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The Gentleman Stationer

Vintage Living in the Modern World.
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Sunday Reading for April 30, 2023

April 30, 2023
  1. I Blame Joe (via From the Pen Cup). Am I really not going to lead with this link this week?

  2. Scribo Grigio Scribo (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Of all the (generally excellent) Scribo inks, Grigio is one of favorites. Honestly, it’s probably my favorite from that line.

  3. Pilot Vanishing Point/Capless Fountain Pens - A Quick Comparison (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Pilot’s range of “capless” fountain pens can be quite confusing, and Kimberly does a great job of breaking down all the different options.

  4. Aurora Style Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). The Aurora Style and the Aurora Ipsilon are both pens that don’t get enough attention as solid everyday writers.

  5. Goodbye to Paperchase (via Fountain Pen Blog). It’s sad to read this. The U.S. has almost no larger stationery-exclusive retailers remaining, as they have been subsumed by big-box chains.

  6. Abalone Revisited / Scriptorium Pens Idyll (via Weirdoforest Pens). I’ve recently discovered the Abalone blanks, and it’s always great to see Scriptorium Pens getting attention.

  7. Inside My Collection - Vintage Blotters (via Fountain Pen Love). Now that’s a cool addition to a collection of fountain pens and related paraphernalia.

  8. Leonardo Supernova with Elastic Nib Fountain Pen (via SBRE Brown). The Supernova is a relatively new size of Leonardo fountain pen, and I think I might like this one, though I’d prefer to see it in person.

  9. Pencil Blast-em (via Bleistift). Tactile Turn has released their latest seasonal release, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, and you’re a fan of 1980s-era video games, you won’t want to miss this one.

  10. Wearingeul Swatch Notebook and Sheets (via Well-Appointed Desk). This is a cool idea for an ink swatch book, with the bottles stamped inside at 9 to a page.

Continuing to work my way through the Pilot Fountain pen family!

In Case You Missed It….

The main attraction this week was me giving the “Workhorse Pens” treatment to the Pilot Custom 823, an indisputed workhorse that I personally think should be considered the flagship of the Pilot lineup. I’ve owned two of them for years. (Well, the only two that are regularly available in the U.S., but we’re working on that!) I also took a look at the Lamy Cursive nib and compared it to my newly arrived Perspective nibs from Custom Nib Studio - in short, the Cursive nib is an inexpensive way to check out this style of nib grind. I should have more of these nibs available soon.

As of last night, the Nahvalur Original Plus fountain pens are available in Matira White and Lovina Black, with rose gold-plated trim. (Of course we still have the Original Plus transparent color demonstrators as well!)

Too Many New Arrivals to Keep Track Of!

I’ve been a bit overwhelmed lately, trying to do the blog justice while staying on top of the seemingly endless flood of boxes arriving on my doorstep. We’ve added a LOT to the store lately, and we’re nowhere near finished, but without these weekly recaps I’m not sure I could keep track of it myself! This week’s major arrivals include the new Nahvalur Rose Gold Original Plus fountain pens (Matira White and Lovina Black), a restock on the Kaweco Softfeel Sketch-ups in Yellow/Black (plus some new colors!), the Caran d’Ache Chromatics Inks in 50ml Bottles, as well as new sizes of the Midori MD Light Paper, Airmail Envelopes, and Midori Memo Blocks!

Kaweco Sketch Ups!
Kaweco Sketch Ups!
Pilot
Pilot
Life
Life
Caran d'Ache Inks
Caran d'Ache Inks

Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!

T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! Details of our May meetup will be circulated through the Patreon feed, so Patreon members should be sure to sign up to get updates/alerts.

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This week: New Nibs and Old Favorites.

Sunday Reading for April 23, 2023

April 23, 2023
  1. Travelling with Ink: April Snippets (via Fountain Pen Blog). I had to chuckle at the part about “sufficient pens for a one-night getaway.” Been there.

  2. Notes on Paper, Notes in Apps, Here, There, and Everywhere, Should I Just Give Up and Accept the Chaos (via Analog Office). There are some valuable thoughts here on the importance of processing notes and how to do it. I might add that sometimes there’s value to not being too structured and accepting just a touch of chaos.

  3. CW+T Pen Type-C (via KraftyKats). The Pen Type-C is a bookmark pen that features the excellent Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto refill. For whatever reason, the Pen Type-C never took off in the same was at the Pen Type-B or Pen Type-A, probably because it’s not intended for long writing sessions and is really an annotation pen. (We still have a few left in our shop.)

  4. I May Have A Growing Addiction to Buying Ground Nibs Out the Gate (via mnmlscholar). With more and more pen companies offering pre-ground nibs, including in highly specialized calligraphy grinds, is there any reason NOT to try this? Some of these pre-ground nibs are excellent.

