What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[Mercian]

10 minutes ago, Buford said:

A Parker 51 (the new version). I have yet to own a vintage 51, although it is on my list. I know that the new version sometimes gets unfavorably compared to the old one. Meh! I had $86.41 burning a hole in my pocket.

 

It's a different beast anyway - the "51" was designed for all writing uses, including quick note-taking (pull-off cap), and nearly all of them have built-in internal ink reservoirs.

 

The 51 is a c/c pen, and it has a screw cap. It's probably great for extended writing sessions, but less 'practical' for rapid-un-capping in order to jot down notes in a business meeting.

[inkstainedruth]

I've paid less than that for most of my vintage 51s -- not counting repairs and/or nib work on some of them (particularly the earlier 51 Vacs, where the diaphragm may need to be replaced).  Even the Plum Demi I got on eBay was under $75 (also known as "Best Poker Face EVER!" -- I would get nervous over the course of the week and up my maximum bid -- but never even hit the intermediate amount... ).  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Buford]

2 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

I've paid less than that for most of my vintage 51s

 

Bragger! 😆

 

I don't feel like I paid too much. I think I read a blog where a guy said they were selling for €100.00. I don't remember how old the post was, but nowadays that's slightly over a hundred bucks US. So, $87 seems like a reasonable deal.

 

I will get a vintage 51. Some day. My current focus is really on Italian pens.

[inkstainedruth]

No, just really super lucky sometimes.  

The weekend before this one was NOT one of those times.  There were a LOT of pens at an estate sale the next county south from me, including a LOT of really nice ones.  But the prices?  While probably fair, were not great.  And most of them (other than the desk pens and the ink bottles) were on a table in the hallway outside the door to the apartment (which was fairly small) and the people running the sale were only letting a few people in at a time -- even into the the apartment building itself!  I didn't even quite make the first cut (I think I was #13 or #14 in the line).    So when I finally got in, I saw most of the loose pens and some still in boxes and there were four 51s in a ziplock bag, but the lighting (even with using the flashlight app on my phone) I couldn't tell if the one was Plum of Burgundy.  At $50 US?  Would have been a great price if it had been Plum -- less than I paid for that Plum Demi on eBay.  But the 51 Vac in the bag turned out to be PROBABLY Burgundy.  

And well, I didn't need another one if it was Burgundy; and the weekend before I got Parker 45 with the old style press-bar converter installed, and two spare converters, and a 51 Vac (still have not been able to determine if the color on it is Cordovan Brown or Burgundy).  And I paid $5 TOTAL.  And told the people running that sale that I did NOT want the little silver colored BP that was with them (mostly because I didn't know if I could find a replacement for the insides for something that small (it was about 4" long and maybe 1/4" thick at its widest point).  They didn't understand why I didn't want it (wasn't sure if it was retractable or was desk pen or was just missing the cap).  But I figure that if they sell that BP (one of the people said it was made by Cross) for 50¢ to someone, they still come out ahead of the game....

At the one where they had all the really nice pens (including a green Sheaffer Snorkel which seemed to maybe still in the original packaging in the original box, but I think I already have one that color, and I paid about the same for mine, including the repairs on it), I did end up getting three bottles of ink for five bucks apiece -- two Noodler's inks and an as yet unidentified blue Diamine ink which was missing the color label on the bottle.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: And then yesterday?  All three estate sales I went to were a complete bust....

[ruby.monkey]

I just came across the Majohn V60 while looking on AliExpress for something completely unconnected - completely missed its release but I've been curious about the OMAS 360 for a while and now have a cheap way to find out if the triangular shape would suit my hand. Guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks, with a yellow-and-gold V60 EF now on its way.

[Gloucesterman]

Shiny black Kaweco pocket pen w/ "M" nib, gold clip and 5 pack of black cartridges at the local fund raising (for the food pantry) store. Original box with Kaweco card" inside $1.00. Yes, one dollar plus tax.

[senzen]

Could not pass on a Parker 85 for €49: a short production, slightly larger, more squared off 75 with a round section and what looks like the same nib. And yet it is a pleasure to use with Blue Velvet, seems to dry more slowly than the 75.

 

 

[Doug C]

Aurora Duocart at an estate sale for $30.

[The_Beginner]

Just got a golden vanishing point for 95$ but im regretting it a lil

[ruby.monkey]

Just came across a Pelikan P25 for a pretty good price. Now my P1 has a cartridge-filler sibling on the way.

[Tashi_Tsering]

Large safety pen made of mottled ebonite. Nib is warranted 14k, manufacturer is unknown to me. On the barrel there is an imprint of “R.M.” in a circle and "always ready".
 

Does anyone know who the manufacturer is?

 

[Gloucesterman]

Good day at the flea market... 🙂 

Europa Safety Pen w/ 18k body (does not say "filled or plated) and 14k nib... it needs a clip

Black Chilton w/ 14 nib... needs a sac

W/E black Skyline pen & pencil set (bespoked) w/ 14k nib... needs a sac

Pilot VP - Carbon fiber weave Black w/ 14k "M" nib

Sheaffer Targa (slim) w/ 14 k nib and converter

Waterman Ideal w/ 18k nib size "?"

 

[Merrick]

A Montblanc Noblesse Oblige, gray with platinum trim. I found a listing for it on ebay from an estate sale and it was at a decent enough price below the buy it now versions and managed to swoop in and put in a final bid on it in the last few seconds. This will technically be my first Montblanc although I have put in an order for a 1950s 146 with Tom at Penboard.de, as I have yet to finalize that transaction. 

[nm4]

Stipula Ventidue V-Flex nib from Amazon.  Sadly the cap leaks air so badly that the nib seems to dry out after an hour.  Although the nib is pretty decent the piston filler seems unreasonably stiff (and turns in the wrong direction).  Hopefully I will slow down acquisitions after this slight disappointment.

 

Who am I kidding...there's another pen already on the way.  😀

 

N

[A Smug Dill]

52 minutes ago, nm4 said:

Although the nib is pretty decent the piston filler seems unreasonably stiff (and turns in the wrong direction).

 

I disassembled mine to lube the piston plug, and it helped a bit, although there's nothing to be done about the piston driver handle having to be turned in the opposite direction of what is the common arrangement, and the glossy chrome plating on the piston knob makes it difficult to grip tightly and apply force to rotate it.

[Penguincollector]

6 hours ago, Gloucesterman said:

Sheaffer Targa (slim) w/ 14 k nib and converter

🥰 

[Penguincollector]

On 10/13/2024 at 4:27 PM, Buford said:

I will get a vintage 51.

  Hit the vintage shops or garage sales on the mainland, you’ll find them. I found many vintage pens that way in Miami. 

[Penguincollector]

I bought the last available Sailor Mini PGS Rockhopper Penguin by the skin of my teeth today: 

 

 

Screenshot from Pensachi as I just ordered it.

 

[Merrick]

Went a bit ebay crazy today, grabbed a Montblanc 344 with a F somewhat flexy nib, and a Montblanc 256 with an OB nib. 

[Penguincollector]

It happens to the best of us, @Merrick.