Hello Gary,
I like your idea of starting a collection that can tell the story about the history of fountain pens. As for me, if my own experience is of any use, I would add that the collection should also tell a story about my own life. On top of that, what I demand from pens, either vintage or modern, is that they write well. I don't collect pens that are useless as writers. It doesn't have any sense to me.
Taking all that into account, my collection does not include a single brand, but a few of them, mainly Sheaffer, Waterman, Montblanc ... and Parker!!! I've put Parker in bold because, from all the brands mentioned, for me only Parker does fullfill all criteria at the same time. Therefore I have Sheaffer pens from the 1960s (the PFM and the so called "Imperial" line) as I was born in 1960 and they are representative of a period when fountain pens had to be re-invented to compete with ballpoint pens. I have also acquired Waterman pens from the early 1980s, like the LeMan 100, as they were the pens I would have liked to buy when I was at College -but couldn't afford- and, at the same time, they were representative of the rennaisance of fountain pens driven by Wall Street boom and the emergence of the "yuppies" . More recently I've fallen in love with vintage piston filler Montblanc pens from 1935-1955 because apart from being superb writers they are a methafore of the rise, fall and rebird of Germany before, during and after WWII, and a symbol of German engineering. But as for Parker ... I have found reasons to have Parker pens from all periods from 1926 to 1988!!!
As I started collecting pens I felt I had to own an iconic Parker Senior Duofold from the 1920s as they were referred to in an article I read in a train from San Sebastian to Madrid which arouse my interest for vintage fountain pens. A black Senior Duofolf and then the more representative orange one were my first acquisitions for my historically-informed collection. Then I went for the pen my dad used when I was a little boy and that fascinated me, particularly because I was forbiden to touch it ;-): a Parker 51. When I tried one at a shop in Madrid I was also deligthed at the way it wrote, and that was my second acquisition. Then I re-discovered the silver made cross-hatched Parker 75. I remember these pens from the time when I was a youngster, though I must confess I was not very much attracted by their look then. I am now. They have a superb design and are extremely comfortable to use. The fact that they are made of solid sterling silver also appeals to me. I have bagged myself a 1st year edition (1964) exemplar which writes smoothly and wonderfully. Then I discovered the Parker Vacumatic, which has no connection with my own personal experiences true, but they are such wonderful pens and were such a landmark in the history of pens. I think we can hardly imagine what people could think of these pens when they were launched in 1933 ... that they were pens from another world I guess!!! I have also included an under-rated 1967 Parker 45 in my collection. These were pens I received as a gift when I was a boy. Maybe they are dissaponting for die-hard vintage pen collector who are mainly attracted by top quality materials and complex filling systems, but they have a nice design and attacked a niche in the sixties and seventies, students who were also the target of ballpoint pens. And finally, my last acquisition, which has not yet arrived to my hands, is a Parker Duofold Centennial, collector's edition, from 1988, the first year of production.
As you see, by contrast with other brands, with Parker I've found reasons to acquire pens ranging from 1926 to 1988 ;-)
Sorry for the long post.
Best
Carlos
