Hello all,

After a good few years in the freebie ballpoint wilderness, I have returned to FPs with a vengeance. Now, I've been hankering after a VP/Capless, and love the colour orange (look at my username), so have been tempted by the 2007 LE. On Friday after enduring a week of night shifts, my resolve dwindled and I remembered the one shop where I had seen one in the flesh. A very long traffic jam later and I had the privilege of paying through the nose for the pen - £199, or nearly $400. It's obviously been on show for a long time, and dipped many times as well, but I was OK with that as it's an LE and I know it would be fairly difficult to track down another in the UK, and there was the element of instant gratification as well. A very small splodge of ink on the side of the box did also help me get a free bottle of Namiki black.

However, I've got it home and am not sure if everything was included. The converter was fitted in the pen (with evidence of being flushed - which I understand), and there was the metal thingy which goes over the cartridge when used. But nothing else - no cartridge, no papers. I'm particularly concerned that there may have been some sort of certificate for the LE which would cause a problem if I wanted to sell, as well as no instructions or warranty card.

Anyone know if I should be worried, or would a quick call to Pilot solve all problems?

Thanks for any help in advance,

David.

The orange presentation box should have contained:

- A product registration card
- A "Care and Use Guide" (with the Product Guarantee on the back of it)
- A Pilot ink cartridge in a sealed plastic package
- A cartridge cap

The pen should have contained a converter (which it apparently did from your description). It would have been "nice" if the original tag that was on the pen clip was in the box as well.

This list is based on what is in the box that mine came in, as received from Fountain Pen Hospital. My box did not contain any sort of certificate attesting to the "LE" status of the pen. I would think the serial number engraved on the pen would take care of that.

I think there are only 3 things which will impact on the value of a 2nd hand Orange LE.

1. The pen - the top and bottom halves of the pen with the xxxx/2008 number on it.
2. The box - it should have come with a nice orange leather(ish) box with a magnet clip things.
3. The nib - it should be a Rhodium plated 18k gold nib (but these are easily replaceable) so not so critical.

I don't think anything else will really mater as they easy to replace (cartridge cap, converter, papers etc).

I have been tempted to sell my Orange VP, but could never bring myself to do it. I used it maybe 6 times last summer. I purchased an extra nib unit in f as well. It just didnt become a daily writer for me. I didnt know that they were fetching prices as high as the OP paid for it. Hmmmm.

Thanks to everyone for the replies - I've just phoned the shop and they have promised to send me the documents ASAP.

Re the price: I initially thought I had paid a huge price, but on looking on the net, I've seen one very reputable dealer show the price as £199 and sold out. So I definitely didn't pay more than MSRP. Of course, this is rip-off Britain, so don't expect to make that much anywhere else on the planet!

David.

I think supply of the orange LE is starting to dry up a little. About a month ago, Regina Martini had 5(!!!) available for sale but now they all seem to be gone. Prices varied from $150 (lucky buyer!!!) to $250+. Now it's a question of finding one - then you have to pay the price asked.

Now the ice blue is still available and for cheaper than the orange seems to go for.

Prices in the UK are much higher. You can get a VP here for $85 + shipping. They are about double in the UK.

Another example - I have been looking for a Mandarin LE VP and have seen them sold in the last month from $285 to $450.

Basically, the price is what a buyer is willing to pay for them.

Me, I have 2 Orange LEs and for $400 I'd sell one

Hi,

As a general rule us saps in the UK pay the same amount in £s as you do in $s so roughly twice as much the retail price for the ordinary VPs is about £100 although I have seen them for £120.

One of the reasons I get a bit irritated when sellers won't ship outside the UK (although taxes etc generally bring the prices back towards UK levels) or when US collectors complain about the high price of some pens when we are thinking I wish I could buy them for that!!!.

Hope you enjoy your pen, luckily orange is not my favourite colour so no competition from me on this.

Andy

Edited for typos (but I refuse to change the way that colour and favourite are spelt, because it is the correct way to spell them).

I feel your pain. I'm a Brit living in the US so I'm making hay while the sun shines. When I leave, I'm going to leave with a brick load of stuff that's far too expensive at home.



You won't get any argument from me on that! Education, one word at a time

I just won an auction for the Ice Blue LE VP with a Broad Nib at Martiniauctions.com

Excellent! That's where I got my Ice Blue from also.

Thanks Siv. I will post pics of my LE's.

Im looking forward to the 2008 LE

David

If you think it's expensive in the UK at least there are shops in the UK where you can get the pens - we have no stockists in Ireland and given my 'addiction' .... well I have have to purchase online or on my infrequent visits to the UK.

Best wishes

HK

p.s. I also agree with Andy's spelling

I'm surprised folks are buying Pilot pens from Martini Auctions, as their prices seem rather high compared to what Japanese sellers are offering. For example, the VP Raden at $329, the Decimo at $175, the Fermo at $225, the standard style VP with Rhodium trim for $150...

Regina had the ice blue NOS for $175 or so which I think a decent price for a LE - probably similar to what it sold for when it was released (in 2008 dollars). She also had the Orange LE NOS for around $200.

I agree that the prices for regular VPs are a bit silly though! But then for a UK buyer where a regular VP is $200, it's probably not that unreasonable.