Parker Duofold Prestige Centennial Blue Chevron

06 Thursday Jun 2019

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As with many English schoolboys who had to use a fountain pen I grew up on Parkers.  I still have a couple of 25s (plus roller ball, pencil,  & ballpoint) that were my school mainstay, and a Parker 45 that was a present and which I used to enjoy until I had to get the nib replaced (pen rolled off a kitchen top on to the tiled  floor …).  My collection does not stop there as I have a 51 which belonged to my grand father and still works well, plus from this century an Eclipse and an IM. Continue reading →

Onoto ‘Dubai Inspired’ Magna Classic Burgundy Pearl with Chasing

30 Thursday May 2019

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At the start of 2019, Onoto were invited by the British Government to be part of a trade deputation to Dubai.  While there they were inspired by the traditional rich colours of Arab art and design.  On return, one Feng Li experimented with filling in the chasing pattern on Pearl Magna Classic, looked at the results and … a set was created and sold at the following pen shows.
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How to take photographs of pens….

23 Thursday May 2019

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…when you have a friend who has the equipment and knows how to use it.

It is quite true that a decent photographer can use virtually any camera to take a decent shot.  It’s the real reason why phone cameras can produce the quality images they do (o.k. that’s along with some serious post processing by the phone as well).  The two key components are the photographer and the lighting.  For the former, experience, an eye for detail, the eye for a shot, or even just dumb luck come in to it, however the latter we often have less control over.  The Sunday just gone I was fortunate to be in a situation where a friend brought along a professional lighting set up, along with a light table, and guided me through how best to use the equipment. Continue reading →

My latest pen from John Twiss

16 Thursday May 2019

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Pens are emotive.  The nibs, the material, the looks, the feel, all play on our senses.  The variations both within and between manufacturers and craftsman help propel our hobby, our collections, and our expenditure forwards, while also providing a source of joy, and dare I say, at times frustration.  Wood often grabs my attention, so when John Twiss posted a picture of three new, primarily wooden pens on Facebook and Instagram just before the Spring London Pen Show, my interest was piqued.

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Taccia Covenant

09 Thursday May 2019

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Have you ever read about a new pen and thought that it was interesting.  A friend then buys the pen and looking at it in real life you think “that’s nice”.  Trying it you decide it writes well and you start to think ‘if I could find it in this finish ….’.  Finally, wandering round a pen show, you see the version you want at a nice, hard to ignore price?  Well this happened to me with the Taccia Covenant, which I picked one up at the Spring London Pen Show.

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Pilot Elite 95S (Modern)

01 Wednesday May 2019

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In 1964 Platinum launched the 200, a ‘long-short’ pocket pen.  This was followed four years later by Pilot with the Elite 95 S, and while production of both was stopped before the Millennia, probably in the 1980s, it was the Pilot that was remembered with the result that in 2014 an updated version was re-introduced in to the USA as the E95S and shortly after in Japan under it’s original name.  Available in either black or burgundy and light gold, it looks very similar to the original.  Note the pen was not available outside the country and also should not be confused with the South Korean produced/licensed Pilot Elite, as covered in this video by Figboot on Pens alongside the E95s.
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Daily Carry End of April

26 Friday Apr 2019

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Been a couple of months since I last did a daily carry post, but when I wrote the first one I did say it would not be a regular feature.

First thing you’ll notice is I’m not using the Franklin-Christoph Penvelope 6, but rather my 12 slot Visconti case.  The reason behind this is the desire to use the new pens I picked up at the London Spring Pen Show, partly with a view to be able to review most of them having given the pens a decent use. Continue reading →

Leonardo Officina Italiana Momento Zero Hawaii

19 Friday Apr 2019

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The Momento Zero was the first pen released by Leonardo Officina Italiana under their own banner. An affordable resin pen in a number of attractive colours, all with a good level of chatoyance. Over time more resins were used and a celluloid piston filler with a gold nib also came in to being. Now a year or two down the line, with a new similarly priced model, the Furore, coming out, a number of new versions of the Momento Zero have been produced including the Hawaii, a multi-coloured pen based on a hotchpotch of previously used resins.
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Unboxing a Lamy Pokemon Safari

11 Thursday Apr 2019

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At the tail end of 2018 Lamy brought out a limited edition set that was available only in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.   The only official way to purchase it was through the official Lamy shops and the local Lamy websites (which also confirmed the postal addresses were in the three areas so you could not order from another country – as a friend of mine tried to do).  The limited edition set was a Safari with desk stand, pencil case, and extras, celebrating and licensed by Pokemon.

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Italix Parson’s Essential

07 Sunday Apr 2019

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Continuing with my cover of English pens, it’s time to look at a modern ‘oldie’ and stalwart of the industry.  The Italix Parson’s Essential from Mr. Pen.  Back when I first started going to the London, UK Fountain Pen Club about three years ago this was still a ‘must have’ pen within the community, and for good reasons as it was cheap, good value for money, and with the availability of a very large number of hand ground and tested nibs (Peter Ford from Mr. Pen being the nibmeister).  I tried one at the time, actually I tried this specific one at the time, and decided that maybe I would get one further down the line.

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