For many collectors, writers, and history buffs everywhere, collecting fountain pens has become a passion. Not simply a collectible that sits on the shelf, a fountain pen is a useful daily writing implement. It represents a connection to the past that some find irresistible. Though a few companies still produce beautiful fountain pens today, many more exist from decades and even centuries past for collectors to cherish.

Most users of fountain pens will tell you that old fountain pens are far superior to any modern 'improvement' made over the years. Old fountain pens, in particular, were often considered to write best once 'broken in.' Their supple, flexible points were much different from our current rigid models, which made for the characteristic thick and thin lines that many people associate with fountain pens.

One nice thing about older pens (those produced in the first half of the 20th century, for instance) is that they tend to cost less than their modern equivalents. Of course, their ink-loading feature was a bit more clumsy than the modern-day built-in cartridge, but for many collectors, this is the charm in old fountain pens. On the Internet, it's often possible to find fantastic deals on fountain pens from around the world.

From other fountain pen collectors online, you'll find many old treasures from familiar names such as Parker Sonnet, Waterman Preface, Mont Blanc, and others. Whether it's for you or an aspiring writer in your family, consider purchasing a great old fountain pen with a built-in history. It may just inspire the Great American Novel in the next person who holds it.