Unintended Consequences

Last weekend at the New York City Pen Show, where I was representing Bonhams, I managed to acquire one of my recent “grail” pens, a barleycorn sterling Montblanc 146 from the 1990s. Earlier this year I fell in love with when I was cataloging one for our August sale.

Sadly, I do not let myself bid on or otherwise acquire any of the pens I work on, so rather than buying it at a bargain price at our sale, I paid a premium, but was thrilled to have it

Later in the show I casually picked up an OMAS Italia 90 set, just because I like OMAS pens, it was a three piece set and the color appealed.

I happily carried the Montblanc through the rest of the weekend and to school on Monday, but always in the background was the OMAS set, which kept calling out to me. Finally, yesterday I succumbed and have fallen in love with the set, which is now is in my pocket.

I’m not saying I don’t like the 146 or that the OMAS will forever be in the rotation, but I find it curious how the pen I came for, so to speak, is in my user tray and the casual purchase is in my pocket.