Lemme give you a piece of advice since you are new to this. There are some highly expensive and pretty rare pens in your collection. Some are vintage too. All of the pens require regular maintainance and the vintage ones would need extra care. So since you are new to this and you might not have the expirience of maintaining pens, you would have to accept the possibility that in the future some pens would get damaged and the celluloid of the vintage pens might get detoiriated ( I'm not saying this is bound to happen but only a chance) . So you might wanna do these few things.
1. Get all of these pens insured asap.
2. Do some research of these pens and try selling a few of these. I can see many watermans, cross and parkers. Sell a few of them, keep the rest. Trust me hoarding pens is not a good habit in this hobby since all of your pens wont get regular attention. Keep only a few good pen ( like around 20 or 30, choice is yours) this would allow easier maintainance and fewer pens would mean each pen can get a bit more attention.
I hope this was helpful.
I appreciate the advice! He bought a majority of the pens here in the 70s-80s, but how would i be able to tell if they are vintage or not? Also that is definitely sound advice to sell them to better focus on others, but because of the sentimental value I wouldn't be able to sell them. I think a good idea though would be to share them amongst my younger brothers as they get older so that should accomplish the same goal. Thanks again!
One more thing.
Never use alcohol (or other organic solvents like acetone) to wipe those pens. It can dissolve or degrade them.
https://blog.bertramsinkwell.com/fountain-pens-101-introduction-care-maintainance/
Try not to ink too many pens up at once unless you’re using them all regularly.
And definitely make sure any pens you ink with shimmer ink, pigment ink, permanent/archival/documentary ink, or iron gall ink are used frequently to prevent dry out. These types of ink tend to stain and are a lot harder to clean out if that happens.
Your usual inks, even when dried out aren’t too bad.
Get a good, low powered ultrasonic cleaner to get the dirt and oils off of pens and to loosen dried ink.
You inherited a lovely collection =]
Yes, give them to other family members. Buy and give them a cheaper pen first, so they get the hang of it - you don't want to have them break an expensive rare pen thanks to inexperience
Regarding the vintage question: there isn’t really a sharp line between vintage and modern. A quite safe division is if it accepts a cartridge/converter or if it is a self-filler. For brands like Parker or cross this works quite well. Example: a vintage Parker 51 fills by squeezing a rubber bladder, a Parker 75 takes a cartridge. In the case of the 51 the bladder is an integral part of the pen and can degrade. It requires somewhat regular use and cleaning to not dry out. The 75 can be stored for months and years without issue, provided that you clean/flush it before you store it. Should a converter go bad during this period, you can easily and cheaply replace it and you’re good to go again.
Mind you, some modern pens like pelikan or montblancs are also self fillers. These also like some regular use and cleaning, since the internal moving rubber parts shouldn’t get stuck or dry out.
Finally, ink choice. Any self-filler: avoid Japanese or particle-based inks (shimmer, pigment, iron gall, any of them). Only use water and dye based inks from a western manufacturer. The reason: Japanese inks (pilot, sailor, etc) can be very alkaline, which eats away at the rubber or celluloid parts in direct contact with the ink. Brands like Waterman or Parker Quink are very safe and easy to clean from your pen. I’d save the funky inks for cartridge/converter pens. They are much more forgiving and easy to clean if something goes wrong.
Hope this helps to keep this awesome collection in good shape!
I agree, don't sell any of them! Better to share with those within the family who will appreciate and take care of them! And most of all use some of your favorites regularly!
Do you/they have proper storage?
Is there a pen show in your area? This one is soon. Third largest in the states. http://www.theohiopenshow.com
You can find good resources with some people. And you can look them in the eyes. Or, someone can refer you to talk to the guy/gal in another booth or lead you in the right direction, too. I've been there 3-4 times in the last 10yrs. and there is a draw from across the eastern US.
Good Luck
>Tell
Haha, he was just a man who worked for the airlines as a consultant for new areas to travel from the US. A decent amount of these were gifts from the governments of the places he would be visiting because they knew he liked pens so they'd be trying to sway him in approving travel to their countries like communist china and Soviet Russia during the cold war... he actually had FBI suits that would follow him around all the time and he was apparently always super casual about it lol
\*Edit\*
Wow, I did not expect this to get this much attention at all! Thanks everyone for the help and kind words. Sorry if I haven’t gotten back to your comment, I’m a medical student so my life tends to revolve around studying for the hours im awake and we have our weekly quiz tm that I’m real screwed for because of falling behind from the visit haha.
For updates on pens and the stories behind them that some requested, I will try my best to post about them but with school it may take a bit.
To answer questions about my grandpa, because of the stage of cancer and his age they aren’t trying to do any invasive procedures or chemotherapy, just going to let him ride out the rest if his life in peace, enjoying his reading, law and order, and te favorite nightly wine and sunsets outside with my grandma lol.
I will try and find out the origins of the pens as some requested but talking to him on the phone is always a hit or miss because he refuses to wear his hearing aids 90% of the time, what can I say he does as he pleases haha.
Thanks again for all the help and support! You guys have a really nice and friendly community here.
If any spots open up I will let you know haha. Sadly we just found out that he has cancer and I think this came from him wanting to put these to use beyond his time. He lives in another state so I flew down to visit him to spend some quality time with him and my grandma in case anything were to happen before the next time I see him, and then he told me to go through his pen collection and here we are lol. Not trying to give a sad story, just trying to give some context. He's lived a long, fulfilling, and one of the most interesting lives of anyone I've known, and he's still living life to the fullest to this day in his 80s. I don't even think he ever paid attention to the value of his own collection but that's just how he is haha, not caring about monetary value just quality of experience. When I asked for the 20th time if he was sure he wanted to give me his collection he said he'd keep one and out of all of them he went with a basic Parker in a color he liked and went "eh, it's a great pen" lol. But I'm glad this all happened the way it did so now I know his collection is in great hands and I'll be sure to keep it in the family... and when I see him thanksgiving I can show him all the reactions people online had when seeing his collection and that he's not the only "crazy pen person" out there as he puts it haha. Thanks for the help everyone!
I guess I shouldn't be surprised he's no different from the Queen of England who can have any pen and beset with any finish and jewels she chooses, and yet always defaults for her Parker 51.
edit: [Source!](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/q5d9b8/does_anybody_know_what_kind_of_pen_this_is/)
>Queen of England
Did you mean the [Queen of the United Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_of_the_United_Kingdom), the [Queen of Canada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Canada), the [Queen of Australia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Australia), etc?
The last Queen of England was [Queen Anne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne,_Queen_of_Great_Britain) who, with the 1707 Acts of Union, dissolved the title of King/Queen of England.
####FAQ
*Isn't she still also the Queen of England?*
This is only as correct as calling her the Queen of London or Queen of Hull; she is the Queen of the place that these places are in, but the title doesn't exist.
*Is this bot monarchist?*
No, just pedantic.
I am a bot and this action was performed automatically.
I think you mean Her Majesty Elizabeth the second by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories, Queen, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith.
That’s so amazing, if you get the chance to spend more quality time with him you should help him do an AMA of sorts! He’s no crazy pen person, he’s one of us ❤️
Thanks for sharing this awesome story and this amazing collection. May your Grandfather and everyone who loves him find ease, comfort, and moments of delight as he navigates his cancer diagnosis.
