Vintage pens: To Ink or Not to Ink

[Vintage Pens Fan]

Hello,

 

I am relatively new to collecting vintage pens, & I am torn on whether to ink a vintage pen which was NOS/ mint condition.

 

I usually ended up collecting 2 of each model (1 inked for daily use, & the same model that are in NOS condition), but it is getting expensive :blink: , & frankly is it really necessary to keep a NOS pen, just for collection's sake? (By the way, I love the inked pens just as much.)

 

This is actually a nice dilemma for me, as I enjoy collective old vintage pens. But I feels guilty to ink a 50-60 yrs old NOS, as these pens are no longer manufactured, & by inking it the numbers will be reduced by 1.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Dave

[Roger W.]

I think your answer is in your question. You are concerned with how expensive it is to buy the NOS pens. You could ink them but you will be taking a hit on the value. Especially if these pens have ink view windows and the like as they will stain a little even if carefully cleaned and a safe ink like skrip used. I really think if you don't mind pens inked stop buying the NOS pieces and save yourself some dough.

 

Roger W.

[Richard]

There are a relatively small segment of the collecting hobby who insist that MIB vintage pens should not even be cleaned or polished, but should be left exactly as they are, as historical artifacts. It's interesting that these people seem interested only in preserving old and relatively uncommon pens, however; ask them whether you should ink a Parker Vector that you find MIB, and they'll say it doesn't matter because it's not a rare old pen of historical significance. But if you follow the logic of these people to its end, you should never ink ANY pen, ever, because although a US-made Sheaffer Legacy Heritage may be brandy-new today, 100 years from now it'll be old, it'll be of historical significance because Sheaffer is going to close Fort Madison down in a couple of months, and it could be rare, too. (How many MIB modern Sheaffer Crests are around, even now, only 14 years after their introduction?)

 

There are two articles on my site that discuss this issue:

 

The Big Ripoff, by Don Fluckinger

 

Mint Vintage Pens: Preserve 'Em or Ink 'Em Up? by David Isaacson

 

Both writers make cogent points. Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself how you want to enjoy your pens. Don't let anyone else tell you that you must treat them in any particular way. But I think Roger W.'s suggestion has real merit in your particular case.

[TheNobleSavage]

Whatever pens I buy, I ink and use, that is my attitude about the whole subject. A pen is a writing instrument and writing instruments are used for writing, so thats what I do with them, i write with them. I do the same as I do with my new pens, I clean them and take good care of them. If I dont plan on using them, then I completely clean them inside and out and then store them until I want to use them next. There are 2 mindsets on this subject and neither one of them is wrong. It all depends on you!! Richard has a few good articles on this and it really is worth looking at.

 

TNS

[JimStrutton]

I think the answer here is that you can't have your cake and eat it

 

I like to eat my cake, therefore all my pens get inked, no ifs, no ands, no buts !

 

They were made to be used and enjoyed, so use 'em.

 

The real joy of NOS, (for me) is that you get to use it first in anger so to speak.

 

My .02 worth, climbing off soapbox before I fall and hurt myself!

 

Jim

[Brian Anderson]

See can of worms.

 

Open can of worms.

 

Dave-

 

Every person is entitled to do what they choose to their pens. But, in my experience, it's going to cost you more money to ink and use NOS pens than similar pens that are already inked. If you advertise in the market place, you might be surprised to find collectors are interested in trading you for your NOS pen for one that is in good condition but already inked. I've done it myself on a number of occasions, someone has had a mint stickered esterbrook, but they don't want to use it, so I trade them the exact same pen from my collection for the mint one. Sometimes it's an even trade, sometimes I have to put some cash or another pen in the trade, but it always works out good for both parties. I get a mint stickered pen, the other person gets a great restored user they don't have to have this dilemma with.

 

By all means, if the pen does have a sticker or paper band, whatever you do, don't rip that off. Even if you decide to ink the pen, you still might get a better price on resale if the sticker is there.

 

Just my $.02

Brian

[peter_UK]

I could not decide whether to ink/use or keep special until I found this article on Jim Gaston's web site.

 

www.jimgaston.com/starting_out2.htm

 

Now I use my special pens on special days - but call every day a special day.

 

Peter

[Vintage Pens Fan]

Thanks for your comments. I didn't mean inked pens are less valuable than un-inked ones in monetary term, & I am not ruling out inking unused pens. Heck, I inked my only modern pens (Pel. 800, CS Dandy, & Pilot/Namiki VP Radan- all bought as new ) the day they arrived. & They all cost more than any of my vintage pens.

 

I guess I see old vintage things in separate lights: an old inked vintage pen has a history /memory (as someone used it during his/her life) ; an unused pen is probably owned by a collecter or someone who just storage it in a drawer for years.

 

But above all I am a fan of older pens, they remind me of my younger years (I tend to remember only the good memories ). & I stack my Double J Esterbrooks, 51s, & Touchdowns against any modern pens.

