What Decides The Value Of A Pen.

[Manalto]

Although I haven't been paying close attention, and aside from the Golden Fleece logo on casual clothing, I've never seen Brooks Bros. clothing with its name conspicuously displayed. Those cufflinks with the name on the front, rather than the back, cross the line into tacky - or, at least, what used to be considered tacky.

 

As others have said, the customer and, by extension, the market decides the value of a pen - but you know that.

[TSherbs]

Then there is intrinsic value! I have my dad's 1948 Parker "51" Vacumatic, and a T1947 Parker 51 that I got for $50, and paid $20 for restoration. What are the values of the two pens? Their value to me? You see the difference...

 

A "gift" pen will have intrinsic value; a "purchased" pen will have intrinsic value if it marks an event, a place, or a person.

I don't think that you are using the word "intrinsic" correctly here.

[max dog]

I don't think that you are using the word "intrinsic" correctly here.

Fountain pen value is in the realm of intangibles for lack of better words. How do you quantify the cost of lineage of the M200, just as an example, to the legendary 400nn of 80 years ago. Edited February 26, 2017 by max dog

[Arkanabar]

Some people really do believe that inexpensive products are necessarily less functional (comfort, reliability, aesthetics, performance, social status) than more expensive equivalents.

According to my vague memories of the marketing class I took a few years ago, there is such a thing as a premium pricing strategy, where supplies are artificially limited and prices artificially inflated in order to convince buyers that the good is superior because it is more expensive and less available.

Ultimately, the value of a thing is what a consumer is willing to pay for it, and that always varies with what the particular consumer values and desires. There are some pens and pen brands that make it by using a premium price strategy (MontBlanc, Namiki, Pelikan's Souveran line), and others that are priced to recover costs (Chinese and Indian pens, school pens, etc). Most seem to be priced to match the value perceived by the majority of consumers and to maximise revenue.

I look for utility over other things. A narrow pen will have less utility for me than one with more girth, and too much girth will again reduce utility. I can imagine getting more utility out of, say, a TWSBI Vac 700 than an ECO, and more out of an ECO than a Pilot Metropolitan. But I get near as much utility out of my Hero 616 as I do my Dad's Parker "51". And I definitely get more utility out of my Pelikan M200 than my M400 because it writes better, and that trumps the gold nib, celluloid binde, extra hardware, and much higher SRP.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Arkanabar

[corgicoupe]

I don't think that you are using the word "intrinsic" correctly here.

synonyms:inherent

adjective: inherent

existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute.

 

The intrinsic value is the actual value of a [thing] based on an underlying perception of its true value including all aspects of the [thing] in terms of both tangible and intangible factors.

 

From a combination of these, I think it does communicate what I'm trying to say.

 

Can you suggest a better word?

 

[Bluey]

......

Edited February 27, 2017 by Bluey

[praxim]

synonyms:inherent

adjective: inherent

existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute.

 

The intrinsic value is the actual value of a [thing] based on an underlying perception of its true value including all aspects of the [thing] in terms of both tangible and intangible factors.

 

From a combination of these, I think it does communicate what I'm trying to say.

 

Can you suggest a better word?

 

 

personal

 

Then there is intrinsic value! I have my dad's 1948 Parker "51" Vacumatic, and a T1947 Parker 51 that I got for $50, and paid $20 for restoration. What are the values of the two pens? Their value to me? You see the difference...

 

A "gift" pen will have intrinsic value; a "purchased" pen will have intrinsic value if it marks an event, a place, or a person.

In the second quotation you appear to be using intrinsic to mean its personal value to you. People who do not know of that personal value to you will attribute nothing for it but will assess the intrinsic (inherent, independent, not subjective, innate, as manufactured, functional) value.

 

That is my interpretation of what occurred.

Edited February 27, 2017 by praxim

[corgicoupe]

I see the "personal" as "intangible", so I think we are quite in agreement. I have no problem with using the word personal; I was attempting to make it more general...assigning value to the pen that had to do with its value to an individual, rather than to its value apart from any individual.

 

I was attempting to express the idea that there is more than one way to assess the value of a pen. I do see your point, though.

Edited February 27, 2017 by corgicoupe

[praxim]

Yes, intangible is a better word for it than personal. I should have thought of that.