Thursday Drops: TWSBI ECO Rootbeer Is Back! Plus TRAVELER'S Notebooks, Maruman Mnemosyne and More!

Summer restocks and new releases have started to arrive, including a much-anticipated restock of the TWSBI ECO Rootbeer + Bronze, and the Kaweco Perkeo in Pearlescent Green. We’ve also received a handful of TRAVELER’S Notebooks in Standard and Passport sizes, a full shipment of Viarco pencils from Portugal, and more!

Kaweco’s Pearlescent Green Perkeo simply won’t stay in stock anywhere.

I wanted to take the opportunity to spotlight two gorgeous new additions to our Roterfaden lineup: the Taschenbegleiter LTD_039, with a natural leather cover, and the Taschenbegleiter SO_26, which pairs “Smoke Blue” with olive suede. Both of these are smaller test orders, and we will try to get more if we can, but for now they are limited quantity!

Come see these and more in-store during normal hours this week, from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-5pm on Saturday.

1. TWSBI ECO Rootbeer Fountain Pens. Possibly the most popular and in-demand fountain pen that TWSBI has made in a while, the transparent ECO “Rootbeer” features clear amber acrylic paired with bronze trim.

2. TWSBI ECO Serpentine + Bronze Fountain Pens. If you’ve been thinking about an ECO Serpentine fountain pen, now would be the time, as they’ve been on the market for a while. TWSBI tends to rotate its colors in and out of the lineup.

3. TWSBI ECO Black + Bronze Fountain Pens. Similar to the Serpentine, the Black+Bronze ECO features swirled black acrylic and bronze trim.

4. Kaweco Perkeo Fountain Pens. We received a fresh shipment of the Pearlescent Green Kaweco Perkeos, in addition to a general restock of Kaweco Sport fountain pens, inks, and more.

5. TRAVELER’S Notebook Starter Kits. We have a fresh shipment of Traveler’s Notebooks in stock in multiple colors, two of which are Standard size and two of which are Passport.

6. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter TGS_25 A5 Slim Notebook Covers. Our own exclusive design is back in stock, in the green leather colorway with both elastic options (grey and light green).

7. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter A5 Notebook Covers. In addition to the A5 Slim Notebook covers, we have a fresh shipment of standard A5 covers as well.

8. OnionBrand A5 Leather Covers. These simple-yet-elegant leather notebook covers come in multiple finishes and use a cord-based binding system that will hold up to two slim notebooks or one thicker notebook.

9. Viarco Wood Pencils. A fresh shipment from Portugal landed this week, including standard and vintage-style woodcase pencils in multiple designs and hardnesses. Viarco is one of the last surviving European pencil manufacturers.

10. Graphilo Paper. Kobeha’s Graphilo paper is some of the most ink-friendly paper available, in that it resists any feathering or bleedthrough and showcases ink color nicely. We recently updated the “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper” resource to include Graphilo as an easy “Tier One” paper choice.

Oh, and one last thing! Uni Zento Flows and Zento Gel Refills are now restocked!

Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper: Updated to Include Graphilo and Nebula Note

I just finished updating one of our most popular site resources: “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper,” which was originally a blog post first published in 2021. Due to the expansive comments section, I’ve left it in blog format rather than move it to a stand-alone page. I periodically update the main article to account for changes in paper performance, new brands, and customer/reader feedback. Because I can’t test everything, I leave the comments open for suggestions.

View fullsize

What Were the Major Developments in 2026?

I added a handful of brands to the resource, and removed one or two others mainly due to availability issues. Here are the major changes:

• Graphilo and Nebula Note Enter Tier 1. Graphilo paper, from Japanese company Kobeha, is one of the most ink-friendly papers I have used, and given that it’s now far more available in the U.S. than it has been in the past, I feel good about adding it to the first Tier. Similarly, I’ve been consistently impressed with Nebula Note, a slightly textured paper from the makers of Colorverse Ink, which comes in a super-convenient spiral format with perforated pages.

• NOLTY Makes an Appearance. NOLTY is a relatively inexpensive Japanese brand that is sold everywhere in Japan but still uncommon in the United States. NOLTY paper comes in white and off-white variants, and while they are known for their planners, their notebooks are also excellent. I’ve added NOLTY to Tier I, and we look forward to carrying their notebooks in the near future, having previously carried their PAGEM B6 log books.

• Notsu and Blackwing belong in Tier II, and Baron Fig Drops Off the List. I feel more comfortable including Notsu as a Tier II brand, not because there’s been any decline in their paper quality (they make the best fountain pen friendly notecards on the market), but rather because they have been rapidly expanding their line to include a wider range of notebooks and papers of different types, some of which may not be intended for fountain pens. Similarly, standard Blackwing paper is pretty good, including the “Illegal Pads,” but there can be wide variation in the paper used in the special edition notebooks. Baron Fig has fallen off my radar entirely, and has gone more mass market in recent years so I do not feel comfortable ranking it in terms of fountain pen friendliness.