  5. Kaweco Original 250 Black Fountain Pen Review (via SBRE Brown). I love the look of Kaweco’s new “Original” fountain pen, which is a different design that still maintains certain of the brand’s hallmarks.

  6. My 10 Favorite Yellow Inks (via Mountain of Ink). There are some interesting ones on here that I don’t believe I’ve tried before!

  7. Nahvalur x Galen Leather Rose Gold Demonstrator & Vinta Inks The Maiden/Lakambini - A Double Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). When DID rose gold become so popular? I was wondering this myself, as the pens have started to multiply in my own collection.

  8. Ink Review: Troublemaker Nenita and Moon River (via Well-Appointed Desk). Troublemaker Inks from the Philippines have gone mainstream, and I’m glad to see this brand with increased availability.

  9. Broken In: Sailor Pro Gear Realo (via A Fleeting Ripple). Do you notice your nibs “breaking in” over time? There are definitely some that seem to have adapted themselves to my hand.

  10. The Pen I Bought While I’m Not Buying Pens (via From the Pen Cup). Believe it or not, I’ve never actually seen a Lamy ABC in person!

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I reviewed a pen that’s been on my radar for years, and which I finally managed to get my hands on this month: The Onoto Scholar. To keep things well-rounded, I also revisited two inks that have remained favorites over the years: Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo and Yama-Budo. Finally, this week’s “currently inked” video looked at how to swap Lamy nibs.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

We’ve added Lamy to our lineup of brands! We have the Lamy 2000, the new Lamy AL-Star Special Editions, and certain Safari Special Editions, specifically those that mix and match clips. Probably the second biggest news was the arrival of the Olive Traveler’s Notebooks, which sold out nearly immediately. More are on the way! In the meantime be sure to check out these additional new arrivals:

Midori MD Block Notepads
Midori MD Block Notepads
Lamy Bottled Ink
Lamy Bottled Ink
Maruman Mnemosyne Pad Holders
Maruman Mnemosyne Pad Holders
Ohto Rays Gel Pens
Ohto Rays Gel Pens

Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!

T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! Our next meetup will be at our typical time, which is the third Saturday of every month at 8:30pm U.S. Central Time. Details are circulated through the Patreon feed, so Patreon members should be sure to sign up to get updates/alerts.

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Guess what just joined the shop?

Sunday Reading for April 16, 2023

April 16, 2023
  1. Lamy 2000 Classic or Hype (via Dapprman). Well, given how much time I spent updating my inventory with the new arrivals this weekend, I certainly hope it’s the former. (It is.)

  2. Montblanc Meisterstuck 149 with Calligraphy Curved Nib Review (via SBRE Brown). Montblanc has come out with a LOT of stuff that interests me lately, this one included, but alas my wallet has other plans.

  3. Meet Your Maker: Renée Meeks, Scriptorium Pens (via Pen Addict - Caroline). One of my favorite custom pens is the Scriptorium Balladeer that I had commissioned years ago. Which reminds me, I need to break it out….

  4. Fog: Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Budo (via A Fleeting Ripple). Yama-Budo, from Pilot’s Iroshizuku ink lineup, is one of my favorite inks and one of the first “nice inks” I bought for myself when I was getting into the hobby.

  5. Quality Simplicity Is Hard to Pull Off but Makes for Fabulous Notebooks and Reading Tools (via mnmlscholar). Relatively simple products, well-designed. Enough said.

  6. Rohrer & Klingner Sketchink Emma (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Add these permanent (or at least water-resistant) inks to the list of inks I need to actually try.

  7. Sailor Ink Studio 573 (via Fountain Pen Love). There are absolutely so many colors in the Sailor Ink Studio lineup that you can’t reasonably try them all. That said, every time I see a new one, I want it.

  8. Sailor Manyo Dual Shaders (via Mountain of Ink). I’m a big fan of Sailor Manyo Haha, so these other double shaders are intriguing.

  9. What, me worry? (via From the Pen Cup). I love this, and it’s probably something I need, to be honest.

  10. Traveler’s Company Notebook Accessory 030 Brass Clip Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). Of all the Traveler’s Company accessories, this is probably a top seller for us. It’s infinitely useful, as Sarah points out.

The Tibaldi Bononia Vintage, which I reviewed this week.

