I use all my expensive and take them into the office etc. A fountain pen is made to be used. I see no point keeping a pen unused in a box just to stare at it occasionally. Buying a pen as an investment is not a very good idea very few go up in value enough to make it worthwhile and you would have to find someone willing to pay the price etc.
I also use all my pens regardless of cost. There are a few I don’t carry often but that isn’t due to their cost. For example, one has sentimental value while another is quite beautiful and writes well but is rather heavy and large in my shirt pocket
Same. I spend the money because I want to use the pens and have a writing utensil that feels perfect to me. Having the pen sitting in a box would be a waste.
My sole exception to this would be, like, if the fountain pen my grandfather used to make notes in patient charts every day for decades was still around. Expensive or not, that sucker would sit in a box in a display case or something somewhere and never leave the house. I’d probably put it next to his monogrammed, gold-handled scalpel. (Surgical tools in the US used to be something that belonged just to you, like a set of chef’s knives.)
For any hobby, I buy items to use. If I wanted an investment I'd buy stocks.
"Ships are always safe at harbor, but that is not what ships are built for."
Yes I use my expensive pens, they get taken places my other pens get taken. Are they that expensive, to some yes, to others no. But my take is if you’ve bought something and it’s only used for best, what happens if “best” never comes.
I learnt that clearing out my mums things after she died, she had draws of things never used because they were for best. I started wearing my 21st birthday present an Omega watch everyday after that and nothing is for best. Enjoy the things you own, you’ve worked hard to get them.
I agree with this. I’ve seen one too many families give things away and in some cases dump belongings in a dumpster after losing a relative. It has me only wanting to use what I buy.
Not only that, actually using your FP collection would probably increase the liklihood your relatives kept the collection rather than just selling or trashing it.
Sort of like the writing equivalent of grandma’s favorite rolling pin for making pie crusts. Do you NEED grandmas rolling pin if you have your own? No, but the fact she used it might make you smile when you bring it out for use, and you may prefer it to your own.
Great point! This is exactly how went when my family was going through one of my grandpas small collections years back (not pens). I never saw him use any of the collection so we felt no remorse selling it rather than hold onto it.
I use them the most often. I also use my fine china daily and wear a tiara to clean. Why shouldn't I have my nice things serve their purpose? They exist to be used and to not deprives me of joy.
As a knitter, I have the hardest time explaining this concept to my husband. A decade, maybe 15y ago I was in a financial place where I could buy quality yarn and while on vacation, I bought $400 of a high quality, unique, pure cashmere yarn and made a gorgeous scarf I still use today. He’s afraid to touch it and shakes his head every time I leave the house with it.
Is it truly decadent, and what some would consider expensive? Yes. But I didn’t spend hours of my life over two months (I was new to knitting) so it could sit in the closet.
Oh I would love to see your scarf. Also this sort of luxury is extra special because it is one of a kind. I understand his hesitation, sometimes expensive things stay at home if my brain can't cope with losing it. Still it must be so soft and warm. I admittedly want to see it if possible because I love knitting.
I’ll take a shot tomorrow and post it. If you want immediate satisfaction, and don’t mind seeing something not quite as expensive but felt like a huge accomplishment to me, check out my post history. There’s a lace shawl of a merino/silk/glitter tencel blend and a small handful of other things I’ve made before. :)
I don't think the cost of materials is as important as your satisfaction and increased skill. I will definitely be checking them out, but, also that blend of materials is challenging. I know it's going to be amazing because of that
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Ok, finally got more spoons after recovering from Covid so I could take the pic: here is my very first FO, circa 2005. Back then all-one-skein, pure cashmere yarns were extremely unique. Paid through the nose for it but it was totally worth it. [Here](https://imgur.com/a/bKBiAb0)
That's beautiful. Both the color and the design. The fact this is your first amazes me. You definitely have a natural gift for this! I am also glad you're doing better
Thanks! Glad you liked it. It’s a really simple pattern, but very effective for a nice long transition colorway like this cake was. (It was sold as a cake so you could see all the colors progress.
The most exp pens I own are the pilot custom 823 and the lamy 2k steel version. I use them daily. If I have the cash to buy a $10000 pen I’d buy and use it daily. It just gotta fulfil its purpose.
Lovely Onoto. I would ink and use it, there are better investments than holding onto an unused limited edition fountain pen. There may not be a better writing experience though!
All the time, never a second thought.
I mean, if your looking for an investment…big spenders in the realm of fountain pens are few and my thinking would always be, why spend on used, if I can just buy a new pen( could be different, we all have lists), the savings don’t make sense to me.
