Giving It All Up? Will I Regret It?

[PAKMAN]

I'd pick out my 2-3 favorites and clean out the rest. If you find you still like to write with Fountain pens you will be all set at no additional cost.

[OmegaMountain]

If I collect a functional item, I use it. I carry my Montblanc for work. I have a 1 of 15 made Eboya I use that is a virtually irreplaceable memento of my solo trip to Japan and I use it. I would downsize to pens you will use and then part with the rest. Why keep them sitting in a box when someone else can be enjoying them by using them for their intended purpose?

[Uncial]

I went through my collection with a razor. Anything I had not used in six to twelve months, went. Asking myself why I did not want to ink a good pen I thought I liked gave surprising answers. Just because everyone else raved about a particular pen didn't mean I really had to learn to love what I actually disliked. So a Visconti HS and a Nakaya went, which was a bit of a surprise, but I have no regrets. Mind you, every last red cent from the sales I spent on....yep, you guessed it. But they were pens I knew I would use and the replacements were significantly less in number than the ones sold.

[Arkanabar]

I'm with those who suggest you pack most of them away, and see which ones you are interested in getting back out. No guess as to how long you should hold a pen in the tank before you decide you'll never miss it if it's gone.

You do sound like you're more interested in the chase than the having. I'm not, but that's me. I'm also notorious for waiting months or even years to pull the trigger on something after I've decided to buy it.

[Bennett]

Thank you all for the interesting and diverse opinions you have shared on this subject. Would like to add two more points to those listed.

 

One is the simple conclusion that there is no correct answer to this issue. Some of us in the FPN community see themselves as users, others are collectors, and the rest are a bit of both.

 

But I also would suggest that something else is going on here. The passion to collect things -- coins, stamps, fountain pens, typewriters, rocks, cameras or whatever -- is something that goes back quite some time. I found a January 2005 article appearing in Science News that states in part: " ...historical studies show that acquiring and retaining objects, even when they are not necessary for survival, is not only nearly universal, but also has been part of human behavior since the earliest human societies. Yet despite the ubiquitous nature of this trait, very little is known about what drives humans to collect." See the complete article here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/12/041219183729.htm. It also points to the existence of a region in the prefrontal cortex that is linked to collecting behavior. If so, it is possible that some of us also may be influenced by biology in our zeal to collect.

 

My personal view, however, if the fountain pens make you happy and are not a burden to you financially, then do what is best for you.

[Studio97]

I have thought about selling off my MB fps, ball points and rollerball. Then sell off about 15 low cost fountain pens. For me this has to do with getting older. I dont need as much in pens, art supplies etc. I sold off a pile of Moleskine notebooks. I have stopped buying except for Blackwing pencils.

So I too look to reduce fountain pens and art materials I dont use much anymore .how to go about reducing is my dilema.

[Addertooth]

I am ultimately pragmatic. I have more pens that I can ever ink and use. They were not all purchased to be writers. They were purchased because I believed the value of these pens will rise. Even should I become hopelessly bored with pens, they will remain curated and with detailed catalogs as to their model, and what made them of unusual value. When the day comes that I retire, they will be turned back into funds. Or, should I have an untimely death, my spouse only need to turn to the catalogs and know how to list the items, and what is a reasonable minimum bid to start them at. In the past I collected things which were items of desire, but ultimately were not of any real lasting value to anyone but me. As I grow older, and think to the future, I tend to collect things which have enduring value. Don't get me wrong, there are some which they will have to pull out of my dead stiff hands, as I really enjoy their use... but strangely, those are not the most valuable pens I have (in terms of cash value). Those pens are just surprisingly exceptional writers with nibs which punch way out of their weight class. Those pens make me feel a bit sorry for Some of the pricier pens in my collection.

Edited September 10, 2019 by Addertooth

[jvr]

I'm with those who suggest you pack most of them away, and see which ones you are interested in getting back out. No guess as to how long you should hold a pen in the tank before you decide you'll never miss it if it's gone.

 

You do sound like you're more interested in the chase than the having. I'm not, but that's me. I'm also notorious for waiting months or even years to pull the trigger on something after I've decided to buy it.

Well, I’m not sure I’m more interested in the chase in general or because I still feel the chase isn’t done. For example, I recently got four different Pelikans M800s, a pen that’s new to me. I liked the design of two and was somewhat disappointed with the design of the other two. So, the latter were never inked and will be sold but I’m still curious about a M1000 now. Likewise, my Urushi is a Platinum and I still feel I have to try a Nakaya, despite the fact that there’s a lot of similarity between the two. But I also realize that there will always be pens that look alluring and that rationally the chase doesn’t make sense.

