D.C. Pen Show Friday Brief Recap and Some Details on Where to Find Me!

August 5, 2023

It’s safe to say that Friday at the 2023 D.C. Pen Show was the busiest I’ve seen it since pre-Pandemic (and we may be talking about some of the epic shows from 2017 and 2018). While things started out somewhat quiet early on, by lunch the main ballroom started to fill up, as weekend passholders made their morning purchases and the doors opened to the public at 12:00pm. The real rush came to our tables at around 2:00pm, as our table neighbors Pilot started giving their handwriting analysis seminar and raffling off pens (crowd above).

2023 DC Pen Show Table Setup — I brought the remainder of the T.G.S. x Hinze Pen Collaboration fountain pens with me, with both red and black nibs AND the ink and Penwells!

The DC Pen Show is always a smaller show for TGS, as we try to bring a selection of stuff to the show while also leaving enough free time to circulate and take pictures to share with the readership. This year we have Lochby cases for sale, and as per usual the in-person winner on Friday was the Lochby Venture Pouch, the reversible stationery pouch that has two separate compartments that includes a slotted pen case. The Lochby Tool Roll and Field Journal also sold briskly. If you come looking for The Gentleman Stationer, I’m at the end of the Vanness Pens setup to the right in the hallway outside the main ballroom!

The 2023 Release by Vanness Pens and The Good Blue Company — Vanness has released a second exclusive collaboration with The Good Blue, in case you’re looking for a pen to tuck into your new Lochby case! This is “Vanness Green” splattered over black Cerakote! You can read my review of their first collaboration here.

Bags by Rubbertree After-Hours Pen Show Carry — The renovated show hotel has a MUCH better setup this year for after-hours socializing, and each year the “Pen Show Carry” bags you see keep getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger….

I Almost Forgot Our Annual DC Pen Show Promotion! Use “PENSHOW10” at Checkout for 10% Off Most Orders!

Some exclusions will apply (like TWSBI), but most items are eligible for our annual DC Pen Show Sale that will run through Sunday at 11:59pm CT. Use the PENSHOW10 checkout code to claim a discount for those unable to attend the show in person, or for those who came to see something in person but found that I was unable to bring it with me!

Most of my show photos will be posted in my larger show recap next week, and I’ll have lots to talk about, both in terms of reactions to the show itself and a few things I’ll have picked up! Meanwhile, it’s time to go set up the table!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases through the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

I finally got my hands on the TWSBI 580 in “Sunset Yellow,” and it’s definitely more of a light orange, at least to me. I personally REALLY like the color.

Thursday Drops: New Notebooks, Pens, and More for Back to Work and Back to School

August 3, 2023

This week’s theme, both in Tuesday’s “New Arrivals” post, yesterday’s ode to the Uniball Jetstream, and today’s weekly drops, is back to the office and school! It’s that time of year again, when we all take stock of what we’re using, what we want to switch up, and what we need to restock after a productive year. But first, we have the D.C. Pen Show….

I’ve had my eye on these faceted dodecagonal ballpoints and mechanical pencils from HMM Project since January! They finally arrived.

I will have here at the show with me the remaining Hinze Pens and the Summer Sangria ink! Tomorrow morning at show opening (8:00am ET), I will be removing them from store stock to avoid any conflicting inventory issues. If you want to reserve one for yourself at the show, I’d recommend that you purchase online today and select “local pickup” - you’ll still have choice of whatever pens are available when you arrive if you want to choose your specific pattern in person. The same goes for the Lochby cases (but I have plenty of those with me so it’s unlikely I will run out on Friday or Saturday). Come visit me at the Vanness Pens table, in the hallway to the right as you enter!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR “Sunset Yellow”. The latest TWSBI release has arrived and I have one in hand at the D.C. Pen Show if you’re here and would like to check it out in person!
TWSBI ECO Heat Fountain Pen. If you feel like there’s been a color trend in TWSBI’s recent releases, you’d be right. The Sunset Yellow 580 and the “Heat” ECO make for a great combination. The Heat is more of a reddish orange, while the Sunset Yellow is lighter and on the gold side, but still definitely orange to me.
Nakabayashi Notebooks and Paper. In addition to restocking on the “Logical Prime” series of paper, we’ve added “Logical Air” and “Yu-Sari” lines of paper, all of which are superbly fountain pen friendly. For more details on the differences between them, check out this recent post.
Clairefontaine Paper Restock and New Arrivals! We fully restocked on Clairefontaine notebooks and paper, including several new formats that we’ve not carried in the past. Clairefontaine makes some of the best, and most cost-effective, fountain pen friendly paper on the market.
Craighill Kepler Pen. Available in three different finishes (stainless steel, PVD-coated stainless steel, and black), the Kepler Pen is a retractable pen that features a unique rippled barrel and click mechanism that takes a D1 refill for maximum versatility.
HMM Ballpoints and Mechanical Pencils. HMM Project (which stands for Human.Made.Method) specializes in fine coffee and writing accessories, making them a company close to my own heart. These dodecagonal ballpoints and .7mm mechanical pencils are machined from milled aluminum and feature rounded facets for a comfortable grip over longer writing sessions.
Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint (Multi Pen). Following up on yesterday’s post, if you’re looking for a versatile everyday carry pen that takes D1 refills, the Lamy 2000 version remains my all-time favorite multi pen.
Anterique “Mach Ball” Ballpoint Pens. If I found myself in a position where I had to stock an office supply closet with an interesting click pen that contains an excellent refill while still maintaining a more accessible price point, it would be with these Anterique “Mach Ball” pens. They come in a couple dozen colors, and there are brass-barrel versions and mechanical pencils as well.
Caran d’Ache 849 Paul Smith Limited Edition, No. 4. The fourth release of Caran d’Ache’s collaboration with designer Paul Smith features six new color combinations, including some excellent muted colors that stand out.
Caran d’Ache Claim Your Style Ballpoint Limited Edition, No. 4. We still have a few remaining colors of the latest Claim Your Style release (Clay Green, Quartz Pink, and Iced Lemon), and honestly these are real sleepers.
Imported High-Quality Scissors and other Desk Accessories. If there’s one category of office supplies that I believe is unduly neglected, it’s scissors. I actually didn’t know how convenient it is to have one or two good pairs until I started buying something other than grocery store versions. We have scissors from Midori, Nakabayashi, and HMM in stock, along with other desk gear.

