Writing’s on the wall for epic pen collection
EVER wondered where all the lost pens go? Wainuiomata pensioner Kevin Upjohn might know.
After collecting pens for almost 30 years, he has 13,000 of them, ‘‘from Bic to Parker’’, stored out in his garden shed.
From ballpoints to fountains, felt-tipped to gel ink, the pens come from all around the world. Many of them are the kind given away by businesses, but there are some more frivolous ones, including a clutch of liquid-filled novelty pens where ‘‘trains and planes move back and forwards’’.
‘‘I started with one, then I went to two and ‘oh, I like pens’. Then people knew I was collecting them, they started giving them to me.’’
When the collection started taking up too much room, Upjohn, 73, moved it all out to the shed, much to Mrs Upjohn’s delight. The couple is celebrating 50 years married this December.
Many of the pens have sentimental value, like one his sister-in-law had made and others from former employers, and businesses that don’t exist any more.
Though he’ll still ‘‘pick up the odd one or two’’, he says he’s stopped collecting now, and would like the collection to go to someone who’ll take care of it.
It’s not the first time he’s sold his pens. About 10 years ago, he sold about 4000 before getting back into it. This time the inspiration for selling came from losing his mother about two years ago and dealing with her estate afterwards.
‘‘I don’t want the same thing for my kids or my grandkids to deal with.’’
A sale would also help pay for a wedding anniversary celebration in December.
He won’t be giving up his entire collection if he does find a buyer.
‘‘A couple of pens I’ll never get rid of because they’re sentimental. I won’t part with the one from my late dad when he retired. I’ll only have about 100 [after I sell].’’