 

Which I could actually use to my advantage. For example, after I ‘discovered’ the Retro 51 roller balls with their cool designs, I started buying those, thinking I could get a decent collection. But then they introduced a few designs I hated and the collector in me thought I should buy them anyway, while the more rational me balked at the idea. Around the same time, I read an article about a guy who collects Retro 51s and already had 375 different editions. At that point, I decided my Retro 51 pursuit didn’t make any sense and I bought only ones I really liked and started selling all the ones I didn’t love. I guess with fountain pens, I’m nearing that inflection point.

[A Smug Dill]

When in doubt, don’t.

I disagree. _...‹snip›...

Doubt is a part of life. You have to embrace change sometimes.

I'm with @sirgilbert357 on that... sorta. Uncertainty is a part of life. I see doubt through the lens of risk management; if the risks — on balance of likelihood and (adverse) impact of an issue eventuating — and/or (projected known) costs due to inaction are significantly greater than the risk of taking action, then it makes sense to take action even when there is doubt.

 

I'd say the mental anguish the OP is experiencing from having all that money tied up in something getting no use is weighing on him enough that a change should take place.

In other words, the cost is primarily psychological, and not so much of a financial or cashflow concern.

 

My own take on 'when in doubt, don't' depends on the situation: in photography, it's when in doubt, do; in driving, it's don't. The rest is not as clear cut, but I do agree that something needs to happen if this hobby should give me joy where it doesn't without pangs of discomfort

Here's the thing, and just to be clear, I'm not positively advocating this: pangs of discomfort and other manifestations of tensions arising from competing personal values can be "resolved" or addressed by prevailing over one's emotions and/or changing one's thinking. As an "operation", that could be quicker, and cost and/or risk less financially, then say selling items off. Did you get a good price? If selling on eBay and/or accepting payment using PayPal, what if the buyer makes a (rightful or dishonest) claim, and you end up losing money with or without a pen being sent back to you? And then, as you have already mentioned, what if you end up missing a pen so much that you just buy yourself another one? Those are risks too.

 

(I wrote, after just opening the package of a new Aurora 88 Black Mamba LE, a pen that will make my choices even harder).

I almost pulled the trigger on an Aurora 88 Black Mamba myself, only to then be told the nib option I selected from the drop-down menu isn't actually available.

 

Ah, but what do you mean by "hobby"? What is the "hobby" for you?

That was the first question that came to my mind.

 

See, with lenses I have quite a few as well, but all of them see use at the appropriate time because each has its own strengths.

I take the same view with nibs, but I also subscribe to the typical Japanese viewpoint that the nib is part of a pen as a complete writing instrument, and the pen's body (section, barrel and cap) is not just a glorified or modularised nib holder, so I would have a Sailor pen that has a Zoom nib, another one with a Concord nib, another with an EF nib, and so on, instead of look for solutions that allow me to piece together "frankenpens" onto which to fit different nibs or sections on demand.

 

Then there's the core part of my "hobby": comparison. How does a Pilot steel F nib compare to a Pilot 14K gold F nib, then to a Pilot 14K gold SF nib, then to a Platinum 14K gold SF nib, and so on. So I'm far from acquiring enough different nibs/pens, even now.

 

Of course, then there's just what's pretty.

 

I've tried quite a few systems over time, since my main thing is bird photography and you need a good kit to get the best results, but I have no problem letting go of cameras or lenses that have no role to play anymore

Out went my Pilot Custom 74 with a gold SF nib (sold) and Custom Heritage 912 with a gold FA nib (into to trashcan).

 

But with cameras, I also bought the top of the line or the one just below because I've been doing photography for decades and I know what I need for what I do. With fountain pens, there was this creep from Plaisirs, to Preras, to 3776s etc. etc. It's part of the 'hobby' I guess, but it also means you end up with tons of stuff that's nice enough but just becomes clutter once you move to better pens. That clutter will be the first stuff to go, together with some expensive pens that arrived but just didn't look as nice in reality as I expected them to be.

Sure, but that doesn't sound to me like doubt, or concern that you might want to acquire those again some time in the future. Recouping some of your initial acquisition costs of those pens only makes the decluttering even more worthwhile, so that's a win anyway you look at it.

 

That's incredible to me...why have them?

