• Blog
  • Shop
  • Resources
  • FAQ (Ask TGS)
  • About
  • Archive
  • Contact
  • Sign In My Account
Menu

The Gentleman Stationer

Vintage Living in the Modern World.
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Resources
  • FAQ (Ask TGS)
  • About
  • Archive
  • Contact
  • Sign In My Account

Sunday Reading for June 4, 2023

June 4, 2023
  1. Meet Your Maker: Jason Miller, Jason Neil Penworks (via Pen Addict - Caroline). I was lucky enough to score a table next to Jason Neil Penworks at this year’s Arkansas Show, and picked up a Tucker model in the Damascus material. Stay tuned!

  2. The Life-Changing Magic of Keeping a File Index (via Analog Office). I’m trying to go paperless where the paper is essentially “junk paper,” but it’s hard as it seems to keep piling up. I saw this and could immediately relate.

  3. Iroshizuku Syo-ro (via Fountain Pen Love). It’s always great to see the standard Iroshizuku ink lineup getting some love. Syo-ro is a gorgeous teal with a bit of red sheen.

  4. Dominant Industry Tsavorite (via Mountain of Ink). Wow, jade/teal colors tend to be in fashion these days! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost picked up a bottle of this specific ink.

  5. Ensso Italia Primary Manipulation IV Fountain Pen (via SBRE Brown). I’m glad to see more companies doing different pens in the various Primary Manipulation materials!

  6. Benu Skull & Roses Crow Fountain Pen (via Well-Appointed Desk). I love this line from Benu and need to pick up one of the S&R models.

  7. Sakae Tomoe River Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). The 68gsm version is an all-time favorite. I hope it doesn’t go away.

  8. Sun’s Out: No Review (via A Fleeting Ripple). We were blessed with a gorgeous May featuring lower temperatures and lot’s of sun, but it looks like for us, the summer heat is here. That said, I’ve been doing a lot of writing on the porch!

  9. Third Anniversary (via Inkredible Colours). Congratulations on this achievement! And it sounds like it was quite a year!

  10. Dead Gel Refills (via Bleistift). Gel and rollerball refills tend to dry out and “die” at a higher rate than ballpoints, which can last for years. Use your gel pens!

  11. Writing for Memory’s Sake (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Writing by hand is good for your memory, and not just because it memorializes things.

  12. “Can I Keep This?” (via From the Pen Cup). If it’s an office-supply pen, sometimes I don’t even ask;)

In Case You Missed It…Reviews + Giveaway!

This week on the blog I reviewed a recent release from Tactile Turn: the “Deep Space” Seasonal Edition in the “Side Click” format. I won’t say that Tactile Turn has perfected the EDC click pen, but it’s close. As part of my ongoing efforts to update certain of the older content on this site, I’m not only revisiting brands I haven’t looked at in some time, but also pens like the excellent Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen - a longtime go-to recommendation here at T.G.S. and a pen that continues to be a relative bargain.

Finally, last night we announced a giveaway! Check out this Instagram post for a chance to win an original Walnut Penwell pen holder. Enter by liking the post on Instagram or leaving a comment on either this blog post or yesterday’s Custom 74 Review. The giveaway closes tomorrow at 11:59pm CT, and I’ll pick a winner by assigning a number to each entry and using a random number generator.

Last call for T.G.S. Penwells! We’re down to the last of this batch, and I don’t plan on doing another run for the time being due to a need to focus on other projects.

This Week in the Curated Shop: Last Call Warning!

In connection with the Penwell-themed giveaway: We are down to the last of the T.G.S.-exclusive Penwells in “Aged Red”. If you’d like to ensure you get one, please get your orders in this week. Depending on how many remain, I plan to pull some of the remaining stock for a special promotion we are doing in early July, in connection with our first exclusive fountain pen collaboration that we’ve been working on.