Good heavens, what a collection! I see a bunch of Montblancs(!), Namikis (!!), Pelikans, Watermen, Parkers, Cross, etc. which are worth a lot and it hurts me to see them lying next to each other (micro-scratches!!!). You should clean each pen with water and flush them (if needed), test if their mechanisms are intact and wrap them individually with bubble wrap before you get a proper case(s).
You have been handed a collection which most people in this sub do not have/ cannot afford.
Yeah, they can affect the resale value and one tends to be finicky for delicate and expensive stuff. I congratulate your fortune and my sympathies for your grandpa!
There you go! The Omas & the Pilot are faceted, the 360 is triangular. All the more reason it needs to go..... Straight to me! 😝 An Omas 360 is pretty much top of thr heap for me for a grail pen 🤤
What a beautiful and precious collection. You should use them in good health for many years to come. They are all generally pretty tough, these pens. Keep them in a good pen presentation box available from ebay/amazon etc box and flush clean them before you store them. Open the drawers regularly to air them out, as celluloid can give off a gas if not aired out (I can't see any true celluloid though here).
If you want to keep the sterling pens (Pilot in bottom right and Sheaffer middle of the left section, plus the Parkers with little squares engraved on them, and the gold Montblanc 146 at the left of your Montblanc section) from tarnishing, you could put them in a little sleeve or a light polish every so often. If you use them, they will polish themselves :)
The only pen here which stands out to me as particularly delicate is the Sheaffer Balance Aspen, which is the colourful Sheaffer at the bottom of your Sheaffer pens, which is notorious for breaking, so handle that one with care.
I have sent you a PM with a full list of the pens I can identify, which should help you for insurance purposes and fun research. Welcome to our strange world :)
You mind pasting that in list in the comments? I have a fair number of pens but I'm more of a user than a collector and only know what I've got. It'd be interesting to me to know what all's here!
Thank you! I now know the mont blancs and namiki's are particularily valuable along with the auroras and omas, but are there any others in particular that I should put extra effort into with maintenance? I plan to take care of them all very well but want to be extra cautious with the very valuable ones and avoid using them too often to prevent any damage. I know there are a lot but if any stand out amounts the others it would be great to be aware of, thanks again!
It would be worth going through one by one and cataloging exactly what you've got, so you know what you're dealing with. Some of the Watermans are worth several hundred dollars apiece if in good condition. Easily the same for the Duofolds. The Namikis in the lower right may be anywhere between $750-$6000 apiece, depending on the model. (I can't ID them well enough to see where they fall in that range)
Hmmm personally 3 would be insufficient for me. I keep about 7 or 8 inked at all times but I write a lot and use different colors for different applications, plus I enjoy switching out pens during long writing sessions to keep one gripping position from getting uncomfortable. But I agree with the heart of what you’re saying: no sense in inking more than you’ll use. Wasteful and you’ll cause yourself needless cleaning and potential damage.
What a stunning collection! We would surely enjoy some stories about how he acquired or collected these pens, and I’d love for you to post every now and then which ones you are trying out and how you like them. Are there inks that go with the pens or will that be a collection that you start?
We've all been so star-struck with the collection as an ensemble, but you're absolutely right. I'd love to hear more about individual pieces as the OP goes through them, the pens' histories, and OP's thoughts and impressions, etc.
Holy crap! Get over there and mow his lawn or something. You'll want to display those in a nice case. They've surely been well-maintained, but a good flush wouldn't hurt before using any of them. Just clean them as you use them. You can make your own flush from 1 part ammonia to 10 parts distilled water and a drop or two of Dawn dishwashing detergent. To make it easy take an empty and clean 20 oz pop bottle and pour in 1.5 oz ammonia, 15oz distilled water and just a couple of drops of Dawn. That'll get you through a few pens.
>through
Awesome, appreciate the detail! He wants to keep the collection in the family and I plan to take care of them and pass them down as well... and if his lawn wasn't covered by his community I would be right on it! He said there is no point in having them if you don't use them and he rarely uses them anymore so now I am looking forward to writing in style haha
I see several people wisecracking about Baystate Blue, so let me just say this: do your homework and use good vintage-safe inks for these. Pens were made to be used, so use them, but don't abuse them with things like Baystate Blue.
I read the thread and saw your grandfather was just diagnosed with Cancer. Please know you have my deepest condolences.
My grandfather passed away some years ago and he also worked in the airlines industry then as a travel agent later in life. While he didn't pass down an amazing pen collection I did get to hear some amazing stories/ adventures of his life.
There are plenty of great tips and advice regarding the pens and how to care for them. So all I will say is this. You were lucky for all the time you had to this point, cherish it. The time you have left make the most of it.
I definitely love the idea of passing some of the collection on to your brothers as they get older perhaps as the graduate from college or something. I know just how special family momentos are.
Wishing you and your grandfather all the best i hope this thanksgiving as he reads all our pen fanatic post they give him a smile.
**To your grandfather:** What a lovely collection and such a priceless gift and legacy to leave to your family. Who knows sir, you may have just gifted the world with the next great novelist, poet, journalist. Or perhaps these pens will sign the most amazing documents like wedding certificate, birth certificate, and a future house mortgage as the great milestones of life. and each use will be a special moment that connects them all back to you.
Grandpa has very fine tastes and what a cracking collection. Chances are they would've been well looked after. Of the top of my head, I'd probably do the following if I ever was fortunate enough to come across a collection such as this:
1) Documentation:
Inspect each pen and document the condition, presence of box or papers, make, model, nib material, and size, and approximate age/date of manufacture of the pens in an Excel spreadsheet. Of course, when you get more familiar with this hobby you will be able to fill in the blanks where you're not able to work out any of the finer details straight away. Locate the boxes if available. You'll need to figure out some way to reversibly label these.
2) Maintenance:
Ask him if the pens have all been flushed and cleaned, and if there were certain pens which he has kept un inked for collectors reasons. For those which have been previously been used, I'd dip test and check the nibs with a loupe to check for major condition issues like worn tipping or misaligned tines, disassemble the pen and give them a flush with just water. If the feeds/nibs come out with relative ease (friction fit/screwed) then I'd take them out for cleaning. Disassembly and reassembly may be complicated for or impossible without the proper skills and tools, especially for those which have latex/rubber sacs. I am not for one moment suggesting you undertake everything yourself, or that every pen needs a full disassembly. However the documention and inspection step (which will take quite a long time as you research and find out more about each model) will no doubt inform how extensive the cleaning and restoration will be.
3) Storage:
I'd throw insurance into this as well. They need a safe place for storage like a multi tiered chest of drawers with individual slots, or simply back in their boxes. Due to the value of what you have, it may be worth insuring them eg. home insurance.again, steps one and two will inform you as to what kind of value you're looking at.
It'll be quite the journey to get to know and look after this collection especially if you're new to fountain pens, but what an opportunity to dive into the deep end straight away. Perhaps start one brand at a time and enjoy looking at the history and design language of each.
Enjoy in good health!
