7.07.2009

The First Step to Recovery

--Posted by Tom, Goldspot Pens' Blog Editor "Hello everyone, my name is Tom," I speak sheepishly as my hands tightly clutch the podium edges. The roomful of strange, yet friendly faces respond, "Hello, Tom." I take a deep breath, swallow my pride and part my lips: "I have a problem...with pens." My first "fine pen" was an older-style Parker Sonnet Matte Black w/ Chrome Trim ballpoint that my then girlfriend gave to me as a present. If you want to go further back in time, my first nice pen that I remember owning was a Pilot Dr. Grip back in middle school. A few of my classmates heckled me roundly for spending $7 on a pen. One day, I let the pen out of my site and they lifted it from my bookbag, tore apart the soft, ergonomic grip and stuffed it into classroom radiator. A few years ago, I started working in the fine-writing industry, where I have had the chance to nurture my pen philanthropy. With literally thousands of pens in our company's stockroom, it is hard for a pen addict to resist not buying a pen every working day. As any good addict does, I have built a system to enable my collection to grow. I'm going to let you in on my pen-buying rationale because I have a dilemma I may need to "crowd-source" to solve. Pens are more sentimental if they are given or purchased at a special moment in one's life. My buying patterns are based around significant achievements in my life, almost like an award of accomplishment. Last year, I purchased a Pelikan M215 that coincided with me getting married. For completing the third catalog last year, I bought a Levenger True Writer Demonstrator. I signed my first-ever car lease, which I negotiated the heck out of, with a True Writer Starry Night fountain pen. Now, I have till about the 2nd week of August to figure out the next one: Me and my wife are having a baby girl. The idea is that I purchase the pen of exceptional quality and use it for the time being and keep it until my girl has graduated high-school. Then it will be cleaned out, fixed up and gifted to her. So far, I have determined that it has to be more expensive than the Pelikan M215. It has to be a fountain pen, preferably a piston-filler in fine point. I can't break the bank on this, so there will be no $500 and above pens floating in my head. As far as colors go, I'm going to be using it, and my kid is not going to know what color she likes for a while, so I may go with what I like, which is blue. I am totally open to our reader's suggestions. If you want to ask additional questions, comment on the post and I will provide further details. I do have to say this : there is no prize if I end up picking your suggestion. Just knowing that you assisted a fellow pen peer should be reward enough. Thanks, Tom.

8 comments:

  1. OOOOO - I just saw a Sailor mini Sapporo Miss Kitty commemorative pen - It's must less than the price range you're quoting, but you could give it to her a lot earlier and since it's a mini..What a great gift for a 10 year old girl!!

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  2. Sorry fingers got ahead of brain 1) that's Hello Kitty and 2) much (not must) less than the price...

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  3. You could get one of the urushi pens from Nakaya, which are absolutely beautiful. They're expensive (The cheapest pen is ~$385 IIRC, and most non Maki-E pens are ~$450.) I see that they're Kikyo (blue urushi pen) is $460, and it seems like a fairly one-of-a-kind pen type (completely customized to your preference.)

    Failing that, I'd most likely get a Pelikan M800 (Demonstrator personally, with the etched part names) with a nib customized by Richard Binder (www.richardspens.com) That runs more in the ~$350 range, which is a bit more reasonable.

    I'd totally spring for a Nakaya though - and I love the idea of getting a fountain pen to celebrate a child's birthday, with the plan of giving it to him/her once they get older.

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  4. Tom,
    I would go with a vintage pen like a Parker 51. I don't have a lot of knowledge about vintage pens but they show how timeless and enduring fountain pens are, much like the relationship between a parent and child. Good luck and congratulations on your news. Children are a wonderful gift. Nr

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  5. Great Suggestions, guys!

    Okami, I will consider the Hello Kitty for when I'm trying to get my girl to get addicted to fountain pens.

    Jason, I did try out the M800 demonstrator and it was high on my list of pens that I foresaw having in the future. It was a little on the big side for me. I usually prefer a 600 size and I like having the cap posted.

    Nrepose, I really dig what you're saying about the connection of a vintage classic like a Parker 51 with the timeless relationship of a parent and child.

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  6. You could get one of the urushi pens from Nakaya, which are absolutely beautiful. They're expensive (The cheapest pen is ~$385 IIRC, and most non Maki-E pens are ~$450.) I see that they're Kikyo (blue urushi pen) is $460, and it seems like a fairly one-of-a-kind pen type (completely customized to your preference.)

    Failing that, I'd most likely get a Pelikan M800 (Demonstrator personally, with the etched part names) with a nib customized by Richard Binder (www.richardspens.com) That runs more in the ~$350 range, which is a bit more reasonable.

    I'd totally spring for a Nakaya though - and I love the idea of getting a fountain pen to celebrate a child's birthday, with the plan of giving it to him/her once they get older.

    ReplyDelete