What's The Most Expensive Fountain Pen You Ever Bought?

[Dronak]

I think the most expensive pen I bought for myself is a Namiki Vanishing Point, back when it was being discontinued. I forget the exact cost, but I think it was around US$90. I own a few pens that cost more than that, but they were gifts and thus paid for by others.

[ipse dixit]

I bought an Omas Milord, advanced cartridge system, for $590. I decided I had paid to much so I bought another one for $197 on ebay. This one was a piston filler so I have an average of $390 in these pens.

 

For Christmas I bought a Visconti Homo Sapiens.

Also in 2005 I bought a Lawyer's Pen from the Carbolic Smoke Ball Co made by Conway Stewart.

[elysee]

My most expensive fountain pen would be my special edition Green Transparent 800-series Pelikan fountain pen. I must admit that I purchased the matching Green Transparent 800-series Pelikan ballpoint pen as well; each were purchased from Fahrney's Pens when the pens were originally released; I purchased the matching Green Transparent 800-series Pelikan pencil (verified authenticity with Pelikan) a few years ago on eBay.

 

Individually, but not together, of course, my Green Transparent Pelikan 800-series fountain pen, ballpoint pen, and pencil were less expensive than my Montblanc Oscar Wilde ballpoint pen. To this day, I wish that I had purchased the Montblanc Oscar Wilde ballpoint pen when it was released but, at that time, I was only interested in the 0.9 mm Oscar Wilde pencil. So, as you may gather from my statement, I purchased the Oscar Wilde pencil and, then, years later, purchased the Oscar Wilde ballpoint for about $200 more than its price at the time of its release.

[Briguy52]

Most expensive single purchase would be a Pelikan 140, for around 100. My favorite writing experience so far, and definitely worth it.

 

Technically, my VP cost more though since I originally purchased it with a Fine stainless steel nib for about 75, but recently acquired a new Medium nib unit (puts the total closer to 140).

[FinalEleven]

Omas Ogiva Alba in Violet. Purchased it around 9 months after it released and was long sold out by the time I purchased mine.. Managed to find one in an Extra-Flessible nibs. Cost me around 445 dollars.

[visvamitra]

Omas Ogiva Alba in orange. No regrets.

 

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/9123/jztV1o.jpg

[zaddick]

I don't like to think about answers to these types of questions.

 

I'm pretty sure the majority of my pens would make most people wince and wonder how many times I was dropped on my head as a baby. At least I don't collect watches or cars!

[wspohn]

I don't like to think about answers to these types of questions.

 

I'm pretty sure the majority of my pens would make most people wince and wonder how many times I was dropped on my head as a baby. At least I don't collect watches or cars!

 

Hey, I resemble that remark (with c. 200 watches, 400 pens and 8 cars). And don't ask the number of vinyl LPs or bottles of wine in my caches.

 

At least watches and pens don't take up much room, although we are moving soon and I filled up 4 full size moving boxes with empty pen boxes/cases (I keep the collection in leather portfolios or in my pocket).

 

My wife asked me why I kept them and I said that when I sell a pen, the buyer normally wants the original box. She responded "You've never sold any - how would you know?" (nasty, these wives sometimes!)

 

Re the Omas Ogiva Alba in orange in the previous post - I have a custom Parker 51 done by Ariel Kullock in very similar shade.

[zaddick]

 

Hey, I resemble that remark (with c. 200 watches, 400 pens and 8 cars). And don't ask the number of vinyl LPs or bottles of wine in my caches.

 

At least watches and pens don't take up much room, although we are moving soon and I filled up 4 full size moving boxes with empty pen boxes/cases (I keep the collection in leather portfolios or in my pocket).

 

My wife asked me why I kept them and I said that when I sell a pen, the buyer normally wants the original box. She responded "You've never sold any - how would you know?" (nasty, these wives sometimes!)

 

Re the Omas Ogiva Alba in orange in the previous post - I have a custom Parker 51 done by Ariel Kullock in very similar shade.

I should have ended the watches and cars comment with the words "any more." I has a convertible "problem" for many years. I am now down to two.

 

You could always store the pen and watch boxes in the trunk of a car in the garage. Maybe that is reason to buy an old Caddy with a 4 body trunk - you would not want to have to look for boxes in multiple cars!

[wspohn]

I used to have a Jaguar Mk 9 - early 1960s with older upright styling - it was a 3 body boot.

 

I think the boxes will be stored in the attic of the garage which would require moving several cars to get the stairs to fold down - good thing I am unlikely to sell anything and need the boxes!

 

Fortunately I buy very few pens any more - a bit of casual infilling (most recently a Yard-o-Led grand and a pencil - I have an attraction to sterling).

[IrishEyes]

Mine is a pristine Parker 51 Empire capped I got from David Nishimura in 2005. I still have it along with a matching pencil I traded for since then. While David isn't inexpensive, his pens are always top notch. You get what you pay for. It disappeared from my roll aboard business case along with a few other very expensive pens back in 2008 and which I later found for sale on eBay by an enterprising and now ex-baggage handler for United Airlines. I subsequently got it back along with my father's 1953 Parker 51 Special and my Onoto Centenary and some other valuable pens. The one pen that got away was a gorgeous Onoto Magna lever filler with an awesome #7 nib sold to someone on eBay who I contacted and told them their pen was from a stolen collection. They've changed their eBay screen name and never acknowledge any of my messages so they are as much as an accomplice as the person who sold them the pen in my opinion. Since then prices of vintage Onoto Magna pens have skyrocketed so I doubt I will be able to get another. I am very fortunate to have the other pens back in my possession.

