19 Friday Jun 2020
Posted in Pens
Tags
A mixture of the present lock down situation, plus posts from other bloggers has got me to thinking back about earlier pens. Thus in the near future I will start reviewing the ones I still own as a trip down my memory lane, but for today a little personal fountain pen history.
Continue reading12 Friday Jun 2020
Posted in Pens
Not sure anything else raised so much hype, confusion, divisiveness and controversy in the fountain pen world in 2020 (so far). Limited supplies, production/design problems, different perceptions on costs have already created plenty of bandwidth on the various on line forums. But is the Platinum Curidas any good? (for me the title may be a bit of a give away).
04 Thursday Jun 2020
Posted in Pens
Franklin-Christoph must be one of the worst kept secrets in the fountain pen community. A small North Carolina based company who only sell on line and at US pen shows, yet try finding a fountain pen club around the world where at least a few of their members do not own one or more of their pens.
29 Friday May 2020
Posted in Pens
In the last few years Leonardo Officina Italiana (to use their full name) have been building quite a reputation through their Momento Zero, Furore, and Momento Zero Grande models. All are of the same basic design with the differences being in the finials and size. Now in 2020 they have released a new model, the Messenger, with just 366 examples being made in each of five translucent colours.
08 Friday May 2020
Tags
There is something about Italian engineering that pulls on the hearts strings and overrides the head when it comes to purchasing. It was Bertone, Farina, or Gandini who came out with the quote that you can either design beautiful cars or you can design reliable cars, but you can’t design both at the same time*. At times it can seem the same in the pen world, but in many respects we are all the better for it, or at least our hearts keep telling us it is so…
Continue reading
01 Friday May 2020
Posted in Pens
Tags
As covered in my previous piece on the OMAS 360 Vintage I mentioned about the ‘New’ version of the 360. This was launched in 2007 with a more modern look, and arguably as an entry pen in to the OMAS brand. With its angled triangular finials, flattened clip, new OMAS O on the cap, it certainly looked the part, but it was also divisive amongst OMAS fans and from what I can tell the model was dropped again just four or five years later.
23 Thursday Apr 2020
Posted in Pens
Tags
My daily carry rarely changes. Even with three to four months between postings there are normally just one or two pens swapped in or out. Things have changed however, as the pen case is left by my work bag, not by my computer, so with the present situation and full time working from home it is rarely touched. Instead the assortment of pens on my desk have become my daily writers. These are a mix of new pens, those I have queued up to review, those I’m too lazy to put away and still use, and then the one permanent resident.
20 Monday Apr 2020
Posted in Pens
Tags
Back in 1996 OMAS launched a new, very different pen. The 360. A model it made in various forms right up to the closing of the company. Arguably the most comfortable fountain pen ever produced (unless you are left handed) and rumoured to have been designed to force people to hold fountain pens correctly. In true OMAS fashion there have been many versions and names. Here I look at my two 360 Vintages, models from towards the end despite their name.
15 Wednesday Apr 2020
Tags
It’s been half a year since I last put any pens up for sale, and as is all too common in this hobby, I’ve bought more and so need to release some to keep the size of the collection down. Some were previously listed, most are new and are ones I just do not use (with one exception where the pen with a broad nib, which was too large for every day use, has been replaced by a similar one with a EF nib, which is now in my daily carry).
The prices are without P&P as I’m happy to sell internationally. Note for the UK I will be looking at Royal Mail Special Delivery (may just be tracked for those under £100).
04 Saturday Apr 2020
Tags
A month ago who would have thought most of us would be stuck at home aside from when shopping for groceries or essential travel. For many of us the thought of being able to work from home full time would have appealed. No daily commute, getting out of bed 5-10 minutes before logging in (kids dependant), relaxed attire, …. Problem is the weekends are just a continuation, the only difference being no connecting to work. Days start to merge and you feel like you’re starting to enter The Twilight Zone …
