Pen Aesthetics! How Important When Buying A Pen?

[Ian the Jock]

I was just wondering how important a pens looks are when buying a pen, new or vintage.

Being new to this fp malarkey and only owning 1, pen which arrived today (baoer 3035 m) I'm not an authority on what makes a good pen, but I know what looks nice to me and suits my style or taste.

These days I would imagine that many, many pens are purchased online, and there are few places now where you can try before you buy, and you have to rely on buying by sight.

I would assume that even all pen buyers prefer certain styles of pen and when buying have "a pen in mind" or probably more importantly "a nib in mind" especially folks who are a lot "deeper" into the hobby.

However, say for example you had been after a certain pen for a long time and an opportunity came up where you could buy one, but there is a downside.....its only available in aubergine and yellow marble finish, which you are not particularly keen on....would you still buy it? Or is the pen itself more important than how it looks?

For me personally, how a pen looks is very important, probably due to my being new to the game, but if I'm going to have a collection of pens I would want them to look good (to me) and make me smile when I look at them.

Part of the reason I'm bringing this up is that, when I was raking the forums for ideas/advice/tips on what to buy as a first pen, one pen is always thrown up as a great, low cost starter pen.......lamy safari..lamy safari, try a lamy safari.

Now, I am in no way putting down the lamy safari as it is no doubt a fabulous pen, but before I had even read the forums and had a look around at pens based on price, mostly, I had already dismissed the safaris based on looks alone, as the appearance just wasn't for me and they look "plasticky" which to me, is all wrong for a fabulous instrument such as a fountain pen.

This probably just shows my naivety and lack of knowledge more than anything else, but my original question still stands.

LOOKS!, IMPORTANT OR NOT?

 

I'd love to hear your views.

 

Ian

[shuuemura]

Looks and functionality are both part of the equation when it comes to selecting a pen. Looks attract me to the pen, and then functionality determines my use of it over the long-term. I imagine this applies to many things in life too (some more obvious than others, no need for me to elaborate).

 

I tried the Lamy Safari a couple of times. It was too light and plasticky, and didn't do anything for me. But it's a fabulous pen to other people. Different pens for different people, and given the plethora of pens to choose from, it's a great time to be a pen lover.

[linearM]

For me it is a mixed bag. The quality of the nib is what usually draws me to a pen. I like EF, F, F & EF with flex and cursive italic...but not too broad. The aesthetic component has become increasingly important as my collecting has matured. At first I would purchase a user pen if it had a good nib...even if it had brassing, scratches, etc., especially if it wasn't too expensive. As I've gotten more into collecting I've become more picky and aesthetics becomes more important. I wouldn't get a boring M nib pen even it it was beautiful, not my style. I did recently purchase a pen purely for aesthetic reasons, but it did have a nib I can live with. So, most likely you will change your perspective as you mature in your hobby.

Edited November 11, 2014 by linearM

[AG_ORD]

Aloha Ian and welcome to FPN.

 

Regarding your question, "LOOKS!, IMPORTANT OR NOT?", for me, aesthetics are definitely important as I view FP writing as more than just a strictly functional exercise and more of an experience. As part of that experience, it not only has to perform flawlessly, it needs to look and FEEL right too, (whatever "right" is to the individual).

 

An interesting tangential correlation, when NASA was researching developing the ideal writing instrument for zero gravity, they spent time and effort designing, but with cost spiraling out of control, they gave up, whereas the Soviets functional solution was using pencils. Thankfully Mr. Fisher developed his own pen on his own dime to save the day, (I did mention it was a tangential correlation....form vs function *sigh*).

 

Anyway, looks and feel as well as function are all part of the equation giving one a fulfilling experience when using a FP. Best of luck on your journey.

[Sasha Royale]

However, it is mostly in the eye of the beholder.

I have a Parker 45 that has the barrel slightly curved. I suspect that someone exposed it to excess heat.

I carry it a lot. The irregularity has character. I suppose it is "loving an ugly puppy".

[CSG]

Looks is everything to me so long as the pen is a great writer too. 30 years ago I thought the best looking fountain pen was the MB Meisterstuck 146. I feel the same today and have just acquired one (used). I also love the Parker 75 sterling silver cisele. Mine is from 1972-73. And I liked the Waterman Charleston enough that I bought the fountain pen and rollerball. Now, one of my best writers is a Waterman Phileas but I bought it online based on the photos. In person, I don't like it as much. To me, the best bargain I've come across on great looking AND writing pens that cost almost nothing are the Pilot Metropolitans. I bought a gold one with a fine nib and a black one with the medium nib.

