This introduction to buying Parker pens contains information about the preparation necessary before bidding, what to look for on the web, how to track your progress, and how to close the deal.

To begin, you have already made an important decision: you have chosen the Parker brand. In business since 1888, Parker makes all styles of writing instruments - fountain pens, rollerballs, ballpoints, pencils, and more - and is the most popular collectible writing instrument. Before beginning to shop, you must make a few more choices: what type of writing instrument do I wish to buy, for what purpose, and in what price range. Some people buy fountain pens they never use, yet they collect them for their beauty and the chance they will appreciate. Others cannot use a fountain pen (and, therefore,  collect only ballpoints), and might be seeking a pen to use. I have a wardrobe of pens; a wise man called them "jewelry you use," and I select one to match a shirt (or sometimes the logo on the shirt) or an outfit or a mood. Do I want to wear something very dressy, or will I be using my pen a lot today, and do I need one that is extremely comfortable in my hand? Think about the brand, then the what (style) and why (utility), and then your price range. Are you going to buy one pen, 10, 100? Collecting is fun, and it is easy to over-commit. As with any purchase, insure that you have discretionary funds to use for it.

Okay, now you're ready to do some research. You've decided on what kind of pen you want, why you want it, and how much you can afford to pay. When I search for Parker pens, I search by model, for example, Duofold. Now Duofolds are generally pretty expensive (they can exceed $10,000 or go as low as about $100) and tend to be fairly dressy. While attractive, they do not have ergonomic comfort built in: no cushion grips, a body that can be slippery, etc. Again, think about how you are going to be using the item. If you know the name of a particular model which suits your needs, begin researching it. First, look up those that have sold recently, and how much they sold for. Were there a lot of bidders, which might tend to drive up the price, or just a few, and did the pen model you like sneak through an auction? With a little bit of history, look at those currently being offered for sale. Note starting prices and reserves. The seller will give you an indication of what he or she thinks the pen is worth with their starting price, reserve and/or "buy it now" price. By the way, if you don't know models, you can just enter Parker pens, or Parker ballpoint pens, and start narrowing down from there. Again, do your homework FIRST.

OK, you've decided you like the Parker Jotter and want to get several in colors to match your mood or clothing or the weather. Remember, the Jotter is a retractable (click-top) pen; is this a style you prefer, or would you rather twist the barrel to propel the point? Would you rather depress the entire top, in a "cap-actuated" pen? If you don't know, more research might be needed: trot down to your nearest pen retailer, and play with those you like. Weight, balance, comfort, point styles all go in to making your decision. If getting to a pen retailer is dificult, perhaps you can borrow some from a collector you know. There are a number of books on pen collecting, from the very general to the fairly specific. They can be expensive and difficult to find, but a little research will turn them up. I saw a listing for a pen I liked, and the seller said "he couldn't find the color in his pen book." I sent him an email, and asked what book he was using, and whether it was useful. Also, there are some great pen collector sites that offer books for sale. Amazon does, too. You might want to go to the Pen Collectors of American web site. Poke around there, see what interests you, and get as much background material as makes you comfortable. A site that I am personally partial to is Pendemonium, which offers all things related to writing. Frank and Sam (Mrs.) Fiorella are pleasant, helpful and extremely knowledgeable. Once you've gotten past all of that, and you've decided to buy Jotters in your favorite colors, search for them. Note the prices - are they within your range? Jotters tend to be fairly inexpensive, but, as with anything else, they can also come dearly. "Watch" items which interest you, or bid on them. Check in "my eBay" as often as makes you comfortable to see how your bid stacks up against others'. Also check payment terms: I only use PayPal to remit. It works like a debit card, and speeds the process along. You'll need a bank account and might want to have a credit card as backup, but those are minor hurdles for most. An important thing to remember when bidding: do not EVER go to sleep as bidding is about to end. Many bidders, rather than make their wishes known, will wait until the very last seconds of an auction before bidding. Some even use stopwatches or "snipe" bidding to time their bids! Make sure you have indicated the maximum amount you wish to pay, so you won't be disappointed at the last moment. Look, too, for "buy it now" items or "make an offer" ones. On the first hand, you agree to pay now the fixed amount the seller asks; on the other, you make an offer up to and including the suggested amount. Don't make your offer insulting - would they really have listed an item for $50 if they only wanted $10? At the same time, you needn't offer $49 for that $50 item. Try in the 60-80% range, and see what you can see; you might be pleasantly surprised, particularly if an item has sat, unsold, for a while.

