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Getting Started in the Hobby of Collecting Vintage Fountain Pens

By: Sara Bondia

By World War II there was a new kid on the block when it came to writing instruments. The ballpoint pen had become the thing that most people reached for. Immediately prior to that time, however, fountain pens were the way most people put ink on paper. Beginning in the late 1800s, and extending up until World War II, is considered to be the period of the golden age of the fountain pen.

During this roughly 60 year period there were an extraordinary number of innovations and styles introduced by many different manufacturers. Many of the pens created during this time are prized by collectors for their beauty and functionality.

Although fountain pens are still manufactured today and are still in demand as writing instruments, collectable vintage fountain pens are generally considered to be those made before 1965. There are an extraordinary variety, and vintage fountain pen collecting is a hobby that many people enjoy.

If collecting vintage fountain pens is a hobby that interests you then you can get started very easily. Throughout the United States there are vintage fountain pen shows held in or close to large cities. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where you can take advantage of an antique pen show then you will have the chance to look at thousands of vintage fountain pens and talk to other collectors.

Buying a used car is a good analogy for buying an antique fountain pen. The condition of the vehicle, who manufactured it, and the model, are all important in determining value. Antique fountain pens are the same way. If all you want is a large collection it is very easy to start buying antique fountain pens online. But if you want to become a serious collector, you will need to become educated about buying antique fountain pens that have value as collectibles.

Fortunately there are some excellent antique fountain pen books which you can use to educate yourself. As a matter of fact, you do not necessarily even have to buy a single book until you are sure that collecting antique fountain pens is something that you are truly interested in. Your library might have, or can certainly get through an interlibrary loan, most any book you want. But if you are bitten by the antique fountain pen collecting bug then you most certainly will want to add some good reference books to your personal book collection.

For new collectors, an excellent book is "Fountain Pens Past & Present". This was written by Paul Erano and will help you identify and evaluate vintage fountain pens.

This is considered by many vintage fountain pen collectors to be a very comprehensive book about how to collect vintage pens. There are many color photos and also vintage fountain pen ads. It has lots of different and valuable information, and reviews how to find vintage fountain pens and restore them. It also covers the basics for how to value pens. Of course the actual values for specific pens change over time. However this book is a good guide to determining the relative value of different vintage pens. If you are truly interested in collecting antique pens as a hobby, this is an excellent book to add to your collection.

If you own a particular pen, or happen to buy one, and need additional information then frequently you can find the original informational brochures which the pen manufacturers published. These are considered collectibles themselves. However if what you're interested in is just the information, then you often will be able to find an electronic version (usually a PDF copy) online. This is cheaper than buying the actual brochure.

eBay is an excellent place to find vintage fountain pens. At any one time there usually are over 1000 auctions going on for antique pens.

Unfortunately you will not be the only person interested in that particular pen. There will be other people bidding against you who would like that same item. Because of the frenzy which often results on eBay auctions, some people will be willing to pay more than the actual collectible value of the vintage fountain pen. To avoid becoming one of these people yourself, do through research and set a limit as to the amount you feel like the item is worth. It is very tempting to bid above this amount, but you would always be wise to set your limit and not go above it.

However if you are unable to buy the vintage fountain pen you have been bidding on, the chances are very good that sometime soon a similar pen will come up for auction. There are so many auctions for vintage fountain pens on eBay, if you are persistent and keep trying then sooner or later you will get the one you want.

Article Source: http://www.myarticlesdirectory.com

Sara Bondia loves buying and selling on eBay, and has fun researching information on vintage fountain pens. You can find some great bargains and get more information on collecting fountain pens from her Vintage Fountain Pens website. Click on over and see the amazing assortment!

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