Is A Phileas Pen Really Worth Today's Price?

[79spitfire]

I have the Kultur, and it's an excellent writer. As I understand the only real difference between it and the Phileas is some brass parts and gold plating. I completely understand TwelveDrawings' concern with the price. While my Kultur is a great writer, I would not pay $200 for the writing experience.

 

I would try a nib swap.

[TwelveDrawings]

I have the Kultur, and it's an excellent writer. As I understand the only real difference between it and the Phileas is some brass parts and gold plating. I completely understand TwelveDrawings' concern with the price. While my Kultur is a great writer, I would not pay $200 for the writing experience.

 

I would try a nib swap.

You have put it better than I could, Spitfire. Kulturs sold at wonderfully affordable prices and I doubt anyone would complain about what they got for their money. Like the Phileas, they have the benefit of Waterman engineering, even though both pens are basic in construction compared with high-end pens costing hundreds or thousands.

 

My concern is that as Phileas pens have become scarce, sellers have tried to cash in by putting the word Phileas in with Kultur. That's wrong of them, not of the buyers who might fall for the deception. But buying a Kultur for an uninflated price sounds like a super deal to me. Until fairly recently, Kulturs were selling on Amazon for about $14. Now that price has doubled. But to Amazon's credit, they never mention the Phileas name in their listing.

 

— TwelveDrawings

[JonSzanto]

I would invite those who claim that brand new* Phileas pens are bountiful for under $99 kindly share a link to such a source.

 

I'm sorry - could you point out where anyone actually made that claim?

[TwelveDrawings]

Sorry, Jon. Not enough time to go through the posts at your request. The fans of Phileas who frequent these threads know the voracity of my claim....or the lack thereof. -- TwelveDrawings

Edited March 23, 2014 by TwelveDrawings

[pajaro]

You have put it better than I could, Spitfire. Kulturs sold at wonderfully affordable prices and I doubt anyone would complain about what they got for their money. Like the Phileas, they have the benefit of Waterman engineering, even though both pens are basic in construction compared with high-end pens costing hundreds or thousands.

 

My concern is that as Phileas pens have become scarce, sellers have tried to cash in by putting the word Phileas in with Kultur. That's wrong of them, not of the buyers who might fall for the deception. But buying a Kultur for an uninflated price sounds like a super deal to me. Until fairly recently, Kulturs were selling on Amazon for about $14. Now that price has doubled. But to Amazon's credit, they never mention the Phileas name in their listing.

 

— TwelveDrawings

 

I agree with this. $199 for a Phileas while a Charlestom might go for $135 or a Carene for a similar figure does the buyer no favor.

[79spitfire]

 

I'm sorry - could you point out where anyone actually made that claim?

Here you go....

 

And the lowest 'Buy it now' on Ebay, is $24.95 Which has risen a bit, but that does include shipping.

 

IIRC, I paid 12.50 for mine, plus a few $$ for shipping, total was less than $20.

 

While I believe in free markets, I again state, I completely understand TwelveDrawings frustrations, The Phileas was a sub $40 pen. $199 is not what I would pay for one.

 

$199 would get you full retail on several other pens such as the Lamy 2000, Pilot VP, and Pelikan M200 series, in higher trims..

Edited March 23, 2014 by 79spitfire

[JonSzanto]

Sorry, Jon. Not enough time to go through the posts at your request. The fans of Phileas who frequent these threads know the voracity of my claim....or the lack thereof. -- TwelveDrawings

 

I don't know which to believe less: that someone would claim that there is a big supply somewhere of original Phileas pens for cheap, or that people would believe it. That was my only point in asking just *where* someone would make that claim, because I would go make fun of them. Just for fun.

 

Here you go....

 

And the lowest 'Buy it now' on Ebay, is $24.95 Which has risen a bit, but that does include shipping.

 

IIRC, I paid 12.50 for mine, plus a few $$ for shipping, total was less than $20.

 

While I believe in free markets, I again state, I completely understand TwelveDrawings frustrations, The Phileas was a sub $40 pen. $199 is not what I would pay for one.

 

$199 would get you full retail on several other pens such as the Lamy 2000, Pilot VP, and Pelikan M200 series, in higher trims..

 

You know, it is pretty mind-numbing to point at a pen offered for $199 as if it is regularly being sold for that amount. People can list for whatever amount they want. I buy pens for what I think they are worth to me, not for what someone thinks they should sell at.

 

And the link provided is for the Kuture - NOT the same pen (as has been repeatedly spoken to). Maybe the only viable alternative, but frankly, there are other pens in the low echelons of pricing that I would recommend to people these days.

 

Scare commodities generate higher prices. With each succeeding year post-production, the Phileas will command higher prices, until it bumps up against a price point above which it won't (routinely) rise. What can anyone do about it? Nothing.

