New Arrivals: TWSBI ECO Black Marble + Bronze Fountain Pens!

We just received our shipment of the new TWSBI ECO Black Marble & Bronze fountain pens, along with a restock of in-demand TWSBI pens including the ECO Serpentine Bronze and the new Obsidian special edition piston filler. These swirled acrylic TWSBI ECOs have been more popular than expected, with certain colors and patterns hard to keep in stock (especially Serpentine and the Cosmo + Onyx). We’ll continue to order more and restock as long as we can, though as you all know these are typically released for a while and then cycled out to make room for new colors!

Oh, and I Caved and Ordered Some Shimmer Ink

So many of you asked for these in the Nashville shop that I finally gave in and ordered some shimmer inks. And you know what, despite myself I’m really enjoying some of these colors! Fountain pen shimmer ink has come a long way in the years since I’ve been in the hobby, with manufacturers fine-tuning the inks with ever-finer particles and better overall formulations. I’ve been using inks from Tono & Lims (My Bank Account is Sick and Bechorium Chloride), Herbin (Opale Nocturne), Colorverse (Year of the Dragon), and Robert Oster (Bless Your Heart!), and have had no issues with any of these clogging pens or flowing regularly. We recently added several of the Tom’s Studio shimmer inks, which span a broad range of colors. I’m looking forward to getting a few of these latest arrivals into pens as well!

Come see these and more in-person! We will be open this week from 1-6pm Thursday-Friday and 10am-6pm on Saturday, but be sure to check back for hours the week of February 16 because they will likely change due to travel.

Weekly Drops: Got Gift Cards to Burn? New TWSBIs, a Roterfaden Restock, and More!

The week between Christmas and New Year’s marks that special time when everyone starts to (1) spend their holiday gift money/gift cards and (2) retailers look to clear out their excess inventory. To that end, everything in the T.G.S. Clearance section will now receive an automatic 25% off at checkout, no coupon code necessary. We’ve also received the latest TWSBI release “Obsidian,” as well as a large Roterfaden restock that has many different sizes in stock in addition to the standard A5! Finally, be sure to check out the latest arrivals from Japan, including special edition releases from Craft Design Technology and Graphilo!

View fullsize

CDT is a Tokyo and UK-based design house that collaborates with traditional manufacturers such as Pilot, Pentel, and more on their own versions of classic stationery items. These including multi-pens like the Zebra Sharbo and Pilot Frixion 3, a Pentel Sharp Kerry, Camel pencils, writing pads and notebooks, and even leather items. We are constantly adding more as they arrive, so stay tuned.

We will be open in our Nashville store normal hours (1-6pm Friday and 10am-6pm Saturday). Please come by and see us!

1. TWSBI Obsidian Piston Filler. The latest TWSBI acrylic piston filler limited release has landed, and it’s a beautiful pearlescent black acrylic with rose gold trim. We still have a (very) small number of the TWSBI “Kai” release from last year, if you prefer the blue.

2. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter B5 Size. We’ve restocked on most Roterfaden sizes, but the increasingly popular B5 is the one we’re asked about the most. This will hold B5 notebooks as well as standard composition books.

3. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter A4 Size. We have a few larger-format A4 Taschenbegleiters in black. We get requests to bring in A4 but it’s definitely a larger portfolio so these restocks tend to be fewer in number.

4. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter TGS_25. Our store-exclusive A5-slim Roterfaden is still available in grey leather, with either the grey or green elastic. We have a growing selection of A5-Slim notebooks, including newly arrived Graphilo offerings! More on those below.

5. Craft Design Technology Leather Pen/Pencil Cases. These zippered leather cases can hold either pens or pencils, and will age/patina beautifully. Available in either black or brown leather.

6. Craft Design Technology x Pentel Mechanical Pencil. So far, this CDT special edition mechanical pencil that is based on the iconic Pentel Sharp Kerry is a top seller.

7. Craft Design Technology Desk Note Bagasse Notebooks. These landscape-style notebooks feature CDT’s signature green color and fountain pen friendly Bagasse paper, which is made from sugarcane waste and handles most inks extremely well. The Desk Note is available in two sizes and designed to sit beneath a keyboard while you work.

8. Craft Design Technology Notepads. Available in either A5 or A6, with a mint green or natural color, this textured paper is pleasant to write on and features a smaller grid for jotting notes or even drawing.

9. Graphilo A5-Slim Notebooks. The A5 Slim format is becoming increasingly popular, and Graphilo has released these notebooks with lined, grid, blank or “Ciro” (white line) layouts. Each notebook contains 188 pages of fountain pen friendly Graphilo paper.

10. Graphilo Notebooks and Looseleaf Paper. In addition to the A5 Slim format, Graphilo makes notebooks in traditional A5, Square, and A4 sizes, and even has looseleaf sheets available in both A4 and A5.

View fullsize

New Arrivals: The New TWSBI Diamond 580 AL Affogato with Onyx Trim, Now Available for Pre-Order!

TWSBI’s latest entry in the “breakfast collection” introduces the Diamond 580 ALR “Affogato” fountain pen, featuring TWSBI’s black onyx trim. The coffee inspired breakfast pens have proven popular, and this larger pen features the same black trim as the 580 ALR “Caribbean with Onyx” model. For those who prefer the TWSBI ECO, we are restocked on the other pens in this line, including the ECO Espresso Bronze, Caffé Bronze, Crème Rose Gold, and Matcha Green.

View fullsize

On a slightly different note, we continue to expand our selection of high-end (yet “everyday”) gel pens and mechanical pencils, which now include the Uni Signo RT1 as well as the Kokuyo Enpitsu Sharp series. The Enpitsu Sharp pencils are particularly interesting because they come in lead sizes ranging from .3mm all the way up to 1.3mm!