Shop Arrivals: New Nakabayashi Notebooks, and More Desk Accessories!

August 1, 2023

Nakabayashi Logical Prime Paper has become one of the top sellers in our shop, nearly overnight! In addition to restocking on the Logical Prime W-Ring (spiral-bound) and threadbound A5 notebooks, we’ve added the larger A4 spiral as well, in nearly all rulings! (One request that we’ve received over the past months is to bring in more A4-sized notebooks, and we’re actively working on it.)

Nakabayashi Lined Ruling Notebook A4 Lying Flat — Nakabayashi’s 6mm and 7mm lined rulings are similar to French-ruled paper, and come in lie-flat threadbound notebooks in A4, A5, and B5 sizes.

Also now available in the shop: Nakabayashi Logical Air and Nakabayashi Yu-sari notebooks, both of which are extremely fountain pen friendly but differ slightly from the standard Nakabayashi Logical Prime. I would compare them as follows:

Logical Prime paper feels like “standard” Japanese paper with a slightly quicker dry time than other brands. The paper showcases ink well, especially shading and sheening inks.
Logical Air paper is lighter, as the name implies, and feels softer and more absorbent than the Logical Prime. Fans of Cosmo Air Light might enjoy Logical Air, as it has that same “cushiony” feel when you’re writing. Available in B5 and A4 sizes, lined ruling only.
Yu-sari paper is thicker and feels more like Clairefontaine or Life. It has a slightly slower dry time than the Logical papers, but is absolutely fountain pen friendly. Available in both B5 and A5 sizes, as well as in A5 blank sheets.

Nakabayashi Yu-Sari Loose A5 Sheets — The thick Yu-Sari paper is perfect for letter writing. Pick up some of these A5 sheets for your correspondence needs!

As mentioned in the original post announcing the arrival of Logical Prime, the Nakabayashi lined ruling somewhat resembles Clairefontaine French-ruled paper, so fans of this ruling may want to check out these new notebooks, especially if they’ve been searching for a lie-flat option.

Selection of imported scissors available for purchase — We now have a wide selection of imported scissors in various sizes and functionalities.

Finally, we’ve added additional desk accessories, including high-end imported scissors, to our Reading and Desk Accessories Section! Be sure to check these out as we have models ranging from larger curved scissors to smaller “Exacto” scissors for precision cutting.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Nakabayashi.

TWSBI 580 ALR Sunset Yellow on White Background

Thursday Drops: TWSBI Sunset Yellow, Anderillium Inks, Perforated Paper, Washi Tape, and More

July 27, 2023

Happy TWSBI Pre-Order Day! The TWSBI Diamond ALR “Sunset Yellow” is now available for pre-order! Hopefully they will be in stock and ready to ship early next week. We’ve also restocked on much of our paper over the past few weeks, in anticipation of summer ending and everyone heading back to school and back to work! Brands that are fully stocked include Clairefontaine, Stalogy, Midori, Lochby, and other favorites. Finally, I figured I would go ahead and post a group shot of remaining Hinze Pens to give you all a sense of what materials are still available for purchase. If you see a specific pen you are interested in, or a predominant color, send me a message to let me know after you place your order. All pens ship with a bottle of the limited edition “Summer Sangria” ink and a red or black nib.

TGS x Hinze Pens remaining stock in a tray — Some stock I have remaining: check out the variation in the material. The pens on the left have tighter swirls of color, the ones in the middle and to the right progressively have larger amounts of single colors (typically either the burgundy/maroon or grey).