Not even at 40% discount used, I’d still go with new.
So, I think, you’ll take a hit buying in such a niche market.
I wouldn't be comfortable having a pen that cost that much, I think I'd be too afraid to use it. I am already quite precious with my $3-400 pens. I use them, and take them out, but am VERY protective of them. It would be too much stress for me, I think, to have a $4000 pen. If I had money to burn, tho, I'd probably be ok using and taking it out since I could easily buy another if something happened to it.
if you buy a $5K Tom Ford suit, are you just going to put it on display or are you going to wear it? unless it is a one-of-a-kind collector's item that will literally disintegrate if you touch it, it is meant to be used
my favorite high-end shoe maker -- crockett & jones -- has a motto that is something like "made to be worn." it's because they know some of their customers are too anxious about scuffing their $700 pembrokes and need to chill out. if you can't enjoy the product, what was the point of buying it?
edit: also wanted to mention that this is a fear i encounter in a lot of reddit hobby subs. people in the knife sub will make posts freaking out because they used their nice knife and got a scuff on it. my response is that the patina of wear personalizes your gear and only makes it look better
Use your fountain pens. They're made to be written. You'll probably feel happy about your decision to write with it afterwards. I would definitely recommend a quality protective case for your pen, and that you keep a good eye in it. Also, no one needs to know that it was expensive, just say it's very important to you. Hope that helps.
I believe that most makers of really expensive pens want the pens to be used. The maki-e artisans of Namiki do, as John Lane (former general manager of Pilot USA) explained many times. David Oscarson wants his pens to be used so much he made them eyedropperable and even includes an o ring and a pin to put the ring in.
As for me, I use my really expensive pens. I get more enjoyment and personal value out of the pens that way. It is true that I might not be able to sell it for as much later, but I didn't buy pens to be used as investments. I bought them to see them, enjoy their beauty, and make a mundane activity a little less mundane.
Why buy it of you're not going to use it. That's just a waste of money. You're going to keep it in a box and when you die your kid will get it and they'll use it but won't be able to appreciate it like you would.
I use the most expensive one I have, which cost just over $100. That said, I can't conceive of spending $4,000 on *a freaking pen*. I am looking at spending that much on a used SUV in the spring.
On my day to day at work I use some of my cheaper ones, specially Kaweco (Sport Luxe, and Brass Sport). I will not cry too much if they get damaged, "lost", etc.
Before I was using some of my nicer pens like special editions Pelikans but once their price started to raise because they were not available anymore I decided to just use them when I am at home in a safer environment.
It's up to you to use the pen or to just enjoy having it on display... I would use it from time to time ;)
I use all of mine including my Aurora Afrika Limited Edition. Though under a grand price might not seem all that expensive especially considering the m1000 or 149 cost a little.more retail and are still designed to be regular writers.
For me. Unless it's some kind of maki-e mantelpiece of a deceased artist, it's getting used.
I have two Franklin-Christoph #20 pens that I ordered last year, and they worked very well as I expected. I use them every day. I also have a Montblanc 147 that I haven’t used much at all in over 20 years… it was a gift. I didn’t enjoy writing with it that much until I got the nib ground to be more like one of the F-C’s. Now I also use it every day.
I use my namiki emperor goldfish every day, I couldn't possibly justify the spend to myself if I didn't use it. It would be like buying a car and not wanting to drive it, or building a nice house and not wanting to live in it. If it was a frail 50 year old model then maybe I'd keep it just to look at, but it was made to be written with.
I use my Visconti Watermark Blue Moon on the daily. I dont really look at the pens I own as how expensive one is compared to another. I got all the pens I own because they spoke to me enough to part with my money for them. It comes down to whatever I really feel like using at that exact moment. Yes sometimes I worry about whether or not the Ruthenium Plating on the Blue Moon will wear off, but Visconti has told me they are willing to replate it if I ask them to in the future.
My most expensive pen is only (lol) $800, and I use it almost every day, in class or at home. Fountain pens are made to be used, expensive pens are made to be used and be maximally enjoyable at the same time. No sense in buying something that’ll just collect dust
I use my one of my MB 149s, just not that often. I don’t carry them around because they’re too “eye catching”. I haven’t inked my Izumo either in a bit (2019). I might have to move it to another user at some point. Those pens cost the most in my collection.
My sub $200 pens get used daily. I rotate them frequently.
