I have mentioned before that I have a long-standing affection for Parker pens, which I can trace back to childhood well over 50 years ago. I can still recall a time when I became aware that a Parker ball point pen cost perhaps ten times the price of a disposable Bic Crystal. I associated seeing a Parker arrow pocket clip with wealth and thinking that anyone carrying more than one Parker pen must be very rich. My French teacher even had a Parker ball pen just for red ink, which seemed very decadent. On receiving my first Parker fountain pen, I had the idea that the 14k gold nib could eventually be sold to support me in retirement or if I fell upon hard times.
Now as I approach retirement age, I have long been aware that my understanding of relative values was somewhat distorted. It turns out that a Parker pen nib won’t go very far in covering one’s living expenses, after all. Learning this is one of life’s hard lessons.
Yet I still have my life-long interest in fountain pens. If my fountain pen journey were likened to a stationery-themed board game of Snakes and Ladders, then you now find me lingering on the Vintage Parker Pens square. A glance of my currently inked pens, of which there are 14, shows that five of these are vintage Parkers, all acquired in recent months as eBay purchases. Oh, and there is one other Parker 17 currently in bits, with the section soaking in a jar of water.
My fountain pen hobby continues to give me a huge amount of enjoyment. How can a value be put on this? In the BBC news, the newsreaders’ first question to their special correspondent is often an open question to quantify the unquantifiable: “So, how worried should we be about…” or “How much of a problem is this?”
As I am now at the age when retirement looms, I am getting to grips with my personal pension plans. The fund value of one of these in particular, has fallen by many thousands of pounds over the last couple of years, which is a depressing thought. But whilst a vintage gold nib will not fund my retirement, I have noticed that the enjoyment of the hobby does go a long way towards compensating for such financial losses, which gives a sense of worth to the hobby. I am constantly grateful for just how much pleasure I get, for relatively little expense, in wonderful combinations of pens, inks and paper. Perhaps my childish sense of relative values was not so far off, after all.
Fountain pen blog 
What wonderful fountain pen will you have as a gift for your retirement?
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Thanks. I am not expecting a fountain pen as a gift when I retire. This is rather a boring answer, but I honestly struggle to think of a fountain pen that I currently want, as I have accumulated so many. What I will need, is time to use and enjoy them!
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Good morning, Rupert
As someone else of retirement age, I fully concur… Although, I am slightly older than you and therefore could have retired completely a few years ago, I decided to retain some consultancy commitments. That at least has the virtue of bringing in occasional income which I can use to ‘justify’ the purchase of that further indispensable fountain pen/bargain/serendipitous eBay discovery (etc.)
Having more time on my hands has allowed me to research and enjoy my embarrassingly large collection of pens, papers and inks. Although my pension savings have also been severely depleted by inflation and idiotic government fiscal policy, I have- so far- not had to face the prospect of selling pens. What is comforting is that the higher end of pens in my collection (e.g. limited editions of Pelikan pens) have absolutely not lost their value. But, unlike some people I have come across, I don’t think I would ever be tempted to buy a pen simply as an ‘investment’: pens are there to be enjoyed and your infectious enthusiasm in your posts are always a pleasure to read and an inspiration.
Enjoy all the Parkers, and I hope you never have to sell any of them!
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Thank you for your kind comments and it is good to hear that you are enjoying your pens. It sounds like a phased retirement suits you well.
I have got rather hooked on vintage Parkers lately, of which there are so many on eBay. The less popular models, such as the standard 17, can be had quite cheaply. I do not see any of my pens as investments. It may be that Montblancs keep their value better but I think the majority do not. Fortunately I derive a disproportionately high level of enjoyment from them which makes them worth far more to me than their financial value! For example, I recently bought a Parker 17 in black with gold trim in excellent condition for just £12.00, a gold nib pen for less than the price of a Lamy Safari.
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A very thought-provoking blog, Rupert. I was also mournfully contemplating the impact of BrexitCovidUkraine on my pensions yesterday 😦
I have a solitary Parker fountain pen, the Parker 25, which has been with me since Sixth Form and University, and rediscovering it at the back of a drawer in perfect working order was what reawakened my interest in fountain pens. It would have so satisfied my inner nerd to flourish it on an Inter City 125 High Speed Train, since both were styled by noted designer Kenneth Grange. But it’s become more difficult since these were banished to Scotland and the fringes of the network. Still not impossible, though…
My other Parkers are the admirable Jotter ballpoints (is that word allowed on a fountain pen blog?) So collectable they should come with a health warning.
Regards,
Philip
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Thanks Philip,
I never owned a Parker 25 and remember thinking at the time that the shape of the barrel looked a bit off-putting. Yes, it would be good to take one on an InterCity 125, given that they are related!
I have seen even more colours of the Parker Jotter ballpoint pen on sale recently, in a rotating display in Rymans. I find them a bit narrow but they are undeniably appealing.
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Ive been asked numerous times if fountain pens make for a good investment. I smile and respond, only in time spent with them.
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That is a good answer! As I have very little experience in selling pens, I would not be the person to ask whether they make good investments. Like art, I think it best to assume not and to buy it for its own sake. I only know that it is much harder to sell a pen than it is to buy one. It seems obvious advice, not to buy something (or even, go shopping) unless you need something, but with pens there is an addictive buzz which comes with receiving a new one, and it is all too easy to fall into a habit of wanting to repeat this new pen feeling every few weeks, as soon as the thrill of the last one fades.
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I say they are a horrible investment option but they do provide hours of enjoyment and make for an interesting hobby.
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Ah yes, many collectors did start out with the intent of treating these beautiful pens as an investment but come to terms at some point that the joy they bring is as important as (if not more than) the monetary value. I am a couple of decades away from retirement but I foresee myself arriving at this point as well. ^_^
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Thanks Pao. Yes I agree that pens are mostly not wise financial investments to grow your money, but they do provide hours of pleasure instead 🙂
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