Shine Bright Like an S.T. Dupont Diamond Guilloche (via Penquisition). Along with Caran d’Ache, Otto Hutt, and others, S.T. Dupont is one of those luxury fountain pen brands that receives less attention than it probably should. I need to get my hands on one at some point.
ASC Studio (Set of 5). As you may have heard, Armando Simoni Club (ASC) has launched a new line of mid-market pens at a markedly lower price point than their prior offerings. Ana takes a look at all five materials from the “Studio” series.
Binge and Purge: Reaching Equilibrium with Sets of Five (via UK Fountain Pens). I’m glad I’m not the only one who operates this way. But I will never purge my bookshelves. They seem to only expand.
Leonardo Officina Italiana Ink (via Mountain of Ink). I have to say, I’ve been impressed by Leonardo’s ink line, to the point where I now have four or five bottles, all of which have made their way into regular use.
Visconti Homo Sapiens Lava Color Fountain Pens (via Pencilcase Blog). Visconti has been heavily promoting the latest releases in their “Homo Sapiens” lineup. It will be interesting to see how far they can take this particular pen model, and I do like these new colors.
Papier Plume “Desire” (New Orleans Collection Fountain Pen Ink) (via Well-Appointed Desk). One thing I’ve definitely missed over the past year has been the opportunity to visit my friends at Papier Plume in New Orleans and see their new ink creations.
Scribe x Troublemaker Inks Pawikan (via Rants of the Archer). A really cool muted green color. Adding to my global list of pen stores I need to visit.
Ink Review #438: Lennon Tool Bar Saira (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Lennon Tool Bar is another one of those ink brands I have yet to try. I love this dark gray color.
The Scale of Paper Absorption, Part II (via Left Hook Pens). I’m trying to add some new blogs to the lineup, including this blog specifically directed to left-handed fountain pen writers for whom paper absorption is a big deal! Also check out Part I of this post here.
Fountain Pen Nib Comparison: Sailor Zoom v. Platinum Double Broad (Coarse) (via Gourmet Pens). Looking for a wide writer? You may want to check out Azizah’s comparison of these two specialty nibs.
In Case You Missed It…
This week on the blog I looked at a collaboration between two “heritage” brands, Accutron (watches) and Esterbrook, to release a green Camden fountain pen designed to match the new line of Accutrons. I also took a look at the specs on the Caran d’Ache Léman fountain pen in Caran d’Ache’s limited edition “Klein Blue” finish.
This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop
The post-holiday restocks are starting to roll in. Check out the full list of new arrivals in this week’s Deals & Drops post. Most recent arrivals that I haven’t had much of a chance to highlight yet include:
Sponsorship Changes - Consider Joining T.G.S. Patreon for 2021!
You may have noticed that over the past several months, I’ve been allowing paid sponsorships to lapse and relying on direct support from readers and visitors, either in the form of Patreon pledges or Curated Shop Purchases. I plan to continue this trend in 2021, with the goal of T.G.S. being completely self-sustaining by the end of the year. While I will continue to collaborate and work with select partners, I do not wish to rely on paid advertising going forward, with the possible exception of smaller brands and makers who you may see on my sidebar from time to time.
You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. I will be rolling out some new content in 2021 that will be exclusive to Patreon subscribers, including the return of the “Digital Divide” newsletter (you can read back content here), as well as features such as a monthly video hangout. I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live!