This week’s series of posts will have an overarching theme, starting with a bit of a rant yesterday regarding what I view as the market’s current fixation on “limited editions” and running through the post I have lined up for Saturday, in which I plan to talk about what makes a truly “limited” pen special. Today I wanted to talk a bit about the various products I’ve chosen to stock in the Curated Shop, my own small retail outpost with a strong focus on pens, pencils, and notebooks that you can purchase without having to think about whether it’s good quality and whether it’s something that will hold up to actual everyday use. Sure, there’s some fun stuff thrown in there too, and maybe even - wait for it - a limited edition or two, but you’re not going to be seeing a constant parade of new releases. Instead, I plan on building out the shop by going really deep into a handful of brands that I have grown to love and enjoy over the years, and I hope you enjoy them as well!
Select Pens with a Focus on Workhorses and Everyday Writers
The three major pen lines I’ve chosen to carry, at least initially, are TWSBI, Caran d’Ache, and Traveler’s Company, primarily because I feel these brands offer well-made, functional writing instruments across a range of price points. For example, while we sell the luxury Caran d’Ache Léman fountain pen, we also carry their $3 Eco ballpoint, which is excellent in its own right. In my opinion, TWSBI makes some of the best workhorse piston filler fountain pens on the market, and if you’re looking for vintage-inspired pocket pens, the TRC Brass Bullet Pens and Pencils are an excellent starting point. Oh, and did I mention we also sell pencils, both woodcase and mechanical?
Quality Paper That Works with Pretty Much Any Writing Instrument, Including Fountain Pens
Tired of shopping for paper and having to wonder whether it’s “fountain pen friendly”? While that’s become a loaded term, I take it to refer to paper that doesn’t feather or bleed with fountain pen ink. (For an In-depth treatment of this subject, you can check out my Guide to Fountain Pen Friendly Paper.) In my shop, nearly all of the paper I sell is usable with fountain pens, and only a handful of products don’t work exceptionally well (they’re clearly labeled as such). Most of this won’t be controversial: brands such as Clairefontaine, Rhodia, Midori, Traveler’s Company, Life, and Tomoe River have earned well-deserved reputations as “no-brainer” paper recommendations for fountain pen enthusiasts, and the Midori MD and Traveler’s Notebooks come with a wide range of available covers and accessories that allow you to create the perfect notebook “system” for your needs. I also stock a wide assortment of paper from Baltimore, Maryland-based Write Notepads, whose paper not only handles fountain pen ink exceptionally well, but also ballpoints, rollerballs, and pencils.
Desk and Reading/Writing Accessories
Now for the “fun” stuff! I’ve always had a thing for interesting, and somewhat practical, desk and writing accessories which is why nobody will ever confuse me with a minimalist. Japanese manufacturer Hightide makes a range of gorgeous hourglasses and practical folding bookstands that many of you have been enjoying, and I’m also happy to offer select washi tapes, rubber stamps, enamel pins, and reading accessories, including sterling silver bookmarks and the ever-useful Book Dart!
The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands we carry. As I noted yesterday, we have moved away from a sponsorship/affiliate revenue model, so by shopping The Curated Shop you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Many thanks!