Do You Keep The Packaging?

[Cast]

I just partially cleared out my desk to make room for more stuff. I removed many cardboard and plastic boxes that pens came in. Right now they are in a paper bag. Do you keep them? If so why?

[CMaurer]

For more expensive pens, I definitely would, especially if it's a nicer box, like faux leather. I don't think I'd save a cardboard box or something cheaper just for the sake of saving space, unless it's something you plan to sell later. It's really up to you!

[Cast]

I definitely don’t have expensive pens: Metropolitans, Safaris and Twisbis. The plastic boxes for the Metropolitans are kinda nice, but I can’t think of an alternative use for them. The slim plastic Twisbi Go box might be good to carry a pen around in.

[Tseg]

My closets are full of camera, watch and pen boxes. I emerged from my camera and watch obsessions, keeping only a few key performers, so was glad I had the boxes to aide in selling off the non-keepers. But I imagine selling off <$50 pens is a diminishing return enterprise, so maybe those boxes could go. Luckily I only bought a handful of those.

Edited March 14, 2019 by Tseg

[sirgilbert357]

I keep the boxes, hang tag, manuals, etc for almost all my pens. The Wing Sungs are the only exceptions currently. I learned from my time in the watch hobby that everything you think is a "keeper" isn't actually always a keeper...and you wont take as hefty of a loss when you sell it if you have all the original boxes and papers.

[inkstainedruth]

I definitely don’t have expensive pens: Metropolitans, Safaris and Twisbis. The plastic boxes for the Metropolitans are kinda nice, but I can’t think of an alternative use for them. The slim plastic Twisbi Go box might be good to carry a pen around in.

 

I'd actually be more likely to keep the TWSBI box -- mine has the little wrench and bottle of silicone grease in it.

Most of my pens are vintage. So the boxes are long gone, mostly. And for the few that the box was still around? They're not in good condition. Although the box which came with a beat up looking Parker 45 I picked up for cheap a couple of weeks ago turned out to have a (somewhat mangled) gold nib and nib assembly in the bottom of the box!

I do keep some of the nicer boxes (Pelikan, Pilot, and of course the TWSBI 580-AL box). And I'm keeping a cardboard Esterbrook box for the amusement factor (the pen in the box when I bought it was a 1930s or 40s era Parker Parkette). But stuff like the Noodler's pen boxes? Naaah.... Kept one for the artwork, that was it.

Boxes for ink bottles? That's another story. There, I do keep them when available, because that helps protect the ink from light -- especially some of the vintage ones, which ware generally in clear bottles.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Driften]

In the past I didn't keep boxes but I have for the last year or two. I have sold a number of pens over time and it's easier to do when you have the original box. But like Tseg says if the pen is less then $50 you're not going to get much for it anyways. In that case if you are going to give the pen to a friend it's also nice to give them the box as well.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I do now...............but in @ 1972, I didn't keep the box my P-75 set came in....in fact I just opened the box took out both pens and tossed it.

40 some odd years later....I find out had I opened the bottom of the box I'd found out my P-75 would take cartridges...............I had known how a P-75 filled from a bottle................so it was a pleasant surprise that it not only a squeeze filling pen, but a C/C pen....now that them 'new fangled' converters came down the road.

 

If one sells a pen one gets more money for the original box....if one moves one can put the pens in a better to transport box than a pen cup.

[PAKMAN]

I have two big boxes full of boxes in my storage. I keep the boxes on all my nicer pens, I do sell pens occasionally. The cheaper pens with cardboard boxes I toss the boxes.

[kulnet]

Absolutely. There's a good chance that I will eventually grow tired of a particular pen and sell it to a loving home. I have one exception with that being a Sheaffer Balance that belonged to my grandfather. That one is priceless and will be passed down to my son one day.

[Cordovian]

I keep all of mine. If I happen to want to sell one, buyers seem to be willing to pay a lot more for a pen with the original box than one without.

[dfbach]

I used to toss my boxes immediately after unpacking the pen in an attempt to hold back the clutter. Now I keep them. I wish I could throw them away. It annoys me that something so useless is taking up so much space. I’m sure, however, that I will want to reduce my stash of pens at some point. Like the others have said, it’s just better to have the box if you want to sell or give away a pen.

[BaronWulfraed]

I have two cartons and a few grocery bags worth of boxes in a storage facility...

[CS388]

Concerning keeping boxes for pen resale: it's not just financial, it's useful for packaging if you're selling a pen online and need to send it somewhere.

[melro]

i do keep boxes of almost everything , but i use them elsewhere. these boxes are great to organize you house

[City74]

I keep all boxes

[ParkerDuofold]

I keep all boxes

Hi City74, et al,

 

Me, too.

 

From the $20 F.C. Grips,... all the way up to the top... I got 'em all. I keep mine sorted on bookshelves.

 

Be well all.

 

 

- Anthony

[surprise123]

I keep all my boxes. Whether it's to store the nicer pens, or just to have it, boxes are always nice to have. They increase the resell value of a pen and protect them well.

[Freddy]

I keep all boxes/ papers. When you want to unload 100-150 modern c.1960's - 2000..'tis much easier {wholesale of course...don't wanna deal with

John Q Public............'cause 'tis a real pita}.........................................

Fred

[Bo Bo Olson]

I even have lucked into some pens with cheap '50's boxes....and that is worth $5-10 more at least when selling or buying an old pen.

Top of the line boxes were not always done............the Big Boys were also saving money back in the day.