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Bexley 10Th Anniversary Fountain Pen - Prototype Or Overstock?


WolvertonMountain

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At the end of last week, September 15, I believe, an FPN member listed three pens for sale in the Classifieds section: 2 Eversharp and one Bexley. That particular Bexley pen is described as a Bexley 10th Anniversary Limited Edition in green pearl with red veins. The seller states, “With some help, I determined that this pen was a prototype, as it is missing the normal laser engraving and it has a blind cap to access the converter. The regular production models do not have a blind cap.

I find that to be a strange description for this pen as The Noble Savage, in his review of a production Bexley 10th Anniversary Pen (September 8, 2005) in Lemon states about his pen, “One thing that I like about Bexley pens is that the top of the cap can be unscrewed so you can do some spring cleaning on your pen.” and “I also noticed that there is a blind cap and you can actually fill the pen without having to unscrew the section from the barrel to fill it up.”

I am wondering about this pen’s description as Bexlevy sold a doppelganger of this pen on eBay September 5, 2017 and the title of the sale is: “Bexley Fountain Green/Red Tenth Anniv Overstock Rhodium Trim” and the description states, “Made from a quantity of left over parts from our long sold out Tenth Anniv Collection. This pen is a Green and red striped acrylic in a Cartridge converter filling pen. It has a black grip section and comes with the converter.”

 

Now I am wondering: How can one determine if a particular, non-production, Bexley Fountain pen is a prototype pen or an overstock pen? Can anyone here provide an answer?

 

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The short answer is you have to ask Howard Levy. Older pens that were prototypes either had the word prototype engraved or the paperwork said prototype in Howard's handwriting (or maybe someone else, but it was handwriting in pen on the paperwork).

Edited by zaddick

If you want less blah, blah, blah and more pictures, follow me on Instagram!

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But, hey if you are in Las Vegas, come bring it over and we can take pictures and ask Howard.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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If it is a non-standard material or color, unmarked pen with a gold nib, back when Howard was using gold nibs regularly and it was an aniversary, owners club or limited production pen model, it likely was a Prototype.

If it has a steel nib, specifically the current two toned steel nib, it likely is an overstock pen.

And if it is a marked, standard production en that back when it was initially made only came with a gold nib and it has a steel nib, it is a recent clearing out of left overs pen.

I have one of each type.

Edited by Parker51
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@Parker, thank you, that is quite helpful.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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But, hey if you are in Las Vegas, come bring it over and we can take pictures and ask Howard.

 

Hi Amber...

There are but three things which would get me to Las Vegas:

3. I am driving through Las Vegas to take my daughter to Monument Valley (that would be through North Las Vegas) or Kingman, Winslow, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and on to a friend's ranch in the Gila National Forest.

2. I got tickets to take my daughter to see Penn and Teller.

1. I got an invite from Amberleadavis so my daughter could see Amber's myriad of doodles.

 

Thank you, Amber; we both love your doodles.

Clifton

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If it is a non-standard material or color, unmarked pen with a gold nib, back when Howard was using gold nibs regularly and it was an aniversary, owners club or limited production pen model, it likely was a Prototype.

If it has a steel nib, specifically the current two toned steel nib, it likely is an overstock pen.

And if it is a marked, standard production en that back when it was initially made only came with a gold nib and it has a steel nib, it is a recent clearing out of left overs pen.

I have one of each type.

 

I am very grateful to you, Parker51, for your very complete enumeration of Bexley pens.

I now believe the 10th Anniversary pen currently advertised is more likely to be an overstock pen rather than a prototype pen and that would also explain why the one Howard (bexlevy on eBay) recently sold as an overstock pen is a doppleganger to the one for sale in the Classifieds.

 

Thanks, Parker51

Cliffy

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Well, an

 

 

Hi Amber...

There are but three things which would get me to Las Vegas:

3. I am driving through Las Vegas to take my daughter to Monument Valley (that would be through North Las Vegas) or Kingman, Winslow, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and on to a friend's ranch in the Gila National Forest.

2. I got tickets to take my daughter to see Penn and Teller.

1. I got an invite from Amberleadavis so my daughter could see Amber's myriad of doodles.

 

Thank you, Amber; we both love your doodles.

Clifton

 

 

I'd love to meet both you and your daughter!

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'd love to meet both you and your daughter!

 

Thank you, Amber. We'd consider it an honor to meet you.

Since my daughter just started Middle School, I will have to plan a trip to/through Las Vegas during her Winter, Spring or Summer breaks.

I will PM when we begin to plan a trip.

Clifton

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Well... A trip to Las Vegas, or anywhere else, next week during my daughter's Winter Break is just not meant to be.

After church Sunday, my daughter wanted some art supplies so a trip to Michael's was in order. ( I pretty much indulge my daughter for any art supplies she wants as she actually uses all of them.)

She chose a pad of watercolor paper, a kit of watercolor paints, a set of watercolor brushes, and a white, blending-pen, among other items.

Yesterday after school, I told my daughter Winter break is next week and we could plan a trip to Las Vegas. She declined, telling me she didn't want to go anywhere. A short time later, she said, "Here is what I want instead of a trip next week."

On her computer screen, the Pentel website shows a Pentel Color Brush pen with black ink.

(Black ink? I do not like black pens nor black ink. I want colors, lots of colors, as those of you whom have read the "clown poop" pen thread in FPN's The Mall well know.)

But, OK, that's what she wants, so I told her to find what she wants on the JetPens website and she did... One $9 Pentel Color Brush pen with black ink, LOL.

I then told my daughter there is a $25 minimum order for free shipping, so find some additional stuff, hoping she would get something not black. And she did! One Pentel white pen which contains white ink and something else whose color didn't register with me so it must be black, total: $25.25.

I finally asked my daughter why she wanted almost everything to be black. Her one word response: "Inktober"!

A quick Google search and I find... Inktober is real and it is a REALLY, BIG DEAL, so no trip for Daddy, either.

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Oh, wow, that's too funny. My youngest is in middle school too. Thankfully, he uses blue inks. :)

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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