Your Collecting "modus Operandi"

[Josey]

Do you collect strategically?

 

I'm a new fountain pen fan, and thus far my collection is tiny, consisting of a Pilot Metropolitan "F" nib, Pilot Plumix, Pilot Prera "F" and "M" nibs, and a TWSBI diamond 580 with "B" and "F" nibs (and an extra Metropolitan "M" nib, as I dropped the pen and the feed broke). I also have a Pilot Custom Heritage 91 SMF on the way (VERY excited!!).

 

I'm very happy with my pens thus far. While I'm drooling over several other pens, though, I don't want to purchase pens with nibs that lay down lines identical to those of the pens I already own. Thus, my goal is to identify the "gaps" in my collection and fill them with great pens. At the moment, I'm aiming for nibs that are: a bit finer than the Pilot "F," cursive italic version of Pilot "M," and a stub nib a hair broader than the Pilot "M." Maybe, also, something flexier than the Custom Heritage, depending on how that works for me.

 

In addition, I aim to own one "grail pen" (a Nakaya!!), and I'd rather have one grail pen and a number of cheap but very good pens than a bunch of higher-priced pens but none that make my lil collector's heart "sing."

 

Does anyone else plan their collecting like this?

[BrandonA]

I have enough regular edition pens to fulfill my needs.

 

I collect only one range of Montblanc limited edition pens - the Writers Series. I have the complete set so it means that I only buy one pen a year now. I've got about 11.5 months to wait for the next one

[MBFan]

I only buy nib sizes that I would use, so I'm cool with having several medium width nibs. Otherwise, I collect what I like. However, my main collection is of vintage Lamy, and Lamy safari base colours (with and without the black clip). Soon I'm going to branch out into the LE colours. Within those, I'm trying to get all the nib sizes I can.

[orfew]

I only collect Montblanc pens. I have both modern and vintage examples so my focus is definitely not as specific as some collections.

[Runnin_Ute]

I have primarily "western" nibbed pens-except for my Metropolitan (m).

 

But to fill gaps you could look at vintage as well.

 

Pelkan and Parker make up most of my collection at present.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Runnin_Ute

[mAsTeRmInD-L]

I mainly collect vintage and semi-vintage Pelikan fountain pens with different sized nibs. The Pelikan piston is the best filling machanism for my taste, and by that I mean both of the plastic and brass piston. For those modern Pelikan models, it's very easy to acquire them, so I'm not in a hurry to get them.

 

I do purchase some modern Japanese pens, Parker pens and Lamy pens for fun. Usually, I end up selling them for vintage Pelikan. Different people have different preferences, I think I'm a pen user instead of a pen collector.

 

 

 

- L

Edited August 14, 2014 by mAsTeRmInD-L

[doggonecarl]

Not sure I'd call my acquiring "collecting" but my MO to date has been, See pen I like...buy pen.

[CraigR]

Good topic. I started collecting fountain pens many years ago mainly because I have used them daily for over 50 years. I love the nuances that different nibs and pens offer and I also love the looks of fountain pens. For a number of years, I just collected whatever caught my fancy, modern and vintage. The one requirement has always been that I must be able to ink the pen up and write with it. My pens are not museum pieces. The collection has grown to several hundred a few times and then I sell or trade until a more reasonable number is reached. My goal now that my wife and I live in our RV full time, is to have a core collection of 20-40 pens, each with a unique interest for me. For instance, I love my Gold Bond vintage with lots of flex, the Parker 51 from my birth year that belonged to my grandfather and especially my Sheaffer Admiral Snorkel with a custom broad open nib. I'll keep buying and selling as my mood dictates but I derive the most joy from writing with my eclectic collection of pens.

 

Craig

[canibanoglu]

I have a wish list that I keep updating each time I see a new pen that strikes my fancy or each time I buy a pen from the list. I don't collect a certain brand/collection, I just buy whatever strikes my fancy.

[sffstorm]

I really don't mind getting pens with similar profiles. I buy pens I like, with nibs I like. If the body is different, or maybe the filling mechanism, I'm fine with that. Even if the difference is subtle, I enjoy that to me it is still different. My buying strategy is essentially: "Oh that is nice. I don't have that... I want it." It has worked out so far.I do have a wishlist as a widget on my Win7 laptop, but I tend to use my Linux laptop more often and since I'm not even looking at the list I buy more on impulse.

