Using A 'vintage' Pen

[shipscat]

My son (age 11 - young collector!) has bought himself an Adam pen, which is unused, and was wondering if it would hold any value it may have if he uses it, or if it is better to keep it in its current condition.

 

He would also like to know the best way to clear a blocked pen.

 

Thanks!

[jar]

Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell.

 

If it is the wrapped celluloid lever filler from Adam Pen Company, Inc from the 50s; they made clones of the Esterbrook pens. Using it should not effect the value. Even if unused it almost certainly needs a new sac since the rubber one in it is over a half century old. I'm shooting from the hip now but I think I remember they even took Esterbrook nibs.

[ParkerDuofold]

Hello Shipscat,

 

Strictly from the antique and collectables realm, the pen will always be worth more if it's left NOS. Once it's "driven off the lot," it immediately loses some value.

 

However, there are a lot of fanatics here who'll say ALL pens MUST be used or there's no point having them and the pen will self-destruct during the Ides of March from feelings of uselessness if left unused.

 

The best way to unblock a pen... depends on what material it is made of and what type of ink is causing the block. However, under normal circumstances, soaking it overnight... or up to a week for stubborn blocks... in plain water; occaisionally making it WARM, (NOT HOT), will usually suffice.

 

If you like, add a little Dawn dish soap or for aggressive clogs, 10-15% household ammonia - ALWAYS USE THE CLEAR KIND.

 

Hope this helps.

 

- Anthony

[ParkerDuofold]

...If it is the wrapped celluloid lever filler from Adam Pen Company, Inc from the 50s; they made clones of the Esterbrook pens. Using it should not effect the value. Even if unused it almost certainly needs a new sac since the rubber one in it is over a half century old. I'm shooting from the hip now but I think I remember they even took Esterbrook nibs.

Hello again, Shipscat,

 

Personally... and speaking for most collectors and collectables... NOS is always worth more and always more desired in the secondary market; however, I'll defer to Jar on this because he has way more pen knowledge than I do.

 

 

- Anthony

[Kelly G]

Hello Shipscat,

 

Strictly from the antique and collectables realm, the pen will always be worth more if it's left NOS. Once it's "driven off the lot," it immediately loses some value.

 

However, there are a lot of fanatics here who'll say ALL pens MUST be used or there's no point having them and the pen will self-destruct during the Ides of March from feelings of uselessness if left unused.

 

The best way to unblock a pen... depends on what material it is made of and what type of ink is causing the block. However, under normal circumstances, soaking it overnight... or up to a week for stubborn blocks... in plain water; occaisionally making it WARM, (NOT HOT), will usually suffice.

 

If you like, add a little Dawn dish soap or for aggressive clogs, 10-15% household ammonia - ALWAYS USE THE CLEAR KIND.

 

Hope this helps.

 

- Anthony

And just to be clear: you don't soak the entire pen - only immerse the nib & feed into the water. If the pen is wrapped celluloid as Jar suggests, soaking any part of the celluloid body is not a good idea. If the blockage remains, you should try a a pen cleaner such as Rapido-eze made by Koh-I-Noor, usually available at hobby shops or art supply stores.

 

As for using the pen or not: There is a New In Box Adam pen on e-bay right now for ~11 dollars (opening bid); a few have sold for between 12 and 32 dollars - all of them look like Parker "51" clones. So, even if using the pen degrades the value, your son will not be losing much in real terms. My vote - if I have one - is, use it!

 

Good luck!

[pajaro]

It is always nice for a collector to have a few never inked pens. Once you ink it that is gone. Owner's decision. I have had and still have never inked pens. They are a very small part of my holdings, but I like having them uninked. Against that there is the thrill of inking a new pen. Flip a coin. I would not be concerned with extremist views.

[D.C. in PA]

I am admittedly not familiar with this pen brand, so this reply is generic and a shot in the dark.