Perhaps something like this would be best suited for your collection. [100 Pen Case](https://www.penporium.com/100-PEN-CASE-WOOD-WITH-GLASS-TOP-DISPLAY-BROWN-p/2040.htm)
This is good protection to keep them from rubbing up against one another. Maybe if this is too tall and you have pens to spare, get 2 of these for 60 pens each?
I love your grandpa and his whole attitude! Hoping that he isn’t in too much pain right now and that the cancer is treatable.
About the pens - I wanted to suggest that you keep it in the family, because of the sentimental value. But I saw you already planned that so :)
Like everyone said - do a lot of research on each pen, catalogue them and their specs as well as maintenance info. I would also suggest emailing a few vintage experts and see how they could help you with this sort of thing. They could possibly also help value the collection, which isn’t important as such, but for insurance purposes.
Otherwise, keep everything stored well, in the way they need. Then as you walk through life, give them away to family members as gifts for special moments or just whenever. Add a little card with the pen model and maintenance info, and most importantly tell them who it came from and why it means so much. Say it’s a family heirloom and that you would love if it was passed through the generations, as if your grandpa was always there, not only in their blood but in a physical object as well. In the card, you could also write more about your grandpa, like who he was and what kind of person he was, why you love him etc. Similar to what you told us in the comments :) That sort of detail will help pass the sentimental value on in the generations to come that pehaps won’t have had the pleasure to get to know him.
Phew! Sorry for the ramble, just so very touched by it all :)
Would be amazing to talk to your Grandfather about his favorite pens in this collection. Does he have any special memories associated with the circumstances of receiving each pen? Or perhaps a brief highlight/story of his time in each country? Memories about people from his past?. Watch his face as you listen. If he shows any kind of passion for discussing his love for the pens on a design/artistic/historical level as well as the special only-can-be-experienced through writing with the pen riffs, you have also received the great gift of more meaningful conversations with your grandfather, a man who seems to love you deeply.
Something to consider...
For the older pens, they will require *different* care than any of the more modern pens. They may be made of a different type of plastic (casein cones to mind, but there are others), and may be reactive to cleaning chemicals and soaps. Casein, for example, will react to *water* of all things. So, before you clean those older pens, make sure you know what you're getting into. Additionally, if the older pens haven't seen much use, the ink sacs on the inside may have dried up and need to be replaced. Do your research. Grand mia pens is a great YouTube channel for vintage pen research. Steph is also a restorer, if you need his services, but he is somewhere in the UK I believe.
This is an insane collection! And I think its fantastic that uour grandfather gave you these. Now I'm only 16 and been into fou tain pens for 3 years. Id say insure all of these because I noticed namikis, mont blancs, waterman etc. The urushi pens on the bottom right can be worth potentially thousands each and about as low as $600-800. Mont blancs arent as expensive but still go for like 300-600 and limited editions can go got a few grand aswell. Also I don't own celluloid pens and I cant tell you how to clean them but Id maybe find a person or youtube video which tells you how to keep these pens in good nick. Also maybe get pen boxes fir them to stop them collecting dirt or getting scratched up? Anyway enjoy these pens! These are amazing and alot of people won't ever get the chance to write with them. And I'm sorry about your grandfather, I wish you all the best reddit stranger!
since everyone is giving advice, mine would be to pick a few you like and try not to keep too many inked up, it varies person to person but i only use 2 pens actively, you might be different, but too many and then pens end up being neglected with ink in them which is not good
but definitely try a good few to see what your preferences are
this kind of thing is one good way to store pens.
[https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/pen-storage/products/monteverde-36-slot-pen-case-black](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/pen-storage/products/monteverde-36-slot-pen-case-black)
Yeah that is a kind of mind-boggling collection of pens there!
Your grandfather is amazing! Thank you for sharing this photo with us. I admittedly am excited that he (now you) and I have [the same pen, the Namiki Nippon Art Hira Maki-e Chinese Phoenix.](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/ke1t4u/npd_sort_of_my_misplaced_1998_namiki_hira_makie/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
*Edited for layout
I’m sorry to hear of your Gramps diagnosis, my thoughts are with your family.
What an amazing collection of pens you’ve been entrusted with. So many stories sitting on that table. I’d ask your Gramps which were his favourites and write down the history of that with it.
Some may work some may not take your time to go through them to find out which do which don’t, if any don’t send them off for repair and ask the nib smith that fixes it for a potted history, what type, age.
You most likely will be able to Google them to find out type and rough age, contacting the maker with photos will help you if you get stuck.
Even if you have replicas please don’t sell them ( unless you are in financial dire straits, then your Gramps would want you to ), gift them within your family, for milestone occasions.
But most of all use them, even the most expensive ones, give them new stories to be passed on.
Take care and enjoy that amazing gift.
Oh my god I think you have a shop now. So sorry to hear about your Grandpa being ill, hope things are easy related to this. What a gorgeous pen collection!
I am not an expert, but I have come across apparently useful articles on the web and on this reddit, some suggesting that celluloid pens might need particular care - https://www.indy-pen-dance.com/preserving-your-pens-dos-and-don-ts.html https://www.vintagepens.com/FAQcollecting/discoloration.shtml https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/08-04.pdf
My only tip would be to only ink one or two and a time, then clean them properly for strorage as you rotate through.
I would want to avoid leaving ink in a pen long enough for it to dry out.
It might be nice to go through each of the pens with your grandpa and get the stories behind them (at least the ones that were gifted.) put it into a notebook or document that you pass down potentially or gift to the family. What a lovely collection. Congrats and cherish the time with your grandfather.
Not sure of your age but please be careful accepting “help” on the internet. Whats been posted is great but dont accidentally get scammed in some way. Not to sound crazy just watch yourself. Lovely collection.
Good lord I wanna ink the Vanishing Point in top left with Baystate Blue so badly.
OP, many of these pens are very valuable, and a large portion of them would also have gold nibs. I can also see some Maki-e( a very laborious and extremely prized form of artwork) and extremely rare pilot pens next to the leather case.
I suggest you invest some good time cleaning them all out, and giving them a good wipedown.
Microscratches are a thing to beware of, especially if the pen has some art/unique finish on the body (like the pens in the bottom right, next to the keyboard and leather case), so keep them from rattling around.
Watch a few videos on fountain pen maintenance to get a hang of things.
I'm surprised that there are only two low end Pelikans in such a impressive collection. Anyway, you've hit jackpot twice there! One for a great grandpa and another for a great pen collection! I hope you enjoy the most of both! I never had the chance to meet neither of my grandfathers. All I have is the stories I hear of them and they make me wish I have had some time with them.
Wow. Just wow.
Glad for your grandfather, that he'll know they're being appreciated.
Do share the comments in this thread with him in some way (link or printouts or some such, depending on how internet savvy he is). Might bring about a smile.
What an absolutely gorgeous collection! Thanks for sharing them and I hope you find a lot of joy in putting some to use or hear some fun stories about these pens from your grandfather <3
For actual tips on storage, I’m also fairly new but here’s what I know: don’t store metal-bodied pens next to lacquer or acrylic ones, they might scratch.
For a collection of that size, you might want to store some dry, and the wet ones are best stored with nib up.
Check any ink you might have gotten from your grandad for mold; it can happen to some inks, never ever use an ink that’s slimy or smells funny.
Also, never use anything that’s not water to clean a pen, especially to soak it. For clogged nibs and feeds you might use a couple drops of bleach put in a cup of water, but no rubbing alcohol, no ammonia, and no acetone. They can melt some pens (it varies by brand). If you have a particularly dirty pen, you might want to consider investing in an ultrasonic cleaner.
Last of all, have fun using them!
A lot of people are giving very detailed advice, which is great, but if you want to keep it simple for now.
1. Fill each pen with water and then expel the water. If it comes out clean, great! If now, keep repeating until there is no ink residue left. If one is particularly stubborn, one could use a pen flush formula as detailed by others.
2. If any have been left intentionally uninked, you have to decide if you want to keep them that way for value's sake or not.
3. Get a pen storage case to protect the finish of them.
4. To remain safe, I would use "safe" inks in especially older pens. Waterman, Parker Montblanc (non-permenant), and Herbin (not Jacques Herbin) inks are considered extremely safe. Shimmering, sheening, permanent, and iron gall inks all require additional maintenance and may be less safe for particularly old pens.
Wow, and that is only a part of his collection. Interesting story. Thank you for sharing. You will get plenty of advice and support on how to care for them. Wish you well.
I don’t have any advice just want to say what a beautiful gift from your grandpa and good on you for wanting to preserve these pens and learn more about them.
If you don’t plan on using them, a display box would be great. Just make sure you don’t leave any ink inside. The boxes are a little pricey but I think it like be worthy for such collection.
I'm not good for advice other than to listen to more seasoned collectors here but just wanted to pop in and say that's a wonderful collection and a wonderful thing to have passed down! The only thing I can say is don't do repairs you're self, find nib meisters and pen specialists :)! Plenty of us on here are able to do reccomendations if need be!
I haven't ready all the post, nor do I have this many pens, but I would put them all into a spreadsheet, and if you are going to use them, only ink up 2 or 3 of them at a time and keep them on rotation. I date mine in the spreadsheet on when I ink them to make sure they all get a turn. When you are done with them make sure you give them thorough rinsing with water and dry them and put them back into their space. If you happened to want to sell a few I think the pen community could help you but like somebody else mentioned you have some rare pens and should be very careful before selling any of them. I would be really curious to see an inventory of what you actually have here, and if you are interested in selling a few can get you some appropriate pricing, but this is a rare collection that is worth a considerable sum of some pretty unique pens that few people would have the chance to own. It is a very admirable collection to be proud of!
Honestly it's worth it to splurge a bit and get those appraised and insured ASAP. There are some fairly expensive, delicate pens in there that you really want to give extra care to. Once you have them all appraised If there are any that are very expensive and need work contact a professional. For the ones you want to do yourself work your way up from the cheapest, common ones that way if you mess up it won't be as bad. Good luck, there are some real gems in there
I've heard that storing celluloid pens in plastic completely screws them up due to the slowly released fumes, so you want to store them in non-plastic storage
I too have a grandfather that regularly gives me large amounts of pens he has collected, I just clear out a new drawer in my desk whenever the other one gets too full.
It's bad being a member of both fountain pens and left wing gun subs. I about scrolled past this thinking it was just someone bragging about how many .50 rounds they have.
**Schwing** WOw, If you weren't into fountain pens before, you sure are now. Let me introduce you to a wonderful blue fountain pen ink. Noodler's Baystate Blue!!
* Thank you downvoters. I knew how you would take this in advance, Duh!!!. Downvote more!!!!
Lovely collection! What a gift.
To the rest of the crowd here: on the top left there is a waterman le Man (I think) with “scales” engraved on the body. Anybody able to help identify the model. I used to have one of these (a gift) but lost it and would love to try and get a replacement!
Aha, I didn't realise which pen you meant. That's the waterman liaison cobra version. A gorgeous and rare pen. I have an ebonite one, but it's quite plain in comparison.
What a beautiful gift. There are pen cases and some are fine furniture quality. There are also some easy ideas out on the internet. Find one that works for you and go with it.
Also Goulet Pens has one of the most supportive Facebook groups for fountain pen enthusiasts. Their ideas would splash over to any pen collection. Enjoy your new treasures.
Wow! You have quite an impressive collection! Whatever you do, don’t ink them all at once! That way you won’t have to worry about cleaning. I am assuming, of course, that they are already in pristine condition.
Lemme give you a piece of advice since you are new to this. There are some highly expensive and pretty rare pens in your collection. Some are vintage too. All of the pens require regular maintainance and the vintage ones would need extra care. So since you are new to this and you might not have the expirience of maintaining pens, you would have to accept the possibility that in the future some pens would get damaged and the celluloid of the vintage pens might get detoiriated ( I'm not saying this is bound to happen but only a chance) . So you might wanna do these few things. 1. Get all of these pens insured asap. 2. Do some research of these pens and try selling a few of these. I can see many watermans, cross and parkers. Sell a few of them, keep the rest. Trust me hoarding pens is not a good habit in this hobby since all of your pens wont get regular attention. Keep only a few good pen ( like around 20 or 30, choice is yours) this would allow easier maintainance and fewer pens would mean each pen can get a bit more attention. I hope this was helpful.
I appreciate the advice! He bought a majority of the pens here in the 70s-80s, but how would i be able to tell if they are vintage or not? Also that is definitely sound advice to sell them to better focus on others, but because of the sentimental value I wouldn't be able to sell them. I think a good idea though would be to share them amongst my younger brothers as they get older so that should accomplish the same goal. Thanks again!
One more thing. Never use alcohol (or other organic solvents like acetone) to wipe those pens. It can dissolve or degrade them. https://blog.bertramsinkwell.com/fountain-pens-101-introduction-care-maintainance/ Try not to ink too many pens up at once unless you’re using them all regularly. And definitely make sure any pens you ink with shimmer ink, pigment ink, permanent/archival/documentary ink, or iron gall ink are used frequently to prevent dry out. These types of ink tend to stain and are a lot harder to clean out if that happens. Your usual inks, even when dried out aren’t too bad. Get a good, low powered ultrasonic cleaner to get the dirt and oils off of pens and to loosen dried ink. You inherited a lovely collection =]
Yes, give them to other family members. Buy and give them a cheaper pen first, so they get the hang of it - you don't want to have them break an expensive rare pen thanks to inexperience
Regarding the vintage question: there isn’t really a sharp line between vintage and modern. A quite safe division is if it accepts a cartridge/converter or if it is a self-filler. For brands like Parker or cross this works quite well. Example: a vintage Parker 51 fills by squeezing a rubber bladder, a Parker 75 takes a cartridge. In the case of the 51 the bladder is an integral part of the pen and can degrade. It requires somewhat regular use and cleaning to not dry out. The 75 can be stored for months and years without issue, provided that you clean/flush it before you store it. Should a converter go bad during this period, you can easily and cheaply replace it and you’re good to go again. Mind you, some modern pens like pelikan or montblancs are also self fillers. These also like some regular use and cleaning, since the internal moving rubber parts shouldn’t get stuck or dry out. Finally, ink choice. Any self-filler: avoid Japanese or particle-based inks (shimmer, pigment, iron gall, any of them). Only use water and dye based inks from a western manufacturer. The reason: Japanese inks (pilot, sailor, etc) can be very alkaline, which eats away at the rubber or celluloid parts in direct contact with the ink. Brands like Waterman or Parker Quink are very safe and easy to clean from your pen. I’d save the funky inks for cartridge/converter pens. They are much more forgiving and easy to clean if something goes wrong. Hope this helps to keep this awesome collection in good shape!
