April Went to DC and SF Pen Shows 2022: Part I (via Penguin’s Creative). April write’s up the first part of her August Pen Show travels, one of the handful of us to hit both shows!
Kilk Orient Fountain Pen (via Pencilcase Blog). Kilk is a Turkish penmaker who I’m starting to see all over the place. They have an interesting design, and I’d love to get my hands on one at some point.
Happy Birthday to Me! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Happy birthday Kimberly! I fully support the “Birthday Pen” concept.
Crystal Clear: Pilot Custom Heritage 92 (via a fleeting ripple). An often overlooked workhorse pen, the Pilot Custom Heritage 92 piston filler is an excellent option for those looking for a pen that simply disappears as you get work done.
Early Thoughts on the Tibaldi No 60 Fountain Pen (via Fountain Pen Blog). Tibaldi has definitely gotten some traction with their recent releases of vintage-inspired designs and materials.
The Bits and Bobs of My Teaching Bullet Journal: Meeting Logs (via mnmlscholar). I enjoy reading about others’ work notebooks and how stationery gets used every day.
Aurora’s Matera and Deserto Are Gorgeous and (Nearly) Flawless (via UK Fountain Pens). Is Anthony back? Even if it’s only temporary, it’s great to see him back (and these are some very pretty Auroras).
Pilot Acroball Ballpoint Pen (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). Pilot’s Acroball was conceived as their answer to the Uniball Jetstream. It’s a good pen, but has never taken off to the same degree.
Pelikan Edelstein Apatite (via Pen Addict - Sarah). While I’m not a huge fan of Edelstein ink, I do know that many of you look forward to Pelikan’s annual release. This one doesn’t seem very exciting, to be honest.
Pen Show Magic: The SF Pen Show 2022 (via Well-Appointed Desk). Julia has a guest post recapping her experiences at this year’s San Francisco Pen Show!
We’re giving away this Sinclair Model-R pen case. Be sure to check out the details. Giveaway closes at 11:59pm tonight.
In Case You Missed It… DON’T MISS THE GIVEAWAY!
This week on the blog, I offered my first impressions of the Nock Co. Sinclair Model R, which Nock brought back in collaboration with San Francisco-based Rickshaw Bagworks and revealed at the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show. Most importantly, don’t miss the opportunity to participate in the giveaway to win one of these cases - either by commenting on the Giveaway post or liking the Instagram post.
I also reviewed two new red inks I’ve been using recently: Laban Ares Red from the Greek Mythology Series, and Dominant Industries “Romania Red,” which is a good replacement for the legendary Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock.
This Week in the Curated Shop
Shop news included the arrival of some new cover and case options from Midori, including a new “vertical A5” notebook sleeve/portfolio in natural undyed goat leather. We’re also happy to announce a full restock of the Penco “Perfection” bullet pen series, in both the chrome, brass, and matte black and “Perfection Light” formats. Hightide hourglasses in 30 and 15-minute intervals also made a return to the shop and are selling fast. Stay tuned as we re-up favorites and bring in some new arrivals!
[UPDATE: As of Monday, September 12, 2022, we have added Nahvalur (formerly Narwhal) to our selection of brands! Please check out the “Original Plus” vacuum fillers, with more on the way!]
Many Thanks for Your Shop Support, and Please Consider T.G.S. Patreon!
We’ve been surprised at the level of enthusiasm and support for our curated retail strategy over the past couple of months, and after careful consideration are beginning to build out our inventory with more brands and product categories. I love managing this aspect of T.G.S., as it offers me the opportunity to directly put great stationery - including brands I feel are underappreciated and underemphasized - into your hands. For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5, and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens.