Duofold MacArthur Limited Edition

Hi:

I have this pen and was thinking of selling it. Can anyone please give me
some idea of where I can post it (other than eBay) and what it's approximate
value would be.

Many thanks.

Lou

You could sell list it for sale here, www.pentrace.com, or www.penbid.com
Richard
"YRC1" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
Hi:

I have this pen and was thinking of selling it. Can anyone please give me
some idea of where I can post it (other than eBay) and what it's
approximate
value would be.

Many thanks.

Lou

YRC1 wrote:

Hi:

I have this pen and was thinking of selling it. Can anyone please
give me some idea of where I can post it (other than eBay) and what
it's approximate value would be.

Many thanks.

Lou

In addition to Pentrace and Penbid, you could join the Zoss list
(www.zoss.com) and try to sell it there. Also, www.penlovers.com allows
f/s notices. As for its value, it really depends on whether it's used or
unused. If unused... that is, new, in box with all papers and packaging
intact, you should be able to get around $750 for it. If you've used the
pen (i.e., dipped it, filled it, whatever), you'll be fortunate to get
$400 or so for it... but who knows, perhaps someone will be willing to
pay you more. Of course, it's also possible you'll have trouble selling
it at all (if it's used). --- Bernadette

In addition to Pentrace and Penbid, you could join the Zoss list
(www.zoss.com) and try to sell it there. Also, www.penlovers.com allows
f/s notices. As for its value, it really depends on whether it's used or
unused. If unused... that is, new, in box with all papers and packaging
intact, you should be able to get around $750 for it. If you've used the
pen (i.e., dipped it, filled it, whatever), you'll be fortunate to get
$400 or so for it... but who knows, perhaps someone will be willing to
pay you more. Of course, it's also possible you'll have trouble selling
it at all (if it's used). --- Bernadette

The fact that a pen has been used does not make it more difficult to
sell, it will only lower the price.

Anyway a pen is just a tool, LE or not... It is supposed to be used.

Marten

Marten van de Kraats wrote:

The fact that a pen has been used does not make it more difficult to
sell, it will only lower the price.

It makes it less desirable and therefore more difficult to sell.

Anyway a pen is just a tool, LE or not... It is supposed to be used.

Well, that's your opinion. I suppose you're offering to buy the pen from
the man? --- B

In article ,
"BLandolf" wrote:

Marten van de Kraats wrote:

The fact that a pen has been used does not make it more difficult to
sell, it will only lower the price.

It makes it less desirable and therefore more difficult to sell.

Everybody knows: A lower price is an easier sell. That is high school
economics.
If his pen has been used it will make it less desirable for collectors
of mint pens, but it does not mean it becomes less desirable for people
who aren't collectors of mint pens (that is 99,99999 percent of
mankind). As long as the price is right, one can always find a buyer for
an object.


Anyway a pen is just a tool, LE or not... It is supposed to be used.

Well, that's your opinion. I suppose you're offering to buy the pen from
the man? --- B

No, I am not interested. How come you think that? I have enough pens to
last me a life time and longer. I am pretty happy with the pens I have
and don't intend to purchase some very expensive limited edition pen
that probably doesn't write any better than the 2 Pelikans, 4 Vacumatics
and 2 Watermans I already own.

Marten

"Marten van de Kraats" wrote in message
news:mvdk******-
than the 2 Pelikans, 4 Vacumatics
and 2 Watermans I already own.

You're kidding, right? That's all you ever bought? Did you get some vaccine
or something before you started using fountain pens?
Richard

Marten van de Kraats wrote:

Everybody knows: A lower price is an easier sell. That is high
school economics.

Duh! I'm absolutely sure he'd have no trouble selling his used Duofold
MacArthur LE for 50¢, but c'mon... he'd like to sell the thing without
losing his shorts in the process. What would you estimate a used
MacArthur is going to bring in the current market? How 'bout an unused
one? Oh, don't tell me... Whatever the buyer is willing to pay, right?
That's real helpful. I'll offer him a buck for it... I suppose that
means he should expect to get a buck for it.

If his pen has been used it will make it less desirable for
collectors of mint pens, but it does not mean it becomes less
desirable for people who aren't collectors of mint pens (that is
99,99999 percent of mankind).

You are wrong. How many modern pens have you tried to resell? How many
LEs? How many mint versus how many used? As someone who has resold a
couple of hundred modern pens... non-LEs, LEs, mint, and used, I can
tell you that mint modern pens move faster than used modern pens. But
yeah... If the IP will settle for 50¢, he can sell it reeeeeeaaaaal
fast.

As long as the price is right, one can always find a buyer for
an object.

Uh huh... Some more of your elementary economics, eh? The man didn't ask
for your philosophy of pen resale and pithy generalities. He asked what
he could expect to get for the pen in the current market. All you've
said is that if he's willing to settle for some indeterminate low amount
(aka: squat), he can sell it quickly. Super. Could you be a bit more
specific? The pen retailed for $850. What's a reasonable asking price if
the pen is unused? How 'bout if it's used? I actually sold a mint
MacArthur on the Zoss list last week.... Guess how much it sold for?
Guess how long it took to sell? And I also sold a mint Mandarin LE (MSRP
= $850). Guess how long it took to sell? Guess how much it sold for?

No, I am not interested. How come you think that?

I was busting your chops. Don't tell the guy it doesn't matter that his
modern LE is used when in fact it does matter in the current, modern LE
market if a pen is used or unused. Yes, use will lower the price he can
ask for the pen, but it will also make it harder to move because, by and
large, people buying modern pens want unused ones, not used ones. Of
course you can entice folks to buy a used modern pen if you're willing
to reduce the price enough, but everyone has a limit to how much they're
willing to lose in a transaction. Based on my experience, I'd say a
reasonable asking price for used modern pens (LE or not) is somewhere
between 30% and 45% of retail. You're much more likely to
sell a pen for what it cost new on the street (street cost) or even sell
it for MSRP or a little better (very rarely better) if the pen is
unused. And I don't care whether these numbers appear to be fair or not,
the market is the market regardless of how you feel about it. If you
disagree with my numbers, offer some alternatives... don't just claim
they're off base and wax philosphical because you don't happen to care
for LEs.

BTW, use is a huge factor for modern pens... much, much less so for
vintage pens.

I have enough pens to last me a life time and longer. I am pretty
happy with the pens I have and don't intend to purchase some very
expensive limited edition pen that probably doesn't write any better
than the 2 Pelikans, 4 Vacumatics and 2 Watermans I already own.

Hey man, you're preaching to the choir. I feel exactly the same way, but
the IP wasn't asking about that. He wanted information about the value
of his pen in the current market and I offered him my best guesses based
on my knowledge of the market as someone who has sold a couple hundred
modern pens, LEs, non-LEs, used, unused... including modern Parker
LEs. --- Regards, Bernadette

In article ,
"marlinspike" wrote:

"Marten van de Kraats" wrote in message
news:mvdk******-
than the 2 Pelikans, 4 Vacumatics
and 2 Watermans I already own.

You're kidding, right? That's all you ever bought? Did you get some vaccine
or something before you started using fountain pens?
Richard


Those are the working ones I have in my desk at home, three of the
vacumatics mentioned are away for repair, so the number of working ones
in my desk is momentarily actually even lower.
I have some more working pens elsewhere. I have a pelikano in my coat, a
rotring in my brief case, a cheap sheaffer lying beside the bed, and a
cheap Waterman and another pelikano on my desk in the office. And I
expect a second Phileas in the mail. I need that one even less than some
of the others, but I really wanted to own a black one of these.
And then I have a box with pens that don't work: a parker 51 GF, a
pelikan rappen, a Waterman 58, a vacumatic Golden Web, a pelikan 400, a
pelikan 120, a pelikan 140, 2 sets of modern shaeffers that are
functional but a p.i.a. to write with, a Waterman 52 (that one does work
but I don't really like writing with it), a Waterman 512 and some less
interesting stuff. I collected these pens while looking for nice pens to
write with. The 58 and the rappen were a lucky shot. Didn't even know
they were a 58 and a rappen until they arrived with the mail. I also had
luck with the Golden Web. I bought it on ebay from a seller that didn't
know what he was selling and did not mention the word 'golden web' in
the advertisement, so it was overlooked by other people. It needs a new
diaphragm but is in an almost mint condition.
I am not planning to buy any more pens, because I own more than enough,
but some times I think about collecting vacumatics just for the hack of
it. I really like the way they write.
I also have a bit of a habit with ink jars. I have about 16 of them,
mostly unopened. I hate the idea of ever running out of ink. 3 shaeffer
blue (jars with well), 3 waterman bleu noir, 1 waterman florida blue, 3
Pelikan Brilliant Black, 1 Parker Quink blue black, 1 Parker Quink Red,
2 Waterman Red, 1 Shaeffer blue black (new generation jar), 1 Sheaffer
Peacock blue (jar with well). I also have a lot of paper. (Hate the idea
of running out of that too).

My fountain pen (ink) addiction started december 2002 (that is about a
year ago). I hope to be able to control myself better from now on.

Marten

In article ,
"BLandolf" wrote:

What would you estimate a used
MacArthur is going to bring in the current market?

Whatever the highest bidder is willing to pay.


If his pen has been used it will make it less desirable for
collectors of mint pens, but it does not mean it becomes less
desirable for people who aren't collectors of mint pens (that is
99,99999 percent of mankind).

You are wrong. How many modern pens have you tried to resell? How many
LEs? How many mint versus how many used? As someone who has resold a
couple of hundred modern pens... non-LEs, LEs, mint, and used, I can
tell you that mint modern pens move faster than used modern pens. But
yeah... If the IP will settle for 50¢, he can sell it reeeeeeaaaaal
fast.

I have never tried to sell any pen. But I believe you when you say that
modern pens move faster when mint. If I buy a new pen I don't want it to
be used by someone else before me either. I didn't know the Mac Arthur
was a modern pen though. Since it is named after a WW II/Korean War
general I expected it to be from the 40's or the 50's.


As long as the price is right, one can always find a buyer for
an object.

Uh huh... Some more of your elementary economics, eh? The man didn't ask
for your philosophy of pen resale and pithy generalities. He asked what
he could expect to get for the pen in the current market. All you've
said is that if he's willing to settle for some indeterminate low amount
(aka: squat), he can sell it quickly. Super. Could you be a bit more
specific? The pen retailed for $850. What's a reasonable asking price if
the pen is unused? How 'bout if it's used? I actually sold a mint
MacArthur on the Zoss list last week.... Guess how much it sold for?
Guess how long it took to sell? And I also sold a mint Mandarin LE (MSRP
= $850). Guess how long it took to sell? Guess how much it sold for?

I am not going to guess, I don't have a clue and don't wanna know. My
initial posting wasn't a response to his enquiry but a response to your
first posting: I had trouble understanding the logic behind what you
were saying. But now I understand the theory behind it. The guy isn't
trying to sell a vintage piece of antique but a used modern fountain
pen. And to drag the car sales analogy into it: a second hand car from
1995 is less desirable than an old timer from 1945. And if someone hopes
to sell a secondhand car for a lot of money he will have hard time
finding a buyer.

Marten