How Many Pens Make You A Collector?

[ac12]

You can be a collector with just ONE pen....a pen of great value or significance, such as:

• the pen that was used to write the Declaration of Independence
• the pen that was used to sign the Declaration of Independence
• the pen that was used to write the US Constitution
• the pen that Eisenhower or McArthur signed to end WWII (Europe for Ike and Pacific for McArthur)
• a "one of" pen that is of HIGH value
• and many other significant events in national and world history

And all with proper supporting documentation to support authenticity.

 

Now for the average FP geek...

• as few as one.
  • In this case it might be family history, such as your parents or grandparents pen.
  • One with the intention or thought of getting other pens of some relation to that pen (type, color, etc.)

[Blue_Moon]

 

You can be a collector with just ONE pen....a pen of great value or significance, such as:

• the pen that was used to write the Declaration of Independence
• the pen that was used to sign the Declaration of Independence
• the pen that was used to write the US Constitution
• the pen that Eisenhower or McArthur signed to end WWII (Europe for Ike and Pacific for McArthur)
• a "one of" pen that is of HIGH value
• and many other significant events in national and world history

And all with proper supporting documentation to support authenticity.

 

Now for the average FP geek...

• as few as one.
  • In this case it might be family history, such as your parents or grandparents pen.
  • One with the intention or thought of getting other pens of some relation to that pen (type, color, etc.)

 

 

Good point!

[ANM]

 

You can be a collector with just ONE pen....a pen of great value or significance, such as:

• the pen that was used to write the Declaration of Independence
• the pen that was used to sign the Declaration of Independence
• the pen that was used to write the US Constitution
• the pen that Eisenhower or McArthur signed to end WWII (Europe for Ike and Pacific for McArthur)
• a "one of" pen that is of HIGH value
• and many other significant events in national and world history

And all with proper supporting documentation to support authenticity.

 

Now for the average FP geek...

• as few as one.
  • In this case it might be family history, such as your parents or grandparents pen.
  • One with the intention or thought of getting other pens of some relation to that pen (type, color, etc.)

 

 

I am not sure I'd call someone who has a memento from a special occasion a collector. My having my grandfathers railroad watch does not make me a watch collector.

[ac12]

For the special occasion pen it goes to the quality vs. quality issue.

You could have ONE really historically significant pen, or many pens of no historical significance.

 

I conceed the point about a family item.

[sidthecat]

When my heirs put my things up for sale after I'm dead, they will call it a collection of fountain pens and hope some sucker will buy the lot.

[amk]

Having given the question a little more thought, I suspect the collector is not defined by the number of pens she has, but the pens she doesn't have and wants to have.

[FredRydr]

How do you define, and possibly constrain, that acquisitive urge? Number? Kind? Condition? What makes you pull the trigger?

I backed away from too broad a definition of fountain pens to collect. I've chosen narrow areas so that I've had a few mini-collections to work on. Some are obvious; others not so much. I used to collect Spencerian pens (most made by Conklin), and when I'd sated that need, a Conklin collector happily bought the lot to cherry-pick for his Conklin collection and sell the rest. And I made a new friend. Then there's the obvious color-coded Waterman No. 7 and No. 5 pens. I collected the complete set of the black plastic ones because everyone is after the ripple versions. When that was done, I sold off all but the ones I use. I had all the sizes and colors and variations of the 1950s Meisterstucks and many of the 1930-40s flattops, but that tied up too much capital in pens that I hardly used, so those are almost all gone now. I'll keep my two favorite, though, and that's a nib thing, not a size/popularity thing.

 

What's Fred collecting now? Well, you know that ray celluloid that Waterman used in their Ink-Vues? I'm collecting other brands of pens that used it. Most are lower-tier Italian and German pens, and even a Wearever. There aren't many, so that keeps things under control. I have yet to meet anyone who is collecting in that parameter, which eliminates demand for the same pens. It's true that there's no boundary to my ray collection as one might determine through an old pen company catalogue, so my collection just kinda drifts along from one surprise to the next. One good friend from Hamburg Germany on arrival to the last DC show walked up to me and dropped a no-name ray pen in my hand and said "For you!" Very kind!