Potential, as in the ability to pull out (close to) "exactly" what an application and/or particular set of circumstances calls for. I have ten pairs of sunglasses (nine of them are Tifosi) hanging on the side of my shoe rack on which a dozen pairs of my running shoes sit: darker lenses, lighter lenses, normal lenses, photochromic lenses, polarising lenses, reflective lenses in red, reflective lenses in blue, ... and road-running shoes, trail-running shoes, shoes for speed-work, shoes for long recovery runs, shoes for wet-weather running, and in some cases multiple pairs of a particular type of shoes for "rotation". That doesn't actually mean I do much wet-weather or trail running at all, just once in a blue moon.

 

That "versatility" and "preparedness" is part of what makes me happy, and learning about all the things (including but not limited to different products and tangible items) which can contribute to that is part of my "hobby" of (casual!) running.

[sirgilbert357]

...and Custom Heritage 912 with a gold FA nib (into to trashcan).

 

That made me wince. Uh, A Smug Dill, if you ever have a Japanese pen you are thinking about putting in the trash can, feel free to PM me first. I would gladly send you some money for shipping, assuming the pen writes...especially if you deem it far too thick of a line. I prefer fat, wet lines. A Pilot 823 with a broad nib is one of my favorite pens!

 

But honestly, I'd try any Platinum or Sailor in almost any nib size because I just want to try a pen from those two brands...of course you are free to do with your property as you like, but if it would please you to know someone else is getting enjoyment from a pen that didn't work for you, well...think of me before you bin it! LOL.

Edited September 10, 2019 by sirgilbert357

[ethernautrix]

Not enough time to launch into details of my own ... reconciliation vis-a-vis fountain pens, accumulation and desire. Yer welcome.

 

I am reminded, however, of one of my favorite lines, which I will clean up a little:

 

"I followed my heart. My heart doesn't know where the (hickity-heck) it's going." --Louis Katz

 

Follow your gut. Your heart, the heart, is an idealist and dreamer and so full of hope and enthusiasm and fantasy. So, let your heart have its say, then get quiet and talk to your gut. The gut has lived with the consequences of the heart's wanderings. The gut /knows/.

Edited September 10, 2019 by ethernautrix

[como]

Instead of rationalising over the whole thing, why not try and sell a few and see how you feel afterwards. Then you will know what you feel good about doing, keeping and getting rid of.

[jvr]

Not enough time to launch into details of my own ... reconciliation vis-a-vis fountain pens, accumulation and desire. Yer welcome.

 

I am reminded, however, of one of my favorite lines, which I will clean up a little:

 

"I followed my heart. My heart doesn't know where the (hickity-heck) it's going." --Louis Katz

 

Follow your gut. Your heart, the heart, is an idealist and dreamer and so full of hope and enthusiasm and fantasy. So, let your heart have its say, then get quiet and talk to your gut. The gut has lived with the consequences of the heart's wanderings. The gut /knows/.

Not sure my gut is that smart either...

 

Think i should approach it not just looking at pens, but in a larger context. Life is about making choices, in this case mostly about money and how to spend it. In another context, people sometimes ask me why I don’t play golf and my response always is that I think I’d enjoy it but that if I spend time being outside, I’d rather do that with a camera than with a golf club. Spending money on fountain pens I don’t need means for example not spending that money on a trip that would enrich my main hobby, photography.

[A Smug Dill]

Spending money on fountain pens I don’t need means for example not spending that money on a trip that would enrich my main hobby, photography.

 

 

There's a difference between spending more money on fountain pens from this point on, and simply "freezing" your collection without selling off what you already own.

[jvr]

There's a difference between spending more money on fountain pens from this point on, and simply "freezing" your collection without selling off what you already own.

True, but one concern is that there’s too much money tied up in stuff I’m not using. That’s where I have to start and then see what makes sense: holding on to a few or ditching everything.

[bemon]

Like so many here, I started small with a few affordable fountain pens and several years later, I own an Urushi, a King of Pen and a bunch of other expensive editions among my probably 75+ fountain pens. I also have more notebooks and ink than I will ever need, as well as notebook covers I dont have any use for.

 

I often find that my anticipation of getting a new pen is the exciting part and once I have it, it becomes just part of the collection, a part that wont see much use.

 

My other hobby is photography, where each camera or lens I buy adds a new element of what I can accomplish. Not so with fountain pens. Yes, some write nicer than others, but none makes an actual practical difference to what I produce.

 

While I like looking at beautifully designed pens, I doubt thats worth all the money I spent. And knowing how much money I tied up in this, theres also some guilt. All this money just for beauty? Dont misunderstand, I drive a nice car and have very expensive camera gear. I dont mind spending money, I just have never before spent this kind of money without the sense that I bought enjoyment and functionality.

