It’s been that kind of week: I’m just now getting around to unpacking my bags from last week’s Chicago trip, before I turn around and head out the door again on Tuesday for the Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S.! I have a few review posts in the works, but couldn’t help sharing my initial swatches of five different Sailor Inks I picked up at Anderson Pens Chicago. Consistent with my latest obsession, all of these inks are double-shaders that, despite some initial hesitation, appear to be quite legible and might make good everyday writers. Also, look at the color shift in the ink as it dries! (And yes, I know I got the numbering wrong in the writing sample. 242 should be 252.)

Time lapse part 2: Check out the color change as the inks dry, especially on Ink Studio 173 and 280. Sailor Manyo HaHa is one of the prettiest double-shading blues I’ve seen.

I’m becoming a bigger fan of both Sailor Ink Studio and the Sailor Manyo inks, the more I use them. Sailor inks are always well behaved, and the Ink Studio line features dozens of unique colors unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere. Currently, you can only find these inks at select Sailor retailers, including Anderson Pens which carries the inks online and in their Appleton, Wisconsin and Chicago stores. For the record, the inks featured in this post are as follows: Sailor Manyo Haha (50ml, $19), Sailor Ink Studio 252 (20ml, $18), Sailor Ink Studio 173 (20ml, $18), Sailor Ink Studio 280 (20ml, $18), Sailor Ink Studio 670 (20ml, $18). Look for some more follow-up observations as I get these into rotation and work them through some pens.

This post does not contain affiliate links. I was not compensated for this review, and I purchased the inks with my own funds, though I did receive a slight discount on the purchase. Many thanks to Anderson Pens for making this review possible.

I’m traveling on a short family trip to Chicago this weekend, and I did want to report back that, yes, I made time for a pen-related excursion to two excellent stationery stores, Anderson Pens Chicago and Atlas Stationers. Anderson Pens Chicago is the Chicago outpost of Appleton, Wisconsin-based Anderson Pens, run by longtime friends and pen enthusiasts Lisa and Brian Anderson. Pre-pandemic, I had been planning a trip to both the Chicago and Appleton stores, but the world changed and the Chicago location was forced to close due to their location in the Palmer House Hilton (which was also closed). I was happy to learn that the Chicago store is now reopened and Lisa was in for the day so I was able to stop by and visit for an hour or so! Anderson Pens carries the full line of Sailor pens and Sailor Ink Studio Inks (which I stocked up on), as well as a wide array of other brands.

Atlas Stationers Chicago Ink Selection — Both Anderson Pens Chicago and Atlas Stationers feature a massive selection of fountain pen ink. Shown here is Atlas Stationers’ “ink aisle.”

Atlas Stationers is another longtime, family-owned Chicago stationery retailer (est. 1939!) that’s only recently become more involved in the fountain pen scene, including attending pen shows. I ducked in on Friday afternoon shortly before closing, so unfortunately I didn’t have a lot of time to look around, but I did manage to pick up some new inks from the Laban “Greek Mythology” line, as well as a sample set of the Ferris Wheel Press “Bookshoppe” Collection Ink Charger Set.

Next time you’re in Chicago - and certainly if you live in the area - you owe it to yourself to visit both of these stores. I’ll be making follow-up visits in the future, when I’ll have a chance to do more thorough photography and I don’t have the time constraints of a family trip. I love to support independent stationery retailers, and I have a section on the website where I archive past reviews and recaps of in-person visits to retailers.

This post does not contain paid advertisements or affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from The T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.