Field notes notebooks

A little while ago whilst browsing The Fountain Pen Network website, I saw mention of ‘Field Notes’ branded notebooks. A small softback ‘memorandum book’, which I quite liked the look of. As with many things though, it is a case of only being able to admire such things at a distance. Being able to import products from America or Japan can often be so expensive in postage that it is just not worth it.

Apparently they are inspired by agricultural memo books in the US. A little promotional item given out by fertiliser companies and the like. They’re 48 pages of squared paper in a handy pocket size – 3 /12” x 5 ½” – and saddle stitched (stapled). Available in packs of three. Well, it now seems there is a UK stockist, the Design Museum, and better still available (I think) in their brick and mortar shop in London on Shad Thames (SE1 2YD). You can find them on the Design Museum shop website.

View Larger Map

At some point I will have to pop across and buy some, and then hopefully when I find some time review them here. Addendum: It appears The Paperie has them in stock too.

Time flies

Its been a little while since my last post, work has been busy and I've been on holiday. We made our annual pilgrimage out to Turkey, and it always provides a good opportunity to spend some time writing in my journal. There is always the dilema of which pen to take too. What is the best travel solution and what do you need to consider for transporting ink and pens when having to endure airport security. I stuck to my old formula this time around, a Lamy Safari and some Lamy black cartidges. The pen being empty when I fly out to avoid any leaks due to cabin pressure changes. I keep the pen and catridge in a zip lock bag just to be on the safe side though. Check-in was a pain. The usual long wait associated with budget airlines. But, security was a breeze compared to previous trips, or so I thought. Security usually adds quite a bit of time to that required to get airside. It didn't help that we were travelling with our little boy for the first time. A real recipe for stress. Much to our relief, there were no queues though and we went straight through to the x-ray machine. My bags went through and immediately a security guard latched on to me. 'Would you come this way please sir'. 'Do you have any sharp objects in your bag?' My first thought was I am going to have to explain what a fountain pen is, what the ink cartridges are and my wife will be annoyed about the extra delays. But no, its my little boy's bottle and food they want me to test personally. Ah well. Coming back, I left a half empty ink cartridge in the pen and it did leak a little. But only into the cap. Nothong to worry about. A little bit of kitchen roll mopped up the offending ink. What was amusing though was I paid lots of attention and thought on the air pressure change affect on my pen, but not on my little boy's bottle in my hand luggage. One wet bag and one wet journal.

Midlands Pen Weekend 2008

Don't forget, its the Midlands Pen Weekend this week. 20/21/22 June 2008 The George Hotel, Bird Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire

Great source for vintage fountain pen advertising

Yesterday I was doing some background research for a project at work - looking at the development of a few consumer brands during the last century. In doing so, I stumbled across an amazing resource, The Times Online Archive. If you are not already aware it seems that the Times has scanned in and digitised every single issue from 1785 to 1985 - 200 years worth of newspapers. They've obviously had some very clever opticial character recognition software which means the whole content is searchable too.

I did a search on "Parker 51", as you do, and was presented with an overwhelming number of results for the 1940s and 1950s. Clicking on one of the links takes you to a scan of the relevant page of the Times, allowing you to pan in zoom around. Instantly, I had access to look at some wonderful original adverts, like the Margaret Lockwood advert below from 1956.

Have a look and do a few searches. You need to register, but its very worthwhile. I think I may be busy for a while!

Lamy Studio Black review

A few years back, on my way to Bloomsbury Auctions to check out a few pens, I dropped into the Pen Shop on Regent Street. I was looking for a stub or italic pen. I tried a Parker Sonnet with a factory stub - I quite fancied the Laque black, but I could barely see any variation in line width. Next up was the Lamy italic nibs, and I was sold. I wanted something a bit more up-market for work rather than a Safari or Al-Star so plumped for the Studio.

I was intending to use an expressive nib after all and I felt the Studio a little more in keeping with that. At just £38 it wasn't too hard a decision.

Design The Lamy Studio is reminiscent of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen, a true design classic that has stood the test of time (another pen that I've wanted for a while!). The Studio mimics the 2000 with a relatively simple, functional form but this is combined with a few elements that feel designed for the sake of being unusual rather than functional. For example, the twist in the clip.