This past week we had restocks of the Caran d’Ache 849 + Paul Smith collaboration, which we are restocking as quickly as we can given how fast some colors sell out, along with the CdA Rollerball refills and certain popular colors of the various 849 models. We also received fresh shipments of Write Notepads Spiral Notebooks, new Jotters and Planners from WMS & Co., and Traveler’s Notebook refills and accessories.

Pilot Pens
Pilot Pens
WMS & Co.
WMS & Co.
TWSBI
TWSBI
Anterique
Anterique

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! Note that Patrons will have early access to our forthcoming special release that should be arriving either later this month or early July, including pre-order opportunities and possibly exclusive access to certain add-ons. June is a good time to join!

In LInks Tags links
4 Comments

I hope you all plan to have an inky holiday weekend!

Sunday Reading for May 28, 2023

May 28, 2023
  1. Mid-Year Stationery Review (via Well-Appointed Desk). Laura walks us through what stationery she’s been using in 2023 so far, and I’m happy to see the Midori MD 5-Year Diary has staying power!

  2. Montblanc Heritage 1912 (via The Stationery Pen). One of the pens that I consider the pinnacle of modern Montblanc design, and their modern take on a safety-filler fountain pen.

  3. Kaweco Dia2 (via Dapprman). I love the vintage styling of the Kaweco Dia2, but honestly have been (pleasantly) surprised at how well this pen has done over the years. To me, this seems like the perfect vehicle for Kaweco to expand their gold nib offerings by selling the Dia2 with the upgraded nib. These larger pens can support a higher price point.

  4. Gioia Bellavista Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Gioia pens aren’t really my style, but I found the information about the “lost wax casting” techniques interesting.

  5. Sailor 1911L 4am Fountain Pen (via Pen Addict - Sarah). One of the strangest names Sailor has ever come up with for a special edition does look pretty great.

  6. Ink Battle: Colorverse and Lamy (via Rachel’s Reflections). How do you choose between inks from different brands that look the same but inevitably both end up in your collection?

  7. Notebook Review: Dingbats* A5 Wildlife Notebook (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). I’m glad to see Dingbats* still around, with their fountain pen friendly paper and perforated pages!

  8. Hakase NJ15A Unboxing (via Dapprman). I’ve heard much about Hakase fountain pens, but never seen one. Follow along with this unboxing!

  9. Building Back My Paint Box (via Writing at Large). Though I’m not a painter, I’ve always been curious about how to assemble a watercolor set.

  10. Anticipation (via From the Pen Cup). Picking inks and filling pens - one of the most enjoyable aspects of this hobby.

Five different installments of our instructional YouTube series, “How to Fill a Fountain Pen”, are now available!

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog (and, should I now add, the revitalized YouTube Channel?), I posted several pieces of content that I’ve been working on for a while. The first is one of the longer reviews I’ve published this year - a look at the Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad, which is one of the nicer desk pads I’ve used though it comes at a price. I also published a list of My Favorite Fountain Pen Inks for 2023, a supplement to the “Best Pens” list that gets updated annually. Finally, we’ve been steadily adding more video content to our YouTube channel, which we hope to be able to use to complement the written resources on our site. Be sure to check it out at the links above and give us a follow to help us grow!

We’ve also restocked on products like the Write Notepads Dot Grid Spiral, which is now available in new colors!

Don’t Miss Our T.G.S. Curated Shop Memorial Day Weekend Promotion!

Through Monday, May 29 at 11:59pm CT, take 10% off your order using the coupon code “SUMMER23” at checkout! I always view this weekend as the official start to Summer. Some exclusions apply (including TWSBI, which can’t be discounted), but most items in the store will be eligible, including our wide range of desk pads and other fountain pen friendly paper.

Laconic Tokyo
Laconic Tokyo
Nahvalur
Nahvalur
TWSBI ECO-T Mint
TWSBI ECO-T Mint
TWSBI Mini Grape
TWSBI Mini Grape

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!

