Database for Pen Collection?

[OCArt]

   The database user Jonro created years ago doesn't work on current Macs. Is there another product that you recommend to keep track of a collection? I'm interested in doing this so my kids have some idea of the pens they will inherit. 

  If you've set up something like this I'd also be interested in what fields you thought of.

Thanks,

Dave

[inkstainedruth]

I didn't need a database.  I just made a list in a Pages document of my pens, noting the make, model, color, nib width, and when I bought them -- with notes about things like who did repairs and how much I paid (including adding in stuff like repair costs and shipping charges.  I've used different colors for things like prices and repairs and when the pen was bought; and the pens are sorted by brand, for the most part (there's one list of "miscellaneous" pens).

I have a secondary file listed pens by purchase year; and a third one (a Numbers spreadsheet) with just the amount I spent (the first column is the make, model, color and nib size; plus columns of price ranges (mostly because when I bought my first relatively expensive pen, I got curious about price ranges).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Paul-in-SF]

I made a database using a free online product called Ragic! (I am on Windows 10, I don't know if it works for Mac.) It has some serious limitations in reporting, i.e. you can't write a custom report to show (for example) only the pens made of celluloid, or only piston-fillers. But I get along without that pretty well most of the time, and if I absolutely have to have something like that, I export the data to a spreadsheet and then sort it to my heart's content. It was easy to set up, and it's easy to change things after setup too.

 

(I was going to create a real relational database using MySQL or something similar, because I used to do that sort of thing on a small scale when I was working, but I discovered I had been retired too long, and I wasn't that ambitious to learn a new program.)

 

Here is my very long list of fields, if you are interested (If not, of course, skip it).

 

Pen ID (automated incremental number)

Make (free entry)
Model (free entry)

New/Vintage (drop-down list, I later added "Modern Used" as a third option for my Parker Centennials et al)

Country of Mfr (free entry)

Condition (free entry)

Filling System (drop-down list)

Barrel material (free entry)

Barrel color (free entry)

Barrel inscription (free entry)

Barrel end (free entry for description, e.g. blind filler cap, tassie with jewel, etc.)

Cap Type (e.g. threaded, slip/clutch, snap, etc.)

Cap Material (free entry -- I should have made a field "Cap material matches barrel material? Y/N" and only gone through all the details if the answer was no)

Cap Color (free entry)

Cap Inscription (free entry)

Cap End (free entry for description)

Clip? Y/N (I should have made this another decision point where the following fields would be dead if the answer was No)

Clip Material (free entry)

Clip Inscription (free entry)

Cap Band? Y/N (I should have made this another decision point where the following fields would be dead if the answer was No)

Cap Band Material (free entry)

Cap Band Inscription (free entry)

Personalization (free entry)

Other inscription (free entry) (I have never needed this field)

Nib Material (drop-down list, including "other")

Nib Plating (free entry)

Nib Engraving (free entry)

Nib Width (free entry)

Nib Other (free entry)

Purchased From (free entry, name of seller)

Purchased Through (free entry, type of seller e.g. eBay, Online Shop, In Person, etc.)

Purchase Location (free entry, milieu where purchased, e.g. Shop, Internet, Show, etc.)

Seller Country (free entry)

Foreign? Y/N (kind of dumb but I was too lazy to figure out how to automate this from the previous field)

Date Purchased (calendar)

Date Received (calendar)

Pen Cost ($ format numeric)

Shipping Cost ($ format numeric)

Tax Cost ($ format numeric)

Current status (drop-down list, e.g. inked, standby, storage, repairs, etc.)

Status date (calendar) (kind of useless information as it changes with each change of status)

Writing characteristics (free entry) (I stopped keeping up with this way long ago, too subjective and my judgment changes)

Ink recommendation (free entry) (also not keeping this up, I may remove both of these fields)

Other comments (free entry) (very useful for a lot of pens)

Sold? Y/N

Sold Amount ($ format numeric)

Length Capped (mm) (numeric)

Length Uncapped (mm) (numeric)

Length Posted (mm) (numeric)

 

 

I thought about adding one or two thickness dimensions, but I don't want to go back through all my pens to measure them. 