In Case You Missed It…

Well, I’ve FINALLY made some progress in digging out from under my backlog after a month of pen show and other travel. The big news is that this week I updated the “Best Pens” list, which is an annual tradition now that T.G.S. is NINE YEARS OLD. (I really can’t believe it’s been that long.) While the changes to this year’s list are pretty minor, I’m going to continue these annual updates, and may even add some new categories. I also reviewed a pen that I brought back from the Arkansas Pen Show: the Tibaldi Bononia Vintage, a gorgeous piston filler with an oblique medium nib. Finally, those of you who subscribe to our fledgling Youtube channel may have noticed that I’ve begun posting videos again, some linked through the reviews, others that stand alone. Each Monday, I’ve been adding a longer video titled “Currently Inked,” in which I discuss what I have inked up for the week, new arrivals, etc., and sometimes post a demonstration or extended commentary. Check them out if you haven’t already!

Some of the various iterations of the Anterique Ballpoints available for purchase in the shop!

This Week in the Curated Shop: Almost There But Not Quite!

Despite my best efforts to space things out, basically all of the orders I’ve placed in January and February have arrived at once. This week saw the arrival of more Anterique ballpoints, both standard and the upgraded “Brass Editition.” These pens have sold well, and to much acclaim, so I’m going to build out my selection and continue to stock them in the future. The biggest and most exciting news is that we are now also authorized Lamy retailers, in addition to Kaweco and Pilot! It’s taken nearly all of my effort to list this stuff in a reasonable amount of time, and I hope to finish over the next few days. We really appreciate all of your support!

View fullsize Lamy
Lamy
View fullsize Anterique
Anterique
View fullsize Kaweco
Kaweco
View fullsize Pilot
Pilot

Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!

T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! Our next meetup will be at our typical time, which is the third Saturday of every month at 8:30pm U.S. Central Time. Details are circulated through the Patreon feed, so Patreon members should be sure to sign up to get updates/alerts.

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Sunday Reading for April 9, 2023 (PLUS a Weekend Shop Promotion!)

April 9, 2023
  1. 2023 Atlanta Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Atlanta is always a great regional/local pen show, and if I hadn’t just spent a month traveling basically nonstop, I definitely would have gone for the entire weekend. Kimberly’s recaps are spot-on and thorough.

  2. In Defence of Writing by Hand (via KraftyKats). Despite our best efforts here, the world continues to digitize. Personally, I think the key is to do so thoughtfully, and to maintain an analog space in your life where it makes the biggest difference for you.

  3. Using the Hoard (via From the Pen Cup). What better way to preserve the art of writing by hand than using your notebook hoard!

  4. Il Papiro J2 Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I love marbled paper. Enough said.

  5. Early Thoughts on the Conklin Mark Twain Crescent Filler Fountain Pen (via Fountain Pen Blog). I’m not a huge fan of modern Conklin pens, but at the same time I’m glad this particular model continues to exist.

  6. The Kaweco Student (via Left Hook Pens). Kaweco’s student pen has developed its own following, and I’ve enjoyed the weight and shape of the section in the past.

  7. Ink of the Week - Kaweco Smokey Grey (via Fountain Pen Love). I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Kaweco inks are extremely underrated.

  8. Ellington Pens Review (via SBRE Brown). Ellington Pens get the SBRE Brown treatment.

  9. How To Distinguish the Upcycled from the Wood-Cased Noris (via Bleistift). I haven’t written much about Staedtler’s decision to move to an “upcycled” - read, Wopexified - version of the Noris. This makes me sad, but I guess on a certain level it’s inevitable.

  10. Notebook Review: Cortex Sidekick Notepad (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’ve been wanting to check out the Sidekick for some time now, but at $40 each, the price has served as a bit of a barrier. I’m not above spending on expensive notepads and notebooks, but at this price, the page count for the dollar amount has me a bit concerned, especially since that’s before taxes and shipping to many areas. That said, Cortex Brand products are well-designed and of excellent quality.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog - and on the until-now-semi-dormant Youtube channel - I spent the week getting caught up post-pen show. I wrote a short piece on five things that you can do to help introduce new users to nice pens, and I also took a look at the Kaweco Sketch Up Clutch Pencil, one of the many new Kaweco products we’ve recently added to the shop. To kick the week off, I filmed a short video titled “Currently Inked”, which was a quick look at two pens that I inked up for this week: the Pilot Custom 74 and a vintage Parker 51. I’ve decided to start working on some more video content since there are certain things that can be difficult to show/explain in writing. These will be posted both to Youtube and to Instagram Reels/Stories, though I’m not sure about frequency yet.

WEEKEND PROMOTION: Spend $50 in the T.G.S. Curated Shop and get a free Anterique Ballpoint Pen in one of the five colors above. Spend an additional $50 and get a pen in a different color. These pens are excellent, and I plan to make them a fixture going forward. Valid through Sunday. [For those who missed the promotion, the Anterique pens are now live in the shop!]