 

Enjoy the hunt. Get good at alternative eBay searches. Haunt in the weird hours for new listings. There are still pens to be found, but... knowing the lay of land, it also makes sense to see if there are other pens that one enjoys, too.

[Left FPN]

.....$199 would get you full retail on several other pens such as the Lamy 2000, Pilot VP, and Pelikan M200 series, in higher trims.

 

or even 2 Edson sections, a Sapphire and Ruby.

 

 

If the $199 is from who I think (in NY) then almost all their pens are highly (over) priced.

[pajaro]

Well, I am bidding on one now at sub $30 for the moment, but I have two already, and don't know why I bid on this one. I am not a speculator. If buyers buy them all out there now, more will surface. I have this recurring nightmarre of my heirs tossing all my pens that aren't ballpoints. Why buy any more? Ah, that's less money for them to plunder.

[Left FPN]

Well, I am bidding on one now at sub $30 for the moment, but I have two already, and don't know why I bid on this one. I am not a speculator. If buyers buy them all out there now, more will surface. I have this recurring nightmarre of my heirs tossing all my pens that aren't ballpoints. Why buy any more? Ah, that's less money for them to plunder.

I have catered for that possible problem. All my pens carry a completed ID label...one of these. Some disorder or what

 

[pajaro]

Thanks, that's a great idea.

 

As to the value of the Phileas, auctions like the one I am now bidding in will set a new, more realistic value for the pens. After a good sample of recent auctions are observed, a better picture of current pricing will emerge. Ripoff $199 prices are like ticket scalping. A body of actual auction sales will set the price you should expect to pay, and it might go up for a while and then settle at a lower level when the dust settles. I should have realized this, because this kind of thing happens with other collectibles.

 

When Franco died and Juan Carlos became king in Spain, the value of Spanish stamps shot up dramatically, putting many moderately priced stamps in the $5 to $50 range suddenly out of reach for most collectors. After a few years the prices dropped to more rational levels based on the number of stamps printed, number expected to remain mint and the collector demand for the stamps, which dropped off after a few years when people got used to the new political situation in Spain. I have collected Spain since the nineteen sixties, but I should have known to sell them during the rise in prices, because I could have bought them all back for less later and pocketed the difference. Same perhaps with Phileas. If the actual price paid goes up steeply, consider selling a few. I only have ones I want to use, though.

[JonSzanto]

An exercise for the reader:

 

Search eBay for "Phileas fountain pen" and show only "Sold" items (completed listings). View results for the past year or so. That tells you a lot more than what people *list* pens for.

[Left FPN]

Hurry, only 8 left.

 

Or you could have 3 of these but I don't like the Lux box.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Force

[RMN]

99 USD for a Kultur. With misrepresentation.... as Phileas.

Some one in the US should complain to Amazon.

 

 

D.ick

[pajaro]

Much ado about nothing. Just don't buy them.

 

Cross pens write well too, even the ones made in China.

[TwelveDrawings]

Here you go....

 

And the lowest 'Buy it now' on Ebay, is $24.95 Which has risen a bit, but that does include shipping.

 

IIRC, I paid 12.50 for mine, plus a few $$ for shipping, total was less than $20.

 

While I believe in free markets, I again state, I completely understand TwelveDrawings frustrations, The Phileas was a sub $40 pen. $199 is not what I would pay for one.

 

$199 would get you full retail on several other pens such as the Lamy 2000, Pilot VP, and Pelikan M200 series, in higher trims..

I'm not sure ANYone is paying $199 for a Phileas, but there are plenty being offered for sale at that prince. Good luck to them. At least they are peddling the genuine Phileas rather than a Kultur.

[TwelveDrawings]

Hurry, only 8 left.

 

Or you could have 3 of these but I don't like the Lux box.

Thank you, Force. I just bought all 8 of the Phileas. Can't believe I got so lucky!!! Hey waydaminnit....I got so excited, I didn't see the word Kultur.

 

So, does anyone want to buy some brand new transparent blue...ahem...Phileas pens?

[79spitfire]

I'm sorry I misread Joe's post, I thought he was asking for a Kutlur represented as a Philias.

[TwelveDrawings]

An exercise for the reader:

 

Search eBay for "Phileas fountain pen" and show only "Sold" items (completed listings). View results for the past year or so. That tells you a lot more than what people *list* pens for.

Agreed. My eBay savvy son broke me of the habit of placing the "value" of my Phileas pens at $199. He politely asked me to check actual past sales. Definitely deflated the presumed market value for me.

[Left FPN]

When in mint condition maybe but when like this....who knows. Tonight will tell.

 

I am still waiting on the Phili of this Kultur and when it does appear I will have to go full stretch because it is the only model missing from my collection. Even this pen is creeping up in price.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Force