How Many Pens Do You Own?

[Estycollector]

My 'nice pens':

• MB 146 (F)
• MB 149 (M)
• Shaeffer Grand Connoisseur (F)
• Parker Duofold Centennial MK I
• Sailor 1911 Realo (M)
• Sailor 1911 Realo (
• Platinum #3776 (SF)
• Platinum #3776 (M)

 

My Chinese pens:

• 5 x Moonman M600S
• 6 x Jinhao 159
• 3 x Jinhao X70

For at work or when losing a pen may occur:

• 4 x Lamy Al-Star (M, B, LH, 1.5)

And a gift from someone dear:

• Parker Urban (F)

A nice and varied collection; except for the Jinhao and two of the Lamy all inked an in use. I do not need any more pens. Although I promised myself that for a special occasion I will allow myself a Pelikan M1000.....

 

I understand. I have nice hammers and those I use.

[Addertooth]

Estycollector,

 

One of the most amusing thing about my collections is how the cost-per-pen has crept up. When I started, a Platinum 3776 was considered far too expensive of a pen. I could not imagine spending that much money for *just a pen*. Many of my first pens were "Office Supply Store" pens. Finding some high-end pens at a bargain price (about 1/10th to 1/4 of their normal value) was probably what kick-started my desire to have some higher end pens. Then I saw an article on Flex Nib pens, and like many people got a Noodlers Ahab pen. I found the Ahab disappointing, but read about vintage flex pens, and how well they worked. This started me on the pursuit of great vintage flex pens, which led to a deeper desire to get vintage pens. The first vintage pens purchased would chart like a scatter-plot of various brands. Eventually I ended up (*mostly*) specializing on Waterman and Wahl-Eversharp. Somehow along the way, some Schaeffer, Montblanc, and other brands were acquired, but not in huge numbers (less than 10 of each of those types).

 

The quality of the pens have evolved too. A lot of my early vintage purchases were driven by a pursuit of a specific nib type. As long as the body wasn't crumbling, the condition was not critical. Eventually I realized you have pens which look amazing AND write amazing, and life is too short to be cheap.

[georges zaslavsky]

more than 70

[N1003U]

Estycollector,

 

One of the most amusing thing about my collections is how the cost-per-pen has crept up. When I started, a Platinum 3776 was considered far too expensive of a pen. I could not imagine spending that much money for *just a pen*. Many of my first pens were "Office Supply Store" pens. Finding some high-end pens at a bargain price (about 1/10th to 1/4 of their normal value) was probably what kick-started my desire to have some higher end pens. Then I saw an article on Flex Nib pens, and like many people got a Noodlers Ahab pen. I found the Ahab disappointing, but read about vintage flex pens, and how well they worked. This started me on the pursuit of great vintage flex pens, which led to a deeper desire to get vintage pens. The first vintage pens purchased would chart like a scatter-plot of various brands. Eventually I ended up (*mostly*) specializing on Waterman and Wahl-Eversharp. Somehow along the way, some Schaeffer, Montblanc, and other brands were acquired, but not in huge numbers (less than 10 of each of those types).

 

The quality of the pens have evolved too. A lot of my early vintage purchases were driven by a pursuit of a specific nib type. As long as the body wasn't crumbling, the condition was not critical. Eventually I realized you have pens which look amazing AND write amazing, and life is too short to be cheap.

 

These are not atypical symptoms of the malady that infects many here on these pages...

 

The set in my profile picture was purchased not based on price, but rather on availability (though the price was not terrible, either). After a while, one discerns what one likes, then I suppose it is just a matter of how much one is willing to give up to acquire that which one likes.

Edited April 26, 2020 by N1003U

[Black Spot]

how many do I own, or how many am I willing to admit to owning and is the lady of the house with in ear shot ?

[Arkanabar]

Alas, it is now more than it was in 2015.