 

 

Best,

Dave

[Johnny Appleseed]

Well, I would lean toward the side of preserving it, for many of the same reasons that Brian argues. A truly NOS vintage pen will generally fetch a higher price than one that has been used, because there is a collector pool out there that will pay more for the NOS or perfect condition pen. There are people who want to preserve the history of the pens themselves, and as the pool gets smaller I would say let them do so.

 

Inked vs un-inked is often more of an issue for the modern LE collector than the vintage collector. The more extreme preservationist of vintage collectors get more worked up over stickers and reblackening than they do about inking rare pens. Some would even agree that all vintage pens should be written with, even if only once, provided that they be maintained in as close to their original condition as possible. And then - was it Moore Safety pens that were shipped from the factory with a full load of ink? An uninked model would be pretty hard to find.

 

Personally I have only one (possibly) uninked, stickered pen, and it is up for sale - everything I keep gets used.

 

an old inked vintage pen has a history /memory (as someone used it during his/her life) ; an unused pen is probably owned by a collecter or someone who just storage it in a drawer for years.

 

True, but the history of the pen does not start with the consumer who buys it and uses. The perfectly preserved pen, as it came from the factory, still holds the un-altered marks of the people who made it - the chemists and workers who mixed sulfer with rubber to make the ebonite (for example), who carved and molded the overlay, who hand-fit the nib and feed into the section, who tempered the nib to just the right bit of flex, who polished the tipping to the right degree of smoothness.

 

Or perhaps we see the mark of the cut-throat businessman impinging on each others patents and cutting each other out of the market; the filler method that was used for only one year before a lawsuit forced it's end; the evidence of the Eversharp design in the Parker pen, etc.

 

It's as valid a history as that of the human beings who wrote with the pen, and to an extent that is what motivates the preservationists (besides a little OCD ).

 

John

Edited January 27, 2006 by Johnny Appleseed

[Garageboy]

I usually get a second one just to use, I mean comeon, something that lasted 70 years unmolested should stay so

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

It all depends on YOU, and YOU, and YOU, and ONLY YOU. YOU decide.

 

Just a little thing...I do ink all of my pens, because, I feel guilty not inking anything up. While I might not take my 61 around (or my Waterman 3V for that matter)...anyway, I do ink up everything. I save the sticker if I can on a piece of wax paper and tuck it in the manual.

 

Dillon

[DrPJM1]

People can do with their property as they please.

 

I would not purchase a pen I did not intend to use. Others would and that's fine by me.

 

In your scenario, I would buy the same pen used and leave the same "virgin" pen MIB for the "serious collectors" out there.

[Vintage Pens Fan]

 

That is the mixed feelings I have for vintage pens...

 

By using an already inked pen I am just "adding" to the continuous history to this pen. & of course its doesn't mean inked pens are less vaulable than the un-inked ones. (I think most will agree that value is a subjective thing, & many other factors will come into place; e.g. the conditions of the pens, who were the previous owners/history, rarity, etc)

 

If I ink an NOS pen that is out of production, I feel that I am "changing or altering" the direction of history this particular pen.

 

Simply put, by inking an NOS I would've changed the condition of the pen. Just as if I collect vintage costume/clothing; once worn (& wash) they will not be in the same classification any more.

 

One of my good friend collects automobiles, & I know he would not consider his 1968 Camaro SS with 45 miles on the odometer for a same model with 75,000 miles but completely re-built & in top condition as the same thing.

 

But I agrre with both sides that it is strictly a personal thing. Live & let live!!

 

Dave

[Mastering]

My opinion on this topic is simply this....

 

Whether a person decides not to ink any pen for whatever reason is their personal choice. I am a person who chooses to live and experience and got into fountain pens for the experience of "writing with the pens" because I enjoy the sensation of writing. I don't care much for Roller Balls and care for Ballpoints even less. I use foutnain pens as entertainment as others may choose purchasing a "Big Screen Television" as their type of entertainment. There isn't much on TV in my opinion that is worth watching so I dont spend my time doing that.

I choose a fountain pen because of the way it feels in my hand and the way it responds to paper. Once I have narrowed down the few I like the best and can afford then I decide which one pleases me the most cosmetically.

Thats why I don't collect Baseball cards! LOL

 

Mastering

[konstantinos_d]

I have had the same dillemma with my NOS Parker 61. I have decided to ink it, although I am a collector at heart, I am not doing this for the monetary return or the bragging rights (well maybe a little of the latter), sentimental value is more important to me and the only way I see one can get connected to a pen is by using it, day by day, enjoying its strong points and loving the unique defects (in human terms this is called accepting ;-) ). It is all part of the experience. I do not see using what I buy as "molesting" it in any way, care and use will make the user and object fuse and one should leave signs to the other. The irony is that I have considered buying two new pens, using one and keeping the other for it to become a nice NOS in a few decades .

 

BTW the Parker 61 XF is wonderfully smooth, magnificent experience using it

Edited February 17, 2006 by konstantinos_d

[krz]

I've got a 50 year old NOS fountain pen on the way. I suppose if I had a large number of grand pens maybe I wouldn't ink it. But since I have just a few, the new NOS pen is going to get inked. And if it performs well it will probably stay inked.

 

I think perhaps lessoning it's value, but also granting it purpose. It too will earn it's keep.