Why do you "collect" pens ?

[antoniosz]

Post other reasons if you have a suggestion

[Elaine]

Choose 1?

 

I'd say for me it's a combination of #1,2, and 5

[Bryan]

Though I voted for #2, I'd say #1 would also apply.

 

Bryan

[Glenn-SC]

I voted for 2.

Then would come 1 then 3.

[wimg]

Hi Antonios,

 

For me it is 1, 2 and 3, but mostly 2.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Ray]

I use a fountain pen for reason 2, but I collect them for reason 1.

 

Ray

[Bill D]

I voted for #2, Writing pleasure, but I think that #3, Connection with the past, also applies. Particularly the several pens I have that were my great uncle's.

 

Bill

[georgem]

I voted #1, but it's really 1 & 2.

[randyholhut]

While all of Antonio's reasons have merit (obsessiveness and intellectual challenge come to mind), for me the top three are:

 

1. Writing pleasure -- Sure, you can write with Bic Stic, but nothing beats a fountain pen when it comes to ink gliding on to a page.

 

2. Aesthetic pleasure -- Even though my tastes are more conservative than some on the board, the Duofold, the Balance and the 51 and its progeny are all works of art. Even an Esty has more duende than a Bic. Some may consider pens "pocket jewelry" and that carrying FPs seems almost foppish in a era where pens are seen as disposable items one never thinks about.

 

Then you hold one and write with one, and you're gone. You'll never use a disposable again if you can help it.

 

3. Connection with the past -- From my 1920s Little Red to my 1930s ebonized Balance to my 1940s Esties to my 1950s 51 and Snorkel to my 1960s 45s and 61s to my 1970s Targa to my 1980s Sheaffer School pens to my 1990s Core to my 2000s Legacy 2, the thought of having 80 years of evolution in pen design and engineering at my fingertips is very cool. History in your shirt pocket!

 

Plus, unlike a lot of collectables, they don't take up a lot of space and they get used regularly.

Edited December 10, 2005 by randyholhut

[Richard]

I voted for 7 (Other). My reasons for acquiring pens definitely include 1, 2, 3, and 4, but there's what I might call a "meta-reason" that drives much of my acquisition. Since I began repairing pens for other people, I've found that a huge part of the pleasure I derive from them arises out of the pleasure my work gives to others. So if I want to be able to repair Pens X, Y, and Z, I need to have seen and handled them. The same reasoning applies to documenting them on my site. What better way to do these things than by acquiring the pens?

 

One example of this sort of thing is my flex nibs. The only way I could learn to add flex to nibs in a way that simulates the behavior of vintage flex nibs was to have, and study, and write with, vintage flex nibs. So I gradually acquired an assortment of vintage pens with flex nibs. These are some of 'em:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/crescent30.jpg

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/non_leak_posted.jpg

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/BCHR-52.jpg

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/beaumel.jpg

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/rival.jpg

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/RMHR_12.jpg

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/skyline_vis.jpg

[JeffTL]

1, 2, 3, and 4 -- I vote 2 since I primarily focus on pens with which I can write, though they are not the whole enchilada. Vintage pens are a bargain; just think for a second ... which is less expensive, a restored Sheaffer PFM from a specialist dealer or a new Montblanc 149?

[Oso]

To me the most important reason for collecting pens is writing pleasure. In fact I did not start out to be a collector and I consider myself more of an avid user. All my pens have been inked. My small collection just happened to me. My first criteria for considering the purchase of a pen is, “How will it write?” It just so happens that a finely made pen, like most things finely made, is a beautiful thing. Like Bill, the connection to the past is also important. I have some pens that belonged to my grandparents. My reasons are 2, 1 and 3 in that order.

[southpaw]

Voted for #2, but #1 is a very close second. I'll get a pen based on #1, but it must have a reputation as a good writer. If I get it and it's not a good writer, it won't stay. So to stay, it's got to be #1 & #2.

[Leslie J.]

Okay, 2 and *6*. I look at my "collection" and wonder how it grew so big so fast. It's under 40 pens, but still, you can only feasibly write with 2 at the same time. That is, one in each hand.

[grasshopper]

No 2 is my most important reason so that's what I voted for, followed equally by No 1.

 

My other reason for collecting pens - it's just darn .

[Betty]

Started collecting pens that were really cute or had very pretty colors!!! It was cheap, very practical and usable on a daily basis, it didn't take a lot of room (now it does ;) ), and something about pens that gives me a high when handling them I guess? I've always loved pens even as a kid, though the problem is more severe now because I have my own income to buy more pens!

 

I'm always in search of that perfect pen. At this point, I still like to buy practical pens to use and collect. I would not buy a pen merely just for collection purposes in its box untouched. So my tastes for pens are more the workhorse kind of pens rather than the $200 pens.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

By the way, anyone into gardening? I have to go a buy a flowerpot and a few flowers...Then I will "plant" my cartridge pens into it.

 

Dillon

[Brian Anderson]

Because my other collecting pursuits occupied toomuch space?

 

Really, My vote is #6, coupled with a desire to collect something. I'm not really OCD, but my collecting does lean toward it, then again you've all seen my pen chest, so...

 

A few years back my wife found some old journals I wrote in as a kid. just about every page detailed in great length the exact number of touchdowns I scored on the football field and the high score for Asteroids on the Atari 2600 for that day(some insane number I can't remember off the top of my head, but it took over 12 hours). Probably explains why my pen collection looks like it does.

 

Also, I've long enjoyed antiques and just about anything old. My key point was always in having something I could use. Fountain pens, mechanical watches, bicycles, and cars all fit that bill nicely.

 

Now that I've let everyone know what a complete freak I am, I'll go back into my hole.

 

Best-

Brian

[TMann]

...Also, I've long enjoyed antiques and just about anything old.  My key point was always in having something I could use.  Fountain pens, mechanical watches, bicycles, and cars all fit that bill nicely...

Brian,

 

I'm with you on that fascination with old mechanical devices. Another one that I'd add to that list is old cameras. I grew up in the days when 35 mm SLR's were the standard serious camera, so I never really had an opportunity to use an older rangefinder camera. It was only later as the internet became that more available, that I ran across websites devoted to the original Leica, Nikon and Canon rangefinders. Those old workhorses were amazingly well-designed and incredibly compact. Unfortunately, the money that it would take to purchase just ONE of them would allow you to amass a very large collection of fountain pens.

 

So in that sense, I'm actually saving my family money every time I purchase a vintage FP...

 

...(I'll have to see if my wife accepts that explanation.)

 

TMann

Edited December 11, 2005 by TMann

[TheNobleSavage]

I never thought I am OC but ever since I bought my first fountain pen I have to buy more. The voices in my head keep on telling my to buy more and more. if I dont, My Voices in my head Punish me by playing the whole catalog of Yoko Ono songs in my head over and over again!!!!! Believe it or not the US military use her music to perform Psychological torture when interrogating enemies!!! Yoko Ono is truly horrible and I do not like being punished!!! So my voices told me to buy a Stipula Etruria ocean blue today on the GreenBoard, so thats what I did. I was thinking about not doing it but I heard a faint screetch in the background. It sounded like 1000 cats with thier tails tied to a windmill. It was really disturbing so I typed in my Paypal username and password and sent the money. Thank goodness, I had peace and quiet in my head and the voices were silenced for hopefully a very long time!!!

 

TNS