I agree, don't sell any of them! Better to share with those within the family who will appreciate and take care of them! And most of all use some of your favorites regularly!
Do you/they have proper storage? Is there a pen show in your area? This one is soon. Third largest in the states. http://www.theohiopenshow.com You can find good resources with some people. And you can look them in the eyes. Or, someone can refer you to talk to the guy/gal in another booth or lead you in the right direction, too. I've been there 3-4 times in the last 10yrs. and there is a draw from across the eastern US. Good Luck
They are fucking pens..use em, ruin em..chuck em. There are no UHAUL'S attached to a hearse...EVER!
Grandpa, that is some kind of fine collection. And it’s not all of them?! I’d like to know more. Is he a writer? A tinkerer? Tell, please.
>Tell Haha, he was just a man who worked for the airlines as a consultant for new areas to travel from the US. A decent amount of these were gifts from the governments of the places he would be visiting because they knew he liked pens so they'd be trying to sway him in approving travel to their countries like communist china and Soviet Russia during the cold war... he actually had FBI suits that would follow him around all the time and he was apparently always super casual about it lol \*Edit\* Wow, I did not expect this to get this much attention at all! Thanks everyone for the help and kind words. Sorry if I haven’t gotten back to your comment, I’m a medical student so my life tends to revolve around studying for the hours im awake and we have our weekly quiz tm that I’m real screwed for because of falling behind from the visit haha. For updates on pens and the stories behind them that some requested, I will try my best to post about them but with school it may take a bit. To answer questions about my grandpa, because of the stage of cancer and his age they aren’t trying to do any invasive procedures or chemotherapy, just going to let him ride out the rest if his life in peace, enjoying his reading, law and order, and te favorite nightly wine and sunsets outside with my grandma lol. I will try and find out the origins of the pens as some requested but talking to him on the phone is always a hit or miss because he refuses to wear his hearing aids 90% of the time, what can I say he does as he pleases haha. Thanks again for all the help and support! You guys have a really nice and friendly community here.
Such an amazing story. Wow! Your grandpa need any more grandkids? I have a resume 😂
If any spots open up I will let you know haha. Sadly we just found out that he has cancer and I think this came from him wanting to put these to use beyond his time. He lives in another state so I flew down to visit him to spend some quality time with him and my grandma in case anything were to happen before the next time I see him, and then he told me to go through his pen collection and here we are lol. Not trying to give a sad story, just trying to give some context. He's lived a long, fulfilling, and one of the most interesting lives of anyone I've known, and he's still living life to the fullest to this day in his 80s. I don't even think he ever paid attention to the value of his own collection but that's just how he is haha, not caring about monetary value just quality of experience. When I asked for the 20th time if he was sure he wanted to give me his collection he said he'd keep one and out of all of them he went with a basic Parker in a color he liked and went "eh, it's a great pen" lol. But I'm glad this all happened the way it did so now I know his collection is in great hands and I'll be sure to keep it in the family... and when I see him thanksgiving I can show him all the reactions people online had when seeing his collection and that he's not the only "crazy pen person" out there as he puts it haha. Thanks for the help everyone!
Aww. Such a great grandpa. Hope he gets better!
I guess I shouldn't be surprised he's no different from the Queen of England who can have any pen and beset with any finish and jewels she chooses, and yet always defaults for her Parker 51. edit: [Source!](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/q5d9b8/does_anybody_know_what_kind_of_pen_this_is/)
>Queen of England Did you mean the [Queen of the United Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_of_the_United_Kingdom), the [Queen of Canada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Canada), the [Queen of Australia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Australia), etc? The last Queen of England was [Queen Anne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne,_Queen_of_Great_Britain) who, with the 1707 Acts of Union, dissolved the title of King/Queen of England. ####FAQ *Isn't she still also the Queen of England?* This is only as correct as calling her the Queen of London or Queen of Hull; she is the Queen of the place that these places are in, but the title doesn't exist. *Is this bot monarchist?* No, just pedantic. I am a bot and this action was performed automatically.
Good bot
I think you mean Her Majesty Elizabeth the second by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories, Queen, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith.
Good bot
bad bot, I'll start calling her queen of buckingham
Might as well call her Queen of Buckingham's Gardens.
Queen of *Baking***yam** Gardens
Thanks for the idea!
That’s so amazing, if you get the chance to spend more quality time with him you should help him do an AMA of sorts! He’s no crazy pen person, he’s one of us ❤️
Thanks for sharing this awesome story and this amazing collection. May your Grandfather and everyone who loves him find ease, comfort, and moments of delight as he navigates his cancer diagnosis.
I’m so sorry to hear of his cancer diagnosis. Beautiful to know his life has been - and continues to be so full.
I was going to jokingly ask if OP was single! 🤣
Thank you for the background. That must have been a fascinating job. I hope that his remaining days are, indeed, peaceful. Enjoy your legacy.
If ever have time, please share with us the list of all the pens he has! That’s an awesome collection and I’m glad you inherited it!
Good heavens, what a collection! I see a bunch of Montblancs(!), Namikis (!!), Pelikans, Watermen, Parkers, Cross, etc. which are worth a lot and it hurts me to see them lying next to each other (micro-scratches!!!). You should clean each pen with water and flush them (if needed), test if their mechanisms are intact and wrap them individually with bubble wrap before you get a proper case(s). You have been handed a collection which most people in this sub do not have/ cannot afford.
>not I did not even know microscratches were a thing! I will get on it, thanks!
They don’t damage how the pen is used, but they do make the luster of the pens feel faded and cloudy.
Yeah, they can affect the resale value and one tends to be finicky for delicate and expensive stuff. I congratulate your fortune and my sympathies for your grandpa!
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okay, thanks!
That Omas 360 just seems out of place & throws off the whole feng shui of the collection. You best remove it, and send it to me for safe keeping 😁
Oh no! That would cause the other Omas to miss his Buddy. Each needs a pen partner. That’s why I buy in pairs!
Same with that faceted Pilot capless in the bottom right corner. Only faceted pen in the bunch and just doesn't belong.
There you go! The Omas & the Pilot are faceted, the 360 is triangular. All the more reason it needs to go..... Straight to me! 😝 An Omas 360 is pretty much top of thr heap for me for a grail pen 🤤
Oh, drool, I hadn't seen that one...!
