posted on December 6, 2000 03:18:16 PM
Recently at an auction I purchased a large tin (about a 2 gallon size) full of old pencils and pens. Since I have a housefull of "pen stealers" I thought it would be nice to not run out for a while--but once I got to looking at my purchase I found out that most of them are pretty old. Apparently, everywhere this woman traveled she kept the pen or pencil--hotels, sporting events, banks, lodge parties, insurance companies, museums, etc. I know at least one dates back to 1922, and the hotels have room rates like $2 a night. Any market for these, or would I be just as well off letting the kids use them for school?
posted on December 6, 2000 03:20:00 PM
you should be looking at them as advertising items---not just as pens and pencils----the value will be on the name of the place being advertized.
posted on December 6, 2000 03:24:30 PM
There could be a limited market, if they are in very good to excellent condition. Some people do collect advetising pens and pencils, and some are interesting to me.
Old "bullet" pencils are pretty desirable with the right advertising on them.
I'd offer them in groups of four or five, unless you thought some single ones "stood out" from the rest. Don't expect a lot for them.
posted on December 6, 2000 03:26:45 PM
About 6 months ago I was bidding on watercolor pencils and I noticed another bidder that bid exclusively on old pencils. He was paying top dollar as I recollect.
posted on December 6, 2000 04:05:13 PM
The snake pen is a rare old Parker with a clip styled as a snake coiled around the pen. If you got one of those in this batch, you're about the luckiest person in the world!
posted on December 6, 2000 04:20:32 PM
Yes pens are very collectable its one of the hottest markets right know.With record setting bids at the auction in London.But that means absolutely nothing on ebaY.
Fountain pens are the best so there maybe some value to what you have.I have no expertise on this sort of thing,but I follow a lot of different items and this has always been a good one of late.
posted on December 6, 2000 04:55:35 PM
OOOOOOOooooooo - I love old pens and pencils.
Just bought a boxful myself. I just wanted to confirm that there are people like me out there who are oodling over the thought of two gallons worth!
posted on December 6, 2000 05:13:51 PM
Just got done sorting through them all. Alas--there are no snakes, but I did find a neat one shaped like a baseball bat from the 1944 World Series! Many of them come from a small town in Idaho, several from the "Hotel Stowell" in Los Angeles, two from the Golden Gate Bay Bridge Exposition in 1939, and a whole bunch of misc. About 5 of them are fountain pens, and there's also a baggie full of fountain pen tips. There's probably 200 or so in all. At least if I sell them, shipping should be easy!
[ edited by joycel on Dec 6, 2000 05:17 PM ]
posted on December 7, 2000 05:12:49 AM
That Golden Gate Exposition one sounds interesting. That should bring some bids if it's in very good or better condition.
The 1944 World Series might be good too. The baseball bat pens/pencils are kind of common, but the markings are what make them desirable/unique.
The fountain pens might bring some bids, depending on what they are (name brand is everything), and of course condition too.
If the pen points are steel, or gold plated or gold washed, they're not worth a lot. Solid 14K (in excellent condition) would be better. You can test them by moving the tip around on a piece of paper (as if using it to write). It should glide smoothly around. If it feels "scratchy" on the paper, that's not good.
