Manila Pen Show 2023 Recap (via Hand Over That Pen). Honestly, having read this recap and followed the social media posts in real time, MPS has jumped to the top of the list of international shows I want to visit.
Unmoored (via From the Pen Cup). There’s something to be said for adopting a minimalist stationery carry, which is one reason why it’s been fun to reduce the size of the pack/bag I carry on a regular basis.
Aurora Il Viaggo Secreto in Italia Volterra (via SBRE Brown). I absolutely love the material on this recent series of the Aurora 88.
Pairings Party: Onoto Scholar Highland, Ferris Wheel Press Central Park Greens (via Pen Addict). The Onoto Scholar has been one of the surprising hits of the past year, and they have some amazing, subtly gorgeous colors. Check out the Vanness website, as I believe they are the exclusive Onoto dealers in the U.S.
Moleskine Bullet Notebook Review (Writing at Large). As predicted, Moleskine’s attempt at a “Bullet Journal” notebook isn’t fountain pen friendly, despite the heavier paper weight.
Early Thoughts on the Aurora Duo Cart Fountain Pen (via Fountain Pen Blog). I haven’t heard much about the Duo Cart over the past couple of years, though it’s been showing up more in my feed lately as perhaps a wider return to pen shows has revived interest in the model?
Colorfully Uncommon Commonplace Notes (via mnmlscholar). I love reading about other people’s analog notetaking systems, especially how they organize and process information for future reference.
Even More Indie Makers (via Rachel’s Reflections). Rachel’s blog is an excellent source for referrals on independent and/or custom penmakers, if you’re interested in having someone design a pen for you or if you’re simply looking for a unique design or materials unavailable elsewhere.
Maruzen Athena Renga (via Fountain Pen Love). The Maruzen inks are popular store-exclusive ink options for those visiting Japan.
Plantable Paper (via Bleistift). Just curious, has anyone ever been able to get plantable paper to work? I’ve had little success.
That In-Between Feeling (via Well-Appointed Desk). I can relate to this one, as I’m in-between a lot of things right now, stationery and notebooks included.
In Case You Missed It….
This week I tried to get some sleep after two full weeks of pen-related and other travel…and then had to travel AGAIN for work. I did manage to find some time to recap the 2023 Arkansas Pen Show, which was a great experience and I enjoyed getting to meet everyone in person! I also wrote a bit about my vintage purchases at that show, which included two new Parker 51s!
We recently received a ton of new products from Life Stationery, including this vintage-style airmail paper.
New Arrivals in the Curated Shop!
New releases and fresh stock are arriving faster than I can get them listed in a timely manner! On the pen side, we received additional Mark’Style x Anterique ballpoints with the excellent Mach Ball refill, as well as the Mark’s hexagonal metal gel pen in the “Days” series. Platinum’s newly released “Preppy Wa” fountain pen also arrived, in their six silk-screened “Modern Maki-e” finishes. Finally, I spent most of the day yesterday listing three giant boxes of paper from Life Stationery, including restocks of the Bank Paper and Typewriter Paper specialty writing pads!
Consider Supporting Us Via T.G.S. Patreon!
I shared some exciting news about projects I’m working on for an expanded T.G.S. on our last Patreon meetup, and our next members’ meet is tonight at 7:30pm CT via Zoom! T.G.S. Patreon is the only non-shop means of support for the site, and features not only access to meetups and early gently used sales, but more exclusive content. Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. In addition to purchases from The Curated Shop, Patreon allows us to continue to grow the site without relying on advertisements and affiliate marketing. If you’re interested in meetups and exclusive content, or simply supporting the site, we greatly appreciate your support!