Original Prices Of Fountain Pens?

[guttaperk-0]

How much did vintage fountain pens cost when new, in the 1940s-50s?

[praxim]

Which ones? It is like asking what does a fountain pen cost today. The answer may vary.

 

Try searching for brands of interest, seeking catalogues 1940s, 1950s.

[guttaperk-0]

Today, I would say that most pens cost US$15-150, though luxury pens can be much more.

I have absolutely no idea what the range was, yesteryear. I'm not interested only in specific brands— I'm just interested in a general sense.

[PAKMAN]

A few for instance:

 

Waterman #7 was $7, #5 was $5 1920's time frame

Sheaffer balance pens in the 30's ran from around $2.50 to $10

A Parker 51 or Vacumatic in the 40's were in the $5-7 dollar range, if I remember correctly

[Parker51]

Prices varied significantly based upon the manufacturer, the model and where you purchased the pen. There were cheap pens that sold for very little, but just as today, prices went up as quality went up. Also, the tax structure in the past in many nations caused prices to vary significantly at times from country to country for the same pen. This was especially true during the war years. And do not forget that this was a period of noticeable inflation.

Edited November 3, 2018 by Parker51

[praxim]

I checked a small Onoto advertisement from the 1940s, where they advertised a range of pens from eighteen shillings and fourpence to three pounds, thirteen shillings and fourpence (73/4)

 

I have no idea of the seeming significance of fourpence.

 

There are inflation indices on line as well.

Edited November 3, 2018 by praxim

[guttaperk-0]

Thanks, guys, that helps!

[gregorius60]

Adjusting for inflation in today's dollars, $7 in 1920 was worth approximately $78.00 - $108.00 (in buying power - depends on where you lived in the U.S.). So very roughly speaking a $7.00 Parker Duofold in the 20's would not be an insignificant expenditure - though you could buy cheaper writing instruments of course.  An advertised Parker onyx desk set with two tapered pens, an inkwell, and blotter trimmed in bronze was $215.00 then, adjusted for inflation it was equivalent to $3200.00 in today's dollars.  Again, not an impulse buy in any era.  

[inkstainedruth]

There's a website I ran across a few years ago (sorry, don't seem to have bookmarked it) where you could plug in a price and a year and then see how much it would be in today's market.  Not sure if it did anything besides US dollars.

Ironically, a while back at an estate sale company's showroom, I found a Parker 45 in what I presume was the original box, and the price on it was $5 US.  Which is what I paid for the pen at the sale (that was also the sale where I found a Senator Windsor (I think) piston filler for a buck.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[AAAndrew]

Or you could buy a box of 144 steel dip pens, a holder and a bottle of ink for about $2, depending on how fancy you wanted. k

 

Just saying. 😉