Buying Montblanc As An Investment

[Uncial]

It would depend on what you like, and even with a discount/low price it may never rise in price again. The Dostoevsky and the Voltaire were selling at around 600 euro a few years back and now the sale prices on ebay and other auction sites have pushed it up to the thousand mark and sometimes above*. The Shaw and Swift seem to have fallen in price, with the Shaw being the most dramatic drop. There are currently two Shaw's on the bay for under 600 euro, and they've been sitting there unbought for quite some time. Earlier this year I saw one sell for just shy of 400 euro and I'm still kicking myself I didn't bite.

 

If you're talking new pens, anything over 10% discount will require very fine negotiating skills and I'd be surprised if you can get it above the magic ten.

 

*I tend to go by auction end prices as BIN prices can be all over the place and sometimes be ridiculously high.

Edited August 8, 2018 by Uncial

[Amit.]

It would depend on what you like, and even with a discount/low price it may never rise in price again. The Dostoevsky and the Voltaire were selling at around 600 euro a few years back and now the sale prices on ebay and other auction sites have pushed it up to the thousand mark and sometimes above*. The Shaw and Swift seem to have fallen in price, with the Shaw being the most dramatic drop. There are currently two Shaw's on the bay for under 600 euro, and they've been sitting there unbought for quite some time. Earlier this year I saw one sell for just shy of 400 euro and I'm still kicking myself I didn't bite.

 

If you're talking new pens, anything over 10% discount will require very fine negotiating skills and I'd be surprised if you can get it above the magic ten.

 

*I tend to go by auction end prices as BIN prices can be all over the place and sometimes be ridiculously high.

Thanks, i have been managing to get a discount between 15-20%. I thought it was a decent figure.

[Amit.]

I also buy to use . Not with the intention to sell later for a profit.

[zaddick]

If you are in the US and buy from Europe with a 20% off coupon, you can get a pretty big discount new, especially if the exchange rate is strong for USD. In the past when the dollar was very strong it could work to about a 40% discount.

 

To me, if you want to buy and hold for a future sale, you need to get a new pen for at least 40% to 50% off MSRP. And that does not count for standard production pens like the 146 or 149 because there are so many excellent used ones.

[Amit.]

If you are in the US and buy from Europe with a 20% off coupon, you can get a pretty big discount new, especially if the exchange rate is strong for USD. In the past when the dollar was very strong it could work to about a 40% discount.

 

To me, if you want to buy and hold for a future sale, you need to get a new pen for at least 40% to 50% off MSRP. And that does not count for standard production pens like the 146 or 149 because there are so many excellent used ones.

40-50 % off would be a handsome discount. Not easy to get i guess.

[dubhe]

35% off new is the best I’ve had on two separate occasions when buying new special editions from seperate authorised dealers. One was a well negotiated deal, the other a flash sale.

[diceman3]

Anyone who started collecting high end pens in the 90’s know that, with very few exceptions, fountain pens have not been any way close to a good investment.

However, in time (a very long time), as technology moves forward, the old high end fountain pens, like pay phones, may be have a specialty panache niche.

But don’t bet on it!

[nishantdr83]

There are plenty of good deals if you wait patiently by the sidelines. I find deals to satisfy my desire for good deals and not to resell later. Occasionally, I might sell to pick a similar pen with different nib. Pens should be used and not put away on display or in storage.

Edited August 10, 2018 by nishant

[Axis]

I am going to go out on a limb and say different.

 

 

Stocks somewhat behave depending on company performance and more so depending on analyst expectations. They are very erratic during earnings season and are prone to macro triggers.

 

Pens, haute horologie or collectible items in general, on the other hand, have withstood economy correlation.

 

So to answer your question, some pens are definitely a sound investment. It is just that not the likes of the majority of the members here can tell you which i.e. choose- you would have to be really 'in the know' which pens sold better, which were more rare, etc.

 

Take a Heritage 1914 Coral 333 edition for example. Largest pen Montblanc produced since 1914, limited to 333 pieces etc. It'll always be very special piece.

 

The ebonite 1906 LE is another one that comes to mind. The material used also not been done in quite many years.

 

A 139, a cellulite 149.. I dunno.

 

I do not see Atelier Prive as good investment because their niche products. Nor a general series in its entirety. So you'll have to study the pens individually.

 

I'll say different as well. With the editions above 100 produced you'll have to look out for the specialty of the pen (as Pravda wrote: size, material etc) which can make the pen unique in production.

 

Editions produced below 100 will follow a similar path as watches from Rolex or Patek. As long as the manufacturer keeps raising the prices (thus also demonstrating that he is successful in selling the items) you just need to wait ten years to be even with your "Investment" when you used it.