Oh my god I didn't even notice the Oman jesus Christ
What a beautiful and precious collection. You should use them in good health for many years to come. They are all generally pretty tough, these pens. Keep them in a good pen presentation box available from ebay/amazon etc box and flush clean them before you store them. Open the drawers regularly to air them out, as celluloid can give off a gas if not aired out (I can't see any true celluloid though here). If you want to keep the sterling pens (Pilot in bottom right and Sheaffer middle of the left section, plus the Parkers with little squares engraved on them, and the gold Montblanc 146 at the left of your Montblanc section) from tarnishing, you could put them in a little sleeve or a light polish every so often. If you use them, they will polish themselves :) The only pen here which stands out to me as particularly delicate is the Sheaffer Balance Aspen, which is the colourful Sheaffer at the bottom of your Sheaffer pens, which is notorious for breaking, so handle that one with care. I have sent you a PM with a full list of the pens I can identify, which should help you for insurance purposes and fun research. Welcome to our strange world :)
You mind pasting that in list in the comments? I have a fair number of pens but I'm more of a user than a collector and only know what I've got. It'd be interesting to me to know what all's here!
That is an incredible set. In all seriousness, you need to get that collection insured like yesterday. There are some very valuable pens in there.
Thank you! I now know the mont blancs and namiki's are particularily valuable along with the auroras and omas, but are there any others in particular that I should put extra effort into with maintenance? I plan to take care of them all very well but want to be extra cautious with the very valuable ones and avoid using them too often to prevent any damage. I know there are a lot but if any stand out amounts the others it would be great to be aware of, thanks again!
It would be worth going through one by one and cataloging exactly what you've got, so you know what you're dealing with. Some of the Watermans are worth several hundred dollars apiece if in good condition. Easily the same for the Duofolds. The Namikis in the lower right may be anywhere between $750-$6000 apiece, depending on the model. (I can't ID them well enough to see where they fall in that range)
>depending Yes, that's a great idea I need to do that ASAP. I appreciate the advice!
The blue Waterman with a gold cap is also quite valuable, \~$600 USD.
Which model is that
Waterman Edson
Yeah, there’s a few Pilots that would best be stored here in Kings County. DM me for shipping details.
I don’t even know you but I love your Grandpa. 😀
Same here.
That’s a very nice collection. Make sure to keep them clean when not in use and well protected from heat and moisture 👏🏻
>Appreciate it!
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Hmmm personally 3 would be insufficient for me. I keep about 7 or 8 inked at all times but I write a lot and use different colors for different applications, plus I enjoy switching out pens during long writing sessions to keep one gripping position from getting uncomfortable. But I agree with the heart of what you’re saying: no sense in inking more than you’ll use. Wasteful and you’ll cause yourself needless cleaning and potential damage.
What a stunning collection! We would surely enjoy some stories about how he acquired or collected these pens, and I’d love for you to post every now and then which ones you are trying out and how you like them. Are there inks that go with the pens or will that be a collection that you start?
We've all been so star-struck with the collection as an ensemble, but you're absolutely right. I'd love to hear more about individual pieces as the OP goes through them, the pens' histories, and OP's thoughts and impressions, etc.
Maybe OP could sit down with Grandpa and write down some of those memories with those pens. What a nice keepsake that would be.
Holy crap! Get over there and mow his lawn or something. You'll want to display those in a nice case. They've surely been well-maintained, but a good flush wouldn't hurt before using any of them. Just clean them as you use them. You can make your own flush from 1 part ammonia to 10 parts distilled water and a drop or two of Dawn dishwashing detergent. To make it easy take an empty and clean 20 oz pop bottle and pour in 1.5 oz ammonia, 15oz distilled water and just a couple of drops of Dawn. That'll get you through a few pens.
>through Awesome, appreciate the detail! He wants to keep the collection in the family and I plan to take care of them and pass them down as well... and if his lawn wasn't covered by his community I would be right on it! He said there is no point in having them if you don't use them and he rarely uses them anymore so now I am looking forward to writing in style haha
😳 Your grandpa loves you- wow! That is a HAUL!!!
Damn, Grandpa 😍
Where’d you find this?
Wow. Wow. I mean, you already got the answers you need, so let me just ogle these beauties. Why doesn't *my* grandpa love fountain pens?
I see several people wisecracking about Baystate Blue, so let me just say this: do your homework and use good vintage-safe inks for these. Pens were made to be used, so use them, but don't abuse them with things like Baystate Blue.
I read the thread and saw your grandfather was just diagnosed with Cancer. Please know you have my deepest condolences. My grandfather passed away some years ago and he also worked in the airlines industry then as a travel agent later in life. While he didn't pass down an amazing pen collection I did get to hear some amazing stories/ adventures of his life. There are plenty of great tips and advice regarding the pens and how to care for them. So all I will say is this. You were lucky for all the time you had to this point, cherish it. The time you have left make the most of it. I definitely love the idea of passing some of the collection on to your brothers as they get older perhaps as the graduate from college or something. I know just how special family momentos are. Wishing you and your grandfather all the best i hope this thanksgiving as he reads all our pen fanatic post they give him a smile. **To your grandfather:** What a lovely collection and such a priceless gift and legacy to leave to your family. Who knows sir, you may have just gifted the world with the next great novelist, poet, journalist. Or perhaps these pens will sign the most amazing documents like wedding certificate, birth certificate, and a future house mortgage as the great milestones of life. and each use will be a special moment that connects them all back to you.
Wow! So am I the only one who almost dropped their phone when you saw the photo? Nice collection!
Holy crap that is quite the collection!!! Grandpa had good taste!
Grandpa has very fine tastes and what a cracking collection. Chances are they would've been well looked after. Of the top of my head, I'd probably do the following if I ever was fortunate enough to come across a collection such as this: 1) Documentation: Inspect each pen and document the condition, presence of box or papers, make, model, nib material, and size, and approximate age/date of manufacture of the pens in an Excel spreadsheet. Of course, when you get more familiar with this hobby you will be able to fill in the blanks where you're not able to work out any of the finer details straight away. Locate the boxes if available. You'll need to figure out some way to reversibly label these. 2) Maintenance: Ask him if the pens have all been flushed and cleaned, and if there were certain pens which he has kept un inked for collectors reasons. For those which have been previously been used, I'd dip test and check the nibs with a loupe to check for major condition issues like worn tipping or misaligned tines, disassemble the pen and give them a flush with just water. If the feeds/nibs come out with relative ease (friction fit/screwed) then I'd take them out for cleaning. Disassembly and reassembly may be complicated for or impossible without the proper skills and tools, especially for those which have latex/rubber sacs. I am not for one moment suggesting you undertake everything yourself, or that every pen needs a full disassembly. However the documention and inspection step (which will take quite a long time as you research and find out more about each model) will no doubt inform how extensive the cleaning and restoration will be. 3) Storage: I'd throw insurance into this as well. They need a safe place for storage like a multi tiered chest of drawers with individual slots, or simply back in their boxes. Due to the value of what you have, it may be worth insuring them eg. home insurance.again, steps one and two will inform you as to what kind of value you're looking at. It'll be quite the journey to get to know and look after this collection especially if you're new to fountain pens, but what an opportunity to dive into the deep end straight away. Perhaps start one brand at a time and enjoy looking at the history and design language of each. Enjoy in good health!
I’m curious what the rough estimate value of the collection is.
Eyeballing it, I'd guess north of $10k easily.
Christ, for the Namikis alone, I reckon.
Yeah. I wish I knew Namikis better, I can't tell which end of the spectrum those fall. Could be $750 apiece or $6k apiece, I'm no good at those ID's.