 

 

[OCArt]

Thanks so much Paul, always good to pick the brain of others!  I've started my mental list of fields and have thought of adding "present value" too. Ragic seems to be available for the iPad but not the Mac. I may have to use Excel.

 

59 minutes ago, Paul-in-SF said:

...{snipped} Here is my very long list of fields{much snipped}

 

[Paul-in-SF]

I'm curious how you would determine present value, and how often you would have to change it? 

 

I think you can do some pretty cool database stuff in Excel, like making a data entry form, I just didn't want to take the time to learn it. 

 

 

[Le Vieux]

I use a customized version of FileMaker 14's "Inventory". I have modified it to accept all the fields I could think of, and it also allow me to print reports on each pen or repair or transaction. With a bit of effort, it can be also customized to accept formulas for your daily/monthly/yearly currency updates, so your pen's value can be modified automatically.

 

Although a steep learning curve for someone who is not used to the back doors of such database, it can be done. I am not a wizard in these matters, but for simple database modifications such as the above, I do it myself.

 

I see you're on Mac. This software does not work on Mac, but I know it has a version for Ipad. Perhaps having access to an Ipad would do the trick? 

 

Alternatively, I recommend those free templates from MS Excel, which can be customized to a certain extent to suit your needs.

[OCArt]

7 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

I'm curious how you would determine present value, and how often you would have to change it? 

Yes, that's a problem. I just want to leave my daughter armed with some information as I have more pens than she should keep. 

[amberleadavis]

I have been creating a list - in my journal with what I paid.  I have started giving away my lesser pens, but I've decided that my kids should just give my pens and ink to one of my FPN friends to distribute, except the pens that I've designated that they should keep.

[A Smug Dill]

On 9/28/2022 at 5:15 AM, OCArt said:

I'm interested in doing this so my kids have some idea of the pens they will inherit.

 

23 hours ago, OCArt said:

I've started my mental list of fields and have thought of adding "present value" too.

 

4 hours ago, OCArt said:

I just want to leave my daughter armed with some information as I have more pens than she should keep.

 

Seriously, if she isn't into fountain pen hobbyist herself and she isn't a keen used pen marketplace watcher, that whole programmatic (or heuristic) determination of, “Now is a good time to sell this pen given the current market price and recent (or in-living-memory) trends, in less what has already been sunk into the acquisition and subsequent improvement/restoration efforts,” just isn't going to happen, database or no database.

[vicpen123]

I set up a simple table in Word that lists make and model, colour, nib, year of acquisition, filling system and a guess as to its current worth.

 

For example Parker 45/black/metal cap/14k fine nib/1978/ C-C/ $50. All that I need.

 

My family is unlikely to get too deep into fountain pens so it is really only for me. When they becomes my children's property, they will know how many and approximate worth so that they can sell and divide the inheritance.

 

I will have had many years of delight and enjoyment.

[Runnin_Ute]

Just using a spreadsheet currently. (LIbreoffice) it's really basic in what columns I have used. I would have to look to see if there are others, but at least the following. 

 

 

Make 

Model 

Color 

Nib size

Nib material

Filling system 

Country of Mfr

Cost

 

Seems to work for me. It's the major items

 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Runnin_Ute
Add info

[VersoFolio]

For me it's hand-written notebooks mainly.

Also a simple spreadsheet for all pen and inks on LibreOffice (which is the default installed on Linux 'Mint' OS).

 

I couldn't find a 'Jonro' database version for any Linux Operating System!

 

PITom

[OCArt]

On 9/28/2022 at 11:05 PM, vicpen123 said:

[snipped]...I will have had many years of delight and enjoyment.

Yes, that's the main idea and what I wish for all of us!