Comparing My Many Pen Cases, Because the Road to Wisdom is Excess

Posted on by Laura

fountain pen cases

I was admiring my new pen case the other day, when I decided to compare it to the other pen case I have.

Okay, stop. I fell victim right there to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is “never get involved in a land war in Asia.” But nearly as well-known is “never check your pen things after you’ve bought something new.”

Because, when I pulled out “the other pen case I have,” I found more than one. I actually found pen case after pen case — a clown car of pen cases. At least one of which I swear I’ve never seen before.

Well. Some might ask “how” or “why.” But in the spirit of the age, I’d rather ask, “How can I rebrand a character flaw into something flattering?”

Oscar Wilde is the man for this: “Moderation is a fatal thing, Lady Hunstanton. Nothing succeeds like excess.”

Or the poet William Blake: “the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.”

So what if Wilde died in exile after serving prison time, and Blake is synonymous with madness? All that means is that I have the sort of genius in pen-case ownership that isn’t recognized in its own time.

So I shall wisely compare my many pen cases.

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18 thoughts on “Comparing My Many Pen Cases, Because the Road to Wisdom is Excess”

  1. Congratulations to this diverse collection 😉
    Could you possibly show the inside of the eyeglasses-case (and it’s rough dimensions)? That seems to be a very protective and hence “travel-safe” solution.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. […] I’ve cast around a bit for inspiration, and hit upon a couple of Galen Leather pen case reviews over at Inks and Pens (January 2017), and The Well-Appointed Desk (September, 2017). In the back of my mind, I kept the image of the Kaweco distressed leather pen case reviewed by Laura over at Fountain Follies, and how much I loved the color and the finish. With all this in mind, I took a look at the Galen Leather web site, specifically for a 10 or 12 pen case, preferably in a leather and style similar to Laura’s distressed Kaweco. […]

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  3. OMG, I’ve finally found somebody who has probably the same “wisdom” with pen cases as I do. I have more than I need. I guess if I put all my pens in cases, then maybe I’d use them all. I finally broke down and got a large 48-pen case for about $20 on sale, and I put the pens I’m not currently using in there. Just to get them out of sight. If my husband can’t see them, he won’t complain (“just how many pens do you have, anyway?”). Sigh. He’s not a pen person, he can’t understand. I’m just glad he doesn’t know how much money I’ve really spent on this “hobby!”

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Oh boy. If excess were a road to wisdom I’d be the most wizened person alive. I was literally asking “where’s the rest of them?” when you were stating that you believed you have too many pen cases. I have been collecting pencil cases and pouches since middle school and since I got into the fountain pen “hobby” ::coughcoughaddictioncoughcough:: the collection has grown to ridiculous levels. I don’t have a ton of fountain pen specific pen cases, but taken with my other bags/pouches, it makes your collection look completely reasonable.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Bless you, you are kind, but I think it’s nuts. 🙂

      Agreed on the awesomeness of the brown wrap and the Kaweco Traveler. The ones I’m going to keep are those two (plus all the ones that were gifts) and the Liz Newton wrap. The others should go to people who’ll use them.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. Wow, you have a great selection of pen wraps and cases. I love them all. Thanks for sharing this. I am surprised you don’t have a Nock case too! I too would rather have smaller cases, than huge cases. I’m not leaving the house with a huge amount of pens, so I have no need for one that holds a ton of pens. I think my favorite case is my Penvelope from Franklin Christoph. The one I have holds six pens, and I keep it on my computer desk. I love the magnetic clasp on it. I can flip it open and it lays flat, if I am using several pens at one sitting. If not, I usually select one and then close it. I use this case everyday and it shows little wear after all this time.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I feel exactly the same way about preferring smaller cases. I can put two of them in my purse or bag, which lets me carry a lot of pens in a small space.

      Great choice with a Penvelope! It’s a case I’ve always admired but never pulled the trigger on. Same with the Nock. Brad had a newish model in a color I liked last year, but by the time I got back it was sold out. Both are great cases. But I think it’s clear to me now that I have enough cases. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

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