We're Back, and the Shop Is Open Tomorrow Afternoon!

Just a quick note to let you all know that I landed back in town this evening and will be in the shop tomorrow afternoon for anyone who wants to swing by. I’ll be getting caught up on mail and shipping, but to be honest I’ve missed hanging out even if it was good to get away for a week or so.

Shop hours are newly posted here on the “About Us” page. Going forward I will plan on having open hours 1-6pm on Thursday afternoon in addition to Friday and Saturdays. As always, you can place an online order for pickup if there’s something specific you need and are in a rush. Thanks for all your support while we were away!

Friday Drops: Travel Edition, Including Popular Items I've seen in London!

Friday drops this week, as the time change has thrown my schedule off. Having had the opportunity to visit most of the major stationery stores during my trip to the UK, it’s been most interesting to see what brands are more or less popular here as compared to home (the U.S.), as well as what types of stationery are more prevalent in shops. For example, many of the UK shops tend to focus more on desk and reading accessories, and don’t get me started on how many more bookshops there are compared to the literary desert that America has become. But enough about that….

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I love seeing small brands prominently featured in major retailers.

We’ve had a few new arrivals lately, which I’ll recap below, including additional stock of the Lamy Note+ ipad-compatible styluses, Traveler’s Company Tokyo Edition Refills, and Kakimori Notebooks and Desk Accessories. Remember, you can always check out the "New Arrivals” category on each shop page to see what’s newly available!

1. Lamy Safari Note+ Stylus in Red. We’ve added another color of Lamy’s iPad-compatible stylus, which is a bright red. I’ve enjoyed testing out this particular electronic writing tool, and have to admit that at roughly half the price of the Apple pencil it’s an attractive proposition if you need basic stylus functionality.

2. Traveler’s Company Limited Edition Tokyo Refills. We have additional stock of the 2024 limited edition Tokyo Traveler’s Notebook refills, featuring blank Midori MD Paper.

3. Kakimori Hardcover Notebooks. We have a fresh selection of Kakimori notebooks, featuring their clothbound covers in a range of different limited patters and grid OK Fools paper.

4. Lamy Noto Ballpoint Pens. We’ve added additional colors of the excellent Lamy Noto triangular ballpoint pens, in addition to the limited edition chocolate and dark blue versions.

5. Object Index Pens and Desk Accessories. Kakimori’s sibling brand “Object Index” features a curated selection of products across categories, and I’ve seen them prominently featured in many shops over here in the U.K. Hopefully they catch on in the U.S. as well because I love the aesthetic.

6. Tom’s Studio Studio Pocket Fountain Pens. I came across Tom’s Studio - which you may not know is a UK brand - prominently featured in the stationery department at a high-end food and home goods department store. It was a bit surprising, to say the least, to see what is a highly specialized brand/product line at home on display in what I would consider a mainstream retail outlet.

7. Tom’s Studio Lumos Refillable Fineliners. It was even crazier to see the Lumos featured in a high-end department store alongside fountain pens and bottled fountain pen ink. As someone who is regularly amazed that this particular product line even exists, it blew my mind to see it in a regular non-specialty store.

8. Tom’s Studio Bottled Fountain Pen Ink. We’ve restocked on all colors of the Tom’s Studio fountain pen ink, made in the U.K.! I chose “Loch Ness” for the single fountain pen I inked up on this trip (a Pilot Custom 823 in Amber).

9. Lamy Safari Line in Steel Black. It’s not received as much attention as I would have liked, but Lamy has recently added a new color to the Safari lineup: a bluish/purplish black that I find reminiscent of the undertones to their standard black fountain pen ink.

10. Bookmarks and Other Reading Accessories. As I noted above, the number of bookshops and reading-related attractions here amazed me. Let's just say I added to both my TBR shelf and my bookmark collection.

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I'm not familiar with this special edition of the "Travel Notebook." :) Didn't buy, but still tempted.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. While our Brick and Mortar Shop is closed due to travel, regular online orders are still being processed and shipped by our helpers. If you enjoy our content please give us a follow and consider supporting us by shopping with us directly or pledging via Patreon. Many thanks!

Travel Interlude, Part II: Stationery Shopping in London, a Photographic Recap!

While a full recap of my adventures will have to await my return, along with a spread of what I’ve picked up on my travels, I thought it might be fun to live post some of the pictures I’ve taken in real time. My main observation regarding stationery stores in London (and most other boutique shops, for that matter), is that most are thoughtfully curated and laid-out, as opposed to the warehouse-style displays that you tend to see in the U.S. I’ve found the shopping experience to be pleasant and less-intense, and it was quite fun and even relaxing to shop for an afternoon! I’ve not had that experience in quite some time.

So far I’ve visited four main stores that sell stationery and related goods: L. Cornelissen (a calligraphy and art supply dealer); Present & Correct (a heavily curated stationery store with a thoughtful selection of unusual notebooks, writing implements - mostly ballpoints and pencils - and desk accessories); Choosing Keeping (probably the most “traditional stationery store” of the bunch); and the London Graphic Centre (a classic art/student supply store that sells the Freitag line of bags, which I’m still debating). I’ll post my full recap of what I purchased when I return, as most of it is so carefully wrapped and packaged that I want to have an opportunity to photograph the unboxing as well!