I absolutely despise thieves, and TSA/airport baggage handlers seem to be some of the worst, from what I've read. I'm glad you got all but one of your pens back (something that may not happen all that often), and sorry that you couldn't get the one back from the buyer of it. That really sucks. I'm glad that the thief lost their job over it, though! If that happened more often, baggage handlers would hopefully be less likely to steal. I imagine that most of what "walks away" in airports isn't worth losing their jobs over. Still 'n' all, I'm not taking any chances when we go to Hawaii on vacation, soon. The valuable stuff (except for my cameras, which I'm taking with me) will be staying at home, under the watchful eyes of my eldest son!

Edited January 5, 2016 by IrishEyes

[FeuBleu]

Just bought a Visconti Titanium Skeleton, first pen of the year, not long after a Conid Bulkfiller in November. Unfortunately I am now having impure thoughts about the M805 Stresemann.. fingers crossed I at least make it to February before buying one! It shouldn't exceed the Visconti in cost though.. >_<

Edited January 9, 2016 by Hypocaffeinic

[wspohn]

Just bought a Visconti Titanium Skeleton, first pen of the year, not long after a Conid Bulkfiller in November. Unfortunately I am now having impure thoughts about the M805 Stresemann.. fingers crossed I at least make it to February before buying one! It shouldn't exceed the Visconti in cost though.. >_<

 

I could understand the titanium version but I could never understated the other one that I own - the Skeleton AG925. It was sterling silver but plated with titanium.

 

You have to wonder who looked at a nice sterling prototype and said "Nope, too shiny, let's dull it down by covering it up with a layer of titanium!"

[vorpal]

I absolutely despise thieves, and TSA/airport baggage handlers seem to be some of the worst, from what I've read. I'm glad you got all but one of your pens back (something that may not happen all that often), and sorry that you couldn't get the one back from the buyer of it. That really sucks. I'm glad that the thief lost their job over it, though! If that happened more often, baggage handlers would hopefully be less likely to steal. I imagine that most of what "walks away" in airports isn't worth losing their jobs over. Still 'n' all, I'm not taking any chances when we go to Hawaii on vacation, soon. The valuable stuff (except for my cameras, which I'm taking with me) will be staying at home, under the watchful eyes of my eldest son!

On the other hand, we take advantage of these light-fingered creeps. We carefully lay our broken electronic items on top of our stuff in our suitcase. Invariably, they are gone when we reach our destination. Recycling can be rewarding.

[FeuBleu]

 

I could understand the titanium version but I could never understated the other one that I own - the Skeleton AG925. It was sterling silver but plated with titanium.

 

You have to wonder who looked at a nice sterling prototype and said "Nope, too shiny, let's dull it down by covering it up with a layer of titanium!"

 

Really??! That's crazy! It looks pretty shiny in the pics I've seen though.. care to share a pic? My Ti Skeletor hasn't arrived yet, I need distraction to carry me through another week's wait! >_<

[OnTheRocs]

For my lovely M400 Pelikan Souverän green… $500+ It was worth it.

[wspohn]

"The Visconti Skeleton series began with a titanium frame and was followed by this model with a sterling silver "cage" finished with a titanium coating. Underneath is a black resin body and cap."

 

http://cdn6.bigcommerce.com/s-hjw9zlpy/products/3537/images/3677/Visconti%252520Skeleton%252520Sterling%252520Ti%252520Fountain%252520Pen__66225.1433203814.1280.1280.jpg?c=2

[wspohn]

For my lovely M400 Pelikan Souverän green… $500+ It was worth it.

 

My favourite Pelikan - a sterling Classic Pens M1000 (on left). Haven't been using it lately but I should. Has a slightly flexy B nib.

 

http://classicpensinc.com/CP/CP6_800_16.jpg

[Tancred]

Michel Perchin - I have two of these, the Ribbed Blue and the Coronation. Both pens together cost me $3,000.

 

I also have two modern pens by Onoto - both bespoke sterling and vermeil pens based on the Cambridge University Alumni model. They cost me, as above, some $3,000 together.

 

Do I regret the purchases? Not for one second. These pens are some of the most beautiful objects I have ever seen and held and a constant source of pleasure to me even just holding them and admiring them, let alone using them.

[wspohn]

Another couple of my favourites are the Classic Pens ZJ1 in sterling shown next to a MB 149, They made only 25 of them and you can still buy one - see http://www.nibs.com/ClassicPensZJ1MozaiqueSilver.html (for $4500)

 

http://www.rhodo.citymax.com/i/non-rhodo/tn_ZJ1_Mozaique_in_strlingMB149_blackclosed1.JPG

 

and a prototype ZJ2 (not yet a released model)

 

http://www.rhodo.citymax.com/i/non-rhodo/zj2d.jpg