The £11,000 Pen. No mistake on the zeros.

We have all been window shopping or flicked through magazines and gawped at the price tag of an item and added it to the never granted wish list. I’m sure we’ve all heard a man say ‘those shoes are how much? I’ll make you a pair for that’ too. Although as a designer, I appreciate the value and possibly have a greater understanding of the cost of design pieces than the average person, I couldn’t believe it when I found myself reading a mini catalogue that arrived in my subscription of a well known interior design magazine advertising a pen at the mere cost of £11,000. Eleven Thousand British Pounds. I couldn’t believe it. I’d consider paying 11,000 Japanese Yen for pen but £11,000!? It got me thinking as to what factors are considered when pricing an object.  Obviously materials, time taken, machinery used, packaging, advertising, transport and shipping are included but unless this pen was made from the rarest of materials, and is shipped first class on a private jet I have to question where the value comes from.

Can value come in a less physical form? Can the concepts or meaning of a piece give it value? I think the answer is yes.  I mean people pay millions for paintings don’t they?  Though the majority of the cost comes from the reputation when it comes to famous artists, which was not the case for the pen in question.  The sentimental value could add to it – but that comes from the buyer. Something that it determined after the price is decided.

I will never understand the thought process behind buying £11,000 pen. I can understand people putting personal value on an item but I’d love to understand how some can justify the £11,000 pen in the first place.