• Two Pelikan M200s, both blue.
• Two Pelikan M205s, one aqua, the other black.
• Pelikan M400, blue stripe.
• Parker "51" aero, black and lustraloy. A desk denizen. It was my Dad's pen, and I won't risk losing it.
• Sheaffer PFM-II, burgundy. A safe queen. (It barely draws ink.)
• Sheaffer Imperial tipdip, lapis colored. Another safe queen that barely draws ink.
• One (working) Hero 616.
• Jinhao 911 flighter, which is not as good a pen as the Hero.
• Pilot Metropolitan, classic black.
• Pilot Prera Iro-Ai with CM nib, orange tips.
• Pilot Parallels in 3.8 and 1.5mm.
• FPR: One red Jaipur v1, one yellow translucent caps demo Jaipur v1, one green ebonite Himalaya v1, one brown ebonite Himalaya v1, one Emerald acrylic Himalaya v1, one blue acrilyc Himalaya v2, one orange with black caps Darjeeling, three Mufts not currently in service.
• One Noodler's Charlie, black cap & section (more or less).
• Platinum Plaisirs in green and black, and three or so Preppies.
• Copper Estie SJ, 9460 Medium Manifold nib.
• Waterman Phileas blue, XF nib.
• MontBlanc 72 ...probably a junior or lady pen; it's rather shorter than the "51".
• A Beiluner flighter c/c pen with a chrome-plated section, still in box.
• A Jinhao X450 that I'm going to give to the first person I encounter in real life who expresses an interest.
• Six Jinhao X750s: textured black, purple, white, copper metallic paint, silver metallic paint, gold metallic paint sanded off to reveal a stainless steel cap and barrel with brass finials.
• A Jade Ahab.
• A Wality that I am no longer sure of its model number.
• A Welsharp button-filler that writes waay too broad for me.
• A few calligraphy set pens that will be very lucky to ever again see the light of day. We'll say there are six such pens.

Egads. That's fifty. I need to find some locals to whom I can give some of these. And maybe some of them, particularly the Staedtler-Mars calligraphy set, should be binned.

 

The red Jaipur, which I got on closeout super dirt cheap, has become a favorite.

[inkstainedruth]

I have acquired 3 more pens since the beginning of the year, I think, if you count the Violet Lamy Safari LE (which is somewhere in transit between US Customs, the US Lamy distributer, iPenStore, and my house). I generally tell people that I have somewhere between "too many" and "not enough" these days. That's *not* counting the three pens my husband bought at an antiques fair a couple of months ago -- I don't know where he's squirreled them away (it was some lever fill Waterman, a Parker 51 Demi, and -- IIRC -- a Parker 21; but unless and until he actually gives them to me their HIS pens).

But so far I'm doing better on purchases than some years, where there have been far too many cases of "Ooh shiny!" and "What a deal!" (although the M600 Violet and White counts as both, and the Parker 75 Ciselé -- while not a steal -- was, IMO probably a fair price: guessing mid-1970s, US made, B nib and what might be the original squeeze converter). Fortunately, I'm not all that interested in the other 75 designs/colors; UNfortuntately, I'm still lusting after a M600 Pink and White -- in spite of the nose-bleed prices of the few still floating around... and a couple of the M620 Great Cities pens (which, while the prices don't make me go "(white noise)" they're still more expensive than I can currently afford.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

edited for formatting

Edited April 26, 2020 by inkstainedruth

[JotterAddict62]

Too many. Lost count. Need more. I'm a sucker for Parker Jotters with advertising on them. The more iconic the better.

 

Ken

[mitto]

Lost count and lost space to store.

[donnweinberg]

Is there a separate forum page on pen storage boxes? Penn State Industries (no affiliation with me or the university) sells a few "mobile" pen mini-"briefcases" that are terrific. I have several, and I just ordered a model (that I don't currently own) that holds 64 pens in two 32-pen sections that angle for display and have a clear plastic cover over each (very useful for a seller at a pen show). I use my nicer wooden drawer-type boxes for my very long pens that don't fit in the other holders.

[PAKMAN]

148 pen/pencils

110 fountain pens

38 ballpoint/roller ball/mechanical pencils

[mana]

Hmmm, actually did a COVID-19 count (as I have spent a lot more time home now)... 60 or so fountain pens, mostly vintage.