Note that this is not intended to be a “ranking,” and the order in which these papers appear in each tier are not intended to suggest that any one is objectively “better” than another. Also, even non-fountain pen friendly paper can be quality stationery. Certain high-end cotton papers are tactile and highly absorbent - quite pleasant to write on with pencil, ballpoint, and rollerballs - but they can’t handle the water-based ink found in most fountain pens. Enjoy, and as always, drop a comment if you have suggestions on paper I may not have tried.

New Arrivals: TRAVELER'S Notebooks in Standard and Passport, Plus OnionBrand A5 Leather Covers!

TRAVELER’S Notebooks are more popular than ever, and we have a fresh shipment that arrived yesterday. Currently we have Passport-size Starter Kits in Black and Blue, and Standard-size Starter Kits in Olive, as well as most refills and accessories with more on the way for those items that are currently sold out.

If you prefer full A5-size notebooks, we’ve also received a fresh restock of handmade OnionBrand leather covers. OnionBrand is a local Nashville maker specializing in leather, and I’m fortunate enough to be able to work with them to bring you these A5 covers that can hold up to two slim A5 notebooks or one full-size notebook or planner. (Currently I have my A5 Wonderland222 planner in one of the “Polished Saddle” covers.)

You can come see these and more in-person in our Nashville shop, where we have a range of notebooks and accessories from TRAVELER’S Company, Roterfaden, OnionBrand, and more! We are open this week Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, and Saturday from 10am-5pm.  

Sunday Reading for June 21, 2026

1. Piper Trading Company Ink Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). A first look at some of the Piper Trading Company inks, from the same folks who brought you Franklin-Christoph!

2. They Made It Smooth, But Is It Good? BIC 4-Color Ballpoint (via Inkdependence). It doesn’t need to be good to still be a classic. :)

3. Meet Your Maker: James White, Bonecrusher 7 Studios (via Pen Addict - Caroline). I had the pleasure of meeting James and buying a pen from him at this year’s Arkansas Pen Show.

4. Pilot Custom 845 Deep Blue (via Figboot on Pens). I love my Custom 845 in this dark Prussian Blue color. We will be carrying this one going forward.

5. Visit to Office Vender Stationery Forest in Sendai, Japan (via Inkredible Colours). That is a well-stocked shop! I also love the imagery of a stationery forest.

6. The NYT Summer Reading Challenge (via Writing at Large). My own reading has sort of hit a slump and I might need something like this. 10 books through the end of August? We’ll see….

7. My Stance on AI, with Nuance, I Hope (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). I share nearly all of these viewpoints when it comes to AI and creative work.

In Case You Missed It….

This week we published Episode 10 of On The Paper Trail, where we discussed all things Japan from our recent trip! We recapped our visits to all the stationery stores, favorite things we brought home, and more. I also published my first mid-year review post yesterday, in which I looked at 5 Favorite Posts from the First Half of 2026.

In addition to lots of restocks, we have new A5 Roterfadens including this new natural leather version!

This week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop… More Roterfaden and More OnionBrand

All of those A5 Notebook covers you’ve been asking for are now back in stock! We have Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter covers in both A5 and A5 Slim sizes, as well as OnionBrand A5 leather covers in five different finishes. The OnionBrand covers are locally made in Nashville, and use a cord-based system to hold standard A5-sized notebooks. Finally, we have fresh restocks of Tom’s Studio, Anterique, and more! Check out each week’s Thursday Drops post for a full list of restocks and new arrivals.

Come see these and more this week in the Nashville shop during normal hours from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-5pm on Saturday.

OnionBrand

Tom's Studio

Pilot

Uni

How YOu Can Support us further: Visit Us on Patreon

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. In addition to exclusive content, Discord access, and online meetups, Patreon supporters have access to one or more initial “practice” episodes of “On the Paper Trail” which have not been publicly released.

2026 Mid-Year Review: 5 Favorite Posts From the First Half of 2026

In mid-June I typically take a break from fresh content in favor of a mid-year recap looking back at favorite posts, reviews, product launches, new discoveries, etc. from the first six months. I always enjoy doing these retrospectives! Up first are five favorite posts, videos, and more from the first six months of 2025, in no particular order. Since we’ve been making an effort to diversify site content, this year’s recap includes everything from blog posts to YouTube videos to podcast episodes!

1. Pen Review: The Pentel Sign Pen. It’s not often that I find classic stationery products I’ve never used before, but it’s sort of been this year’s theme. The Pentel Sign Pen has been around forever, and for a good reason.

2. On The Paper Trail Episode 3: We Visit Pilot Pens USA! So of course the highlight of my year so far has to be the recent trip to Tokyo, but a close second would be our trip to visit the Pilot Pens USA headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, where we got to take a peek behind the curtain!

3. Japan Trip Journal: A Visit to Kakimori, Including Custom Notebooks and Inkstand! Personally, the best part of my trip to Japan was the opportunity to visit Kakimori and make both custom notebooks and an ink. In-store shopping offers opportunities and experiences online can never replace.

4. TGS 12th Anniversary: 5 Fountain Pens Everyone Should Experience. I took a bit of a different take on a “Top 5” list, with five pens that I don’t necessarily think everyone should own, but that everyone should definitely try.

5. Shimmer Ink for Everyday Writing? Why Not! I’ve really been exploring different inks this year and trying to reach a bit further outside my comfort zone. Shimmer ink for work? Go for it.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.