It's time to give you another tour of my pen drawer, since I last posted one back in March. Let's take a look. Italy and Visconti On the left are my Italian pens. You may remember the Visconti Van Gogh Room in Arles, which I retired a few months ago when I discovered cracks in … Continue reading State of the collection: May 2019
Month: Apr 2019
Wooden wonder: Faber-Castell e-Motion
I received this pen at no cost from Executive Pens Direct. If this worries you at all, see my ethics page here. I'll cut to the chase: I wish I'd bought an e-Motion a couple of years ago. After a few weeks of use I can say with confidence that it's a great pen, and … Continue reading Wooden wonder: Faber-Castell e-Motion
What I leave out of reviews
I'm a professional writer by background, and I've learned over the years that writing anything is an exercise in choosing not just what to say, but what to leave out. When I write a review, I tend to approach it by focusing on the experience of examining the pen for the first time: what it's like to … Continue reading What I leave out of reviews
At last: reviewing the Desiderata Soubriquet
This review is long overdue. I bought my first Soubriquet (cocobolo barrel and ebonite cap prototype) from Desiderata Pens in September 2018, although it feels like I've owned it forever. I bought a second Soubriquet in amber acrylic in March 2019, and ordered a third, with a one-piece cocobolo barrel and cocobolo cap, in April … Continue reading At last: reviewing the Desiderata Soubriquet
My pen “capsule wardrobe” (cheating at a top ten of fountain pens)
Whenever I buy a new pen recently, I'm finding there's a smaller and smaller chance that it will stick in my collection. Even though I'm learning more about my tastes, and making (hopefully) better and better purchases, the new pens have a huge task scaling the heights of my current collection, which I have been … Continue reading My pen “capsule wardrobe” (cheating at a top ten of fountain pens)
Spontaneous sale (now with photos)
I'm in the midst of looking hard at my collection again after a few additions, and planning a forthcoming "my favourite dozen pens" post. I'm thinking about selling the following to get as close as I can to a limit of 15 pens. I'll see if there's any early interest before I do a lot … Continue reading Spontaneous sale (now with photos)
Where I buy pens
This sounds like a dumb thing to write a blog post about. But I buy a lot of pens, and I thought it would be good to share some wisdom I've accrued – and maybe open your eyes to some new possibilities to snag a bargain. Pen and ink retailers Let’s start with the mainstream … Continue reading Where I buy pens
9 genius pen features
To the untrained eye, most fountain pens are basically the same. There's the pointy bit, the holdy bit, the screwy on bit, the clippy bit. Ink goes in, words come out. But look a little closer and there's so much diversity, so many innovations, so many great features to celebrate. Here are nine that I've … Continue reading 9 genius pen features
Travels with pens: colours for California
On Monday, I fly to California. Again. That makes three weeks, three trips (and for those keeping track, my sixth trip this year). I feel like I'm living in a hotel. So it's time to freshen up my carry a little bit and get my enthusiasm back. I expect to be doing a lot of … Continue reading Travels with pens: colours for California
Nock Tallulah: two’s company
Yep, two days, two pen-case reviews (in case you missed it, yesterday I posted about my first experiences with New Zealand-based Hurlestone). Up today is the Tallulah two-pen case from my perennial favourites, Nock. The Tallulah is, like most Nock cases, crafted from colourful nylon. Mine's a rather lovely terracotta orange on the outside, and … Continue reading Nock Tallulah: two’s company
UK fountain pens 