Fountain Pen Collecting for Beginners

Fountain pen collecting is a hobby enjoyed by people all over the world. This hobby began almost as soon the first fountain pen was made. Once people started writing with this fine writing instruments, people immediately saw the beauty that these fine pens possessed and fountain pen collecting began.

Why do people love to collection fountain pens? First, as more and more people have white collar jobs getting to writing with a fine writing instrument makes writing at work special. The feel that people get when you write with a fine fountain pen changes the writing experience. Writing with a fountain pen makes people feel like an artist.

For me, I love their aesthetic beauty. The craftsmanship of a handmade fountain pen, the beautiful cases and beautiful tips are masterpieces to me.

Beginners Tips

The first thing that beginner pen collectors have to understand is that scarcity creates value. When people begin collecting ballpoint pens or fountain pens, too often they just look at the aesthetics of the pen. While aesthetics are important, scarcity drives value.

The second thing to understand about fountain pen collecting is that typical older, vintage fountain pens are worth more than newer pens. People love holding a part of history. Vintage fountain pens can tell an unbelievable history lesson. What was going on in the world when that pen was being used? Who wrote with that fountain pen?

The third thing that you need to understand is the most stores do not sell vintage pens. In order to buy vintage pens you need to buy from collectors, online stores, or online auctions. However, if you are buying a new fountain pen, just look for good prices. You can find great prices at online stores and at the Popular Pens store linked below.

Find a great selection of fountain pens for sale at Popular Pens. Popular Pens has low prices on Mont Blanc Fountain Pens, Cross Fountain Pens, and many more popular brands like Dunhill.

Antique Fountain Pens

The first practical fountain pen was patented by Lewis Waterman in 1884. Fountain pens were the first kind of pens to be used by men. However, the oldest surviving fountain pen belonged to a Frenchman named M.Bion dated to 1702. Antique fountain pens are prized possessions and are collector's items as they are extremely unique. Most of the antique pens are very expensive as they are very rare and are not easily available in the market. Antique fountain pens as a result of their age need special care and handling techniques. These pens usually have ink filling mechanisms and differ greatly from the modern fountain pens.

The cost of these antique fountain pens depends greatly on whom they belonged to and what material they are made up of. Other factors like the quality of the nib and the material used for the nib also help determine the price. In case, the nib is made of gold or silver, the prices automatically rises up a great deal. As most of these vintage pens have a history behind them, their prices rise accordingly as the demand becomes too high. In spite of being expensive, these pens are very popular amongst people who enjoy writing with fine pens and who have a passion for collecting pens belonging to different periods. The prices of these pens also depend on the case in which they are kept. If the cases are made of gold or silver or some high quality metal and are hand crafted, then the prices tend to be quite high.

These rare fountain pens are not sold at wholesale outlets and are usually found in flea markets or old curio shops. One can purchase antique fountain pens through the special dealers dealing in antique pieces. Various websites also offer a range of vintage antique fountain pens and through a good search; one can purchase them at strikingly low prices.

Fountain Pens provides detailed information on Fountain Pens, Fountain Pen Cases, Fountain Pen Refills, Fountain Pen History and more. Fountain Pens is affiliated with Fountain Pens.

Titanium - a versatile alloy for fountain pen nibs

Titanium ore was first discovered in 1791 in Cornish beach sands by the English clergyman and mineralogist, William Gregor. The new element was not purified until 1910, however, and another 40 years were to pass before it began to be refined and produced in marketable quantities.

In his periodic table of the elements, first published in 1869, Dmitrii Mendeleyev assigned titanium the atomic number 22, which places it in the first main transition series of elements, metals which are mostly hard, strong and lustrous.

Today we know that this light-weight, high-strength metal possesses a number of extraordinary properties that make it one of the materials of greatest technological interest in many sectors. Titanium is practically immune to corrosion by saline solutions and shows exceptional resistance to an extremely broad spectrum od acids, alkalis and other aggressive chemicals agents, both synthetic and natural.

Its strength and excellent corrosion resistance make Titanium an ideal candidate for use in manufacturing fountain pen nibs, which are subject to continual contact with one of the most aggressive of all commonly-used substances: pen ink.

Simone is a staff writer of PenEmporium.com The Stipula online Store http://www.penemporium.com