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

There’s been a seemingly never-ending wave of shop arrivals, mainly due to orders placed back in January and February when I was taking several buying trips and thinking that these would all be staggered somewhat. Turns out that all the new products arrived at once and I still have more to go! This week saw a huge TWSBI restock, including some additions of “last call” items like the Diamond 580 ALR “Punch Pink” and AL “Rose”, plus a restock on the ECO Saffron and newly arrived ECO Persian Green. The biggest news dropped Thursday, with Kaweco arriving in the shop, including Sport fountain pens, Sketch Up Clutch Pencils, and Inks! Stay tuned for more big news on our expansion this week.

Kaweco
Kaweco
Pilot Pens
Pilot Pens
Iroshizuku Inks
Iroshizuku Inks
TWSBI
TWSBI

Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!

T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! Our next meetup will be at our typical time, which is the third Saturday of every month at 8:30pm U.S. Central Time. Details are circulated through the Patreon feed, so Patreon members should be sure to sign up to get updates/alerts.

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Sunday Reading for April 2, 2023

April 2, 2023
  1. Atlanta Pen Show Weekend (via Well-Appointed Desk). I won’t make the show on Sunday - have to go home and get cracking on those taxes! - but if you’re in the area be sure to visit Ana at the Vanness Pens Table and Jesi at Dromgoole’s.

  2. In Defense of the Slow, Inefficient Read … and the Long Point Pencil (via mnmlscholar). I’m glad to see that at least one other person has rejected the seemingly ubiquitous urgings for us all to become “speed readers”, as opposed to actually processing what choose to consume.

  3. Platinum 3776 Coarse Nib Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Platinum’s new “Coarse” nib has received a lot of attention lately, particularly as a platform for custom nib grinds since it has a lot of tipping material.

  4. Awol: A Quick Life Update (via A Fleeting Ripple). It’s amazing how much difference a change of scenery can make to those of us who love our analog “stuff,” and how this can affect our happiness with where we live.

  5. Shibui North Pocket Fox (via Rachel’s Reflections). I’ve never heard of this brand, but I love the pattern on the nib.

  6. f-inks F1 SS316 Fountain Pen (via Rants of the Archer). A new fountain pen brand from the Philippines is launching? Here’s one that looks worth monitoring, as I generally love pens with this specific shape.

  7. Caran d’Ache “Ultra Violet” Ink Review (via Scrively). Another blog that will be writing “lefty-specific” ink reviews, for those of you with overwriter concerns about fountain pen inks and whether they will smear.

  8. Itoya Profolio A5 Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). I recently had a chance to try out the paper in these notebooks and came away enjoying it. If you enjoy paper like Clairefontaine Seyes-ruled, consider giving this one a try.

  9. What I’m Using This Week (via From the Pen Cup). Cool idea from Mary on how to make sure you’re rotating through all of the pens and pencils in your collection!

  10. Traveler’s Short Trip Passport Size (via Well-Appointed Desk). If you visit the Traveler’s/Plotter table at a pen show, often you’ll find some Japan-only or more “experimental” refill options, like this short-version.

People shouldn’t sleep on the Laban Inks - they’re excellent. (Burkina Leonardo not included with purchase;))

In Case You Missed It…

This weekend I took a quick trip to the Atlanta Pen Show as an attendee-only, with my daughter. It was a lot of fun bringing her to her first “real” pen show, and I may write a feature at some point about introducing kids to fountain pens and how to introduce them to shows. Earlier in the week I reviewed two additional inks from the Laban “Greek Mythology” Ink series, Poseidon Green and Hera Dark Green, both of which are excellent everyday users in an ink line that’s increasingly becoming a staple for me.

The Pilot Custom 74 (left) and the Pilot Custom 823 (right) fountain pens feature two of the most consistent, reliable nibs available.

Big News from the T.G.S. Curated Shop: Introducing Pilot Pens and Ink!

Though it’s been overshadowed a bit by Atlanta Pen Show travels, on Thursday we announced that The Gentleman Stationer is now an authorized retailer of Pilot Pens and inks, starting with our favorite Custom 823 and Custom 74 fountain pens and the entire line of Iroshizuku Inks! Our focus as retailers is on pens that you can use “all-day, every day,” and you can’t do much better than one of Pilot’s “Custom Series” as your daily workhorse. Check out our Thursday Drops post for the full list of new arrivals, which also includes the recently released TWSBI ECO “Persian Green”.

Pilot
Pilot
TWSBI
TWSBI
Platinum
Platinum
Life Stationery
Life Stationery

Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!

T.G.S. Patreon is currently the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support! Our next meetup will be at our typical time, which is the third Saturday of every month at 8:30pm U.S. Central Time. Details are circulated through the Patreon feed, so Patreon members should be sure to sign up to get updates/alerts.

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