Flea Market Finds

[amk]

A trip to Paris today had two excitements. First a trip to Vanves 'puces'. Second (which I'll be posting to the Waterman forum) a trip to Mora Stylos to look at the exhibition of Waterman pens...

 

Anyway. Vanves is a very mixed bag. Beaten up Parker 45s for 15 euros? Non name celluloids with broken caps and nibs for ten? Think I'll pass. Someone else had two really lovely Lucky Curve Duofolds (junior I think), in lapis and a lightish green (modern? reminded me more of a Waterman celluloid than most Parkers I've seen) but wanted 200 euros each.

 

But I did manage to find a select handful.

 

Three of these pens cost 20 euros including a little leatherette pouch they came in. Two Parker 45s, one of which has a delicious broad italic nib. I have been playing with it already and it is just gorgeous to write with.

 

And the other one was the Pelikan 100N. CN nib, and damage all along one side, but no cracks, piston works, nib needs a little work.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t411/amk-fpn/vanvespens2.jpg

 

Well, that was in the first ten minutes and I thought I had used up all my fountain pen luck for the day. Then just as we had got to the other end and were about to come back my eye fell on a rather sweet Parker. Turns out to be a Parker 61 in rolled gold, missing the arrow alas, and a couple of dents. 20 euros.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t411/amk-fpn/vanvespens1.jpg

The cigar case is not the one I acquired with the pens today. I take it with me in case I find anything nice. Wasn't expecting to fill it!

 

I think I did all right for 40 euros total. Even better, we found a truly excellent little sushi restaurant on Rue Jean Bleuzen and ate like kings.

[balson]

nice find!

[risingsun]

You did well! I love hearing stories about others hunting at flea markets.

[kidde]

Sounds as if you had a wonderful day even had it been without pens. Dents and dings are what makes older pens interesting. Perfect is nice to look at, but I'd rather buy a first scratch than make it.

You haven't told us what Royalty had to eat. Every detail colors the tale.

 

Paul

[amk]

My luck continues! Today visited with heavy heart an antiques fair that usually delivers b***** all in the way of pens. Saw four Waterman multi-colour biros, a couple of no-name ballpoints, a couple of silver plate pencils that had lost all their plate. About to give up when my eye fell on a box of dirty looking old pens. Two rather flashy cheap celluloid no-names. More brassed off pencils. And a Waterman 52 Red Ripple and Parker 51 Vacumatic. Twenty euros secured the latter and I got a rather interesting pencil with a sort of 'eggshell' effect celluloid for free.

 

Celebrated by taking one of my Lamy 2000s apart.

 

Well, I think that's probably it for the year - no more antiquing till the spring. Need to order a job lot of sacs in for my winter repairs season now!

[sargetalon]

Great finds! I'm very jealous. I have never even seen a decent fountain pen at any of the flea markets that I visit.

[Amberjack]

Outstanding! Hearing your tale is almost the same as being there myself.

There's nothing quite like searching through the 'old pen bucket' and finding a treasure.

 

Congratulations!

[amk]

Sargetalon, there are days I think it's hardly worth the trouble. And then there are occasionally weekends like this one. But I can't tell you the number of days I've found nothing but a 50 cents Waterman school pen... or nothing at all... or someone trying to get fifty euros for a pen you can buy in the supermarket for ten!

 

And I've found a barrel crack in the Waterman 52, so I'll have to do a bit of work on it before I can use it.

[penmanila]

good scores! i scoured the markets at clignancourt a few months ago without much success. but as ever, the hunt itself as almost as much fun as the find.