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Present & Correct features one of the more thoughtfully curated selection of stationery and office items I’ve ever seen in person.

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I of course had to photograph both sides of the iconic Choosing Keeping Storefront.

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On the round table in the background you can see the iconic Choosing Keeping Notebooks, of which I purchased two.

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London Graphic Centre is right around the corner from Choosing Keeping.

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In our stationery community they are best known for their selection of Freitag bags, which are made from recycled truck tarps, car seat belts, and water bottles, making them both waterproof and generally indestructible. I'm still considering, but seeing that I experienced near-disaster last night after being caught in the rain with a bag of paper, I'm leaning towards "yes". 

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. While our Brick and Mortar Shop is closed due to travel, regular online orders are still being processed and shipped by our helpers. If you enjoy our content please give us a follow and consider supporting us by shopping with us directly or pledging via Patreon. Many thanks!

New Arrivals: Anterique Brass Pens in Forest Green, Plus New Colors and Formats!

Anterique makes some of my favorite low-viscosity ballpoint pens on the market, though they have yet to really hit the mainstream in the U.S. Curiously, they receive somewhat of a top billing here in the U.K. (where I’m currently on a “work trip”), having seen these excellent everyday writers featured front and center in a couple different shops. Last week before I left we received a shipment of the Anterique Brass Ballpoints in a new color (Dark Forest Green), and the standard pens in a new Hazy Pink and Deep Purple. Just prior to this shipment, we also expanded our Anterique selection by bringing in the Anterique Mini pocket pens, in both brass and standard. Shop our full selection of Anterique here!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. While our Brick and Mortar Shop is closed due to travel, regular online orders are still being processed and shipped by our helpers. If you enjoy our content please give us a follow and consider supporting us by shopping with us directly or pledging via Patreon. Many thanks!

Sunday Reading for October 6, 2024

1. Emotional Support Stationery, Friendship Edition (via A Gathering of Curiosities). The best thing about this hobby is, by far, the community of great, truly caring people who are a part of it.

2. Edison Jameson (via Figboot on Pens). I’ve had a Jameson since the Chicago Pen Show and need to write up the review. I love the newfound availability of No. 8 nibs, especially paired with ebonite feeds.

3. Traveler’s Notebook? (via Stationery Pizza). I can understand the frustration with toting around a bunch of A5 notebooks, and I’m definitely appreciating the simplicity of a Traveler’s Notebook carry this week.

4. A Vintage Conway Stewart “Dinkie” 550 Gets a New Sac (via Fountain Pen Blog). Pretty much spot on with how it goes the first time you restore a vintage pen!

5. Am I A Weirdo? (via Rachel’s Reflections). It goes without saying that for most of us in this hobby, the answer is clearly “yes” by any objective measure, but among us weirdos, what “unusual” pen rituals do you have? I don’t really baby my pens but I do clean them thoroughly after changing inks.

6. Uni Kuru Toga Metal Mechanical Pencil Review (via Pen Addict). I may need to put yet another Kuru Toga model on my “to try” list.

7. Pelikan Hub Bremen 2024 (via Bleistift). I love reading other Pelikan Hub reports. I sadly did not get to take many pictures, as it had been a bit of a wild day with the nasty weather.

8. The Journeyman Pen from Wingback, Now Live on Kickstarter! (via Pen Addict). I have one of these pens from Wingback, which I’ll be posting more about next week, but as with all of their pens and pencils the build quality is outstanding. If you’re a fan be sure to check this one out.

9. Using a Traveler’s Notebook as a Wallet (via Well-Appointed Desk). I do something quite similar with the Plotter Mini 5.

10. Drehgriffel Nr. 1 - A Quick Look (via The Poor Penman). Count me as a fan of both the Drehgriffel and whatever gel refill they use. I personally like drier gel refills because they don’t smear.

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In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I took a quick look at the “Jester and Muse” fountain pens, recently launched by Good Made Better. Since I’m currently traveling, Saturday’s post featured some recap content from YouTube, as many readers of the blog may not be aware that we do have a video channel! 

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In addition to new arrivals, we have plenty of Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter covers available as part of our recent restock.

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

This week in the shop saw a restock of Midori, Traveler’s Company, and Write Notepads paper, as well as the launch of Midori’s new “MD Thick” A5 notebooks. Also of particular note is that we have more Traveler’s Company Tokyo Limited Edition refills. Be sure to check out this week’s Thursday drops for details, and even though I am traveling this week and the brick and mortar store is closed for the weekend, online orders are continuing to process and ship!

TGS x Sunderland mk1

Midori MD

Pilot Iroshizuku

Anterique Pens

Check Out T.G.S. Patreon for Breaking news and first access/Special pricing on exclusives (Including the Sunderland Mk1)

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and gently used stationery opportunities, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop either online (or in person, if you’re in the Nashville area)! If you enjoy in-person and virtual meetups and having access to more personal content, the T.G.S. Patreon includes these as well as access to early shop releases, the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly Zoom meetups. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. This month’s Patreon “special” is an extra bit off the TGS x Sunderland Collaboration Pen.

No matter how you support us - even if just with a comment, recommendation, or encouraging word - we greatly appreciate your readership!