Overall though, I like it, it has a pleasing, quite understated feel, and looks a lot more expensive than it is. Design – 7\10

Feel

At first touch the pen is heavy. It has a good solid feel to it. Maybe a little too heavy - it depends what you like. The balance is reasonable, but not fantastic. It is a metal body, that has had a rubberised coating applied. I was quite concerned that this might peel away and 'chip' but four or so years on and it is holding up quite well. There is just a couple of pinpricks through to the metal where it becamce entangled in my house keys. I'm quite careful with my pens though. They are pretty much always in a pen case. But, if you throw your pens around a bit - bottom of a briefcase or bag, always in your pocket etc - then I wouldn't be too sure about the black version. The section is chrome. This is okay, but not great. It makes the pen quite slippery to hold. And its heavy weight doesn't make this any easier. So it is not a pen for writing and writing and writing. It can become uncomfortable. But, for the couple of hours I use it a day, combined with this particular nib, I'm happy. This might be a reason to choose the silver version. The cap is a push fit and pretty secure. It clicks into place when posting, and will stay there and rotate until you pull it off. The clip is good and solid and springy.

Dimensions: 139mm (5 1/2")capped, 156mm (6 1/5") posted

Feel – 7/10

Nib The Studio uses the same nibs as the Safari and Al-Star. This means you have a good nib range to choose from, and they're interchangeable. Don't like the width you've bought? £3 will get you a new one, and you can just pull them off and swap them round to your hearts content. The nibs are nothing special, but very usable. Stiff, steel and medium smooth.

The 1.1mm italic fitted in this Studio is a nice nib. It does have a tendency to clog with paper fibres from time to time, but very pleasing results can be had with the right ink and paper combination. This one is filled with Caran d'Ache Storm at the moment. An ink that I don't normally like the properties of (unlike Blue Sky which I love). It can be quite a dry unresponsive ink. But with this nib it is perfect, flowing well and helping the smoothness. Its a pleasure to write with. (17 Jan 09 - I have revised the nib score down by a point, I think I was being a little generous at the time) Nib – 7\10

Filling

The Studio is a catridge / convertor, and comes complete with a luxury convertor (slighty better than the normal Safari one, but only just). Using a screw mechanism, it holds a reasonable amount of ink. Lamy use a propriety ink cartridge so unfortunately you're limited in this form. Filling – 8\10

Cost

I paid £38 for this pen. That's a lot of pen for very little money. The nib is fairly standard, but its a well-built pen for the price.

Cost – 9\10

Overall verdict – 38\50

A fun, good quality pen at a good price - though not advised for copious amounts of consistent writing.

Great shop for pens in Clerkenwell

There's an arts and craft shop not far from where I work that's a little gem and well worth a visit: Stuart R Stevenson 68 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1M 5QA Telephone: 020 7253 1693

View Larger Map

As you'd expect they have a vast range of artist's supplies, craft materials and other such eye-candy but they also have a great range of fountain pens, inks and notebooks. When I last popped in their range included:

• Caran d'Ache pens, 'Colours of the Earth' ink range and their standard inks
• Faber Castell pens
• Moleskine notebooks
• Parker pens and inks
• Pelikan Future and Pelikano fountain pens
• Pelikan inks (including some of the more obscure bottles)
• Pilot pens - including the Vanishing Point, Pluminix, Birdie
• Porsche Design pens
• Rotring pens
• Sheaffer Javelin fountain pens - I'd not see these before
• Sheaffer Skrip ink
• Waterman pens and inks

They don't stock the whole range from each manufacturer, but they do have an interesting and varied line up. A few things that you don't always see elsewhere - such as the Pelikan Future and the Pilot Pluminix.

I just hope I don't turn into the nutter who wanders in every lunch hour and simply stares at the displays.

Maybe, for once, I'll get there?