A caution needs to be inserted here, unfortunately. There are several people who sell counterfeit Parker ("replica" is the euphemism) products. How do you know an item might be a fake? Is the price too good to be true? Is it in a color you haven't seen before? If you have ANY doubts, ask a collector you trust or post a message on one of the pen boards (Pentrace, PenBid, Zoss) inquiring about the seller. Someone will be there when you ask for help. Those who sell counterfeits are well known.

Lots of pretty general stuff up to now; let's get to some specifics. Parker is notorious for offering the same product under multiple names - the Rialto, since discontinued, was also called the 88 and the Place Vendome. Somebody who's had a pen you fancy might only know it by one of those names, so a little research early on can help. Parker will also use different product names depending on the country in which it is offered for sale. A ballpoint I rather like is the Vector XL, or, rather, was the Vector XL. Parker decided to change the name because, I'd guess, of the Vector's downmarket image. Well, it's now the Profile in the US and still, sometimes, the Vector XL in the UK. And, just to complicate matters even more, they may have one color set for the Brits and one for the Yanks. I'm not sure that I understand such targeted marketing, but be aware that Parker is known for it. Again, if you have questions, ask the seller, or someone you encountered at a pen show, or a reference mentioned in a book or magazine. Take pictures of things you like - a digital camera is best - and get help in identifying things. It's out there, and your fellow collectors will help.

A bit earlier, I mentioned the Jotter. Say that you've decided that you want one in every color ever made. First, it's going to take some time (and money!), and some research. I have a routine I go through at least daily, where I search under the models I'm interested in (and their aliases, if known). I look for newly posted items, and if I find a model and color I'm interested in, I'll bid, or watch, usually depending on price.

Remember that the colors made for the American market may be different than the colours offered for sale in England or Australia or Japan (and do you want to pay the sometimes steep shipping charges from overseas?). Once you've gotten up a little bit of a head of steam, ask people you buy from what other colors they might have for sale, or whether they know if a particular shade of red or blue or green was ever made. Also, pay attention to condition. Many sellers may not be precisely aware of what they have, but most are pretty honest about pointing out dents and dings. Others, even when asked directly, will claim no knowledge of defects. If you're paying enough so that it hurts (a little), insure that you can get you money back from the seller. Again, if the item you're buying is being bought for show - maybe, then, you only want someting in mint or excellent condition - or daily use, when a lower grade would be acceptable. There are some excellent guides as to what to look for in terms of condition (Google usually works).

Now, you're collecting. Remember that sellers have to pack and ship and stand on post office lines, too. Is their shipping charge fair? If it seems high, ask about it (and be prepared for them to be defensive about it). Would you be happier if they insured their shipment to you, and are you willing to pay for that peace of mind? Just as if you were shipping a special present to someone important to you, think about how you want to get what you've purchased. And, remember, getting items out of France or England may be costly, and the getting them through US customs can sometimes take a bit of time. Two to four weeks for an item from the UK or France is not uncommon. On the other hand, I've gotten things overnight when that premium shipping was available, or if a (good) seller uses priority methods as a way to differentiate himself or herself.

OK, I think we're mostly there. Remember, think about what you're after and why, do your homework, check your budget, ask all the questions you need and take all the time you need, and enjoy it. When I was employed, my pen collection went to work with me each day. Now that I'm retired, it doesn't get out quite as often. I have fewer pens, tend to favor a fairly narrow range of products, and am more aware of costs (while, at the same time, keeping an eye out for a bargain that I may be able to turn around at a profit). Most of all, I have fun with my collecting. I have met some wonderful "pen friends" from all over the globe, and it's fun to talk about our common interests. Also, if you really enjoy collecting, think about involving others. I have gifted family members with groups of pens. Besides being thought of highly, one hopes, we have a shared passion. I've been to my first pen show, to both buy and sell, and my nephew and son-in-law both joined me. It's a day I thoroughly enjoyed.