Old Pen Writes Its Own Check

Question: Some time ago, I read that old pens are valuable. I have a Sheaffer pen and pencil set bought in 1929 and hardly used.--V.M.

Answer: Dealer catalogues place a value of about $40 on some Sheaffer pens manufactured in the 1920s. Mechanical pencils of that era generally have about half this value, or less.

Condition and production materials cause prices to vary. For example, pens with gold-filled trim could be worth much more.

Collectors should check for any defects before purchasing a collectible pen. Scratches, dents or mechanical malfunctions will dilute a pen’s value.

In terms of history, the steel pen point was invented in 1780 by Samuel Harrison. But its potential as a writing instrument wasn’t realized until a century later when Richard Esterbrook saw his pen points marketed with pen holders.

In fact, in many instances it is the pen holder that draws greater collector interest because it often was made of gold, sterling silver or mother of pearl. Making them even more valuable, from a collector’s point of view, was the often-fancy wood presentation case in which it was packaged.

Collectors scour flea markets, antique shops and auctions for mechanical pencils and fountain pens manufactured in the 19th Century. Just how far back you can go in production terms can be seen in the fact that a patent was issued for the mechanical pencil in 1822.

It wasn’t until the 1880s that Lewis Waterman invented the fountain pen. Following this, Sheaffer, Parker and Wahl-Eversharp began distributing their own versions.

As in the case of pen holders, materials used in the production of fountain pens often influence their value more than simply the age of the collectible pen.

A sterling silver Waterman, produced around 1920, along with its original engraved case, can command more than $100, dealers say. On the other hand, an older--plainer--Waterman, say one produced in the 1880s, may command half this price.

Although there is still a market for fountain pens, particularly in the high-price end, introduction of the Reynolds ball point pen in 1945 led to a major decline in their popularity.