Back to Fountain Pens

After one year focused on fountain pens, I find that what I started with, & what I have now differs, while the number has not changed.

Another offer to the children of one or more pens resulted in the same dialogue, and with their lack of interest, I am thinking of selling a few more fountain pens that I infrequently use.

Waterman Gentlemen, Blue Lacquer (right)

In particular, I might consider selling a Waterman Gentleman, a beautiful looking pen, but one I haven't touched in more than five years except to clean, admire and photograph.

Jean-Pierre Lepine Casanova (top); Dore (bottom)

My Jean-Pierre Lepine Casanova gets little attention from me and while it has only been in my keeping since '02, it might find more comfort elsewhere.

I also bought and have rarely used a French pen I bought in '03, a stunning translucent purple fountain pen that was much admired the year I used it. But it too lays dormant in its box.

Another pen that I had adjusted but find gets little use is a Sheaffer Vac-Fil. I love the look and feel of the pen but rarely use it.

It isn't that I don't like or even love most of these pens, it is more a question of life style.

When I was off each day to work, often briefcase and papers in hand, dozens of meetings to attend and hundreds of reasons to own a fine writing instrument, all these pens had purpose.

Now I find many of those citified items serve no real purpose in a rural environment and in fact when I took out my pen pouch with two Sailors and a Pelikan inside to write a cheque to JF the other day in her shabby-chic country house, I nearly felt ostentatious.

So, with another mercury retrograde in our midst, always a good "getting rid of the past" cycle, I am thinking these four pens may have to go on the block.

Life is about discoveries

It's never possible to know what is up the road but I do believe I am nearly at the end of this pen-mania path.

I've almost finished photographing the pens I'd like to sell. After learning more about my own Canon camera at our local Photo Shop--really nice folks--I found that if I get shots on grey days they come out better on the indoor porch than on more sunny days.

One or two need a little clean up and I believe I have all the tools, liquids and cloths necessary to do them up proud. Several are inked and my inclination is to flush them and move on.

A few more days or a week at the most and they will all be archived.

I've also declared a moratorium on inks and withdrew from the FPn Ink Exchange. If I need any more look-see inks, it is easier to get The Pear Tree samples, a far more straight forward way to get small quantities of ink than fiddling with the plastic vials.

If I press forward I should be ready to list the fountain pens and art supplies on the 'bay on schedule.

Taking Stock

Taking an objective view of a life-time collection of any kind isn't easy and I am having a difficult time sorting out the "I want this pen" from "I'd like to sell this pen" or even in some cases "I'll give this pen to Ruby."

Yesterday I opened my jewelry basket, and have not one issue with giving Stefan the beautiful gold cuff-links or tossing the whole lot into the air and sending it packing, but I am having a terrible time photographing those pens I'd like to see receive a better, more protective home.

Some of it has to do with not understanding their proper value or more importantly their re-sale value. I know what a pair of cuff-links of this age, patina and mark is worth, but I don't understand the fountain pen market--at all.

For example, one Mont Blanc slimline ball point went for more than $140.00 on the 'bay yet no one on FPn seems to even acknowledge that this pen has a place in the MB pantheon.

I had a Parker Vac and a Waterman Safety both of which probably could have gotten more money but I wasn't prepared to fix either of them and let them go for what seemed at the time reasonable prices.

I also realize that I never bought pens to sell them but to use them and never thought one wit about their pedigree and hence have an assortment of high, middle and low end pens.

However, knowledgeable or not, it is my intention to sift through this heap of colours and shapes, and make firm decisions before too long.

The Fool and I

I've often thought of myself as The Fool, and Red's depiction of this card is among my favourites.

Unfortunately, I haven't found my own majors-- but I haven't given up that they are in a box or container that I haven't sufficiently explored.

I pull The Fool often and I did today. In fact when I took Wald's class on "Tarot and Reincarnation" I believe then, too, I pulled this card in Jennifer's deck (Elizabeth Moore) Healing Tarot.)

Now I am thinking of myself as this same Fool for having so many unused pens.

Will it be possible to sell them? Or shall I be judged for my capricious, extravagant ways?