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Contemplating fountain pen collection sell off

Don't panic, there is no need for an intervention :biggrin1: I am not switching to crayons, just considering a shift. In the past couple of years, I have fallen madly for Pels. A recent Toledo acqusition has really cemented that. They make up roughly half of my pens, and so the other half now look strange to me, a jumbled mess of pens. I feel an urge to narrow things down, to have a more narrow focus.

I won't make all that much selling some off, but it could get me to a 100N, or a matching ballpoint and pencil for a current pen (I need those from time to time!), or even get me half way to a MB Boheme or 146, which have been on my wish list for a long time.

Is this an irrational urge? Will I get bored with my 2 or three brands and miss the variety later? I know you don't know the answer to that, but I am looking for some considered opinions.
 
I had several brands, styles, etc. I found one pen I really like. I got rid of a lot of pens both selling and giving away. I have a small collection now. Very small. Maybe 4 or 5 pens. I do want a Pilot VP, but a Bexley is the pen that stays inked up. It's the pen I carry and use all the time.
 
^ I think I need to get to that point. I keep waffling between keeping half a dozen pens or buying the 18 on my "want list."

-Andy
 
I hear ya. I'm not using a bunch of my pens and I'd love to fund other adventures.
The MB LeGrand series fits in my hand so well but I don't use them as much as I should be (no they are not for sale!)
I think I'm with you. Might as well shed the others and go with what you really use.

I will say that that Edison B&B LE '12 is an amazing pen. I should have got mine in an italic nib though.
 
You will regret it Vlad. We all go through a period where we use one pen style more then another. 2 months ago I was on a Conway Stewart jag. It was all I would use. Imagine if I had sold off "gasp" my "51"'s or Vac's or my reds.

It too shall pass.
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
You're going through a stage in the natural progression of a collector. The focus after the initial buying spree and hoarding comes to many of us, myself included, but I would suggest trying to hold on to most of them a little longer unless you really are strapped for money. Like Brian said you may regret it as your focus can again change. I'm glad I didn't sell off all my Sheaffers or Duofolds when I started to get interested in vintage Pelikans because I still go back and use the heck out of 'em. And not to mention they've greatly appreciated in value! One year I concentrated on vintage pens with interesting flexible nibs, bought a slew of Eversharp Skylines, then sold duplicates or rigid nib pens which I don't really regret.

Get rid of the ones you really don't like or will never use and keep the others, that's my advice.
 
If you don't need the cash for another purchase at the moment, box the pens and store them out of reach for a while. Make yourself a diary note to check up on them in 6 months and if they are not screaming at you then, it might be time to sell. It is very frustrating to buy, sell and then re-buy the same item....
 
In all honesty, I'd agree that unless you definitely want rid of a pen, it's best to keep it until you're certain you no longer want it. You sound like you're not entirely sure yet.

-Andy
 
Do it .. the hyenas are waiting..... Also I bought 10 pens and realized I hate most of them since they are to scratchy for my taste. If I can have one buttery smooth pen over 10 scratchy ones... I would be happy...
 
Do it .. the hyenas are waiting..... Also I bought 10 pens and realized I hate most of them since they are to scratchy for my taste. If I can have one buttery smooth pen over 10 scratchy ones... I would be happy...

You can have it all! Just start with a cheap one. Alternatively, save some time and pick up a Waterman Laureat on ebay for around $40. You'll have to be patient. The Medium nibs are buttery smooth. My Kaweco Sport with Medium nib was also really smooth and a great writer straight out of the box.

-Andy
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
You will regret it Vlad. We all go through a period where we use one pen style more then another. 2 months ago I was on a Conway Stewart jag. It was all I would use. Imagine if I had sold off "gasp" my "51"'s or Vac's or my reds.

It too shall pass.

Well, Brian, if you ever DO change your mind on that point ...




Dibs!!

Freakin' dibs, man!!!
 
I have been involved in several hobbies with an element of collecting in them. Since very few people can collect the whole set of everything, it's more manageable to tailor your acquisitions to collect the whole set of a defined subset of everything. That doesn't mean that you have to immediately purge your collection of the misfits. Unless there is a pressing need to dispose of a few pens I would hang onto them for now. Sequester the ones that don't fit your current plan and consider them B/S/T material for the future.
 
Update

Thanks for the input, everybody. My cutting block list is shorter than what it would have been. I probably won't get to sell everything on my list, but here's my rationale for the purge.

Parker 51 has been replaced by the Italian version: vintage Aurora 88 Nikargenta!

Parker Duofold Jr.: I feel bad for letting my little buddy go, but I'm keeping my preferred black Duofold Jr. Streamlined. It's in much better shape, and if I get another Jr, it will also be streamlined.

Onoto (x2). Feeling pretty crummy about not having any lever fillers if these sell, but my big Onoto is too big, and my small is too small. I got them when I went through my grunge metal/hate-my-parents/Onoto phase. They should go to a British pen collector.

MB 144: Frankly, the only reason this one is going is because it's a big ticket item. I'm keeping a vintage MB for now, but I sold/traded two others in the past couple of years, and may get totally out of the MB rat race. The only affordable ones are a few almost-vintage models, but vintage and modern models are beyond my means.

Franklin-Christoph: Spectacular design, but it just feels like an odd fit around my others. Like the Onoto, it's too long for me. I don't see any more FC in my future, unless they make something other than converter fillers, which I have heard they are working on.

Vacumatic Major: I'm keeping my other Vac, a senior in golden/brown pearl. I like double-jeweled, with either a wide coin stack or triple band. If I pick up any other Vacs, that's my criteria.

Kaweco: I don't have use for the very fine nib. If it doesn't sell, it will still fit with my German pen theme :thumbup:.

Artus: Still fits with my German pen theme! But I can't fix it myself, and I don't want to pay to get it fixed.
 
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