In LInks Tags Links
Comment

Yet another example of why you should attend your local pen club meetings!

Sunday Reading for May 21, 2023

May 21, 2023
  1. Writing in the Shower (via Analog Office). Does anyone else use Rite in the Rain notebooks to write in the shower (or maybe the pool)?

  2. Esterbrook 2Go Pen Cup Review (via Pen Addict - Sarah). In addition to their pens, Esterbrook has focused on a line of accessories that I consider quite impressive, including not only the “Pen Nook” pen cases but this new “2Go” collapsible pen cup that doubles as a pen roll/sleeve.

  3. You Can’t Take It With You (via From the Pen Cup). After witnessing so many pen show estate fire sales over the years, Mary is absolutely correct that you should have a plan - or at least instructions - that provide for your last wishes with respect to your collection.

  4. Logical Prime W-Ring Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Blake has a very comprehensive review of the Nakabayashi Logical Prime Notebooks, and as he notes they are reasonably priced options with fountain pen friendly paper.

  5. Previously Unknown Filofax Organisers (via Philofaxy). That “Academy” version is rad.

  6. But Can Your Typewriter Do This? (via Analog Office). I spent most of the video wondering what he was going to do with the NES console.

  7. Stubs and Stones: Galen x Studio Agackakan v1 Fountain Pen (via A Fleeting Ripple). I’m glad to see Galen doing some unusual fountain pen collaborations. This is a beautiful piece.

  8. Dominant Industry Winter Wood (via Inkredible Colours). Why can’t there be more brown-black inks? It gives your standard brown and black options just a touch more depth.

  9. Yea, But How Do You Use That? The Fabulous Insightful Mundanity of “How I’m Using My Collection” Posts (via mnmlscholar). I think part of the draw to these kinds of posts is to assure ourselves that we’re not “crazy” (at least not in a bad way), and that others love to use their tools in even more wonderful and complex ways that we do (even if it does sometimes amount to “taking the long way around”).

  10. Wearingeul Ink Color Chart Cards (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ink companies are releasing their own tools for ink swatching, so Ana compares the Wearingeul offering to her own Col-o-ring products.

In Case You Missed It…

I’m really tired. After driving 12 hours on Sunday, I had to hit it pretty hard, shipping accumulated orders and getting caught up on the day job, in addition to this week’s posts! Here’s to hoping that things quiet down for a while. This week on the blog, my main focus was revisiting and updating certain of the foundational information on the site, and building out our “Fountain Pen Basics” resources both on the site and on our YouTube Channel. This week, I published a post titled “5 Best Practices for Fountain Pen Users,” as well as a new “Fountain Pen Basics” Section that can be found under the “Resources” tab on the blog. And don’t forget to check out Fountain Pen Basics on T.G.S. YouTube! We’ve recently added three new videos on fountain pen filling systems, with more on the way.

Also, we’re giving away this A5 Folio from Galen Leather, with the giveaway closing tonight at 11:59pm CT. All you have to do is like this Instagram post, or comment on one of the site posts from Thursday through Sunday (including this one).

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Early Access Memorial Day Sale!

The best news of all is that I finally made some headway in getting my office cleared out so that I can start focusing on content (of which I have a ton in the works). This week, we have available the TWSBI ECO-T in Mint, which I would describe as a beautiful sky blue color with a hint of mint green. We also have the TWSBI Diamond Mini AL in “Grape”, which is a gorgeous “nuclear purple” color that really pops. Finally, as appreciation for all your support so far this year, we’re opening up our Memorial Day Weekend Sale exactly one week early! Through Monday, May 29, take 10% off almost everything in the shop using the coupon code “SUMMER23” at checkout. Some exclusions will apply (i.e. TWSBI).

TWSBI
TWSBI
Nakabayashi
Nakabayashi
Laconic
Laconic
Penco
Penco

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!