For the past few years I've always had the London Writing Equiment Show and its predecessors on my calendar. But, for the past few years I've never made it (holiday, holiday, ill, busy...) Maybe this year I'll make it.... London Writing Equipment Show 12 October 2008 Kensington Town Hall, London Website: www.londonwritingequipmentshow.org.uk

Finding ways to use a fountain pen

Once I started collecting fountain pens, I sought ways to use them, ways to add writing into to my everyday life. It didn't take me that long to consider writing a journal. In August 2006 I finally purchased a large Moleskine and put pen to paper. I picked the perfect time too. The coming months provided plenty of subject matter. I renovated a 1920s house, moved in, got married, had a fantastic honeymoon in the Maldives, got made redundant, got a new job, we became expectant parents and then in December 2007 became actual parents. The first book took just over a year to fill the 240 pages, and even though it is only recent history we have found ourselves looking back at "what did we do this day last year?" Some entries were only short, others are pages and pages of writing. The memory of writing itself is a pleasurable one too. I remember clearly sitting by a pool in the Maldives before dinner, watching the sun go down, sipping a cool beer after a hard day scuba diving then pulling out my Lamy Studio and putting memories of the experience to paper. The colours of the fish, the different species, the beauty of the flight of eagle rays. If you collect fountain pens and don't keep a journal, you should try it. Your journal might become a fond friend like mine.

Moleskine - my notebook and journal of choice

I think the Moleskine range of notebooks is like Marmite to fountain pen users. You either love them or hate them. Personally, I love them.

My latest Moleskine notebook alongside
my two everyday Lamy Safaris

Many fountain pen users complain of problems with the paper - ink bleeding through the page and feathering. But I have yet to experience either of these, and I have used quite a range of inks and pens with them. I admit though I have not used a thick nib with one though. But why would you want to.

Why do I like them? They're pretty compact, they lie flat when opened, I like the size, the paper is slightly tinted and just the right thickness, and I like the range of lined, squared and plain paper. The lines and squares are just the right distance apart for me. Not wide lined, but narrow.

There is one factor that I don't like though - the spine's tend to split. Time to get the Duct tape out again with this one. Though, it does add a little character I suppose.

Spine's can present a problem

But I think they're great for
when out and about

Pens I want

Just a short post today to share. Anybody who is into fountain pens always has a list of pens they want, even if its not very formal. Here's my current top five:

• Pilot Myu 701
• A Conway Stewart from the 1930s
• Conway Stewart 58 with a Duro nib (An original from the 1950s, not one of the modern ones)
• Nakaya Cigar Piccolo in Black-red (the picture at the top of this post)
• A full-sized Eversharp Skyline (I did have one, but I dropped it and the body snapped - a sad day!)

Pilot Pluminix review

I bought this Pilot Pluminix on impulse whilst purchasing some ink at an arts and craft store not far from where I work. This is a pen aimed at the school and student market. There are 10 different neon colours in the range and the price on the street varies from 99p to £4.99.

Design
The design of the Pluminix is pretty unique. It has a sort of science fiction feel to it - reminiscent of something from the Matrix, Stargate Atlantis or the Abyss, a sort of marine animal influened design. For some reason it reminds me of a squid. Others might say it is simply cute.

The body, section and cap are all made of a fairly standard, transparent plastic. The type used for shatterproof plastic rulers. The body and cap are available in quite a number of colours (or tints), 10 I believe, all based on the same transparent plastic. This allows you to see the collector and the ink cartridge – so its always obvious how much ink you have left.

It is reasonably sturdy and the sample I have is well manufactured. A nice feature is the screw-on cap. For a cheap pen that you are likely to just throw in your bag or pocket I think this is a good plus.
Design – 6\10

Feel
Being made of plastic, it is a light pen. It is quite small, so not the most comfortable of pens - but it is aimed at the young student market.

One problem I did find at first is the cap. When used posted, you must have it oriented the right way, or the little plastic ears on the cap dig into your hand. It is something I have kind of got used to though. Obviously not a problem if you don't use it posted though!

The section is curved and angled for the fingers and this position is reasonably comfortable. But it does force you to hold the pen in a certain position. Not a pen for the ham-fisted male being quite small.

Combined with an italic nib, this is not a pen for writing fast with or scribling notes, but with a little concentration gives great results.