Edited November 11, 2014 by CSG

[Joe in Seattle]

The higher the cost, the more important aesthetics are. They all write.

[linearM]

But the higher cost doesn't necessarily equal an aesthetically pleasing pen. I remember looking in a catalog and seeing a pen made of white gold incrusted with diamonds for $1,500,000 or Montegrappa's Sylvester Stallone Chaos Limited Edition Fountain Pen at $5,770, neither would be appealing to me as a writing instrument or as jewelry for that matter. I guess that for me form should follow function. One would think that a higher cost pen should be a more aesthetically pleasing writing instrument, but often it seems to be just the opposite.

[JowBow]

For me, it depends on what I'll be using the pen for. If it's an EDC type pen, I'll go for something a bit more conservative. There are also small difference between some lines in brands. I prefer Sailors over Pilots partly because of the clip.

 

However, no matter how good a pen can write, I'm not gonna buy it if I don't like the look. I haven't used a pen that wrote so good that made me think, "This can be the ugliest pen and I'd still use it."

 

I really like yellow fountain pens, but I won't buy every FP that comes my way. For example, Bungbox makes a Sailor Pro Gear Realo in Yellow but the text on the side of the pen completely kills it for me.

 

As far as Safaris, the design isn't for everyone, but I like how they can take a "fabulous instrument" like the fountain pen and turn it into something really durable and practical. I keep one in my instrument case. I wouldn't immediate dismiss them, but rather think that each design has an appropriate setting.

[elderberry]

Two words: "Ohh! Shiny!"

 

I'm a little more reasonable nowadays though. I don't buy anything finer than a European F, as beautiful as it might be - it's just too frustrating to have a good looking pen I never use and as I don't know anyone doing retipping around here there isn't even a chance to modify the nib. I wanted to get a Pilot seirei nuri on black but have decided against it for this reason.

Also I like wet nibs and appreciate some ink capacity so I'd rather get a piston filler than a converter. I'm not a huge fan of eyedroppers though as they always seem to leak into the cap at the most inconvenient moment. (Murphy's law of ink, apparently)

 

I've bought some unobtrusive pens in the past for everyday use but this concept hasn't worked for me. The pens I want to use everyday are those I enjoy most, even though they might be less than subtle, and most of the others have gone to the Classifieds.

Edited November 11, 2014 by elderberry

[Riayain]

I've come to realize that if I'm not completely happy with every single aspect of whatever I own, then I won't use it. This applies to clothes, accessories, notebooks, pens, etc. So aesthetics are incredibly important to me. But so is every single other aspect of the pen - from its writing experience to the way the cap is removed from the pen! This means that it's often trickier to find fountain pens that I want to buy, since I'm often unhappy with at least one aspect of the pen. But when I do finally settle on something and I manage to get it, it's almost always a keeper for many, many years. I actually cry when I can't use them anymore! ;(

[ac12]

Yes and no.

I only recently got my first Safari, but I has a joy for months before.

I prefer the joy to the Safari.

 

Anyway, when I hold the pen, I want it to look somewhat pleasing to my eyes.

But it also HAS TO feel good in my hand.

A pen may look good, but not feel good.

Example Lamy 2000 is a nice looking pen, but in my hand, it feels FAT and heavy. REJECT.

 

I'm not keen on how the Safari looks, but it feels OK. The joy, a sibling to the Safari, looks and feels better, to me.

Edited November 11, 2014 by ac12

[Princeps Anglorum]

For me it's a balancing act. I have to like the look of a pen or I'd never use it. It needs to function well or again I'd never use it. But importantly (and probably for me the most important) it has to feel right. I have some very nice looking pens that I have bought in the past that don't feel that comfortable in my hand that now rarely get an outing.

[amk]

Sasha Royale, I know just how you feel about that banana-pen; I have a Parker Duofold Junior in red which has been so bitten and chewed I can't imagine how it got in that state - must have been used as a baby's dummy or a dog bone! - but it has real character. On some other pens I am taking the bite marks out with gentle heat - but that old Duofold is going to stay just the way it is. I *like* it that way.

 

Replying to original post: I think pens have a number of aspects.

* aesthetics - terribly important for me whether it's bare bones Lamy or extravagant Italian celluloid

* feel - the weight, balance, how well they 'sit' in my hands

* nib - incredibly important. I would probably use a sawn-off carrot happily if it had a Sailor Cross Emperor nib fitted

* history - for collectors and some geeks this gets added to the equation (so does rarity, but let's not go there)

* filling system - some of us love pistons. Others, eyedroppers.