In LInks Tags Links
1 Comment
Nakabayashi Paper Testing

Sunday Reading for May 14, 2023

May 14, 2023
  1. 2023 Chicago Pen Show - Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). The Chicago Pen Show was last weekend, and apparently it was a lot of fun! Chicago has one of the best after-hours bar scenes on the pen show circuit.

  2. Office Toy: Book Holders (via Analog Office). I can’t agree more that book holders are an indispensable office item for the analog-minded.

  3. Scribo Write Here Africa (via Dapprman). Italian penmaker Scribo releases periodic collaborations with UK retailer Write Here, and you know how I love tortoiseshell material….

  4. Weekly Carry-around #4 (via A Fleeting Ripple). I really need to find a vintage Sheaffer Tuckaway, maybe at my next pen show?

  5. Building an Interview Daily Carry (via mnmlscholar). Pulling together a set of pens that can “present professionally” is trickier than it might seem at first, especially when you’ve been in this hobby for a while and your perspective on what’s “understated” shifts over time.

  6. Stylosuite Flex Nibs (via Mountain of Ink). I have yet to actually take home a Stylosuite pen, but I’ve spent many a pen show at the table trying their creations!

  7. Logical Air Swing Notebook Review (via Fountain Pen Love). I recently reviewed Nakabayashi Logical Prime paper, and following that review have received multiple recommendations to try the Logical Air.

  8. #21PenQuestions - Jesi (via Well-Appointed Desk). I love reading the responses to these sorts of surveys and how different they are. Both Jesi and Laura answer this week.

  9. #21PenQuestions - Laura (via Well-Appointed Desk).

  10. Pelikan M200 Pastel Blue Special Edition (via Pelikan’s Perch). I figured this particular announcement was more relevant to my crew here than the M1000 Raden Red (it’s beautiful, but ouch on that price!).

In Case You Missed It…

Many thanks for your patience as I was traveling for a family wedding this past week. Due to some careful planning, I was able to stay up to date on my publications for the most part, with our first “Desert Island Pens” piece on Four Favorite Pens for Everyday Writing. I also reviewed Nakabayashi Logical Prime Paper, which people have been recommending to me for a while now and I finally got around to testing. Finally, if you’re interested in more video content, I’ve been working on cleaning up our YouTube Channel and posting some new material. I also have a backlog of short videos I’ve done over the years (mainly for Instagram, but some unpublished), which I’d like to archive for posterity and which may find their way over to YouTube at some point.

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

Just because I’m out of town doesn’t mean the new releases stop coming! The TWSBI Diamond 580 AL Mini in Grape arrived, and is currently available for order. We also received a shipment of new Prime Timber 2.0 Leadholders and some fun mechanical pencils from Penco! As a reminder, all orders placed through today, May 14, will receive a complimentary extra gift to compensate for any shipping delays while I’ve been away. Orders placed this past week will be processed starting today and should go out by tomorrow.

TWSBI Diamond Mini Grape
TWSBI Diamond Mini Grape
Penco Passer's Mate Pencil
Penco Passer's Mate Pencil
Laconic Tokyo
Laconic Tokyo
Nakabayashi
Nakabayashi

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.

In LInks Tags Links
Comment

Sunday Reading for May 7, 2023

May 7, 2023
  1. Too Much Information: Why Personal Knowledge Management Is Hard (via Analog Office). I’m making a concerted effort this year to get a handle on my personal knowledge management system, and this hit home.

  2. A Fine Line: Rotring Isograph Technical Pen (via A Fleeting Ripple). Believe it or not, I’ve never tried one of these pens, as they’re not really in my use case - pure writing as opposed to drawing - but I’ve always admired them and found them interesting.

  3. Papersmiths Primo in Coral (via KraftyKats). This looks like an Ohto-made pen, down to the needle-tip gel refill!

  4. Midori MD Cotton Notebook (via Blake’s Broadcast). Will Midori ever bring the MD Cotton Notebook back in the standard sizes? I hope so, since this paper is a personal favorite for use with fountain pens and inks, and a top seller in our shop.

