Your on-line writing instrument magazine, featuring detailed reviews, history, news, shows, and product annoucements, and more links to writing instrument focused sites than any other source.
Pen Show Calendar updated: Seventeen shows have 2013 dates set!
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Featured Articles
A new review of a very nice pen from Italy, the Filcao Sylvia. An homage to the classic Pelikan 100N, and pens that the 100N inspired by pen makers in Settimo Torinese, near Turin, Italy.
Classic Pens LB5 King Profit 2012 Final Prototypes
We review the final pre-production prototypes of the Classic Pens LB5 in Flame Red and Space Blue, the first Limited Edition based on the Sailor King of Pen.
Inkograph Ink-D-Cator Hooded Nib Pen c1943-1947
Inkograph did make standard nib pens, using the Wallace brand in the 1920s and then starting sometime in the mid-1930s, Ink-D-Cator, as the pens had visulated ink-view sections. We verified this with a Wallace flyer from 1928 and the Inkograph Mickey Mouse line from 1935. So we are pleased to be able to better identify this pen and learn more about a very uncommon find.
Mabie Todd Advertisement Gallery
We have updated and added to the slideshow of seven original scans of Mabie Todd advertising.
Inkograph Advertisement Gallery
We have updated and added to the slideshow of nine original scans of Inkograph advertising.
Library Of Vintage Pen And Pencil User Guides
We've added seven new user guides to the Library: two Parker 51 from 1949 and 1963 showing the first Aero-Metric and the cartridge versions, Sheaffer Triumph 1943 including a how to fly with your Triumph guide, Sheaffer Stratowriter 1947, and a c1918 Waterman's. Thanks to David Oye for this contribution! Also General Manufacturing, makers of the Snapfil and Kaligraf c1918 and Williamson c1910s. Thanks to Len Provisor for this contribution! Added Parker Duofold, Victory, or Slimfold User Guide 1955 (UK). Thanks to John Hancox for this contribution! We have also added a new Sheaffer c1966 user guide!
Why is this woman smiling? Because she just got a Sheaffer Glideriter, the fun new way to write! We have done a significant update to this article, including a lot more information on all of the Sheaffer soft tip pens introduced in the 1960s.
We have updated and added to the slideshow of ten original scans of Venus advertising.
PenHero 365: Sheaffer Snorkel Masterpiece
Another look at one of the finest pens ever made, with some personal reflections. From all of us at PenHero.com, we wish the best to you and your family this Holiday Season. Merry Christmas!
BIC Silver Anniversary Pen c1975
A gold plated, sterling silver vermeil BIC pen? Who would think of such a thing? We revisit this crazy 25th anniversary BIC pen from the 1970s.
Cross 150th Anniversary Limited Edition 1996
We've revisited and updated our review of this exceptional Limited Edition, based on an Art-Deco Cross fountain pen and pencil set from the 1930s.
We've done an update of our article on the Parker 95 to include details of each model in the line. These were nice, thin type pens produced between the Arrow and the 88/Rialto.
Parker Vacumatic Golden Web 1936-1937
We just completed a full update, with new photos, of our article about the Parker Vacumatic Golden Web, one of our most favorite pens!
Parker Duofold Replica By Chris Thompson
Sometimes having a pen collection means rediscovering a pen you haven't looked at in years. We took this pen with us to a pen club meeting and remembered why we bought it - a great replica with an especially nice Parker Canada flexible Duofold nib! Here is a re-look at our original review.
John Holland Jewel Inlay Pen c1930
We revisit this very unusual inlaid pen from a notable regional pen maker from the 1930s.
We have updated a slideshow of fourteen original scans of Conklin advertising.
We take a look at one of the more uncommon Eversharp models of the 1940s.
Mabie Todd Blackbird / Swan Double Stamped
We revisit a double stamped Mabie Todd pen from the 1930s. Which is it? Blackbird or Swan?
Mabie Todd Swan Visofil Filling System
Mabie Todd developed not one, but two very unusual ink-visible filling systems in the 1930s. See how these pens work!
