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Pen
names
This is a good time to seek out the pen that maybe you were
given as a special passing-exams present, back in pre-ballpoint days.
Best of all: find the pen that father or grandfather owned in the
1930s.
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Good names to seek are Parker, Swan, Conway Stewart, De La Rue,
Onoto, Schaeffer, Platinum, Pelikan, Waterman and Montblanc. Once
you’ve found one of the names, you need to do some detective work
about its age, and the rarity of design. See Find Out More, below.
Some basic rules …
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A pen
with a coloured barrel is generally better than a black one.
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Big,
chunky models are more sought-after than slim ‘ladies’ pens.
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Rippled
or marbled barrels generally add value.
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Ornamental metal overlay or filigree is especially worth a closer
look.
… and
guide prices
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The
famous Parker 51 was made in such quantities from 1941 onwards that
it’s still possible to buy a second-hand one (plain black, rocket
shape, hooded nib) in working condition for ?10 if you’re lucky. But
ask a specialist before you sell: even a ‘simple’ Parker may be rare
if it came from America, has an unusual cap, or is in exceptional
condition. And if you have a Parker Duofold Senior from the 1920s,
its value can range from ?100 to ?1,000 – they were made in blue,
red, jade green and yellow, with yellow (known as ‘mandarin’) being
the most valuable.
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Early
Conway Stewarts, preferable 1930-1950 vintage and marbled or veined
in pattern, are reckoned to be going up in value, although worth not
much more than about ?40 today.
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Pre-war
Watermans made of rolled gold with fancy engraving could fetch ?200.
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Rarity
to look for: a Dunhill Namiki, result of a 1930s collaboration
between the famous cigarette-lighter makers and a Japanese
lacquering company. Each pen is a work of art – auction bids might
go up to ?10,000.
Broken? Don’t despair …
Even if your pen isn’t in working order (it’s generally the
rubber ink sac that has perished), it may still have some value. Keen
collectors have no objection to buying a ‘restored’ pen, and there’s
even a market for the necessary spare parts. You may find an
interested local restorer under ‘Writing Equipment’ in Yellow Pages,
or – for truly specialist advice – take a look at
www.penmuseum.co.uk
Reckon to pay between ?10 and ?20 for a simple repair.
Find Out More
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A
Miller’s Collector’s Guide called Pens and Writing Equipment
by Jim Marshall is good value at ?5.99 – plenty of colour
photographs, tips and addresses of dealers.
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Bloomsbury Auctions in London (020 7495 9494) hold four specialist
sales a year. Their glossy catalogue, with estimated prices, costs
?10.
The Writing Equipment Society holds regular meetings and issues a
newsletter. Membership details from
www.wesonline.org.uk
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laterlife interest
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