[ac12]

Yes and no.

I have a few themes that I collect to; Parker flighters, Parker 180s, Esterbrook Js.

I also just collect random pens that catch my interest. So that part of the collection is eclectic.

 

I do not have a "grail pen" in mind, for my collection or use.

Primarily because I refuse to pay a several hundred dollars for ONE pen.

[WaskiSquirrel]

For me, the question was what the collection is for. I may not live in an RV like CraigR, but I do live in quite a small house. I don't need clutter.

 

I like to be able to use the pens. If I can't or won't use them, I don't want them. I frequently "edit" my collection. I also want some variety. I prefer fine nibs or Noodler's flex nibs, but I like to have a bold, a stub, etc. There is also some fun in variety of colors, finishes, and filling mechanisms. My goal is to keep the number of pens below 20.

[Uncle Red]

I collect Waterman Hard Rubber pens. I'm looking for pens that have the nib sizes I don't already have but that's coming down to rare sizes now. I'm also looking for filling systems I don't already have but that is also coming down to rare types.

I also pick up modern pens that are comfortable to use.

[Captivelight]

I like the pens that I used to use as a kid, so for me it's Parker 45's 75's 50's 180's and 25's ...

I have most of the easier to find cheaper ones now so it's starting to get a bit harder to find good/mint condition examples to add to the collection as mine do tend to be horded away as unused museum pieces ...

I also have a small selection that I use ... just a few 45's, a 75 and a 25 which are all pretty much knocked about and abused so not part of my collection. At the moment I am toying with the idea of getting a 51 as a "to use" pen as I have never used one!

Edited August 14, 2014 by Captivelight

[Blue_Moon]

I started by putting anything I wanted on my wish list. I acquired a lot of pens, some cheapies, and some fairly expensive (to me) - $50.00 to $100.00 US. Through the process, I learned what I liked and what I didn't. I began selling the pens that I really wasn't interested in, and putting the money toward those pens I really wanted, thus my collection began to change. Now, I have about seven pens left on my wish list (down from 17-18). Now, the pens I prefer the most are mostly between $100.00 and $250.00 (with the exception of Italix pens, which are absolutely incredible, and under 100.00, shipping included). So, my collection has gone from a free-for-all to a more refined collection of pens. And, although I have other pens, I tend to mainly focus on three brands - Franklin-Christoph, Italix (by MrPen), and Pilot.

[Icywolfe]

The overriding factor for any pen plans for buying I have is. (Money can't be pushed aside though.)

1. If it's a Pilot, I'm going to try to get it.

2. If it's a Japanese pen. I'm going to try to get it.

 

So If I saw a Sailor and Pilot. I'm going for the Pilot.

 

Not surprisingly my Grail pen is a Namiki Makie/Chinkin pen.

 

But I try to get pens that are nice looking. Both simple like my Justus95 (simple black and gold) and over shiny like my Jinhao 5000. Nib wise I try to get everything. My Pilots got the thinner nibs, while My Jinhaos have Jowo Nibs of M, B, and coming up 1.1 Stub. Maybe one that I'll move to Lamy and become a Lamy fanboy. But from what I've seen nowadays with the complains I'm not sure of getting a Lamy pen.

[pajaro]

I have tried a lot of pens, but I think I am going to reduce it to Parker 51, Parker Sonnet, Montblanc 144 and Waterman Kultur Lara Croft Tomb Raider.

[zaddick]

I don't plan my collecting strictly, but I do focus on Visconti and Montblanc. I find their designs appeal to me the most, but I do not rule out other pens that have visual and textural appeal to me. I have pens from Wahl Eversharp, Graf von Faber Castell, Dupont, Delta and a few others I can't seem to recall now. I am more interested in what I find interesting than who made it.

[tonybelding]

I collect pens that I like -- and I do like pens! It's sorta like how Jay Leno collects cars.

 

I have an eclectic collection, and I like it that way. I like exploring the many far-flung variations of the fountain pen world.

[jar]

Oh, shiny,