 

You note that the pen is 'blocked.' As Jar noted, it is likely that the sac has ossified (turned to hard, probably broken material)

and is a major contributor to the problems with the pen. If so, the sac must be replaced. If you are not familiar with this process

please find a competent repair person (check other portions of this board for possibilities) and have that done. If you do, the repairer

will clear any blockages as a part of the process. If the sac is not the issue and dried ink in the feed (the part of the pen that moves

ink to the nib) is the issue, it will need a soak. I use 1 part non-sudsing ammonia to ten parts water, with two drops of Dawn dish

detergent to soak. Jar's comments on the heritage of the pen leads me to believe that there are no hard rubber (vulcanite) parts to the pen

- if there are don't do an extended soak - there will be unintended consequences. And heed Kelly's caution as well.

 

Good luck to your son and thanks for supporting his collecting!

Edited April 20, 2017 by D.C. in PA

[Bo Bo Olson]

Send it off, get it repaired....then never use supersaturated inks in it. Today's rubber is not as good as it once was....should be good for 10 years....once it was good for 30-40 years.

 

I had never heard of Adam pens until right now......having become a fountain pen user in the late '50's, cheaper ones.

[sidthecat]

Why, one might ask, should one buy a pen and not use it?

[TheRealMikeDr]

If it were a solid gold Augustus2001 Fountain Pen used by Henry the 8th to sign the treaty of 1500 which saved the English commonwealth from extinction - I would recommend he lock it up and never touch it. Otherwise I say he should use it and have fun with it!

[NinthSphere]

Why, one might ask, should one buy a pen and not use it?

 

To sell it for a better deal. Otherwise, I agree there's no reason not to use a pen. That's what they were made for.

[Moonshae]

Why, one might ask, should one buy a pen and not use it?

For the same reason collectors buy toys and leave them in the packaging, why comic book collectors bag their books immediately, unread (although they may buy another to read); the value is higher when reselling later.

[pajaro]

Why, one might ask, should one buy a pen and not use it?

 

I do like to have a few pens in never used condition. Currently a couple of Esterbrooks, a couple of Parker Insignia, a P51 and a Sheaffer Holly (Christmis 1996) fountain and ballpoint pen set. I just like to look at these unused pens, and I get pleasure from it. That's one reason to not write with a pen. Another reason might be that it might not be a good pen or you just don't like it.

[Uncial]

Can you post a picture of it?

[OMASsimo]

If you want to earn or at least don't loose money with it, keep it unused and pristine. If you want to enjoy it for what it's worth and meant for, use it yourself. Just my two cents.

[inkstainedruth]

Some of us are not collectors and aren't particularly interested in the. (intrinsic) value. You can tell which camp people fall into by their answers.

Me? If I wasn't going to use something I wouldn't have bought it in the first place. Okay, I'm currently wavering on a NOS Sheaffer Snorkel which still has the nib sticker on it. But it was too good a price to pass up (and it's not one of the higher-end white dot models, and it's not in one of the "crazy hard to find" colors). And did I mention that the price was too good to pass up? (marked at $26 US, sold to me at $14).

The only pens that don't get used are the ones that need to be fixed. Then, they'll get used. Then, at some point, when I finally have nailed down what I like and don't like, I can pass them along to the next lucky contestant.

And remember -- holding onto stuff waiting for the price to go up only works so well. Remember Beanie Babies? I bought one that was still in the original packaging (it was a special deal one that you could get at McDonalds, IIRC). Found it at a flea market -- I think I paid a buck....

I say, it's your kid's pen. If he wants to stick it in a desk drawer for a couple of decades, waiting for it to appreciate in value, that's his business (who am I to judge?). But if he wants to get it restored so he can use it? I'm good with that....

[ParkerDuofold]

Some of us are not collectors and aren't particularly interested in the. (intrinsic) value. You can tell which camp people fall into by their answers...

 

Hi Ruth,

 

That's not necessarily true; e.g., I use all of my pens, but that's not what the OP was asking... he was asking how to best keep the value of the "collectible" pen they recently acquired... and that's the answer I gave them... based on MOHO.

 

- Anthony

[pajaro]

I think sane people are OK with whatever an owner does with a pen.