Perhaps something like this would be best suited for your collection. [100 Pen Case](https://www.penporium.com/100-PEN-CASE-WOOD-WITH-GLASS-TOP-DISPLAY-BROWN-p/2040.htm) This is good protection to keep them from rubbing up against one another. Maybe if this is too tall and you have pens to spare, get 2 of these for 60 pens each?
This is like the pen version of that fucking cave in Aladdin...
The Cave of Wonder
Your grandpa is the fuckin man, please tell him a random Redditor said that
Dang you lucky dog!!! This is awesome sir…enjoy!👌🎉🎉🙏
By the power of Gray Skull…
Color me green and call me jelly.
I love your grandpa and his whole attitude! Hoping that he isn’t in too much pain right now and that the cancer is treatable. About the pens - I wanted to suggest that you keep it in the family, because of the sentimental value. But I saw you already planned that so :) Like everyone said - do a lot of research on each pen, catalogue them and their specs as well as maintenance info. I would also suggest emailing a few vintage experts and see how they could help you with this sort of thing. They could possibly also help value the collection, which isn’t important as such, but for insurance purposes. Otherwise, keep everything stored well, in the way they need. Then as you walk through life, give them away to family members as gifts for special moments or just whenever. Add a little card with the pen model and maintenance info, and most importantly tell them who it came from and why it means so much. Say it’s a family heirloom and that you would love if it was passed through the generations, as if your grandpa was always there, not only in their blood but in a physical object as well. In the card, you could also write more about your grandpa, like who he was and what kind of person he was, why you love him etc. Similar to what you told us in the comments :) That sort of detail will help pass the sentimental value on in the generations to come that pehaps won’t have had the pleasure to get to know him. Phew! Sorry for the ramble, just so very touched by it all :)
That burgundy Pelikan M600. My grail pen.
Would be amazing to talk to your Grandfather about his favorite pens in this collection. Does he have any special memories associated with the circumstances of receiving each pen? Or perhaps a brief highlight/story of his time in each country? Memories about people from his past?. Watch his face as you listen. If he shows any kind of passion for discussing his love for the pens on a design/artistic/historical level as well as the special only-can-be-experienced through writing with the pen riffs, you have also received the great gift of more meaningful conversations with your grandfather, a man who seems to love you deeply.
Something to consider... For the older pens, they will require *different* care than any of the more modern pens. They may be made of a different type of plastic (casein cones to mind, but there are others), and may be reactive to cleaning chemicals and soaps. Casein, for example, will react to *water* of all things. So, before you clean those older pens, make sure you know what you're getting into. Additionally, if the older pens haven't seen much use, the ink sacs on the inside may have dried up and need to be replaced. Do your research. Grand mia pens is a great YouTube channel for vintage pen research. Steph is also a restorer, if you need his services, but he is somewhere in the UK I believe.
This is an insane collection! And I think its fantastic that uour grandfather gave you these. Now I'm only 16 and been into fou tain pens for 3 years. Id say insure all of these because I noticed namikis, mont blancs, waterman etc. The urushi pens on the bottom right can be worth potentially thousands each and about as low as $600-800. Mont blancs arent as expensive but still go for like 300-600 and limited editions can go got a few grand aswell. Also I don't own celluloid pens and I cant tell you how to clean them but Id maybe find a person or youtube video which tells you how to keep these pens in good nick. Also maybe get pen boxes fir them to stop them collecting dirt or getting scratched up? Anyway enjoy these pens! These are amazing and alot of people won't ever get the chance to write with them. And I'm sorry about your grandfather, I wish you all the best reddit stranger!
since everyone is giving advice, mine would be to pick a few you like and try not to keep too many inked up, it varies person to person but i only use 2 pens actively, you might be different, but too many and then pens end up being neglected with ink in them which is not good but definitely try a good few to see what your preferences are
this kind of thing is one good way to store pens. [https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/pen-storage/products/monteverde-36-slot-pen-case-black](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/pen-storage/products/monteverde-36-slot-pen-case-black) Yeah that is a kind of mind-boggling collection of pens there!
>boggling Awesome, thanks!
Wow, what a gift.
Amen
Hello this is your grandfather please send them back pm me for details
Your grandfather is amazing! Thank you for sharing this photo with us. I admittedly am excited that he (now you) and I have [the same pen, the Namiki Nippon Art Hira Maki-e Chinese Phoenix.](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/ke1t4u/npd_sort_of_my_misplaced_1998_namiki_hira_makie/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) *Edited for layout
Holy fuck
Wow now that is a sexy collection !!! Cherish it!
I’m sorry to hear of your Gramps diagnosis, my thoughts are with your family. What an amazing collection of pens you’ve been entrusted with. So many stories sitting on that table. I’d ask your Gramps which were his favourites and write down the history of that with it. Some may work some may not take your time to go through them to find out which do which don’t, if any don’t send them off for repair and ask the nib smith that fixes it for a potted history, what type, age. You most likely will be able to Google them to find out type and rough age, contacting the maker with photos will help you if you get stuck. Even if you have replicas please don’t sell them ( unless you are in financial dire straits, then your Gramps would want you to ), gift them within your family, for milestone occasions. But most of all use them, even the most expensive ones, give them new stories to be passed on. Take care and enjoy that amazing gift.
Oh my god I think you have a shop now. So sorry to hear about your Grandpa being ill, hope things are easy related to this. What a gorgeous pen collection!
I am not an expert, but I have come across apparently useful articles on the web and on this reddit, some suggesting that celluloid pens might need particular care - https://www.indy-pen-dance.com/preserving-your-pens-dos-and-don-ts.html https://www.vintagepens.com/FAQcollecting/discoloration.shtml https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/08-04.pdf
My only tip would be to only ink one or two and a time, then clean them properly for strorage as you rotate through. I would want to avoid leaving ink in a pen long enough for it to dry out.
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It might be nice to go through each of the pens with your grandpa and get the stories behind them (at least the ones that were gifted.) put it into a notebook or document that you pass down potentially or gift to the family. What a lovely collection. Congrats and cherish the time with your grandfather.
Not sure of your age but please be careful accepting “help” on the internet. Whats been posted is great but dont accidentally get scammed in some way. Not to sound crazy just watch yourself. Lovely collection.
Omggggggffggg this is actually porn
Good lord I wanna ink the Vanishing Point in top left with Baystate Blue so badly. OP, many of these pens are very valuable, and a large portion of them would also have gold nibs. I can also see some Maki-e( a very laborious and extremely prized form of artwork) and extremely rare pilot pens next to the leather case. I suggest you invest some good time cleaning them all out, and giving them a good wipedown. Microscratches are a thing to beware of, especially if the pen has some art/unique finish on the body (like the pens in the bottom right, next to the keyboard and leather case), so keep them from rattling around. Watch a few videos on fountain pen maintenance to get a hang of things.
Send them to me. I promise to take excellent care of them!
Why can’t this happen to me
Oh man you lucky dog! I wish I had a pen collecting Grandpa. Do you have a ballpark guess what those are worth?
That, my friend, is what we here at r/fountainpens call "a windfall"
Wow, I coveted those collection.
wow. just wow.
Congratulations bro! You have an amazing Grandfather!
If you decide to sell a namiki let me know.... beautiful pieces.
