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

[Kuhataparunks]

$176 Pilot Custom Heritage 912. The PO nib is great, but there are much better performing nibs of its performance caliber, *cough* Pilot Penmanship ^_^

My only problem is now I want another PO nib pen...

Looking at the high amounts here, it may be able to justify the purchase of another one :/

[blINK]

My most expensive was my MB Bordeaux 146.

[Algester]

Lamy 2000 it just borderlines that a Faber-Castell Ambition is my second most expensive personal pen...

[Tojusi]

I find it interesting that many members have some quite expensive pens but they are not contributing to this thread, myself included. Perhaps this reveals that we have a deep rooted shame about spending lots of money on fountain pens?

 

I think that my most expensive pen would have to be one of the following:

MB Heritage 1912 (purchased new)

Danitrio Genkai Tamenuri with 0.7mm Binder cursive italic nib (purchased new)

 

The aggregate cost of the Genkai escapes me, but I believe it must be the most expensive: Purchased new from Kevin (winedoc) who shipped it directly to Richard Binder for nib modification on my request, plus the nib work cost, plus shipping to Finland, plus customs and VAT...

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

I find it interesting that many members have some quite expensive pens but they are not contributing to this thread, myself included. Perhaps this reveals that we have a deep rooted shame about spending lots of money on fountain pens?

 

I think not, I would say that people, for the most part, who spend a lot of money on pens have not reason to talk about "how expensive" a pen though bought is. How much you pay for something is not the point, the pen is.

 

What ever happened to the time when it was improper to ask someone what something cost. If someone I know asks me how much I paid for something I tell them "I prefer not to say". It is a lot more tactful than "none of your business"

 

Besides, what's worse? Some one who has 71 pens costing $50 each or 1 pen costing $3500.

[Consulting_Detective]

Mines is a not-so-pricey Monteverde Invincia ColorFusion, I feel so left out agaisnt Omas, MontBlanc, and Etc.

 

-C.D

[Coop]

$289 (€242) for a Pilot Vanishing Point with custom Richard Binder stub (including shipping and a ransom fee from dutch customs). It was supposed to be my first €100+ pen, it ended up being my first €200+ pen...

 

Still cheaper than doing it the other way around (buying local and have it customized)... That would end up as:

€219 ($260-ish) for the Vanishing Point

€31.80 ($38-ish) for shipping the nib to Richard Binder

$40 for the customization

$35 for shipping back to me

$35(-ish) customs ransom

Totalling to: $408, so while it was my most expensive pen, I still saved $119 on it

Edited January 6, 2015 by Coop

[SanjayG]

At the moment it would be a Pelikan M200 I purchased for £61.

 

I have ordered a Pilot Custom Heritage 92 for £86 but I won't count that yet because it hasn't been dispatched!

 

Don't think I'll be spending more than that for a while unless I find a good deal in the Classifieds section on an M600.

[mart46]

My M400 with stub cost me £110 some 7 years ago. I find it hard to spend more than £50 on a FP and my slush fund needs to cover a few other hobbies!

[wspohn]

I think not, I would say that people, for the most part, who spend a lot of money on pens have not reason to talk about "how expensive" a pen though bought is. How much you pay for something is not the point, the pen is.

 

What ever happened to the time when it was improper to ask someone what something cost. If someone I know asks me how much I paid for something I tell them "I prefer not to say". It is a lot more tactful than "none of your business"

 

Besides, what's worse? Some one who has 71 pens costing $50 each or 1 pen costing $3500.

 

I agree. At car shows it is great when someone comes up to you and says something like "My Dad had one of these" or "I've always admired these cars". You often get into an interesting conversation with them about cars, which is the whole point of being at a car event.

 

When the first question is "What is it worth?" the conversation pretty much ends right there with some sort of MYOB response. Do they really value everything in life by the number of dollars they cost? A true car (or pen) nut is as interested in a car that isn't worth restoring, that someone has nonetheless carefully restored to new at a cost several times what they could sell the car for.

 

I'm as interested in an old low price Waterman with an interesting filling system, worth $40 as I am a more modern run of the mill pen, and more interested than I am in some jewel bedecked monstrosity no matter how much it cost. It shouldn't be just about money.

[marcelo]

I think not, I would say that people, for the most part, who spend a lot of money on pens have not reason to talk about "how expensive" a pen though bought is. How much you pay for something is not the point, the pen is.

 

What ever happened to the time when it was improper to ask someone what something cost. If someone I know asks me how much I paid for something I tell them "I prefer not to say". It is a lot more tactful than "none of your business"

 

Besides, what's worse? Some one who has 71 pens costing $50 each or 1 pen costing $3500.