 

Some of this is easy to see on the internet. Some of it you have to find in a 'hands on' way. Some you may already have a good idea of. Other things you might find by chance as you adventure further in the kingdom of the Pen.

 

I don't have a single ideal pen any more. But I appreciate very much several categories. One that I never realised from pictures; Parker gold filled pens. I don't generally like metal pens very much, but there's something to the lustre and smooth feel of the gold filled Parker 51 (and other GF Parkers) that just calls out to me. It *feels* so good in my hands.

[daintydimsum]

For me, apart from the nib, it has to look (and more importantly) feel good. By "feeling" I mean balance, the kinds of emotions using the pen conjures (which tends to include how it looks, as beauty is moving) and how the pen writes. The nib is important, but a a great nib on a far-too-light pen, or a far-too-back-heavy pen, ends up being purged from my collection. It's some kind of balance of factors I suppose. Even with "office pens," I like them looking at least elegant, even if they are inexpensive.

[FountainPages]

I tend not to buy pens with looks I don't like. It runs into more than just the visual candy effect...Overly long pens,skinny pens,clear pens usually don't get the nod when I am buying. That all is part of the aesthetic.

[Chrissy]

For me the reliability or brand starts me off, then the aesthetics kick in.

 

My pens have to be attractive in my eyes. I prefer gold nibs. I don't like metal grips, or big steps from grip to barrel.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Chrissy

[Tancred]

I was just wondering how important a pens looks are when buying a pen, new or vintage.

Being new to this fp malarkey and only owning 1, pen which arrived today (baoer 3035 m) I'm not an authority on what makes a good pen, but I know what looks nice to me and suits my style or taste.

These days I would imagine that many, many pens are purchased online, and there are few places now where you can try before you buy, and you have to rely on buying by sight.

I would assume that even all pen buyers prefer certain styles of pen and when buying have "a pen in mind" or probably more importantly "a nib in mind" especially folks who are a lot "deeper" into the hobby.

However, say for example you had been after a certain pen for a long time and an opportunity came up where you could buy one, but there is a downside.....its only available in aubergine and yellow marble finish, which you are not particularly keen on....would you still buy it? Or is the pen itself more important than how it looks?

For me personally, how a pen looks is very important, probably due to my being new to the game, but if I'm going to have a collection of pens I would want them to look good (to me) and make me smile when I look at them.

Part of the reason I'm bringing this up is that, when I was raking the forums for ideas/advice/tips on what to buy as a first pen, one pen is always thrown up as a great, low cost starter pen.......lamy safari..lamy safari, try a lamy safari.

Now, I am in no way putting down the lamy safari as it is no doubt a fabulous pen, but before I had even read the forums and had a look around at pens based on price, mostly, I had already dismissed the safaris based on looks alone, as the appearance just wasn't for me and they look "plasticky" which to me, is all wrong for a fabulous instrument such as a fountain pen.

This probably just shows my naivety and lack of knowledge more than anything else, but my original question still stands.

LOOKS!, IMPORTANT OR NOT?

 

I'd love to hear your views.

 

Ian

 

 

I rank aesthetics as #2 in terms of criteria, just after nib performance. If I don't like the looks of a pen I won't buy it - simple as that. So, it's extremely important. However, even if the pen looks like a million dollars I still may not buy it if it's from an unknown brand in China, for example. I would say that brand reputation and aesthetics are joint #2 in the list. In brief, all three things have to be right: nib performance, appearance and brand.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Tancred

[basterma]

I guess my aesthetic concerns come out of being a teacher to Middle school and High school students. Some pens are too distracting and call attention from student learning. So the gorgeous acrylics turned by many on this forum are simply not something I would buy as long as I am teaching. Pens should be used not stored, so I collect what I intend to use. One of the funnier aspects of teaching is I can get childish pens and use them without feeling odd since many students would have the same pen, or smirk at the thought of their Calculus teacher writing with a Disney themed fountain pen (albeit a likely unlicensed Chinese product)...

[Namru]

It plays a close second to comfort and reliability. I'll generally gravitate towards the colours I like, dark browns or greens. I find Pelikans offer the comfort/reliability and I think they look nice. The same with old Sheaffers. I bought another Kaweco Sport simply because it was brown.

 

I'd like a Visconti Wall Street. Not too showy, not too dull, but it has a metal section which renders it unusable for me. I prefer the proportions of the M1000 to the M800, but the M1000 is simply too large for my hands. I'd like a pair of round Ray-Bans, but they don't fit on my massive head. So on and so on.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Namru