Note that we have special hours this week since we are traveling to the San Francisco Pen Show. Our brick-and-mortar store will be closed this weekend (Thursday - Sunday), but online orders will continue to be processed/ship within our standard 3 business-day time frame. We are having special hours today (Tuesday 8/26) from 1-6pm, so get your shopping in if there’s anything you’d like to come see in person!

New Arrivals: TWSBI ECO "Serpentine Bronze" Pre-Orders Are Live; Pens to Ship This Week

TWSBI’s latest release is the second ECO in their mixed-color series, “Serpentine Bronze.” This new pen features a gorgeous mix of green and bronze/gold acrylic paired with TWSBI’s bronze-tone trim. Colors are mixed during the injection molding process, so no two pens will be the same and each will feature its own unique pattern of swirls. The Serpentine Bronze ECOs are priced at $51.99, and available for pre-order today. They should arrive this week and will begin shipping immediately. If you missed out on the first round of mixed-color ECOs, we have the “Amazonite” green and white version in stock as well. Be sure to check out our entire range of TWSBI Fountain Pens, Pencils, and Inks!

View fullsize

We are an authorized reseller of TWSBI products. Come see these and more in-shop, as the Serpentine Bronze ECOs should be in the store by the weekend! We will be open this week from 1pm-6pm Thursday and Friday, and 10am-6pm on Saturday. Be sure to check the shop page for up-to-date hours.

Thursday Drops: Lamy Restock, Washi Tapes, TWSBI Vacs and More! Oh, and a Labor Day Special!

It’s been an exciting couple of weeks here at TGS HQ, and I’m happy to announce that we are fully moved in to our new space and excited to be able to welcome visitors during regular hours, starting in September. This coming Labor Day weekend, we will have the doors open Friday through Sunday, mainly in the afternoon. We currently have available for purchase all of the new Lamy Studio lineup and digital styluses discussed in Tuesday’s post, as well as full stock of most TWSBI models, various ink lines, and full restocks of favorite fountain pen friendly paper brands including Midori, Lochby, Nakabayashi, and Maruman Mnemosyne!

View fullsize

For this year’s Labor Day sale, and in anticipation of everyone heading back to work and school following what we hope was a restful summer, we are offering an additional 10% off all desk and reading accessories ordered online through Monday, September 2. Use the coupon code “LABORDAY” at checkout to claim your discount, and we are also offering a tiered promotion in which all orders over $100 will receive extra T.G.S. Swag (including our large holographic vinyl stickers, buttons, and more).

1. Lamy Studio Piano Red Fountain Pen (14k nib option). The Lamy Studio with Lamy’s excellent 14k nib remains one of the best value propositions on the market, since it’s increasingly rare to find a gold nib fountain pen for under $200. The Studio remains one of my favorite writers overall, as I have a soft spot for the propeller clip.

2. Lamy Studio Royal Red Matte Fountain Pen, Rollerball, and Ballpoint. The Royal Red Matte Studio evokes the old Wild Rubin release, which I sadly sold off years ago only to regret it immediately. Where the Piano Red Studio features a smooth lacquered finish, the Royal Red Matte Studio is, as it’s name implies, more tactile. Currently stocked in fountain pen, rollerball, and ballpoint formats.

3. Lamy Noto Special Editions. The triangular Lamy Noto is a fun ballpoint at a price point even lower than the Lamy Econ that I reviewed yesterday. The Noto even comes in two special edition colors: Deep Blue and Chocolate, which sold out quickly when we first got them earlier this year. Now restocked!

4. TWSBI Vac700R Kyanite Blue Fountain Pen. TWSBI’s latest Vac700R release has proven popular, following up on their multicolor anodized Vac700R “Iris”. Will we see more Vac700R releases like this one? I hope so!

5. Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint Pens: Standard, ColorMat-X and Pop Line. This classic hexagonal ballpoint pen has been one of our top sellers ever since we opened. The matte-textured ColorMat-X and the Black Code editions are my personal favorites, though the “Totally Swiss” Swiss Cross edition is the underrated sleeper.

6. iLootPaperie Washi Tapes. We’ve received a restock of iLootPaperie Washi Tapes, including tapes from the “Paper Airplanes” and “Airmail” series! Stay tuned as we plan to bring in more washi tape and other fun items from this brand to our new shop so that you can see them in person.

7. Viarco Vintage Edition Pencil Sets. Made in Portugal, in one of the last remaining operational European pencil factories, Viarco pencils are a personal favorite since I love graphite that is not overly waxy and has a tactile feel to it. These pencils sharpen to an excellent long point. We have stock of individual packs of most of the vintage designs, as well as a large stock of the assortment pack in which you get a dozen of each style.

8. Lamy Note+ Digital Stylus (For Apple). Lamy’s answer to the Apple Pencil, coming in at nearly a full $50 less. The Note+ is still a bit of a work in progress in terms of functionality, but it works quite well for basic writing and additional apps are being added.

9. Lamy AL-Star EMR Pen. Those who do most of their digital writing on e-ink screens such as the Kindle Scribe, reMarkable, or Supernote will want to look at Lamy’s AL-Star and Safari EMR offerings. I generally prefer the traditional pen shape over the “Wacom Stylus” default style that many use.

10. Lamy Safari “Twin” EMR Pen. The Twin Pen features dual writing options, including not just an EMR stylus tip but also a D1 ballpoint slot, allowing you to switch back and forth between a stylus and standard pen.

Come visit us in person at our physical location, located at 4320 Kenilwood Drive, Suite 113, Nashville, Tennessee! Hours this upcoming Holiday weekend will be from 1pm-6pm on Friday Aug. 30, from 11am-6pm on Saturday August 31; and 1pm-5pm on Sunday September 1. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.