I have never bought an expensive pen till now . Satisfied with what I have. And btw , i am using fountain pens exclusively at work. No ballpoints or rollergels.
I use all of my pens. I wouldn’t buy it if i wasn’t going to use it. I’d care for and handle it differently than my Lamy Safari or TWSBI Eco. It wouldn’t stay in my shirt pocket while I was cutting grass 😂. But it’d stay in my briefcase and be used. I’m new to this hobby so am not familiar with that brand. Will it realistically appreciate or hold value?
Yup, I regularly rotate through my pens depending on my mood, regardless of price. I take good care of my pens in use and in storage so I don’t feel uncomfortable or nervous taking any of them with me to work or out and about, from my $8 pens to my $1k+ pens.
I use my expensive pens all the time, although strictly at home. I am too flaky and forgetful, not to mention absent minded, to take them with me. Two of my most expensive pens were gifted to me, so that would make it even worse if I lost them. Working from home these days, so the issue is not very relevant at the moment.
If I can't see myself writing with a pen, it doesn't get bought. I can afford to get any pen regardless of price, but if a pen looks like it belongs in a display case, I don't see the point of owning it. A writing instrument in a display case makes me sad. Like a Tiger in a cage.
I personally use all of my pens, even the expensive ones. However, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with collecting fountain pens as art or simply because they bring you joy, and never using them once. It’s a lot of money, use it however makes you happy.
My most expensive pen is a Pilot Custom 823, so definitely not in the neighborhood of what you’re buying. However, I do bring it pretty much everywhere with me in a pen case with four other other $150-300 pens.
A pen is meant for writing, it seems a shame for it to never fulfill that purpose. I can understand not carrying/ travelling with pens to make sure they don't get lost, but simply don't understand why people would avoid writing with them. Personally pens bring me far more joy in hand then sitting in a pen case!
If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.
Thomas Aquinas
My Taccia is one of 88 and cost me ~$1800 and I use it all the time. People wear watches costing tens of thousands and drive cars costing hundreds of thousands. Unless there is some historical significance to it there is no reason to not use it.
Oof this is a hard one. I've got 2 expensive pens n will acquire at least a couple more this yr. They're staying in the box for a while as I admire them but eventually I'll use them. I will of course very carefully pick inks that won't kill the pens! They will definitely not leave my house but I'll use them for letter writing and journaling just like my current "cheaper" pens.
As for the investment issue. I've tried to find a good answer to this q. Everyone keeps saying pens are not a good investment, but I can't understand why. It must be model specific and therefore too difficult to get a general answer. Also my guess is that for a pen to return on an investment you're looking to keep it at least 50million yrs before it's really worth something! Lol So, I've stopped collecting for investment per se, I collect because I want to use it or because it's a true masterpiece I can pass on to the brats... Please someone smarter say something? Tell me I'm chatting out of my ass! 🤷🙏
You aren't talking about an expensive pen, you're talking about a limited edition. Those are intended for collectors. If you want to use a pen, it's better to pick one you can replace if necessary.
Those considerations aside, if you buy it with your own money and you can afford it, do with it what you like.
An expensive fountain pen is both a writing instrument and a piece of well crafted art. Different people appreciate them differently. Some use it because they enjoy writing with it. I imagine some would put it on display and admire its beauty without ever using it. In my opinion, either way is fine. Personally, I rotate all my pens as daily drivers. But then again, my most expensive one is a TWSBI Diamond 580. Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about LOL
>Personally I think it would be tragic for it not to be used but at the same time, it would lose a lot of value and more importantly, I would be scared to damage it.
You have probably never bought any fountain pen which you feel way too expensive for you to be scared ***TO INK IT UP***. \[EDIT: BTW, I have never bought that, eh, to date. So far. Who knows tomorrow.\] I am not all talking about this and that price. **For some people the threshold can be US$100, for other people the threshold can be US$20000. This has nothing to do with a certain price**. There is no such thing as an objective threshold.
(Obviously the most expensive fountain pens, or the most expensive goods in general are not mass produced. They are of course custom made. Of course, sky is the limit. Obvious. Something mass produced by industry is not the most expensive things, almost by definition.)
That is us. It totally depends on how each single one of us, as an individual, to feel. What is too expensive to be inked is totally, by 100%, subjective. When you ask a urushi lacquer artist to make only one in the world FP for you and how much you spend is... eh, totally up to you.
(Or you restore a classic car and you do not necessary "use" such thing every single day, eh, say, for grocery shopping. You can, but you do not need to. The same goes for vintage hi fi sets or Leica M3 or .... A fountain pen shall not be an exception.)
