consideration is what type of writer the person is as this will dictate the proper nib to be used. I use a broad nib. I agree also about piston fillers. I sent my big Meisterst?ck back to Montblanc for a "lube oil and filter." It cost me all of $75 and the pen came back with a brand new piston filler as well as the chambers cleaned and the nib polished.I also agree that a pen should feel right in the owner's hand.

Type of ink used is also a whole other topic as well as stationery

 

[microstrip]

Funny that, I like pens too (...) For a start, my pen must be a piston filler. (...) Last but not least, it needs to have a superb nib. (...) My current daily writer is a Pelikan 1050. (...)

Keith,
My current daily is the broad nib Pelikan 800, but you are in the heavyweight class.

 

[elescher]

The last time I was over his house he showed me a half dozen or so glass containers each filled with ink in them that varied in viscosity. He is a Physician (Pathologist) but I can't imagine that he uses his collection for either his daily practice or his other work related endeavors as he is always in front of his computer or microscope.

I want to try and find him something a little unusual and interesting.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

 

[mep]

I haven't written with a cartridge ink pen since I was in Catholic grade school and the penguins were beating the snot out of me because I held my pen and pencil leaning forward instead of backwards when I wrote. Who the hell still writes enough by longhand that would warrant wanting to collect and use ink pens? And stationary?? Really Steve? Pray tell, on what occasions do you use stationary and your ink pen of choice?

 

[Steve Williams]

Yes really Mark

It is called the art of writing

I don't use any fine stationery however at most high end pen stores stationery is readily available. It's just like selecting a nib that suits your writing style

 

[mep]

Yes really Mark

It is called the art of writing

I don't use any fine stationery however at most high end pen stores stationery is readily available. It's just like selecting a nib that suits your writing style

Again Steve, on what occasion do you don the powered wig, sit down at ye old desk, grab the quill pen in hand, and actually write something longhand to someone? If that's not a dying art, it's damn sure on life-support. Before email, people used to actually sit down and write letters occasionally to people they cared about. This occurred mainly at Christmas time when you would get those annoying cards with a letter inserted from some friend or relative who had a high-achieving family and they would brag about everything their family members had accomplished in the past year (Jack just got his third promotion this year, little Susie saved three lives in her first year of being a lifeguard, little Johnny went straight from the third grade to graduate school and he now has his PhD and he hasn't even gotten his first pimple yet). Then along comes email and the postal service goes broke. Then came phone calls that were basically 'free' to anywhere in the world and some people couldn't be bothered to email anymore to stay in touch. And then came texting and now some people don't even want to call you on the phone-they would rather send you a text. Taking the time to actually sit down with a fancy pen and stationary and writing someone in longhand is almost beyond belief nowadays.

What's next? Morse code?

 

[Steve Williams]

Again Steve, on what occasion do you don the powered wig, sit down at ye old desk, grab the quill pen in hand, and actually write something longhand to someone? If that's not a dying art, it's damn sure on life-support. Before email, people used to actually sit down and write letters occasionally to people they cared about. This occurred mainly at Christmas time when you would get those annoying cards with a letter inserted from some friend or relative who had a high-achieving family and they would brag about everything their family members had accomplished in the past year (Jack just got his third promotion this year, little Susie saved three lives in her first year of being a lifeguard, little Johnny went straight from the third grade to graduate school and he now has his PhD and he hasn't even gotten his first pimple yet). Then along comes email and the postal service goes broke. Then came phone calls that were basically 'free' to anywhere in the world and some people couldn't be bothered to email anymore to stay in touch. And then came texting and now some people don't even want to call you on the phone-they would rather send you a text. Taking the time to actually sit down with a fancy pen and stationary and writing someone in longhand is almost beyond belief nowadays.

What's next? Morse code?

Both the instrument itself as well as the person using it can be a terrific form of art

This plus it is fun to collect

 

[FrantzM]

Again Steve, on what occasion do you don the powered wig, sit down at ye old desk, grab the quill pen in hand, and actually write something longhand to someone? If that's not a dying art, it's damn sure on life-support. Before email, people used to actually sit down and write letters occasionally to people they cared about. This occurred mainly at Christmas time when you would get those annoying cards with a letter inserted from some friend or relative who had a high-achieving family and they would brag about everything their family members had accomplished in the past year (Jack just got his third promotion this year, little Susie saved three lives in her first year of being a lifeguard, little Johnny went straight from the third grade to graduate school and he now has his PhD and he hasn't even gotten his first pimple yet). Then along comes email and the postal service goes broke. Then came phone calls that were basically 'free' to anywhere in the world and some people couldn't be bothered to email anymore to stay in touch. And then came texting and now some people don't even want to call you on the phone-they would rather send you a text. Taking the time to actually sit down with a fancy pen and stationary and writing someone in longhand is almost beyond belief nowadays.

What's next? Morse code?

lol

rotflmao

I have some interesting pens. Most of them inherited from people I cared about a lot: my dad and , his best friend who was like family to me. I also acquire a few amongst then the St Dupont Defi Black and Palladium I posted about simply because it was such a a fine piece of art, a Montegrappa a Sailor that were gifts since some people knew I liked a good pen ... Truth to be told I only sign contracts or important document and some times the rare check with any of them. The Waterman and an old Parker reside in my business attache case they are rarely used .. At that rate i think the bottles of Parker Quink will dry before they are fully used. One of these bottles still in the familial house is at least 30 years old!!

You must however understand that for a collector it is not the usage but the joy of possession. This transcends the usefulness in many if not most instances.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I love writing letters, notes, cards .....I'm just sad that no one really cares to receive them, so I don't bother much any more. The last letter I sent was greatly appreciated, unfortunately the response came via email. They just didn't get it.

I still write most days with my inexpensive Waterman fountain pen. I brings me pleasure.

 

[FrantzM]

I love writing letters, notes, cards .....I'm just sad that no one really cares to receive them, so I don't bother much any more. The last letter I sent was greatly appreciated, unfortunately the response came via email. They just didn't get it.

I still write most days with my inexpensive Waterman fountain pen. I brings me pleasure.

The irony .. Sign of the times?

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

The irony .. Sign of the times?

Yep. It is what it is!

 

[Steve Williams]

Truth to be told I only sign contracts or important document and some times the rare check with any of them

You must however understand that for a collector it is not the usage but the joy of possession

That is exactly how and when I use my pens and the enjoyment of collecting them.

BTW, Costco is a great place to buy pens with a huge savings. Ten or more years ago I bought a gold plated Montblanc at Costco for $165. Today it is worth 10X that amount

 

[microstrip]

(...) Taking the time to actually sit down with a fancy pen and stationary and writing someone in longhand is almost beyond belief nowadays.

What's next? Morse code?

Mark,

Although I used Morse code in my childhood, today I still write a lot using fountain pens. I almost always prepare an hand written draft before committing to the keyboard, except for mail and WBF or similar , and still sketch a lot of diagrams. I prefer Black PARKER Quink, that I found is made in France nowadays.