DC Pen Show Pickup Options for Next Week - What’s Available to Travel

Next week we will be at the D.C. Pen Show and sharing some limited table space with our friends at Vanness Pens. While I will have a few items available for sale on site, including what if anything is left of the Hinze Pen Collaboration, I am happy to bring any items to the show for delivery. Please be aware that extremely heavy orders (i.e., multiple thick notebooks) may not be possible, but most pens and inks, as well as reasonable paper orders, will be fine. If you’d like to place an order for DC delivery, simply select “local pickup” at checkout and message me to let me know which day you plan to pick up at the show (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday). I hope to see as many of you as possible there!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR “Sunset Yellow” (Pre-Order). If TWSBI were looking to solidify their status as one of my favorite all-around brands, they certainly did themselves a big favor with this last release. Whoa. I’ve found the recent string of yellow and orange pens stunning. We’ve placed our shop order and the pens should arrive early next week.
Clairefontaine Triomphe Notebooks. Triomphe writing pads and writing paper is one of the best-selling products that we stock, and now Clairefontaine has made the paper available in notebook form! Triomphe A5 softcover notebooks are available in lined or blank formats, with white or ivory paper - both equally fountain pen friendly.
Perforated Paper from Clairefontaine! I may need to revisit at least one of my #21penquestions responses: If there’s a product I wish existed, it would be more notebooks with perforated pages. This week we added to the shop “Pupitre” bound tablets, “Forever” recycled notebooks (which are still fountain pen friendly), and My.Essentials A5 Journals (which have a small number of perforated pages at the back.
Maruman Mnemosyne Notebooks and Notepads. Speaking of perforations, the Maruman Mnemosyne pads and notebooks also feature perforated paper.
Lochby Covers and Cases. One brand that I will be bringing with me to the D.C. Pen Show is Lochby, and we recently restocked on all colors of the Field Journal, Quattro four-pen cases, and Venture Pouch!
Midori Kurashiki Canvas Pen and Pencil Pouches. Going through my stock as I prepare for D.C., it turns out that I have a few more of these in-stock that I had forgotten to re-enter following the Arkansas Show in the Spring. Both flat and gusseted cases are still available!
Anderillium Ink Restock! All of the Cephalopod and Avian series inks are back in stock, including favorites American Goldfinch Yellow, Green Kingfisher Green, and more.
New iLootPaperie Washi Tape! In addition to restocking favorites, we have some new washi tapes that arrived this week, including some new wide-format Snail-mail washi and “dark” envelopes!
Stalogy Notebooks/Planners. We have the full selection of A5 Stalogy Planners/notebooks in both dot grid and graph rulings, including limited edition covers from the past two years! Stalogy notebooks come in 1/2 year or 365-day sizes, and are designed to serve as a day-to-a-page notebook but are undated so the layout is quite flexible.
Stalogy Removable Calendar Stickers. These stickers allow you to add a calendar to any page of any notebook, and are removable so you can move them around. Midori makes a similar product.

Clairefontaine Triomphe A5 Notebooks — Triomphe Paper, in notebook form!

New Arrivals: New Styles from Clairefontaine, Plus Restocks on Old Favorites!

July 25, 2023

I arrived home to a huge shipment (8 boxes) from Exaclair this weekend, including restocks on most Clairefontaine favorites, including the larger Triomphe writing pads, French-ruled notebooks, and the incredibly popular clothbound “1951 Series”. We are also restocked on the Quo Vadis Habana, my favorite of the bound journal/notebooks, which features Clairefontaine dot grid paper. But that’s not all!

Clairefontaine My Essentials Softcover Notebooks

Enough of the Restocks: What’s New? Triomphe Notebooks, Dot Grid Journals, Reporter-Style Pads and More!

We’ve been wanting to expand our selection of Clairefontaine for some time - I generally find the entire line to be excellent, especially given the often-rare combination of fountain pen friendly paper and an accessible price point. There’s a lot to be excited about, as new arrivals include:

Triomphe Notebooks, in both white and ivory paper, lined or blank! These were recently released - the Triomphe paper is incredibly fountain pen friendly and popular for personal correspondence, and to have it available in notebook form is an exciting development.
Clairefontaine Classic “Pupitre” Reporter-style Writing Tablets, which feature perforated pages of Clairefontaine’s classic 90g white paper, ruled or grid. We have these top-bound spiral pads in four different sizes including pocket, classic reporter, A5, and A4.
Clairefontaine “Forever” A5 Spiral Notebook. Featuring 100% recycled paper, these spiral notebooks are lined and entirely micro-perforated, so that you can remove pages for ease of filing/discarding/scanning, whatever you may like. More notebooks need to be perforated for easy page removal!
My Essentials A5 Bound Journals, which are threadbound notebooks featuring a slightly more absorbent (and quicker drying) dot grid ivory paper. These are a perfect solution for bullet journaling, with a table of contents and numbered pages.
Life.unplugged Pocket Duo Notebooks, which are slightly smaller than a Field Notes and feature lined 90g fountain-pen friendly paper. Sold in packs of two: one colored and one black notebook.

Happy Shopping!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.