Dimensions: 121mm (4 3/4")capped, 124mm (4 8/9") posted
Feel – 5\10



Nib
The nib is what attracted me to this pen. Big, shiny, a 1mm italic and from Pilot. If you like italics it performs pretty well, not great, but gives good definition between horizontal and vertical strokes. Stiff.
Nib – 7\10




Filling
The Pluminix takes short international cartridges which allows a good range of inks compared to some pens that use proprietary cartridges only, such as Parker and Lamy. But it will take only one at a time with no room for a spare. There is no room to fit a convertor either so you are stuck with cartridge use.
Filling – 6\10

Cost
I paid 3.99 for this pen, which can't be bad.
Cost – 9\10

Overall verdict – 33\50
This is a low-cost pen, so was never going to score highly, but great value for money. Cheap to add to your collection particularly if you'd like to try an italic nib for the first time.

Dunhill Sidecar Limousette - Mini-review

At some point when I actually have some spare time, I would like to start adding a few comprehensive reviews of the fountain pens I own. Hopefully, accompanied with some useful pictures. In the meantime, I thought I would post a quick mini-review of the one pen that does not leave the house, ever.




My Dunhill Sidecar Limousette was given to me by my now wife on the first anniversary of our first date. Funnily enough I bought her a pen too, from Tiffanys. Way too extravagant and very humbling that I should be given such a valuable present. Consequently, why I would never dare take it to the office or elsewhere.

The experience of receiving such a gift was amazing. This Dunhill is presented in a very plush wooden box, which makes the opening of the box itself a real event.

The pen is heavy. A good solid laquer over metal – nice and sensuous – combined with a weighty cap make of solid silver. And, it's the cap I love most – based on the design of a Steib motorcycle sidecar. Giving an overall feeling of understated elegance, its may be the simplicity that brings this elegant poise. But the cap really does unbalance the pen when writing, so I tend to use it unposted.

The nib is pretty smooth, and has a very slight spring to it. Its not the greatest nib I've ever written with, but it is close to what you would expect of a high-end pen. Though I'd argue this pen is primarily about the design than its writing ability.


There is one other flaw that should have been corrected before production. The screw fit between the barrel and nib section tends to work loose. Not a major thing but a little annoying – it could easily have been fixed with a simple recessed rubber seal or similar.

To fill it uses standard short international cartridges or a supplied convertor (nice and smooth).

Im summary, a great pen to admire and be seen with – that's if you dare take it out of the house.

Parker "51" prices on ebay

In the Summer of 2006, I studied the prices of Parker "51"s that were sold on ebay, databasing over 350 sales. Here's the results. They hopefully provide an indication to what you can expect to pay, that is, what is probably the "right price" or what the pen you own is worth. Note, the data only includes pens that have Parker 51 in the listing title.

"51" Grading
Pens are graded according to five levels:

• Poor – Damaged, or serious dings etc
• Okay – Your standard, used Parker "51" shows scratches and some dents
• Good – Reasonable condition. A much cleaner example, with little or no dents
• Excellent – The kind where the cap still resembles a 'frosty' lustralloy
• Mint – Immaculate, usually unused and usually boxed

"51"s with gold-filled caps

• Poor: Average price £17, Minimum £13, Maximum £22
• Okay: Average price £22, Minimum £14, Maximum £31
• Good:Average price £33, Minimum £17, Maximum £67
• Excellent: Average price £55, Minimum £36, Maximum £86
• Mint: Average price £95, Minimum £87, Maximum £102
• Average price overall = £39

"51"s with steel caps

• Poor: Average price £16, Minimum £11, Maximum £21
• Okay: Average price £21, Minimum £13, Maximum £34
• Good: Average price £27, Minimum £16, Maximum £46
• Excellent: Average price £33, Minimum £21, Maximum £60
• Mint: Average price £64, Minimum £56, Maximum £69
• Average price overall = £28

Average prices of "51"s by colour

• Black: Gold cap £41, Steel cap £27, Average £33
• Burgundy: Gold cap £39, Steel cap £33, Average £35
• Teal: Gold cap £42, Steel cap £38, Average £35
• Grey: Gold cap £22, Steel cap £25, Average £25

Prices are generally similar across the colour ranges, but grey seems to be least popular. £25–£30 can buy a good/excellent example. It was noticable that quite a few of the more excellent/mint examples were in burgundy. I wonder if people simply didn't like this colour and consequently didn't use them much originally. Or, whether you just see a lot more of them with gold-filled caps given as special presents, and consequently not used as much as maybe a 'standard' black pen would be.

