25 Saturday Jan 2020
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People tend to mistakenly think that when Parker moved their manufacturing to India and Platignum (not to be confused with Platinum) appeared to cease to be, that fountain pen production in the UK had halted. However, even before that time, a number of small craftsmen were already starting up. One of these, in 2003, was Bryan Lucas at the Worcester Pen Company.
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17 Friday Jan 2020
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Astoria yard-o-led astoria, English, fountain pen, Yard-o-Led, Yard-O-Led Astoria, Yard-O-Led Astoria Grand
These days most people associate Yard-O-Led (YOL) with a range of sterling silver writing implements hand crafted from a workshop in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, UK, however back before the 2015 buyout from their previous owners Letts, they had other pens in their inventory.
24 Tuesday Dec 2019
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Delta were around from 1982 to 2016/7. During that time their most famous model was the Dolcevita. Traditionally available with an orange body and black cap, grip, and blind cap, a latter day alternative was launched, the Oro, in a stunning crushed orange resin. Available in silver and vermeil trims, it also should have come with either a 14k gold nib, or the infamous Delta Fusion nib (steel with a gold triangle glued on top ‘for heat dissipation’). In the last days of the company, pens were fitted with what was available just to try and get money in. The result, a Dolcevita Oro Stantuffo with a steel nib.
11 Wednesday Dec 2019
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What happens when an artist and sculptor moves in to the fountain pen world, making every component bar the nib/feed unit. This is what happened with Andy Deschacht of Garcia-Deschacht from Belgium. The net result is a range of unique pens with an attention to detail and visual aesthetics.
29 Friday Nov 2019
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Most people who are involved in the pen world are aware of the Sailor King of Pen. A range of over sized fountain pens with a 21k nib available either as a medium, broad, or a hand made naginata (supposedly while Nagahara-san has retired, his son is meant to be restarting a limited set of the range). Most commonly found in the cigar shape of the 1911/Profit and ranging from acrylic, through the eponymous ebonite version and on to high end and high art Maki-e master pieces, the KoP is also found to a lesser extent with the flat finials of the Pro Gear shape. Over the last number of years there has been a limited edition release of the latter based on the five Japanese elements, starting with Wind (2016), then Earth (2017), Ocean (2018) and now Fire (I expect ether/heaven will finish the set next year). The same Pro Gear limited edition can also be found in regular and slim sized models.
29 Friday Nov 2019
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I can still remember (as it was only 10 years back) when in the UK the only people watching out for Black Friday deals were Apple fanbois as it was the only day in the year when Apple would discount some of their range, the discounts being global, and some very good bargains to be had. I think it was only really with Amazon joining in and pushing the event world wide that the fuss spread over to this side of the pond. Since then it has waned but there can still be some good deals to be found.
From a fountain pen basis here are the ones I’m aware of in the UK. I’ve listed them in alphabetical order for the retailer and have only included those listed on their websites or mail pushes. Please note this is also based on the list of retailers I have in my browser and are actually advertised as Black Friday deals, not just their regular offerings. Any I have missed, please let me know and I will add.
04 Monday Nov 2019
I was not alone in being intrigued when a new post appeared on the FPN forum from a South Korean, who while on national military service, in his spare time designed pens and the machines with which to make them. He is now in the situation to start producing and selling, though his website is a little bare at present. The current range comprises of two pens. The Symmetry, long, cigar shaped and with a seamless cap, plus the Asymmetry, long (though shorter than the other model) wider, and with a more traditional overlaying cap. Both made from Japanese ebonite. What makes these pens more interesting is the nibs. He makes them himself and out of Argentium (935) a silver alloy which contains a higher level of pure silver than sterling silver, is more resistant to tarnishing, and is meant to be tougher. Additionally he also makes his own feeds, meaning only the converter is sourced externally (and the creator is presently working on a refillable cartridge for his pens).
01 Friday Nov 2019
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Today, being the first Friday in November is International Fountain Pen Day. A day of discounts and an excuse to get our pens out. So with all these discounts I bought … no new pens (yet it’s 8pm as I write), but then with all the recent acquisitions, it would both be hard to justify and hard to find something I want. Not only do I have my haul from the October London Pen Show, but a Nakaya Decapod bought from Eciton, as well as the loan of his Eureka Symmetry and Asymmetry pens from South Korea- which I will review shortly. In addition to all this, I finally reached the front of the waiting list, and post USPS caused delays received a Wyvern from Brian Chu at the Red Dragon Pen Company.
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19 Saturday Oct 2019
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I, like many in our world (fountain pen collecting and using), will buy the occasional new pen within my financial limits, however when it comes to getting rid I can seem a bit of a hoarder. Pens sit there, safe and comfortable in my drawers, waiting for the day when once more they will be filled and carried to work, or used at my desk.
12 Saturday Oct 2019
When is a Visconti Homosapiens not a homosapiens. When it does not have the twin rings on the cap and when the body is not rounded. The Medici is a faceted pen with 8 sides in a bronze/brown coloured, swirling, sparkly resin, which at the time came with palladium trimmings. In more recent times, with the introduction of two other colours of pens, the trimming for this version changed to rose gold coloured.
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