The 1st alternative, for sure.

[Algester]

The 1st alternative, for sure.

Second voice but the user in me says otherwise I will never see the day I would end up having 71 pens as I would like to use them all unless I have a legit reason to

Its like saying you bought all 149s where 1 pen has 1 factory nib meaning thats 7 mb 149s did I get that right? Or say m1000s with each 1 pelikan nib offering... i wouldnt imagine the day that I would end up with 15 heritage 912s though...

But I would also like to see in person the old filling system that japanese makers used before and during the war looking as estifilos cronicas site is a very interesting experience

Edited January 6, 2015 by Algester

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

What you need is 366 pens, one for each day of the year and an extra one to use on leap years!

[goldage]

The Bic I used to sign the Marriage License application.

Great¡¡¡¡ We said is cheap loan by night than buy forever...( bad joke but....)

[goldage]

I don't dare to answerd. But i don't regret a penny.

[Brian K]

 

I agree. At car shows it is great when someone comes up to you and says something like "My Dad had one of these" or "I've always admired these cars". You often get into an interesting conversation with them about cars, which is the whole point of being at a car event.

 

When the first question is "What is it worth?" the conversation pretty much ends right there with some sort of MYOB response. Do they really value everything in life by the number of dollars they cost? A true car (or pen) nut is as interested in a car that isn't worth restoring, that someone has nonetheless carefully restored to new at a cost several times what they could sell the car for.

 

I'm as interested in an old low price Waterman with an interesting filling system, worth $40 as I am a more modern run of the mill pen, and more interested than I am in some jewel bedecked monstrosity no matter how much it cost. It shouldn't be just about money.

 

I don't really have a problem with a topic like this because whether we admit it or not and whether we have/use expensive or inexpensive pens we all have an interest in the market and that includes prices.

 

What I do object to is when you see someone's first post and it says "someone gave/left me this lovely pen - can you tell me how much it's worth?" Really? You go to a fountain pens website after receiving something nice and the most important question is about money?

[Arkanabar]

Without a doubt, my blue stripe Pelikan M400, for which I paid the princely sum of $120US, perhaps a couple years after I got my M200. I once bought a matte black Pilot VP for ~$95, but I have no idea what has become of it. My favorite is probably my Pelikan M200 fine, bought for around $65 from a Colorado Pen Co. boutique in the early 90s, and the pen I have had for the longest. It was discounted because Pelikan was changing the style.

The most expensive pen I *own* is most likely my Sheaffer Pen for Men II (stainless cap, PdAg nib), purchased as NOS, with chalk marks still on the barrel. This was the last of their Snorkels, and their first pen with an inlaid nib. Alas! it is chunky when the style was for pens to be slim, with the result that very few sold. Peyton Street Pens has one in Excellent condition for $225. Mine was purchased at auction by my brother-in-law, and given to me. It's very cool, and a fairly nice writer, given the (bleep) paper I use.

The one I would miss most is my dad's Parker "51", probably purchased around 1954, which would have been shortly after he got out of the Army. It was the lowest end model, black with lustraloy cap. My dad was always much more impressed with function than appearance, and the thought of paying extra for bling would have run entirely contrary to his nature. It was his only pen at least through 1980-1984. He never gave it a moment's thought beyond its utility; the end of the barrel has scratches from when he dropped it in his pocket with his keys, and with all the wiping done with paper tissues and/or paper towels, the hood looks like it's been sanded. I don't know for sure when he bought the ugliest gold Pentel Rolling Writer he could find to replace it, with 1mm thick black pinstripes, but that's the pen for which he set it aside.

Years later, after finding this place, and in fact, years after my dad passed on, I asked my mom about dad's pen, and if I could have it. She said she'd look for it. While searching, she found his old yacht club pennant; at Christmas, she gave it to my brother who was planning to start a sail charter business. She found the manual to his Colt Python revolver, gifted to the son-in-law who'd bought the gun. She gave his briefcase to my brother the engineer. In fact, she found legacies to give each of my siblings (or in one or two cases, their spouses). And I got his "51." After a thorough rinsing and a fill, it started writing flawlessly.

[SockAddict]

And I got his "51." After a thorough rinsing and a fill, it started writing flawlessly.

 

That story is just awesome.

[Joe in Seattle]

I couldn't possibly say.................She reads this forum.

[SheilaM]

I couldn't possibly say.................She reads this forum.

Who, me?