Vintage:
- Pelikans: 19 or so(?) vintage Pelikans, about half are post war 100N, one war time 100N, post war 101N, 120, 140, 400 Tortoise, 400N Tortoise, two (2) 400NN Tortoise, 400NN Green stripe, 500/Gimborn 150 frankenpen in black stripe.
- Parkers: three (3) Parker Vacumatics, some Duofolds, nine (9) Parker 51s (Aerometrics with the odd Demi and one Vacumatic thrown into the mix).
- Kaweco V12.
- Lamy 2000 (pre 1970).
- Also the three Waterman's from the 1920, one from the 50s (515 Commando or somesuch), a Mabie Todd Blackbird, a MB 136 and some other vintage pens that I can not recall atm. without digging them out...

Oh, I also have the "Jar of Misery" which has more vintage pens that are more or less majorly defunct/in need of parts/resurrection, including a MB 342 & 344.

More modern (post 1980):
- three (3) Parker Sonnets,

- one (1) black Parker 25,
- one (1) Parker 45 Harlequin 80 (Black shield)
- four (4) black first gen rOtring 600s,
- five? (5?) rOtring Art Pens in various nib sizes,

- Woodshed Pen Co. custom build in red acrylic.

 

Then some other pens which I can't recall... not worth mentioning.

[Reets]

Around 50 - 60 at a guess. Could be more. Most of them are vintage.

[praxim]

I had about a dozen or so three years ago when I last posted on this thread. Now it is about 125. Of those, most are vintage, and only 14% were bought new. I have managed to get around to selling a grand total of 11 additional pens, all vintage, mostly duplicates of something I have.

 

Brands, from most numerous pens to least, are:

Onoto (original company)

Aurora

Waterman

Those three make up 55% of my pens. To get to 85% add these, still in descending count order:

Pelikan

S T Dupont

Soennecken

Omas

Santini

Montblanc

And 3, 2 or 1 each of another eleven brands make up the remaining 15%:

Columbus, Lamy

Geha, Onoto (modern version), Tabo, Visconti

Ancora, Graf von Faber Castell, Parker, Radius, Tibaldi

 

I have four vintage mechanical pencils (1920s-1950s), and two old ballpoints (1960-1970) plus a modern (1995) of each. They all happened along for other reasons rather than being purchased for themselves.

[vicpen123]

Will this thread never stop? I have to keep buying to stay ahead.

 

Nearly 50. But I use only one at a time and a converter full of ink lasts sooo long.

 

The other 49 are for me to enjoy.

[Arkanabar]

Stay ahead? MY goal is to fall behind! I can be slightly comforted that of the 50+ pens I own (didn't include the Konrad and Stipula Splash in my prior count, neither of which can be used worth a darn), probably no more than half were bought at my volition.

In addition to the Sheaffer and Staedtler-Mars calligraphy pens, I think I'd happily let all the eyedroppers go, and the Preppies, and the Noodler's pens, and the MR, and all the Chinese pens except the Hero 616 (and I'd actually be willing to buy some more of those, or perhaps some Jinhao 51As with wooden barrels if, like the Hero, they can safely hang by the clip outside the breast pocket).

[silverlifter]

19. Just under my self-imposed limit.

 

Most are vintage, and two of the modern ones don't really count as they cost less than 5 USD.

[PAKMAN]

All pens count ! lol

[Runnin_Ute]

I did a full count a few days ago, the final number? 39. Of that number, a full 2/3 (26) are either Parker, Pelikan or Esterbrook. A full 1/3 (13) were purchased new, and 19 on Ebay.

[gmathio]

5 that I use all the time and are always inked

Pelikan Stresemann M805 "F" nib

Pelikan green stripped M600 "F" nib

Pelikan black M600 old style "F" nib

Parker Duofold Centennial Lapis Pazuli "M" nib

Parker 75 Cisele "F" nib

 

2 that I use not so often, but are inked too..

Montblanc Meisterstuck classique 144 "F" nib (I need to buy a piston converter for this one, to use it more)

Parker 51

 

and 2 that just exist, an old Waterman and a Cerruti 1881 marked with the 100 years of Panathinaikos FC