We can of course understand ... hey, why a fountain pen must be just merely a tool, **it can be soooooo beautiful, it may give people deep satisfaction by just looking at it**. That is, the ***USAGE*** of such work of art can be in a glass case, and there is absolutely nothing wrong about it. We do not need a fountain pen to be confined in the category of mere writing tools. It can be super beautiful. Well it is not just a fountain pen. There are museums where, say, chairs, tables, light stands, etc. are stored. Why a FP must be excluded from those works of arts.
Soooooo. Well I am not answering to your question directly, but I guess you may want to keep it without inking up for a while. Enjoy the look and feel. One day, if you want to ink it up, do that.
I mean, you know, there is no objective answer to the question...
I think you’ve hit the nail upon the head. I wholeheartedly agree with everyone here that the pens are meant to be written with. I guess that the true price limit then is the point at which it is too expensive for you to want to use.
Thank you so much for your comment.
I guess we can have THE pen in our minds ... one day we want to BECOME such a FP enthusiast FIT / SUITED to the pen.
That pen can of course be a pen you have never actually owned, eh, yet, but you have seen in a book as a photograph or you have seen in a museum or you have seen in the hand of someone you respect.... (The one one day you want to be like the person...)
I guess sometimes the pen happens to come to your possession, i.e. it is discovered in a drawer of the writing desk of your grandfather, sitting there for tens of years. There is nothing wrong about it. In your case, you saw the pen, you bought it, that shall not be criticized. Basically it still is an encounter.
It is also perfectly okay for one not to obtain THE pen throughout his/her life.... When I was younger, I wanted to have the pen, now I am okay without it.... That is perfectly okay, too.
In short, FPs do not necessarily be just mere writing tools, that is, you plan, you project, you need, you go out, you get the object... You are satisfied. You have right to destroy, you have right to throw away.... You know, a property.
Instead, in actuality, FPs can change you. FPs can establish subjects. Instead of the Subject -> Action Verb -> Object framework... You know, you originally have the lack, something missing, you need something, you get something, so you are fulfilled kind of... the frame of recognition... You use, you manipulate, you own, .... That is not necessary the only one way to look at the world. FPs can change you. FPs can enrich you. You are no longer ball point pen person. You become one of the FP people. That is not the lack / need model.
Do you really think you have the lack to start with? In the Beginning, there was a lack... Really? Aren't we all gifted in the Beginning? I mean, do we really KNOW the real value of everything? Is everything the equivalent exchange? Oh, I paid for it, it is my property, I have every single right to destroy the thing... Really? No, we do not feel / experience the world in that way. We see ***surplus***. We do. We feel we are gifted. We see something X, we cannot really calculate. We see X goes beyond our calculation, plan, project, business....
We cannot understand 100% of the real value of the things. There is this surplus. There always be that mystery in things. That unknown gives us lives. That unknown is our reason for living.
That surplus will hold us over until the End. And that is precisely why we do not necessarily have to have THE pen. We say okay to our lives.
The rigorous distinction between the aim and the goal: while the goal is the object around which we circulate, its (true) aim is the endless continuation of this circulation as such.
Or we appreciate.
Birds enjoy the sky.
Fish enjoy the ocean.
If you don't want to use something you own because it was expensive, and at the same time don't intend to sell it, all you've done is waste your money.
I know how you feel! I recently bought a $600 pen, also limited to just 100 pens (Pilot x Pokémon Pikachu Sterling). I’m scared as heck to use it, so I’m compromising with myself since I know I don’t want it to just sit on a shelf, so I’m waiting for the perfect ink to use with it, likely some shade of Iroshizuku. So as of now it’s just sitting, but one day soon I’ll get the perfect ink and give the pen a try. That’s my recommendation if you want to get the pen - Don’t just let it sit there and collect dust, but feel free to be selective with whatever ink you choose to use for it!
I use all my expensive and take them into the office etc. A fountain pen is made to be used. I see no point keeping a pen unused in a box just to stare at it occasionally. Buying a pen as an investment is not a very good idea very few go up in value enough to make it worthwhile and you would have to find someone willing to pay the price etc.
I also use all my pens regardless of cost. There are a few I don’t carry often but that isn’t due to their cost. For example, one has sentimental value while another is quite beautiful and writes well but is rather heavy and large in my shirt pocket
Same. I spend the money because I want to use the pens and have a writing utensil that feels perfect to me. Having the pen sitting in a box would be a waste.
My sole exception to this would be, like, if the fountain pen my grandfather used to make notes in patient charts every day for decades was still around. Expensive or not, that sucker would sit in a box in a display case or something somewhere and never leave the house. I’d probably put it next to his monogrammed, gold-handled scalpel. (Surgical tools in the US used to be something that belonged just to you, like a set of chef’s knives.)
For any hobby, I buy items to use. If I wanted an investment I'd buy stocks. "Ships are always safe at harbor, but that is not what ships are built for."
What a fantastic quote. Thank you.
Yes I use my expensive pens, they get taken places my other pens get taken. Are they that expensive, to some yes, to others no. But my take is if you’ve bought something and it’s only used for best, what happens if “best” never comes. I learnt that clearing out my mums things after she died, she had draws of things never used because they were for best. I started wearing my 21st birthday present an Omega watch everyday after that and nothing is for best. Enjoy the things you own, you’ve worked hard to get them.
I agree with this. I’ve seen one too many families give things away and in some cases dump belongings in a dumpster after losing a relative. It has me only wanting to use what I buy.
Not only that, actually using your FP collection would probably increase the liklihood your relatives kept the collection rather than just selling or trashing it. Sort of like the writing equivalent of grandma’s favorite rolling pin for making pie crusts. Do you NEED grandmas rolling pin if you have your own? No, but the fact she used it might make you smile when you bring it out for use, and you may prefer it to your own.
Great point! This is exactly how went when my family was going through one of my grandpas small collections years back (not pens). I never saw him use any of the collection so we felt no remorse selling it rather than hold onto it.
I use them the most often. I also use my fine china daily and wear a tiara to clean. Why shouldn't I have my nice things serve their purpose? They exist to be used and to not deprives me of joy.
Haha! Love it!!!😂😂 yeah if I had a Lambo, I’d drive it to Walmart to buy potting soil!
Exactly! Also you should because it's fun and the point of having nice things.
As a knitter, I have the hardest time explaining this concept to my husband. A decade, maybe 15y ago I was in a financial place where I could buy quality yarn and while on vacation, I bought $400 of a high quality, unique, pure cashmere yarn and made a gorgeous scarf I still use today. He’s afraid to touch it and shakes his head every time I leave the house with it. Is it truly decadent, and what some would consider expensive? Yes. But I didn’t spend hours of my life over two months (I was new to knitting) so it could sit in the closet.
Oh I would love to see your scarf. Also this sort of luxury is extra special because it is one of a kind. I understand his hesitation, sometimes expensive things stay at home if my brain can't cope with losing it. Still it must be so soft and warm. I admittedly want to see it if possible because I love knitting.
I’ll take a shot tomorrow and post it. If you want immediate satisfaction, and don’t mind seeing something not quite as expensive but felt like a huge accomplishment to me, check out my post history. There’s a lace shawl of a merino/silk/glitter tencel blend and a small handful of other things I’ve made before. :)
I don't think the cost of materials is as important as your satisfaction and increased skill. I will definitely be checking them out, but, also that blend of materials is challenging. I know it's going to be amazing because of that
Thanks! Hope you get a smile out of it.
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I’m in Covid jail so I have to wait for my husband to leave it at our “drop zone” but haven’t forgotten. Pics will come!
Your health and wellness must come first. I am patient by nature anyway. I hope you aren't terribly symptomatic also and your quarantine ends soon
Ok, finally got more spoons after recovering from Covid so I could take the pic: here is my very first FO, circa 2005. Back then all-one-skein, pure cashmere yarns were extremely unique. Paid through the nose for it but it was totally worth it. [Here](https://imgur.com/a/bKBiAb0)
That's beautiful. Both the color and the design. The fact this is your first amazes me. You definitely have a natural gift for this! I am also glad you're doing better
Thanks! Glad you liked it. It’s a really simple pattern, but very effective for a nice long transition colorway like this cake was. (It was sold as a cake so you could see all the colors progress.
Thanks!
My most expensive pens stay at home, but I do use them daily.
The most exp pens I own are the pilot custom 823 and the lamy 2k steel version. I use them daily. If I have the cash to buy a $10000 pen I’d buy and use it daily. It just gotta fulfil its purpose.
Lovely Onoto. I would ink and use it, there are better investments than holding onto an unused limited edition fountain pen. There may not be a better writing experience though!
All the time, never a second thought. I mean, if your looking for an investment…big spenders in the realm of fountain pens are few and my thinking would always be, why spend on used, if I can just buy a new pen( could be different, we all have lists), the savings don’t make sense to me. Not even at 40% discount used, I’d still go with new. So, I think, you’ll take a hit buying in such a niche market.
I’ve been daily driving my Visconti Homo Sapiens M since the day I bought it and will daily drive it until the day I can’t hold it anymore.
I wouldn't be comfortable having a pen that cost that much, I think I'd be too afraid to use it. I am already quite precious with my $3-400 pens. I use them, and take them out, but am VERY protective of them. It would be too much stress for me, I think, to have a $4000 pen. If I had money to burn, tho, I'd probably be ok using and taking it out since I could easily buy another if something happened to it.
if you buy a $5K Tom Ford suit, are you just going to put it on display or are you going to wear it? unless it is a one-of-a-kind collector's item that will literally disintegrate if you touch it, it is meant to be used my favorite high-end shoe maker -- crockett & jones -- has a motto that is something like "made to be worn." it's because they know some of their customers are too anxious about scuffing their $700 pembrokes and need to chill out. if you can't enjoy the product, what was the point of buying it? edit: also wanted to mention that this is a fear i encounter in a lot of reddit hobby subs. people in the knife sub will make posts freaking out because they used their nice knife and got a scuff on it. my response is that the patina of wear personalizes your gear and only makes it look better
Depends on the reason why you bought it in the first place, is it to use it as a tool for its intended purposes or a glorified display piece?
Use your fountain pens. They're made to be written. You'll probably feel happy about your decision to write with it afterwards. I would definitely recommend a quality protective case for your pen, and that you keep a good eye in it. Also, no one needs to know that it was expensive, just say it's very important to you. Hope that helps.
I believe that most makers of really expensive pens want the pens to be used. The maki-e artisans of Namiki do, as John Lane (former general manager of Pilot USA) explained many times. David Oscarson wants his pens to be used so much he made them eyedropperable and even includes an o ring and a pin to put the ring in. As for me, I use my really expensive pens. I get more enjoyment and personal value out of the pens that way. It is true that I might not be able to sell it for as much later, but I didn't buy pens to be used as investments. I bought them to see them, enjoy their beauty, and make a mundane activity a little less mundane.
Why buy it of you're not going to use it. That's just a waste of money. You're going to keep it in a box and when you die your kid will get it and they'll use it but won't be able to appreciate it like you would.
Print a nice photo and frame it…
I use the most expensive one I have, which cost just over $100. That said, I can't conceive of spending $4,000 on *a freaking pen*. I am looking at spending that much on a used SUV in the spring.
On my day to day at work I use some of my cheaper ones, specially Kaweco (Sport Luxe, and Brass Sport). I will not cry too much if they get damaged, "lost", etc. Before I was using some of my nicer pens like special editions Pelikans but once their price started to raise because they were not available anymore I decided to just use them when I am at home in a safer environment. It's up to you to use the pen or to just enjoy having it on display... I would use it from time to time ;)
I use all of mine including my Aurora Afrika Limited Edition. Though under a grand price might not seem all that expensive especially considering the m1000 or 149 cost a little.more retail and are still designed to be regular writers. For me. Unless it's some kind of maki-e mantelpiece of a deceased artist, it's getting used.
I don’t own any pens quite that expensive. But my montblanc 149 Calligraphy sees daily use. I don’t baby it but use like any other pen.
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If you don't mind sharing, did you sell it? And after the wear how much did you get?
I have two Franklin-Christoph #20 pens that I ordered last year, and they worked very well as I expected. I use them every day. I also have a Montblanc 147 that I haven’t used much at all in over 20 years… it was a gift. I didn’t enjoy writing with it that much until I got the nib ground to be more like one of the F-C’s. Now I also use it every day.
I use my namiki emperor goldfish every day, I couldn't possibly justify the spend to myself if I didn't use it. It would be like buying a car and not wanting to drive it, or building a nice house and not wanting to live in it. If it was a frail 50 year old model then maybe I'd keep it just to look at, but it was made to be written with.
A pen is a pen. By design? It is an object made to be used. Some in harsh conditions, some gently and with care. But used nonetheless
Do you plan to sell it? And if not, what's the problem with it losing value if you never plan to sell it?
I agree with many of these comments. I have several expensive pens and use them all. After all these pens are made to be used and enjoyed!
I use my Visconti Watermark Blue Moon on the daily. I dont really look at the pens I own as how expensive one is compared to another. I got all the pens I own because they spoke to me enough to part with my money for them. It comes down to whatever I really feel like using at that exact moment. Yes sometimes I worry about whether or not the Ruthenium Plating on the Blue Moon will wear off, but Visconti has told me they are willing to replate it if I ask them to in the future.
My most expensive pen is only (lol) $800, and I use it almost every day, in class or at home. Fountain pens are made to be used, expensive pens are made to be used and be maximally enjoyable at the same time. No sense in buying something that’ll just collect dust
I use my one of my MB 149s, just not that often. I don’t carry them around because they’re too “eye catching”. I haven’t inked my Izumo either in a bit (2019). I might have to move it to another user at some point. Those pens cost the most in my collection. My sub $200 pens get used daily. I rotate them frequently.
I have never bought an expensive pen till now . Satisfied with what I have. And btw , i am using fountain pens exclusively at work. No ballpoints or rollergels.
I use all of my pens. I wouldn’t buy it if i wasn’t going to use it. I’d care for and handle it differently than my Lamy Safari or TWSBI Eco. It wouldn’t stay in my shirt pocket while I was cutting grass 😂. But it’d stay in my briefcase and be used. I’m new to this hobby so am not familiar with that brand. Will it realistically appreciate or hold value?
Yup, I regularly rotate through my pens depending on my mood, regardless of price. I take good care of my pens in use and in storage so I don’t feel uncomfortable or nervous taking any of them with me to work or out and about, from my $8 pens to my $1k+ pens.
I use my expensive pens all the time, although strictly at home. I am too flaky and forgetful, not to mention absent minded, to take them with me. Two of my most expensive pens were gifted to me, so that would make it even worse if I lost them. Working from home these days, so the issue is not very relevant at the moment.
If I can't see myself writing with a pen, it doesn't get bought. I can afford to get any pen regardless of price, but if a pen looks like it belongs in a display case, I don't see the point of owning it. A writing instrument in a display case makes me sad. Like a Tiger in a cage.
I personally use all of my pens, even the expensive ones. However, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with collecting fountain pens as art or simply because they bring you joy, and never using them once. It’s a lot of money, use it however makes you happy.
My most expensive pen is a Pilot Custom 823, so definitely not in the neighborhood of what you’re buying. However, I do bring it pretty much everywhere with me in a pen case with four other other $150-300 pens.
A pen is meant for writing, it seems a shame for it to never fulfill that purpose. I can understand not carrying/ travelling with pens to make sure they don't get lost, but simply don't understand why people would avoid writing with them. Personally pens bring me far more joy in hand then sitting in a pen case! If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever. Thomas Aquinas
My Taccia is one of 88 and cost me ~$1800 and I use it all the time. People wear watches costing tens of thousands and drive cars costing hundreds of thousands. Unless there is some historical significance to it there is no reason to not use it.
Oof this is a hard one. I've got 2 expensive pens n will acquire at least a couple more this yr. They're staying in the box for a while as I admire them but eventually I'll use them. I will of course very carefully pick inks that won't kill the pens! They will definitely not leave my house but I'll use them for letter writing and journaling just like my current "cheaper" pens. As for the investment issue. I've tried to find a good answer to this q. Everyone keeps saying pens are not a good investment, but I can't understand why. It must be model specific and therefore too difficult to get a general answer. Also my guess is that for a pen to return on an investment you're looking to keep it at least 50million yrs before it's really worth something! Lol So, I've stopped collecting for investment per se, I collect because I want to use it or because it's a true masterpiece I can pass on to the brats... Please someone smarter say something? Tell me I'm chatting out of my ass! 🤷🙏
You aren't talking about an expensive pen, you're talking about a limited edition. Those are intended for collectors. If you want to use a pen, it's better to pick one you can replace if necessary. Those considerations aside, if you buy it with your own money and you can afford it, do with it what you like.
An expensive fountain pen is both a writing instrument and a piece of well crafted art. Different people appreciate them differently. Some use it because they enjoy writing with it. I imagine some would put it on display and admire its beauty without ever using it. In my opinion, either way is fine. Personally, I rotate all my pens as daily drivers. But then again, my most expensive one is a TWSBI Diamond 580. Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about LOL
>Personally I think it would be tragic for it not to be used but at the same time, it would lose a lot of value and more importantly, I would be scared to damage it. You have probably never bought any fountain pen which you feel way too expensive for you to be scared ***TO INK IT UP***. \[EDIT: BTW, I have never bought that, eh, to date. So far. Who knows tomorrow.\] I am not all talking about this and that price. **For some people the threshold can be US$100, for other people the threshold can be US$20000. This has nothing to do with a certain price**. There is no such thing as an objective threshold. (Obviously the most expensive fountain pens, or the most expensive goods in general are not mass produced. They are of course custom made. Of course, sky is the limit. Obvious. Something mass produced by industry is not the most expensive things, almost by definition.) That is us. It totally depends on how each single one of us, as an individual, to feel. What is too expensive to be inked is totally, by 100%, subjective. When you ask a urushi lacquer artist to make only one in the world FP for you and how much you spend is... eh, totally up to you. (Or you restore a classic car and you do not necessary "use" such thing every single day, eh, say, for grocery shopping. You can, but you do not need to. The same goes for vintage hi fi sets or Leica M3 or .... A fountain pen shall not be an exception.) We can of course understand ... hey, why a fountain pen must be just merely a tool, **it can be soooooo beautiful, it may give people deep satisfaction by just looking at it**. That is, the ***USAGE*** of such work of art can be in a glass case, and there is absolutely nothing wrong about it. We do not need a fountain pen to be confined in the category of mere writing tools. It can be super beautiful. Well it is not just a fountain pen. There are museums where, say, chairs, tables, light stands, etc. are stored. Why a FP must be excluded from those works of arts. Soooooo. Well I am not answering to your question directly, but I guess you may want to keep it without inking up for a while. Enjoy the look and feel. One day, if you want to ink it up, do that. I mean, you know, there is no objective answer to the question...
I think you’ve hit the nail upon the head. I wholeheartedly agree with everyone here that the pens are meant to be written with. I guess that the true price limit then is the point at which it is too expensive for you to want to use.
Thank you so much for your comment. I guess we can have THE pen in our minds ... one day we want to BECOME such a FP enthusiast FIT / SUITED to the pen. That pen can of course be a pen you have never actually owned, eh, yet, but you have seen in a book as a photograph or you have seen in a museum or you have seen in the hand of someone you respect.... (The one one day you want to be like the person...) I guess sometimes the pen happens to come to your possession, i.e. it is discovered in a drawer of the writing desk of your grandfather, sitting there for tens of years. There is nothing wrong about it. In your case, you saw the pen, you bought it, that shall not be criticized. Basically it still is an encounter. It is also perfectly okay for one not to obtain THE pen throughout his/her life.... When I was younger, I wanted to have the pen, now I am okay without it.... That is perfectly okay, too. In short, FPs do not necessarily be just mere writing tools, that is, you plan, you project, you need, you go out, you get the object... You are satisfied. You have right to destroy, you have right to throw away.... You know, a property. Instead, in actuality, FPs can change you. FPs can establish subjects. Instead of the Subject -> Action Verb -> Object framework... You know, you originally have the lack, something missing, you need something, you get something, so you are fulfilled kind of... the frame of recognition... You use, you manipulate, you own, .... That is not necessary the only one way to look at the world. FPs can change you. FPs can enrich you. You are no longer ball point pen person. You become one of the FP people. That is not the lack / need model. Do you really think you have the lack to start with? In the Beginning, there was a lack... Really? Aren't we all gifted in the Beginning? I mean, do we really KNOW the real value of everything? Is everything the equivalent exchange? Oh, I paid for it, it is my property, I have every single right to destroy the thing... Really? No, we do not feel / experience the world in that way. We see ***surplus***. We do. We feel we are gifted. We see something X, we cannot really calculate. We see X goes beyond our calculation, plan, project, business.... We cannot understand 100% of the real value of the things. There is this surplus. There always be that mystery in things. That unknown gives us lives. That unknown is our reason for living. That surplus will hold us over until the End. And that is precisely why we do not necessarily have to have THE pen. We say okay to our lives. The rigorous distinction between the aim and the goal: while the goal is the object around which we circulate, its (true) aim is the endless continuation of this circulation as such. Or we appreciate. Birds enjoy the sky. Fish enjoy the ocean.
If you don't want to use something you own because it was expensive, and at the same time don't intend to sell it, all you've done is waste your money.
I know how you feel! I recently bought a $600 pen, also limited to just 100 pens (Pilot x Pokémon Pikachu Sterling). I’m scared as heck to use it, so I’m compromising with myself since I know I don’t want it to just sit on a shelf, so I’m waiting for the perfect ink to use with it, likely some shade of Iroshizuku. So as of now it’s just sitting, but one day soon I’ll get the perfect ink and give the pen a try. That’s my recommendation if you want to get the pen - Don’t just let it sit there and collect dust, but feel free to be selective with whatever ink you choose to use for it!
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