I've left out the rarer colours, as there wasn't really enough data.

A few other comments
Known traders on ebay (those who sell lots of pens and are recognised for quality) only achieved the same prices as other more casual ebayers. Except, for the higher value, excellent and mint examples. I guess these guys build trust in the quality of their product, and buyers trust that their mint pens really are mint - and will thus pay the money. They also present the product much better, further building trust in what you're purchasing.

Presenting the pen well will add 20–40% to the price.

A box can add 30–50% to the value.

The most expensive pen sold was a pretty standard black "51" from 1952 with a 1/10 12ct rolled gold cap. The key factors were it was absolutely immaculate, included the box and original instructions and was extremely well photographed from all angles. It was also from a well known pen trader on ebay.

Click here for a list of Parker 51s currently for sale over on ebay.

Not a Parker 45

This is one of those pens that can confuse even the most dedicated collector of English Parker pens – the ‘New’ Slimfold. It can also cause quite a lot of debate – particularly for such a simple, low profile pen.



The MKII Slimfold, known as the ‘New’ Slimfold, is very similar to the Parker 45 introduced in 1960. There are two main differences between the pens: 1) the length – the Slimfold being shorter; and 2), the cap – the New Slimfold is screw-fit compared to the 45 push-fit cap.

The New Slimfolds were only manufactured for three years (1972–1975) so are relatively rare. It is not to be confused with the ‘transitional’ model previously available that had the new 45 style cap, but retained the rounded end body and open nib of the first generation Slimfold.

My 'New' Slimfold is of particular interest because it retains the chalk marks used during the introduction of decimalisation in the United Kingdom. The decimal coinage system was introduced on the 15 February 1971 – the start of an 18 month period when the previous system of pound, shilling and pence was phased out. The chalk marks show the price for this pen in both ‘old’ and ‘new’ money. It is for this reason the pen is dated as between 1971 and 1972.

Book plug

Last night I was having a sort through my bookshelves at home. Inevitably I got distracted and started looking through a few. The great David Shepherd books on the Parker "51" and Duofold, Lambrou's Fountains Pens of the World.... but, in amongst those was a gem I had forgotten - Miller's Pens and Writing Equipment: A Collector's Guide by Jim Marshall.

This was the first pen book I bought, and is great just to flick through and browse (though aren't they all?). It is a a great starter book for pen collectors, but even those with a longer standing interest in the subject will probably enjoy it too (and its cheap compared to most books on pens). It is not a particularly comprehensive study of pens, but is an interesting book as it covers a wide view across the whole subject from early dip pens, ink wells through to modern collectibles. 64 pages, complete with great pictures and less than a tenner.

Click here to purchase the book from Amazon

It all started with a trip down memory lane

When I was 10 or 11, my Grandparents gave me a fountain pen as a present. This was during my school days and sadly it was stolen a few months afterwards. I was heartbroken. Then a few years ago, I had a desire to replace it – a desire to connect with my late Grandfather – and so began my quest.

Parker 45 GT

Having searched the web and my memory I discovered the pen was a blue, gold-trimmed Parker 45. I can even remember, quite clearly, visiting Pen Corner in Hull to have a new nib fitted. I wanted a fine and not a medium. I have a feeling I'd dropped the original too and had bent it out of shape. My search started to find just such a pen and after seeing their site on the web, a visit to Penfriend in London

I didn't find the pen I wanted there, but discovered the world of fountain pens again. The Parker 51, Duofold and Vacumatic. Manufacturers such as Waterman, Pelikan and Mont Blanc. It was the 51 that really grabbed me, amazed by the smoothness of the nib, the beauty of the object and the joy of writing with such a pen.

But, the 51s they stocked were beyond my budget for a fledgling hobby. I didn't leave empty handed though. A bargain bucket, Parker Duofold AF from the 1940s left with me - my choice for an everyday writer.

The 51 kept coming back to haunt me though. A few days later a trip to Ebay performed the release, in the shape of a 1950, medium nibbed 51 for just £20. This was closely followed by a 1930s Vacumatic, an Eversharp Skyline, a Parker Slimfold .... and thus began my passion.