 

Ten years ago the average price for a Montblanc Artisan piece (production between 30-100 pieces) was probably 16.000 Euros. Nowadays they sell this product line for well above 30.000 Euros. But the customer base has changed since then - many new collectors and only few long-standing collectors. So having a sealed pen from 2008 on offer it will be no problem to sell it with a decent margin (not 30.000 but rather 22-25.000) as long as it appeals to one of the new collectors.

 

Only problem is that you have to locate these collectors but it is possible. In general, expensive pens are not as tradeable as watches. To conclude: yes, they can be an investment if you have sufficient time and if the manufacturer keeps raising the price of the product line.

[Memorexx]

Well...I just pulled the trigger on getting a second Beatle 1969 Fountain Pen...I got a good price on it...could sell it for profit already...but I am keeping it for a couple of years...lets see. I figured that Beatles should be and always was popular.

[InkofLife]

I've tended to be disappointed when I buy a pen and justify the price thinking it is an "investment." The thing is, I love to USE my pens ... so they lose value. I'm much happier when I'm honest with myself that I am buying it for my own pleasure - but it IS nice to know that there's some value in them that holds, as opposed to say, a pair of designer heels that get trashed during a night out...

[BrandonA]

I buy the WE pens at the point of release. The most recent one I've used is the Collodi. My Hemingway is also mint. All other pens have been used extensively.

 

I'm happy to purchase and own and use a handful of my collection.

 

I know that should I need some extra money in the future then I could sell some pens. I might not get 100% of the original buying price but there is some money to be recouped.

 

One fact I keep thinking about is that if I sold my collection I would be able to clear my Mortgage.

[torstar]

Hi guys,

 

just out of curiosity, does anyone here buy limited editions with intention to sell them in the future?

So you basically never ever write with them, but you store them somewhere safe?

 

I mean if you have a look at the interest rates on bank accounts and compare them to rare limited Montblanc editions...it gets me wondering if I should try this

 

For instance a Beatle 1969 limited edition fountain pen, I could imagine that the value of this particular fountain pen will rise in the future...

 

What do you think?

 

 

i never had the $$$ to do that

 

a good friend back in my acquiring days bought writer's LE each year and sold me a few for a good price to increase his liquidity for more purchases

 

some skyrocketed in price, the Hemingway and Proust, but those were no-brainers, and some were duds from Day One, but still amazing pens for daily use (we know what they are....)

 

so good luck...

 

Also, the MB market is supersaturated with very knowing purchasers and few sellers, so it's very difficult to strike a legit great bargain....

Edited August 14, 2018 by torstar

[torstar]

Any suggestions as to what may be a good discount ?

 

A great pen to purchase for writing would be the Schiller, it never took off in value, the 3 times I saw it in a boutique for "used sale" it was a reasonable price considering it was going for about $900 US at the time of sale. That may not answer your question....

[Ghost Plane]

I buy the WE pens at the point of release. The most recent one I've used is the Collodi. My Hemingway is also mint. All other pens have been used extensively.

 

I'm happy to purchase and own and use a handful of my collection.

 

I know that should I need some extra money in the future then I could sell some pens. I might not get 100% of the original buying price but there is some money to be recouped.

 

One fact I keep thinking about is that if I sold my collection I would be able to clear my Mortgage.

I sold most of my users to get a down payment on a house. But it took quite some time (over a year) with a well connected and knowledgeable consignment seller to appreciate anything like decent value.

[meiers]

That depends on the pen and the market-place. The circumstances of almost every pen-transaction are defined by the dynamics of supply and demand in the market place.

 

Shop around, take your time and get to know the market place.

[Hanoi]

I started buying LEs at a reputable dealer in Singapore. After some years, I buy mainly from the internet. I have no intention of selling my MB LEs because they will be like Faberge eggs in 100 years, stored safely in some Asian country´s national museum to represent Western decadence.

[Says]

Just want to jump in slightly.. what do you guys think of MB Heritage 1912?

Do you think that would be something that would rise or fall in value?

[Uncial]

Just to put this into perspective with my post from August 2018; the Voltaire is dropping again and the Shaw is on the rise (quite considerably in some instances)*

Ebay prices for the 1912 seem to be still at its original sale price or less, sometimes a lot less. Haven't seen one for sale that has sold at more than its original sale price. I have wondered if the 1912 is a significantly overlooked pen though. I think it's a stunner and an incredibly pleasing writer.

 

*the Bay closing sale prices, which may or may not be indicative of where it's at.

[Says]

Well I think a key reason the prices are stable is that it is still available in most MB boutiques and some retailers...

I love my 1912. I just wonder whether I should get another to keep uninked, and unscratched lol...