Wearever De Luxe "Mother of Pearl" c1940-1944
An eyecatching Wearever model from the 1940s with a most unusual nib design!
Esterbrook Advertisement Gallery
We have updated our gallery of Esterbrook advertisements to a total of 20 and a new slideshow feature. Check it out!
Revisit a fascinating look at how Élysée applied Chinese cloisonné techniques to its Limited Edition pens.
Waterman Man 100 Gold "Specimen"
We revisit a most interesting pen that answers the question, "how does a pen dealer show a solid gold pen?"
We revisit one of our earlier reviews of a surprisingly nice entry level pen, one of three Waterman pens that bore the name Skywriter.
Pen News
Montblanc Great Characters: Albert Einstein Limited Edition 2013
Montblancʼs tribute to the genius of the worldʼs most revered scientist is the third in its Great Character series, begun in 2009 to honor great individuals of the 20th century who "created history with their groundbreaking work."
Montblanc Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco 2012
A true icon of the 20th century, Grace Kelly, who became H.S.H. Princess Grace, is remembered and revered for her classic beauty and her inimitable style in a collection of three writing instruments from Montblanc.
The Montblanc Meisterstück Mozart Jewelry Collection
Montblanc has introduced a super upscale version of the "Hommage à Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" aimed at successful women, called the Montblanc Meisterstück Mozart Jewelry Collection.
Pen News Feed
January, 2013
Stocks gain amid US holiday - Astrid Business iAfrica.com, January 22, 2013
Richemont Sales +5% in December Quarter -IDEX Online, January 21, 2013
South African stocks fall as Richemont wilts -Reuters.com, January 21, 2013
Richemont Misses Forecasts On Weak Asia Sales -Jacob Wolinsky, ValueWalk, January 21, 2013
UPDATE 3-Richemont points to China slowdown, spooks sector - Astrid Wendlandt and Emma Thomasson, globalpost, January 21, 2013
Richemont Posts Higher Sales In Q3 - RTTNews, January 21, 2013
MONTBLANC : Le stylo Albert Einstein - Sandra. P, Gemme Fashion, January 21, 2013
Premiummarke Montblanc - inar.de, January 21, 2013
Richemont: The creative and the money man join forces - James Shotter, FT.com, January 20, 2013
A fountain of knowledge on putting pen to paper - Patrick Skene Catling, IrishTimes.com, January 19, 2013
Montblanc Kicks Off First U.S. Pop-Up Shop - Rachel Stone, Fashion Broadway World.com, January 18, 2013
Luxury stores pop up in hotels for inauguration - Hadley Malcolm, USA TODAY, January 17, 2013
Montblanc homenajea a Einstein con una estilográfica de lujo - Miguel Ángel Villar, Dinaster, January 17, 2013
Pelikan Pen: Fahrney’s Pens to Award Pelikan Fountain Pen to Handwriting Contest Winner in Celebration of National Handwriting Day - timesunion.com, January 17, 2013
Montblanc launches limited edition writing instrument Pablo Picasso - Hindustan Times, January 17, 2013
Nouvelle édition limitée Montblanc - Cécile Michel, Les Echos, January 16, 2013
DSF 2013: Bentley Mulsanne worth Dh1.3m, but Montegrappa 18k gold pen costs Dh3.1m - Parag Deulgaonkar, Emirates 24/7, January 16, 2013
The Dh3 million pen and other luxuries on display at the Burj Al Arab - Colin Simpson, The National, January 16, 2013
Montblanc Celebrate Obama’s Inauguration With Washington Pop-Up Shop - Valerie Jack, HauteLiving.com, January 16, 2013
Montblanc rend hommage à Albert Einstein - Florence, Gizmodo France, January 15, 2013
Montblanc pop-up at St. Regis Washington DC - Roger Scoble, Pursuitist, January 14, 2013
