I’ve been more selective about acquiring pens for my personal collection over the past two years. After nearly a decade as a dedicated fountain pen user, it’s definitely become harder to find pens that, at least for me, are truly “new” and interesting enough to justify a spot in a collection that frankly already has more than I could ever reasonably rotate through. While I don’t envision myself ever having fewer than a couple dozen fountain pens, I have started the process of gradually refining the current hoard into a (much) smaller number of pens that see regular writing, and in limited instances, replacing them with pens that I know I’ll enjoy.
Stacy Robinson (who sells through Penzbydesign), had these lipless “Navigator” fountain pens available at the Atlanta Pen Show last weekend. Let’s just say they sold quickly.
I’ve really taken to the design of the Schon DSGN “Engineered Plastics” collection, as well as their full-size anodized fountain pens. In addition to the craftsmanship and overall build quality, this particular pen hits a sweet spot in terms of size and ergonomics, including postability. Which is one reason why I picked up three similarly-sized fountain pens from Stacy Robinson’s table at the Atlanta Pen Show, all in some unique materials that I’ve been coveting for the past several years (including two Conway Stewart acrylics, Pistachio and Coral Razorshell).
I also stopped by the Hinze Pen Company table and picked up this pen, which features a Starry Night Acrylic that reminds me of an impressionist painting. (Wait for the full review - this pen now features a custom nib grind by Matthew Chen.)
I acquired this custom Jonathan Brooks pen from the Carolina Pen Company table in D.C. last year, but haven’t gotten around to inking it up. Consider that problem fixed as of this morning.
My “pen show hunts” have been more targeted in recent years - I’ve developed a strong sense of what I will enjoy and use, and what I’ll use once and set aside - and my acquisitions over the course of the last year reflect this. As you can see from the photos, they’re pretty much all Schon DSGN and/or pens from custom and small-batch manufacturers that feature uncommon materials or custom nibs. I’m also gradually dipping my toes back into the vintage world, but focusing on one or two models like the Parker 51 and the Parker Vacumatic.
I had nibs ground by Matthew Chen for the first time in Atlanta, taking home a Naginata Togi and a cursive italic. Both are excellent.
Another area where I’ve been focusing is nib customization. I’m working on a couple of longer-term projects for the site, one of which is a comparison of different nib grinds as done by different nib workers. Each nib grinder has their own “signature”, so no two grinds are alike, though they might nominally be “the same” (i.e., two cursive italics, architects, etc.). It’s been fascinating to see the variation, and somewhat astonishing to realize the level of talent across the community. Over the past two years, despite having around 15 pens ground, I’ve not had a “bad” grind - something I couldn’t say even five years ago.
Kirk Speer grinding a nib at the Pen Realm table in Atlanta.
The 2022 Atlanta Pen Show was a great experience, and consistent with Baltimore, reasonably well attended given that many people are still in the process of getting comfortable traveling again. I fully expect the shows later this spring and over the summer to continue moving in a positive direction (provided of course, the pandemic continues to ease). It was great meeting so many readers, even though I could only really be there for a day! If I missed you, I hope to catch up later this year.
A Brief Note and Update on the Weeks Ahead
As you may have seen from following me on social media, I’m in the middle of construction here at T.G.S. HQ (i.e., my home office, i.e., the room above the garage), so review content may look somewhat different over the next two or three weeks as I’ll have to find new locations to shoot photographs. In the meantime, I plan to do my annual “Best Pens” update, and possibly attend the Chicago Pen Show at the end of the month. T.G.S. Shop Orders will continue to ship within the regular 2-3 business day time frame.
This post does not contain paid advertisements or third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. All opinions expressed herein are my own.