Who Else Throws Out Their Pen Boxes?

[bleair]

How often are people going back to their pen boxes, bringing them out and "using" them or at least handling and opening closing them?

 

I totally get the point of the value having a box can have for resale, or for collecting (maybe you've accumulating many of the montblanc writer editions that came in boxes that looked like books), or for the history and marketing styles of prior decades. The majority of pen boxes do not seem well suited to actually storing the pen in a manner that would make it easy to keep it safe, and accessible, and usable if you placed it on your desk.

 

In one example I have a bexley pen box that was made out of a synthetic material that is breaking down and leaving a horrible staining "goo" on the notepad I had set it on. In another example there was an omas case liner that caused damage to the pen.

[praxim]

How often are people going back to their pen boxes, bringing them out and "using" them or at least handling and opening closing them?

 

Never. They are retained solely for resale, so storage of them may put a limit on the number of new pens I can purchase . No help for the older ones though.

[otw]

In one example I have a bexley pen box that was made out of a synthetic material that is breaking down and leaving a horrible staining "goo" on the notepad I had set it on. In another example there was an omas case liner that caused damage to the pen.

 

What I find amusing is that such poor design often results in making the item more valuable. I can see it now... "Bexley pen box, MINT CONDITION!! RARE - HASN'T TURNED TO GOO"

 

Since I fancy cheap pens, I toss the boxes -- unless someone out there wants to buy the box to my next Pilot Metro.

[Bisquitlips]

If I am looking at a pen to buy and it is $50.00 or more then the box becomes incrementally more import to me. The more expensive the pen is the more I need the box. I have made the decision to wait on many pens that I really wanted due to a missing box.

 

I have at times seen where the boxes to expensive and vintage pens have sold at a big premium as the owner knows what they mean to the collector.

 

Last year I saw a book box to a MB Hemingway sell for $250.00 on an auction site. So yes I keep all my boxes. I have a collection of about 110 or so and I am able to keep most all of my boxes in another box about 30 x 30 inches in size and still have room. I do have several that have very oversized boxes of their own, like the Parker Rockwell that comes in an artists case and the Graf von Faber Castell Walden Woods that has a pen case extraordinaire! Pens like those I keep separate, but other than pens like that the boxes are not a big issue to store.

[inkstainedruth]

My most recent pen purchase was a NOS blister pack Parker Vector from 1993. I haven't gotten around to throwing the packaging out, mostly because the cartridge is still there (plus an additional cartridge the seller very kindly taped onto the cardboard). I suppose at some point I might use the cartridges, but the one in the blister pack is Quink Washable Blue -- and 23-plus year old Washable Blue at that -- and I think the extra one is Quink Black.... zzzzzzz

It's a Vector in a blister pack. I didn't buy it as a collector. I bought it as being a fan on Vector pens, and this one makes me think of a Mondrian painting, with the blocks of color design on the cap and barrel.

Right now it's got Akkerman #10 in it, because I had a spare twist converter I could install in the pen.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Erik Dalton]

How appropriate this thread is for me. I've just Invested in 10+ clear plastic storage boxes for all the pen boxes. I have them organized by brand and as of tonight my living room is well populated with boxes marked Waterman, Pelikan etc.

I don't keep the lower end pen boxes and some that I've bought on e'bay just never came with a box. But for the higher end pens that i might sell or trade someday, I've kept the boxes for the presentation value.

The NOS, SE or otherwise special pens, are kept in their boxes, but all others are in two 150 pen display cases.

Once i get this all organized, the empty pen boxes are going up in the attic.

[Driften]

Some of my boxes I have, and others I don't. I think I should have been better about keeping them to start with. If its a cheep pen once I know the pen works well I might toss the box, but on my new pens I think I will keep them. I keep them for my better pocket knives as well.

[hrant]

My mix of pens is probably 80% vintage (which often do not have the original box), and 20% purchased new by me, so I'm not drowning in empty pen boxes. That said, I save most newer boxes in a plastic 20 gallon tote. Part of my thinking is a nod to eventual resale, but mostly to keep everything together for a future owner. On those occasions when I find a vintage pen in its original box, it is usually one which was either little used, or well cared for, and finding one in this state enhances my appreciation and enjoyment. I have even been known to buy an empty box if it is interesting and/or attractive. One of my favorites is a box for the Eagle cartridge pens from the 1890's. I don't know how or why this box survived for over 100 years, but I am happy that it did. The Eagle pens today are not all that rare, but how many boxes survived?eagle.jpg

Good job on finding that cool box, and I agree that the appreciation and enjoyment is enhanced finding a pen with its original vintage box! The hands it's passed, the desk drawers it's been in, the history......