Treasures in the Attic: A Time Capsule Rediscovered (via Pelikan’s Perch). I love stories about “lost treasures” and “time-capsule” discoveries. These vintage Pelikans literally look brand new.
Esterbrook JR Paradise Orange Sunset (via Rants of the Archer). I love the look of the cap on the JR Paradise series, with the bright acrylics and contrasting finial.
Introducing Susan: The Penquisition Tornado Exclusive Retro 51 Rollerball (via Penquisition). Congratulations to the crew at Penquisition for launching this gorgeous Maryland-themed Tornado. For each pen sold, $3 will be donated to the Living Classrooms Foundation. Learn more over at Penquisition.
Visconti Bronze Age with 18k Nib (via Dapprman). I have a Visconti Bronze Age that I picked up last year, and while I enjoy the new 18k nib much better than the palladium, I had the same issue with a nib with splayed tines. After Mark Bacas fixed it in D.C., it writes like a dream, but if you’re eyeing one of these I’d still budget for an adjustment.
Esterbrook Estie Sea Glass Review (via Writing at Large). I agree that the standard Estie is an exceptional writer, and the new “Sea Glass” material is absolutely gorgeous. Esties also offer the opportunity to try out pre-ground specialty nibs such as the Journaler (a smooth cursive italic) and the Scribe (an architect).
Fountain Pens from My Collection: Lamy AL-Star (via Fountain Pen Love). AL-Star or Safari? Which one would you choose? And how does the Vista fall into this category?
Color Traveler Ninoshima Baumkuchen (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). This looks like another great color from the Color Traveler Series, in a gold tone, but it looks like this may be another example of a color with an extremely long dry time.
Waterman Serenity Blue (via Mountain of Ink). I just checked and realized that I’m out of Waterman Serenity Blue in my ink cabinet. What is wrong with me!?
The Pen Addict Podcast - Fountain Pen Companion with Urban Hafner (via Pen Addict). This week’s Pen Addict Podcast is a must-listen, especially if you’re curious to learn more about the Fountain Pen Companion website and database.
Ask the Desk: Sharpeners, Skripsert Converters, and Staples Legal Pads (via Well-Appointed Desk). I was featured in this week’s “Ask the Desk” post about legal pads. I probably should write a more thorough response at some point, but unless you can find the now-elusive Staples sugarcane/bagasse paper, I’ve had a terrible time finding decent legal pads that can handle fountain pen ink and allow you to write on both sides of the page. I’ve not been able to find a brand that writes consistently well, and have just gone the Rhodia/Write Notepads route (and sometimes just use a pencil or ballpoint).
Ink Review: Private Reserve Old vs. New (via Well-Appointed Desk). In case you haven’t heard, Private Reserve Ink is now owned by Yafa, and there have been changes to the ink formulation. Ana has a comparison that looks at some favorite colors.
In Case You Missed It…
This week on the blog I reviewed two inks from Color Traveler: Shodoshima Olive Green and Mihara Daruma Red. I also wrote about two custom nib grinds from my friend J.C. Ament at The Nib Tailor, who recently launched his business full-time. We need more working nib grinders, as fountain pens (and especially custom nibs) only continue to increase in popularity!
Are you a fan of blue pens? You can’t miss the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR in Navy Blue.
New in the T.G.S. Curated Shop
The big news was the launch of the TWSBI 580 ALR in Navy Blue, which I consider one of the better looking TWSBI ALR releases due to the fact that the color changes from navy to cobalt blue to … well, I see a bunch of different shades, depending on the lighting. You need to check this one out. We also now carry TWSBI nib units for the Diamond 580 series. This week’s Deals & Drops highlighted pencils and standard office supplies, a category we’re interested in building out.
Visit Us at the Dallas Pen Show This Coming Weekend!
The Dallas Pen Show takes place this coming Friday and Saturday, September 24-25. Dallas is a bit of a different experience because it’s a two-day show (which runs until 8pm on Friday!), and I’ve never been so I’m excited to meet some new folks. I will have a table next to Vanness Pens, and will be bringing goods from Traveler’s Company (including the full Traveler’s Notebook experience), Write Notepads, Caran d’Ache, Sunderland Machine Works and more!
Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!
For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. We’ve discussed our thoughts on pen shows restarting, recent arrivals in our personal collections, and more. I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items and T.G.S. collaborations, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live and features the inks that I’m selling off as I thin out my personal accumulation.