Numbers on nibs

A common question regarding older English Parker Duofolds is 'What do the numbers mean on the nibs?' Nib size designations (Post-war Duofold Aerometric range) The Aerometric Duofold was manufactured between 1953 and 1971.

• 5 – Slimfold
• 10 – Junior Duofold (Plus the Parker Victory V also uses this nib)
• (15 – Parker Victory)
• 25 – Demi and Standard-sized Duofold
• 35 – Duofold and Senior Duofold
• 50 – Maxima Duofold

N – This is a designation for the first pens manufactured at the Newhaven plant in the UK Some pens are marked with a single number as above. Others are marked with the number above, plus a second number signifying the year of manufacture. It is also worth noting that this isn't absolute an absolute guide to what pen you have though. Sometimes the nibs are swapped around, particularly when they were repaired. For example, I have two Standard sized Duofolds that are both fitted with Senior sized nibs. One of these isn't even an Aerometric!

And finally, the 14k and 585 show that the nib is gold.

Selling pens on ebay

I've seen fountain pens sell on ebay for less than £10, then reappear a week later and sell for £50 – the price difference simply down to a better description and better photos. This is common to a lot of stuff sold on there. However, with a little effort, you can gain the true price for your pen. Small things that haven't taken much effort could add £10 to the price. Even as simple as reading the pen name inscribed on the side of the pen and putting it in the listing can help add £££s.

Parker Vacumatic Debutante

Preparing to sell your pen
First, spend a little time researching the pen. Small facts can make a lot of difference. Start by trying to identify what kind of pen you have. That way, you'll be half-way there to finding out how much its worth and how much time it is worth investing to sell it.

Popular pens that sell well include most pre-1970 Parker pens, in particular:

• 51 – One of the most collected pens. The most sought after have gold filled caps.
• 61 – Similar to the 51, with a gold arrow inlaid into the pen close to the nib. Becoming more collectable of late.
• Post-war Duofolds – The larger the better, Senior and Maxima fetch good prices.
• Vacumatic – A quite beautiful pen made from laminated hoops of different colours.

Identifying your pen
The first and most obvious method is to check the pen itself. Most clips contain the manufacturer's name, and it is quite common for the pen model to be marked on the barrell. Also, compare your pen to pictures on the web and on ebay.

Listing and describing pens

The title
There's a lot of pens on ebay, so many collectors search for specific terms, such as 'Parker 51', 'Duofold' or 'fountain pen'. It is also what will draw attention to your item in the listings.

Think about the main features of the pen. Include the maufacturer and the name of the pen. Is it boxed? Is it a set, that is, does it come with a matching ballpoint pen or pencil? What colour is it? Are any parts gold-plated ('gold-filled')? Plus, don't forget to include the text 'fountain pen'! Personally, I prefer to keep titles simple and include the best description of the item possible.

Some examples:

Parker 51 fountain pen, black with rolled gold cap
Parker Duofold, boxed fountain pen and pencil set

The description
Break the description into little chunks each with their own sub-title. This makes it easier for the potential buyer to see the important information, rather than getting bored wading through great long paragraphs of text. It will also help you make sure you include all the information. Suitable sub-titles and information to include:

Summary

• Repeat the manufacturer name and pen model
• Include all of the text that is inscribed on the pen – including any numbers.
• Country manufactured (if known).
• Capped size (meaure the length of the pen with the cap in the stored position covering the nib)
• Filling method (if know)
• Condition
• Check for cracks, chips and scratches. Is there just minor wear, or something more serious? But don't always dismiss a pen if it looks used. Whilst pens in good condition are more valuable, if the pen is rare or collectable even those with scratches will sell well.
• The nib
• What markings are on the nib?
• The cap
• Describe any features of the cap, such as a 'jewel' in the end.
• Check carefully, by holding the pen close to a light, to see if there are any hair line cracks in the lip of the cap.
• What metal does the clip look like?
• If the fittings look gold, has it rubbed off anywhere ('brassing')?

Writing sample
If you have some ink, dip the nib only, write a sentence or two and photograph it. If you don't have any ink, try soaking the end in water. If a pen has been stored a while, there can be dried ink that will allow you to write. Some types of nib can add a substantial amount to the price, and buyers will be able to detect this through the writing sample.