 

So, Im thinking of getting rid of most if not all of my fountain pens. And Im afraid that if I do so, Ill regret it and will buy some pens again, thus losing more money (as Ive experienced with some Platinum FPs and the Pilot 823).

 

Anyone here who went through the same kind of thinking and ended up selling their pens only to start collecting again?

I've been thinning the herd for the last two years or so and haven't regretted it. Even pens that I thought I'd miss I don't think twice about now that they're out of my collection. I feel less like a hoarder and last year I earned back a grand selling pens that I used for Christmas gifts for my family. It feels a million times better to watch my little girl open gifts than it ever could to receive a new pen

 

I have $600 saved so far this year towards Christmas from pen and ink sales. Hoping to find some time to list more soon.

 

Doesn't mean I won't buy more down the road (I still want a Homo Sapiens), but I've learned to be much more selective. Like the GVFC Classic I carry now I made room for it by selling a Pelikan M600. So if I ever do get around to ordering a H.S, it'll be put to good use as a replacement for something I decide to sell.

Edited September 10, 2019 by bemon

[jvr]

I've been thinning the herd for the last two years or so and haven't regretted it. Even pens that I thought I'd miss I don't think twice about now that they're out of my collection. I feel less like a hoarder and last year I earned back a grand selling pens that I used for Christmas gifts for my family. It feels a million times better to watch my little girl open gifts than it ever could to receive a new pen

 

I have $600 saved so far this year towards Christmas from pen and ink sales. Hoping to find some time to list more soon.

 

Doesn't mean I won't buy more down the road (I still want a Homo Sapiens), but I've learned to be much more selective. Like the GVFC Classic I carry now I made room for it by selling a Pelikan M600. So if I ever do get around to ordering a H.S, it'll be put to good use as a replacement for something I decide to sell.

 

 

I like your thinking. Funny you mention the Homo Sapiens, one of the eternal grail pens. I bought one and now it's on the 'doubt' list. Kind of interesting how that goes. Part of it could also be that I'm not part of a FP community, and have no intention to be, so at the moment the one person who's somewhat interested is my daughter, who is way more down to earth about fountain pens and their intricate value than I am. She's like "nice pen, but is it worth that much?"

Edited September 10, 2019 by jvr

[gttld819]

True, but one concern is that there’s too much money tied up in stuff I’m not using. That’s where I have to start and then see what makes sense: holding on to a few or ditching everything.

 

It seems that you are more of a pragmatist in your view of pens, and see them as tools rather than just items to collect. I rather have the same perspective (most of the time). I would love to have a Namiki Yukari - Shooting Star, but to me that money would be better spent on a vacation, so I wouldn't spend that kind of money on something that I write with.

 

I agree with what others have said. Pick out a few that you think you want to keep, then put the others away for awhile and see how you feel. No need to rush into something.

[bemon]

 

 

I like your thinking. Funny you mention the Homo Sapiens, one of the eternal grail pens. I bought one and now it's on the 'doubt' list. Kind of interesting how that goes. Part of it could also be that I'm not part of a FP community, and have no intention to be, so at the moment the one person who's somewhat interested is my daughter, who is way more down to earth about fountain pens and their intricate value than I am. She's like "nice pen, but is it worth that much?"

That's some good feedback around the H.S. from someone who sounds more grounded than I've proven to be in the past.

 

I mean I believed all the Pelikan hype and wound up with a few of them. They wrote ok, and they look gorgeous. But I can't imagine them being worth what Pelikan charges. Especially in the 600 and below classes. I need to get my hands on a HomoSapiens before I make a decision. No rush though- I'll get through Christmas first and see what's what.

[sirgilbert357]

That's some good feedback around the H.S. from someone who sounds more grounded than I've proven to be in the past.

 

I mean I believed all the Pelikan hype and wound up with a few of them. They wrote ok, and they look gorgeous. But I can't imagine them being worth what Pelikan charges. Especially in the 600 and below classes. I need to get my hands on a HomoSapiens before I make a decision. No rush though- I'll get through Christmas first and see what's what.

If you just want a Homo Sapiens, there is the resin "Elegance" version for less than the basaltic lava version. But to me, the whole point in getting the Homo Sapiens is for the lava material. I've handled one a couple of times and the first time I thought "This is it? What's the big deal?" And the second time I thought "I need to get one of these!". *Shrug* I don't know what's wrong with me, lol. I plan to handle one at the Pen Show coming Sept 27th and make a final decision...