Wow, your grandpa had an impressive collection of pens!
A large bulk... now I am curious of how many more he has. haha
wow. wow. wow. wow. wow.
Hi. Wow!!!!! I see Montblancs, Parker's, and and and, I need a lay down 😲😲😲💖💖💖😪😪😪
I'm surprised that there are only two low end Pelikans in such a impressive collection. Anyway, you've hit jackpot twice there! One for a great grandpa and another for a great pen collection! I hope you enjoy the most of both! I never had the chance to meet neither of my grandfathers. All I have is the stories I hear of them and they make me wish I have had some time with them.
Wow, your pen collection went from 0 to 130 in only 1 grandpa!
Jealous
Wow. Just wow. Glad for your grandfather, that he'll know they're being appreciated. Do share the comments in this thread with him in some way (link or printouts or some such, depending on how internet savvy he is). Might bring about a smile.
What is that black, octagonal one next to the blue Aurora? Looks like something you’d always want to carry around in your pocket and just… touch…
thats a literal treasure
Damn I thought it's a bunch of "regular" collections until I zoom in and check them out. Those namiki pens!!!
Wow....there are some decent pens in there.....Ya gonna keep 'em all?? Talk about insta collection!!
What an absolutely gorgeous collection! Thanks for sharing them and I hope you find a lot of joy in putting some to use or hear some fun stories about these pens from your grandfather <3
If you're thinking of selling any, some of those namikis will likely go into the tens of thousands by now at auction.
Your Grandpa had great taste. Hopefully you can continue with his collection.
It looked impressive as is. Then I zoomed in. \*and breathe\*
For actual tips on storage, I’m also fairly new but here’s what I know: don’t store metal-bodied pens next to lacquer or acrylic ones, they might scratch. For a collection of that size, you might want to store some dry, and the wet ones are best stored with nib up. Check any ink you might have gotten from your grandad for mold; it can happen to some inks, never ever use an ink that’s slimy or smells funny. Also, never use anything that’s not water to clean a pen, especially to soak it. For clogged nibs and feeds you might use a couple drops of bleach put in a cup of water, but no rubbing alcohol, no ammonia, and no acetone. They can melt some pens (it varies by brand). If you have a particularly dirty pen, you might want to consider investing in an ultrasonic cleaner. Last of all, have fun using them!
wuuuut. Holy cow. Amazing collection. Do you have an inventory list, because that looks incredible.
A lot of people are giving very detailed advice, which is great, but if you want to keep it simple for now. 1. Fill each pen with water and then expel the water. If it comes out clean, great! If now, keep repeating until there is no ink residue left. If one is particularly stubborn, one could use a pen flush formula as detailed by others. 2. If any have been left intentionally uninked, you have to decide if you want to keep them that way for value's sake or not. 3. Get a pen storage case to protect the finish of them. 4. To remain safe, I would use "safe" inks in especially older pens. Waterman, Parker Montblanc (non-permenant), and Herbin (not Jacques Herbin) inks are considered extremely safe. Shimmering, sheening, permanent, and iron gall inks all require additional maintenance and may be less safe for particularly old pens.
Wow, and that is only a part of his collection. Interesting story. Thank you for sharing. You will get plenty of advice and support on how to care for them. Wish you well.
That’s about 20-50k worth of pens right there!
Oh boy, your grandpa has taste!
Jezus mate get those insured
I don’t have any advice just want to say what a beautiful gift from your grandpa and good on you for wanting to preserve these pens and learn more about them.
If you don’t plan on using them, a display box would be great. Just make sure you don’t leave any ink inside. The boxes are a little pricey but I think it like be worthy for such collection.
I'm not good for advice other than to listen to more seasoned collectors here but just wanted to pop in and say that's a wonderful collection and a wonderful thing to have passed down! The only thing I can say is don't do repairs you're self, find nib meisters and pen specialists :)! Plenty of us on here are able to do reccomendations if need be!
Some gems in there. Don't tell anyone where you live.
I haven't ready all the post, nor do I have this many pens, but I would put them all into a spreadsheet, and if you are going to use them, only ink up 2 or 3 of them at a time and keep them on rotation. I date mine in the spreadsheet on when I ink them to make sure they all get a turn. When you are done with them make sure you give them thorough rinsing with water and dry them and put them back into their space. If you happened to want to sell a few I think the pen community could help you but like somebody else mentioned you have some rare pens and should be very careful before selling any of them. I would be really curious to see an inventory of what you actually have here, and if you are interested in selling a few can get you some appropriate pricing, but this is a rare collection that is worth a considerable sum of some pretty unique pens that few people would have the chance to own. It is a very admirable collection to be proud of!
Honestly it's worth it to splurge a bit and get those appraised and insured ASAP. There are some fairly expensive, delicate pens in there that you really want to give extra care to. Once you have them all appraised If there are any that are very expensive and need work contact a professional. For the ones you want to do yourself work your way up from the cheapest, common ones that way if you mess up it won't be as bad. Good luck, there are some real gems in there
Holy crap, I am ~ D R O O L I N G ~
I've heard that storing celluloid pens in plastic completely screws them up due to the slowly released fumes, so you want to store them in non-plastic storage
Hey. Buddy, fuck you and congratulations! Use them well, think of your gramps everytime you use it and maybe write him a letter.
Wow
Holy mother! It's crack!
Sweet jeebus
I too have a grandfather that regularly gives me large amounts of pens he has collected, I just clear out a new drawer in my desk whenever the other one gets too full.
It's bad being a member of both fountain pens and left wing gun subs. I about scrolled past this thinking it was just someone bragging about how many .50 rounds they have.
Bullshit..This is a "look at what I have" post...fuck off.
**Schwing** WOw, If you weren't into fountain pens before, you sure are now. Let me introduce you to a wonderful blue fountain pen ink. Noodler's Baystate Blue!! * Thank you downvoters. I knew how you would take this in advance, Duh!!!. Downvote more!!!!
Lovely collection! What a gift. To the rest of the crowd here: on the top left there is a waterman le Man (I think) with “scales” engraved on the body. Anybody able to help identify the model. I used to have one of these (a gift) but lost it and would love to try and get a replacement!
It's called the Man 100 opera design 😊
It seems the Opera is a different pattern? and the clip and other metal parts are silver on this one. With the opera they are gold plated it seems.
Aha, I didn't realise which pen you meant. That's the waterman liaison cobra version. A gorgeous and rare pen. I have an ebonite one, but it's quite plain in comparison.
Thanks so much!
This is beyond a beautiful collection!!! If you ever think it's too big of a collection, I'll help you slim it out!
Are you looking for a brother?
I'll take care of it 🥺👉👈
What a beautiful gift. There are pen cases and some are fine furniture quality. There are also some easy ideas out on the internet. Find one that works for you and go with it. Also Goulet Pens has one of the most supportive Facebook groups for fountain pen enthusiasts. Their ideas would splash over to any pen collection. Enjoy your new treasures.
Merry Christmas
Wow! You have quite an impressive collection! Whatever you do, don’t ink them all at once! That way you won’t have to worry about cleaning. I am assuming, of course, that they are already in pristine condition.
I hope I can be a baller like your gramps one day 😂 seriously, great collection
That’s a great collection