Images
Good images can really help add value to your listing. If possible, try and include a shot of the pen with the cap, one without and a close-up of the nib and include that writing sample too. If it's a broad nib or writes in an italic style this too can add £££s.

And, finally...

Two things: 1) Be honest with your listing. If you are simply guessing at information, say so; and 2) don't try repair the pen if you don't know what you're doing. If you do want to clean it, use water on the nib with a soft cloth to remove dried ink, a duster with some furniture polish on the barrel and cap, and a soft jewellery cloth only on the metal trim.

Now sit back and enjoy the auction.

Vintage fountain pen prices on ebay

This article was first published in the Summer of 2006....so the prices reflect that time. But I've not seen any dramatic changes since then.

The price of vintage, English Parker Duofolds – May 2006




For a little bit of fun, I've been analysing the sales of vintage pens on ebay. All of the completed sales are analysed and databased according to pen type and what I think the overall condition of the pen is. I only include the sales of sinngle pens, and don't include sets in my database.

Note, these prices are a guide only and you shouldn't put too much faith in them....


Grading
The grading applied varies by pen. Some are easier to grade than others. For example, the condition of a "51" is easier to establish due to having a metal cap which shows how well the pen has been cared for, compared to say a Parker Duofold.

The grade might not be how the actual pen is in reality, but this is how the pen looked in the photographs and the descriptions (not that I've been led by sales hype quotes of 'Near mint, excellent etc'). I feel this is how the purchaser will assess the pen, so is a reasonable way of grading for these purposes.

Duofold gradings
Its a bit harder to tell the condition of a Parker Duofold for sale just from photographs. So, for these prices I've used just three grade levels:

Poor – Damaged, chipped, burnt or heavily scratched examples.
Good – Reasonable examples falling into the ok to good level.
Excellent – Clean and bright, excellent and mint examples.

Average prices of Duofold Aerometric by size

• Junior: Poor £8 Good £14 Excellent £15
  
• Demi: Poor £13 Good £20 Excellent £40
  
• Standard: Poor £12 Good £20 Excellent £60
  
• Senior: Poor ** Good £28 Excellent £80
  
• Maxima: Poor £17 Good £56 Excellent £69
  
  * This table shows average prices only
  ** Not enough sales to get an average price
  

Average prices of Duofold by filler type
(Standard size Duofolds only)

• NS (Marble): Poor £43 Good £49 Excellent £97
  
• NS (New style): Poor £22 Good £27 Excellent £88
  
• AF (Aluminium): Poor £23 Good £27 Excellent £52
  
• Aerometric: Poor £12 Good £20 Excellent £60
  

The New Style Duofold is the earliest version of the English manufactured Duofolds. It has a blind cap with a tassie and a brass 'button' filling mechanism.

NS (Marble) represents the marble coloured varieties of the New Style Duofold. These are extremely collectable, and are quite rare. Consequently, even examples without a nib can fetch good prices - as long as the body and cap are in good condition.

A static, static site

A couple of years back, I created website on vintage fountain pens. A peculiar passion of mine, not the website but the pens. I was very keen in the first place, like many people who start out on such a journey. I had visions of creating a small but worthwhile resource. Looking at many of the topics not covered by other fountain pen websites, such as pricing, repairs, simple dating techniques, identification. I wanted it to appeal to those new to the hobby, and those who just had a passing interest. Those who may have inherited pens and wanted to know more – to create a connection with those they had inherited from, or simply to know whether said pen was worth putting on ebay. I was particularly interested in saving inherited pens from ending up in the trash, so that at least they could end-up with use collectors and users. But despite the optimistic start, the pressures of work and wanting a life away from work meant I did not have the time to add to the content of the site. I did well up until about the middle of 2006. Then my little site became a static place of static information. I didn't want this to be the case, so I've opted to switch it to a more informal repository – a blog. And, I plan to transfer much of what was useful on the old site to here. In fact, a blog is probably more in keeping with my passion. It is something that is constantly with me. I use fountain pens at work, and I sit at a desk where I have the power to constantly find ever more little titbits about my hobby through the internet. There are hundreds of site out there who do a consideraably better job than I, and of course there is the old faithful – www.fountainpennetwork.com. So from now on, its the blog for me.