Live and learn ...

The pen I bought at the Portland Pen Show was a total ripoff -- although I was happy with it until I found that out.

The guy had it tagged $50 and like a complete nimrod, I just handed him the cash and didn't barter, which I realized two seconds later I should have done (and which everyone else was doing).

Turns out, I still would have felt like a fool, unless I talked him down to $13, which is the price of the same pen, completely new, on eBay (and although this pen I bought was "never used" it shows some discoloration, most likely from being outside of its box).

Oh well, at least the ink I bought was a good deal, and I just had to buy something to justify the trip.

Still, this is all child's play compared with the $1000+ Dostoyevsky pen (or rather, full set, although I've seen that for sale exactly nowhere) and $400 pencil I want.