  5. Pelikan M605 Tortoiseshell Black (2022 Special Edition) (via Scrively). This is the one Pelikan that’s tempted me over the past year.

  6. Honey Sweet: Galen Leather Zippered Magnum Opus Pen Case (via A Fleeting Ripple). The Galen Magnum Opus is currently my own favorite 12-pen case capable of going anywhere.

  7. That’s a Mighty Bold Kit for Such an EF-loving Writer (via mnmlscholar). Sometimes you just have to mix things up a bit, no?

  8. Logical Swing Notebook Review (via Fountain Pen Love). I’m planning to start testing the Nakayabashi Logical Prime paper this week - the Logical Swing is the lower-cost option.

  9. SF Now + *Noted - NOT a Pen Show! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). “To the trade” retail shows are extremely interesting to attend, because you tend to see products that either haven’t made it to retail yet or fall outside of the mainstream that tends to get so much attention on social media.

  10. #21PenQuestions (via Well-Appointed Desk). What a great idea! This should be a new trend for the pen community.

Laconic Style Tokyo Bookmarks

Laconic: The stationery system for the bookmark obsessive.

In CaSe You Missed it…

This week on the blog I did something I haven’t done in a while, and which is a bit out of character for this site: I wrote a post about refill hacks! Specifically, refills that I’ve managed to make work with the Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoints and rollerballs. I also wrote a short overview of a newly discovered notebook system: the Laconic Style system of A5 notebook refills, covers, and, yes bookmarks. Stay tuned as I’ve pulled a few of these to try to use myself as I get more familiar with their offerings.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Travel Week!

I updated the shop pages to reflect that I’m traveling this coming week (as of Yesterday), so any orders placed in the shop will have a 3-5 business day processing time instead of the typical 2-3, and will ship upon my return. As always when I travel, orders placed during “away time” will include extras like pens, pencils, or ink samples to accommodate for any short delay. In the meantime, we have a continuing stream of new arrivals that are available for order, including new arrivals and restocks from Nahvalur, Lamy, and Lochby, in addition to some remaining Paul Smith x Caran d’Ache Pens.

Laconic Tokyo
Laconic Tokyo
Caran d'Ache
Caran d'Ache
Kaweco
Kaweco
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! 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.

In LInks Tags Links
Comment
← Newer Posts Older Posts →
Store Hours and Location
Visit the T.G.S. Curated SHOP
Updated "Best Pens" Guide
On the Paper Trail Podcast
TGS x Roterfaden TGS_25
Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper

Join Our Patreon!
Subscribe to the TGS E-mail List

Featured Posts

Featured
Cover On the Paper Trail Intro Clip.jpeg
Dec 3, 2025
Introducing "On the Paper Trail," a New Podcast/Video Collaboration with Lisa Vanness of Vanness Pens!
Dec 3, 2025
Dec 3, 2025
Iro-Utsushi-Fine-Dip-Pens.jpeg
Oct 1, 2025
The Pilot Iro-Utsushi Dip Pen (and in General, Simple vs. Fancy Dip Pens)
Oct 1, 2025
Oct 1, 2025
Levenger-Annotation-Pad.jpeg
Sep 20, 2025
Five Boutique Paper Brands I'm Watching Closely and Why
Sep 20, 2025
Sep 20, 2025
The Gentleman Stationer RSS

© Digital Divide Media, LLC, 2014-present.

All content is the exclusive property of Digital Divide Media, LLC, d/b/a The Gentleman Stationer, including “The Gentleman Stationer” website and trademark, and should not be reproduced without express written permission.  All rights reserved.

All content containing paid advertising, affiliate links, or sponsored content will be plainly disclosed by a disclaimer when/if featured.

Contact Information

Store Shipping Policy and Return Policy

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

Terms and Conditions

Powered by Squarespace