 

I'm also gathering hard rubber Crescent-fillers at a slow pace, but that's an area that can get out of control so I severely limit those to pens with great nibs.

 

The idea is to define a collection goal with reasonably narrow parameters. Otherwise, if you intend to collect every version of a brand, you might want to remain a childless bachelor, and with plenty of storage space.

 

By the way, the largest part of my collection is defined less by brand or vintage, but rather by their usefulness; their nibs are stellar. You see, I'm one of those degenerates in the pen community who's called "a user."

 

Fred

[lmarine0510]

If you have enough to have a rotation, you might be a collector.

[Gilberto Castaneda]

From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collection:

 

Full Definition of COLLECTION

1

: the act or process of collecting

2

a : something collected; especially : an accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison, or exhibition or as a hobby

b : group, aggregate

c : a set of apparel designed for sale usually in a particular season

Since this does not add any light, I will use my cousin Jorge's definition of collection:

More that one of anything is a collection.

My 2 cents.

Cheers from Tampico, Mexico

[georgeb]

That would be my son's answer as it is the answer to the universe. but do you have 42?

Actually more than 42. I am an over achiever.

[martinbir]

No particular number.

 

I would say you are a collector when you acquire for the joy of possession rather than the joy of use.

[Polanova]

No particular number.

 

I would say you are a collector when you acquire for the joy of possession rather than the joy of use.

 

Pretty good definition!

 

Add: An accumulation of pens is by definition a collection. That fact does`t make you a collector, necessarily (like, if you use them all)

[_Stormin_]

I think that there are a lot of reasons someone would be defined as a collector, and I think that none of them have anything to do with quantity (that's a hoarder).

 

To me it has always been that if you have things for a purpose beyond just their function, then you're definitely a collector.

 

I own probably a dozen Pilot G2s. I keep them to hand to people that need a pen and I use them to sign things that have pressure dependent carbons. I am not a G2 collector. I own two Pelikan pens. I enjoy their beauty, their history, writing with them, and I may acquire more over time. I am definitely a Pelikan collector.

[OcalaFlGuy]

An antiques dealer once told me: "If you have three of something, you're a collector."

 

<Milo Hamilton> And that ball is gonna be OUTTAHERE! <Milo Hamilton/>

 

As you might surmise, I have my own unofficial C-Worder Qualifications.

 

The 3be deal is one of them. Everyone needs a Spare of a great pen. One more though and you're just a C-Worder. (Same pen, same color or finish.)

 

A pen too rare or fragile to be used. The Parker T1 probably A Best example.

 

One or more glass lidded display cases.

 

And you have to have all three.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Edited February 26, 2015 by OcalaFlGuy

[SockAddict]

Wow, by Bruce's definition, I'm nowhere near a collector!

 

When you define your pens by how you use them, you're a user. When you prowl ebay looking for "a color I don't have," you're a collector.

 

I'm somewhere on the line between the first and the second.

[OcalaFlGuy]

SA, if it helps you any, I Have referred to myself as an Accumuluser.

 

(Accumulating User)

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Nanor]

I don't see myself as a collector; I never set out to collect pens, yet they seem to have accumulated?

[OcalaFlGuy]

Heroin addicts never Set Out to become Heroin addicts...

 

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[torstar]

One if your goal is to continue buying.

 

dragging a third large case to carry them around in might make you a collector

[OcalaFlGuy]

I might should have added the 48 or larger pen zip up cases as a C-Worder requirement...

 

When I see someone walk in with one of those, my first thought is always, Whoa. THEY'RE not kidding...

 

 

Which of course, is exactly why My largest zip case is only a 24 penner...

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl