You might also like<\/strong> collecting Mordan pencils<\/a><\/p>\n After centuries of writing with quills dipped in ink, fountain pens of various types began to be designed as early as the 1600s, although these early models often leaked and weren\u2019t particularly practical. In one of his diary entries (dated August 1663), Samuel Pepys mentions a business associate \u2013 a Mr Coventry \u2013 and his silver pen that carried its own supply of ink. But it wasn\u2019t until 1809 that the first English patent for a reservoir pen was officially issued, to Frederick F\u00f6lsch of Oxford Street, London.<\/p>\n Other designers adapted the concept throughout the 1800s, but although these early pens (with internal ink reservoirs filled with eye-droppers) were embraced by the public and it was relatively easy getting the ink to run smoothly on the down stroke, the problem was getting an even flow on the upstroke.<\/p>\n This issue was solved in the 1880s by a New York-based insurance broker, Lewis Waterman. On one occasion, so the story goes, he was getting ready to sign an important contract when the pen in his client\u2019s hand refused to work and then leaked onto the document. Waterman rushed back to his office to get another contract but, in the meantime, another broker sealed the deal. Frustrated, Waterman began to make his own improved pens, adding an air hole in the nib and three grooves to ensure a much smoother flow.<\/p>\n The year 1950 saw the introduction of the ink cartridge \u2013 an immediate success \u2013 but somewhat overshadowed by the introduction of ballpoint pens, which dried up a majority of the business for the fountain pen industry.\u00a0Today, in our digital age when texting and Zooming are the norm, and taking the time to hand-write a letter is a rare luxury, vintage<\/a> pens have become collectable. They retain a romance from a bygone era and are often bought for their beauty and old-fashioned charm.<\/p>\n Mark Catley, owner of Vintage Fountain Pens<\/a> says he\u2019s noticed a huge resurgence in interest in older pens. \u2018Last year, I had the busiest year I\u2019ve ever had, especially during lockdown,\u2019 he reveals. \u2018People had a bit more time. They were buying pens to use. I think fountain pens have made a comeback in the same way that vinyl LPs have.\u2019<\/p>\n Mark likes German Pelikan pens because they\u2019re very reliable with \u2018lovely\u2019 nibs. \u2018I\u2019m not a big fan of Sheaffer pens,\u2019 he confesses. \u2018The nibs are very stiff. I quite like early Swan pens, but my favourite pen of all time is the Parker 51. The early ones are getting quite valuable now \u2013 you can pay \u00a33,000 to \u00a34,000 for a good one.\u2019\u00a0Other pens have been known to fetch enormous prices \u2013 especially in America, where collectors can pay up to $25,000 for a hard-to-find pen such as the Parker Aztec.<\/p>\n You might also like<\/strong> collecting antique and vintage postcards<\/a><\/p>\n Auctioneer Bill Nelson of Cumbria-based 1818 Auctioneers<\/a> (the first auction house to get the prestigious Writing Equipment Society Merit Award) holds bi-annual auctions of fountain pens and says prices can start as low as \u00a310 to \u00a315 for a good- quality pen, but rise to four-figure sums for a collectable or rare pen.\u00a0\u2018For example, in the 1930s, Conway Stewart brought out a \u2018Floral\u2019 pen, which had a floral decoration,\u2019 he explains. \u2018It didn\u2019t sell well, so there weren\u2019t many made but, nowadays, serious collectors often want a good example of this scarce pen.\u2019<\/p>\n Bill says that there are several kinds of collector in this field. \u2018There are people who want to be seen to be a little flash and they usually go for a Montblanc,\u2019 he reveals. \u2018The real pen collectors tend to focus on a specific genre such as Parker Duofold pens or Conway Stewart pens. It\u2019s so easy to start collecting because they don\u2019t take up a lot of room and it\u2019s very affordable. I have to admit I\u2019ve got a few vintage pens in my desk drawer!\u2019<\/p>\n If you\u2019re buying a vintage pen, Mark\u2019s advice is to look at the nib first. \u2018If it\u2019s a good-quality 14 carat or 18 carat gold nib, then it\u2019s almost certainly going to be attached to a good-quality pen, which is worth buying or restoring,\u2019 he explains. \u2018Most elements in a pen can be repaired. Some of the very early ones were eye-droppers \u2013 and they\u2019re easy to fix. Lever fillers and plunger fillers came along a little bit later and they\u2019re a bit more complex to repair, but still doable.\u2019<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Unlike in other areas of collecting, where older items tend to be more sought-after and pricey, in the realm of fountain pens, things are a bit different. \u2018The golden age of fountain pens was between 1920 and 1950 \u2013 that\u2019s when all the really nice pens were made and the ones that are the most valuable date from then,\u2019 explains Mark. \u2018Prior to 1920, most fountain pens were made from hard rubber, so they were a bit boring and plain, plus the pens were mechanically simple, so there isn\u2019t a lot of value to the earliest pens. Some pens from the 19th century are only worth a few pounds.\u2019\u00a0Sadly, some of the earlier plastic pens \u2013 from 100 years ago or so \u2013 are now very brittle. \u2018For example, the Waterman Patrician, which is a wonderful, very valuable pen, is really prone to breaking now,\u2019 says Mark.<\/p>\n The appeal for collectors is clear \u2013 with so many makers and so many styles available, you can focus on a single brand, a period in time or even a specific colour. \u2018Part of the attraction is that there\u2019s a nostalgia attached to fountain pens,\u2019 points out Mark. \u2018People often remember using them at school or get in touch with me because they have inherited an old pen from a grandparent and they want to get it working again. These are objects that have emotional connections to people.\u2019<\/p>\n You might also like<\/strong> collecting vintage globes<\/a><\/p>\n![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/19\/2022\/10\/008-RICHARD-cordovanhff-0fd4e4d-e1666264890865.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C77"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
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