Category: Ink

Fountain Pen Favorites for April 2016

LauraLeave a comment

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April was indeed the cruellest month around here. The weather was drear, everyone caught and recaught colds, and friends had stuff to deal with. But it’s all over now, baby blue. So we’ll scratch our metaphorical match and start anew.

The good news is that I’ve finally shaken off my post-pen show cold. And the other good news is that, at least in terms of fountain pens and inks, April actually had some nice highlights.

1. Chicago Pen Show. Four full days. Lots of fun. I bought some great things. And I have a lot of pens on the wishlist now. One pen actually made the buy list. I just have to wait for it to be released. Patience is one of the virtues I really need to work on.

2. Venvstas Carbon T. I do like my new pen.

3. Box o’ Stuff.  In the midst of cruel April, a box of pens and ink landed on my doorstop. The only thing I’ve taken out that box, so far, is the Dark Lilac Lamy Safari and ink. But there’s much better inside. I’ll look forward to those.

 

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Photo by Dafne Cholet, Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.

Wrapping up the 2016 Chicago Pen Show: Part 2

Laura5 Comments

2016 Chicago Pen Show fountain pens for sale

It’s not a pen show without pens, of course. So when I confessed in Part 1 of the 2016 Chicago Pen Show Wrap-Up that I hardly had any time to look at pens, I meant “look at” in the serious-buyer sense. I saw a lot of gorgeous pens this year. The lights were bright, as you can see, but that’s not the only reason I was dazzled.

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Wrapping Up the 2016 Chicago Pen Show: Part 1

Laura5 Comments

Chicago Pen Show ballroom on trader day

As you know if you follow the blog, last weekend was the 2016 Chicago Pen Show. Above is a photo from Thursday, before the show was set up for the public, and before most of the vendors had even arrived. What a carpet, huh?

This year the pen show went from Thursday, April 28 through Sunday, May 1.  I was helping out, so I was there every day. On the good news/bad news front, I hardly had any time to shop for myself. But that’s okay. If you aren’t a serious collector, a pen show can be kind of a reconnoitering mission. You see things, and you mull.

But the show was amazing. I’d like to give a briefer overview in this part, and then in the next part go more in depth about some of the pens and people.

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Pen of the Day: Parker Duofold Centennial

Laura4 Comments

Parker Duofold Centennial Black and Pearl with Rohrer & Klingner Fernambuk ink

Parker Duofold Centennial with medium stub. This is the modern Duofold in Black and Pearl. I saw a few of these at the pen show. Along with a number of vintage Duofolds in the original black and pearl celluloid. So it’s nice to take out mine again.

However, the main thing I’m interested in today is the ink, Rohrer & Klingner Fernambuk.

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Ink Snippet: Lamy Dark Lilac

Laura3 Comments

Lamy Dark Lilac ink writing sample

Lamy Dark Lilac. Along with my Dark Lilac Lamy Safari I ordered a box of cartridges of the accompanying ink. In the Safari with medium nib, Dark Lilac ink is a nice dark purple, fairly saturated, and without much shading. It really flows well, too.

Lamy Dark Lilac ink writing sample

Here is Dark Lilac ink compared to two purple inks I own and then to a standard blue ink and black ink for reference.

Lamy Dark Lilac ink writing sample comparisons

Dark Lilac is dark enough that you could possibly get away with it at work. Depending, of course, on how fabulous your work setting is, and on how cool, or near-sighted, your boss is.

It’s a Sign o’ the Times that this purple also makes me think of the recently departed Prince. Would the Purple One himself like this ink? Oh yeah: it totally reminds me of the cover of 1999.

Lamy Dark Lilac ink writing sample

Pen of the Day: Venvstas 77 “Chicago”

Laura4 Comments

Venvstas 77 "Chicago" fountain pen and J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage

Venvstas 77 “Chicago” with medium nib. Sadly, this Venvstas isn’t mine. But happily, Venvstas has made this special edition 77 just for next week’s Chicago Pen Show. The Chicago 77 will be available as a demo at the show, and one lucky person will win it.

This 77 has a two-dimensional glossy carbon fiber body and polished stainless steel trim. I’ll put together a review soon, but spoiler alert, I like it. The medium nib is especially nice.

Venvstas 77 "Chicago" fountain pen and J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage

It’s spring here, but unseasonably cold and blustery. Nonetheless, it was the green grass of spring that inspired me to ink the Chicago 77 with J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage. And it’s perfect. It reminds me of Wrigley Field, the most Chicago place of all.

J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage writing sample

Pen of the Day: Venvstas Carbon T

Laura2 Comments

Venvstas Carbon T fountain pen and J. Herbin Rouge Opera ink

Venvstas Carbon T with fine nib. Yes, I just got this, and yes, I already shared some photos, and yes, I am working on a longer review. But it can also be Pen of the Day. Because today is a day, and the Carbon T is the pen I’m using.

Venvstas Carbon T fountain pen and J. Herbin Rouge Opera ink

Also, this lets me show J. Herbin Rouge Opera ink.

There are three J. Herbin inks with the first name Rouge — the Rouges Bourgogne, Caroubier and Opera. Each offers something lovely. Bourgogne is the pinkest, Caroubier is the most unusual, and Opera is the reddest. But Rouge Opera is from J. Herbin, so it’s a stylish sort of red.

J. Herbin Rouge Opera ink writing sample