During this roughly 60 year period there were an extraordinary number of innovations and styles introduced by many different manufacturers. Many of the pens created during this time are prized by collectors for their beauty and functionality.

Although fountain pens are still manufactured today and are still in demand as writing instruments, collectable vintage fountain pens are generally considered to be those made before 1965. There are an extraordinary variety, and vintage fountain pen collecting is a hobby that many people enjoy.

It's easy to get started in the hobby of collecting antique fountain pens. One thing to look for is whether your area hosts antique fountain pen shows. These are normally held in large cities, so it may not be practical for you if you live in a rural area. The advantage of antique fountain pen shows is that you can talk to other collectors, increase the amount of knowledge you have, and look at thousands of fountain pens all in one location.

Buying a used car is a good analogy for buying an antique fountain pen. The condition of the vehicle, who manufactured it, and the model, are all important in determining value. Antique fountain pens are the same way. If all you want is a large collection it is very easy to start buying antique fountain pens online. But if you want to become a serious collector, you will need to become educated about buying antique fountain pens that have value as collectibles.

Fortunately there are some excellent antique fountain pen books which you can use to educate yourself. As a matter of fact, you do not necessarily even have to buy a single book until you are sure that collecting antique fountain pens is something that you are truly interested in. Your library might have, or can certainly get through an interlibrary loan, most any book you want. But if you are bitten by the antique fountain pen collecting bug then you most certainly will want to add some good reference books to your personal book collection.

One of the better books recommended for beginning hobbyists was written by Paul Erano. It's called "Fountain Pens Past & Present - Identification & Value Guide".

This is considered by many vintage fountain pen collectors to be a very comprehensive book about how to collect vintage pens. There are many color photos and also vintage fountain pen ads. It has lots of different and valuable information, and reviews how to find vintage fountain pens and restore them. It also covers the basics for how to value pens. Of course the actual values for specific pens change over time. However this book is a good guide to determining the relative value of different vintage pens. If you are truly interested in collecting antique pens as a hobby, this is an excellent book to add to your collection.

If you own a particular pen, or happen to buy one, and need additional information then frequently you can find the original informational brochures which the pen manufacturers published. These are considered collectibles themselves. However if what you're interested in is just the information, then you often will be able to find an electronic version (usually a PDF copy) online. This is cheaper than buying the actual brochure.

If you are searching for an ideal place to find a wide selection of antique fountain pens, eBay is an excellent place to start. At any one time there are usually over 1000 antique fountain pen auctions going on. It is an amazing source to just get acquainted with the variety of pens available.

In general, when competing in an eBay auction, keep in mind that there are other people who want the same pen that you do. They may be willing to pay more than the pen is worth. To avoid this you should always do your research, determine the approximate value for the pen, set your personal limit as to the amount you are willing to pay, and stick to that.

Because there are such a huge number of auctions on eBay, if you are unable to buy one particular vintage fountain pen because you are outbid, the chances are good that there will be another pen auctioned in the near future. So keep bidding and good luck!