I have enjoyed going to yard sales and garage sales since I was a young teen.  I was always on the look out for treasures and I often came across some real goodies.  Of course, what I considered treasures, my mom considered junk.  I liked finding old pocket watches, lead toy soldiers, comics, trading cards, and old pens.  I can remember a neighbor down the street, whose husband had recently passed away, was selling everything she owned because she was moving in with a daughter down in Florida.  It was late in the afternoon and I noticed she had a couple fountain pens in an old shoe box.  I offered her a couple bucks for them but she told me they were her husband’s masterpieces and she wouldn’t take less than $20 for both of them.  I wanted them bad so I ran home and found my secret stash of cash and ran back hoping nobody had purchased them.  I was lucky.  The fountain pens were still there and I gave her the $20 and I was off with my new treasure.

Now I have no idea what kind of fountain pens they were and I never will since my mom took it upon herself to sell off my entire box of treasures in her own yard sale, when I was 16 and traveling the country with my uncle.  However, I do recall that old lady saying they were husband’s “masterpieces” and I also recall reading an article in Playboy Magazine (yes I was reading the articles) about luxury fountain pens.  Specifically, the Montblanc  Meisterstück pens.  In that article, I learned that Meisterstück is German for, you guessed it, “masterpiece.”  Am I sore about my mom selling my treasures?  I was at the time but now I realize it was probably my fault.  She did ask me if I wanted to sell anything and I did tell her there was box of junk in my closet.  It’s not really her fault she couldn’t tell the difference between junk and treasure.

Finding a Montblanc fountain pen in a yard sale for $20 would definitely be a treasure find.  Just a recent search on Ebay and I found that vintage Montblanc  Meisterstück fountain pens were selling anywhere from a steal at $81and up to $900.  Of course that is the low end of Montblanc’s luxury fountain pens which range in price from high to outrageous.  Seriously, a low end price can be several hundred dollars where a limited edition can be ten’s of thousand’s of dollars. 

Montblanc pens are crafted with precious metals such as gold and platinum and the limited editions are also crafted with precious jewels such as diamonds and rubies.  They are truly elegant pens and works of art.  They are a sign of luxury around the world and identified as such with it’s white star logo.

If you’re like me, then you’ll keep an eye out when you’re at your next yard sale or estate sale.  Keep an eye out at flea markets too and you may just walk away with your own treasure.  Also, keep an eye on Ebay.  Sometimes you can find a real steal, but be wary of the fakes.  Most luxury item sellers on Ebay have been vetted but you should also do your due diligence.  Have a look at some of the items I have listed on this page.