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Post by penguy on Oct 3, 2018 2:41:34 GMT
I was wondering how people felt about pens that have names engraved on them. It seems that generally speaking having a name engraved on a pen reduces its value.
However, I have a Weidlich matchstick filler, black hard rubber with gold filigree. It has the name Margaret and 06 engraved on it. To me it adds to the value. It dates the pen, it is 112 years old, and lets me know the first owner was Margaret. It makes me wonder about the history of the pen. Did she receive it on her first wedding anniversary or upon graduation from high school? Who gave it to her? It is 7 1/2" posted so was Margaret a large woman or did whoever purchased it for her purchase it from a catalog not realizing its size and couldn't return it because of the engraving? Did Margaret love the pen because of the wonderful flex nib? I couldn't enjoy wondering about the pen's history if it hadn't been for the engraving. I think I enjoy writing letters with it because now I am part of the pen's history.
Perhaps it depends on the initial or name and how old the pen is!
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Post by stompie on Oct 3, 2018 3:12:38 GMT
I'm with you on this. I think, like in books, to have that tiny glimpse in to the history of an article is wonderful!
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Post by filpot on Oct 3, 2018 10:38:09 GMT
I'm in the same camp. Although we all know that "vintage" pens have history, we don't necessarily wonder about it - unless there's an inscription. It acts as a peg on which to hang all manner of speculation about the pen's history and the life of at least one previous owner.
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Post by stompie on Oct 3, 2018 12:27:38 GMT
Just a pity there is no "Copy and Paste" facility on a fountain pen eh! Could you imagine the type of stories you would be able to read if you had a pen from someone like Oscar!
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Post by penguy on Oct 3, 2018 14:14:32 GMT
If I were a poet or a writer I think the pen would be a good starting point. I wonder what Margaret looked like, what kind of clothes she wore in 1906. What did she write with her pen or did it languish in a drawer, unused. Does anyone else have a pen they think might have a similar story. Then there are pens owned by famous people and pens used to sign peace treaties.
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Post by Bob on Oct 9, 2018 16:45:31 GMT
With you all on this as well.
Don't know if my used Montblanc 149 or 146's have such a story. But I wonder what letters they might have written.
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