Writing instrument companies look at new sales channels - Sangeetha G., mydigitalfc.com, January 13, 2013
At Philadelphia Pen Show, artistry in hand as well as on paper - Richard Koenig, NewsWorks, January 13, 2013
The Brain Pen By Montegrappa Now Availabale From Webster's Pen Shop - Melodika.net, January 12, 2013
MyPromotionalPens.com Offers High-End Promotional Pens for Successful Branding - SBWire.com, January 11, 2013
ThePenGuy.com Donating 1% of Sales to the Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts - MarketWire, January 10, 2013
Uni-ball® Upgrades Job Search With Mashable Digital Content Series - MarketWire.com, January 7, 2013
New Metal Promotional Pens from the Pen Warehouse will be the Top Promotional Gifts for 2013 - Digtal Journal, January 6, 2013
Quella firma è preziosa - MilanoFinanza, January 5, 2013
Albert Einstein homenajeado por la firma Montblanc - Maria SJB, Embelezzia, January 4, 2013
Montegrappa presenta una edición de lo más exclusiva: la pluma Centennial Dragon - Charlie, Embelezzia, January 4, 2013
Montblanc Sprouts a Patriotic Shop in the U.S. for the Presidential Inauguration - Ann Binlot, Blouin ArtInfo, January 4, 2013
Parker’s 5th Technology: A Classy Hybrid Pen - turlynet, January 4, 2013
Get Pinpoint Accuracy And Comfort With Adonit's Jot Pro Stylus - Christine Chan, AppAdvice, January 3, 2013
How about a Porsche? - Irene Seiberling, Leader-Post, January 3, 2013
Making a difference: Works of art - Soma Basu, The Hindu, January 2, 2013
Luxor expands into consumer products space - Sangeetha G., mydigitalfc.com, January 1, 2013
December, 2012
Hassan Chraïbi, DG de Kallista et Montblanc Maroc - Zakaria Lahrach, La Vie éco, December 31, 2012
America's signature for freedom series fountain pens lead Bonhams Fine Writing Instruments Sale - artdaily.org, December 31, 2012
The Lost Art of the Handwritten Note - Philip Hensher, The Wall Street Journal, December 28, 2012
In praise of the write stuff - David Hayes, FT.com, December 28, 2012
Carving a legacy - Jeanne Millsap, The Herald-News, Chicago, IL, December 26, 2012
Diamond-studded pen a big draw at Hyderabad book fair - The Times of India, December 26, 2012
Survivors Of Time — A pen for your thoughts - Anusha Parthasarathy, The Hindu, December 25, 2012
Limited Edition Diamond Pens Launched - The Israeli Diamond Industry, December 24, 2012
Montegrappa Unveils a Million Dollar Centennial Dragon Pen - StupidDope, December 24, 2012
Lost a fountain pen nib, shared some Janesville stories - Steve Knox, GazetteXtra.com, Janesville, WI, December 22, 2012
Handwriting that’s not on a wall - Nathalie Atkinson, National Post, December 20, 2012
My Promotional Pens Announces Top Quality Promotional Pens at Low Cost - SBWire, December 18, 2012
Emirates Airline Festival of Literature announces First Fiction Adult Writing competition to run in partnership with Montegrappa - AMEInfo.com, December 13, 2012
ECM Libra buys 7% of Pelikan - Azli Jamil, FMT News, December 12, 2012
Want a Stylus with a Pen? Try the InTuition Pen/Stylus – a Kickstarter Project - Emily, PadGadget.com, December 12, 2012
Famed Montegrappa and Omas Fountain Pens and Inks Now Available Locally in Canada Through Fendrihan.com - SFGate.com, December 11, 2012
Global Stationery Products Industry - MarketWatch, December 10, 2012
Local fountain-pen manufacturer is an industry leader - Dan Gearino, The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus, OH, December 9, 2012
Wacom to release two new stylus pens for Android and Windows 8 tablets - Doug Drinkwater, TabTimes, December 4, 2012
Parker presents a new innovative product line, Parker Insignia, to India - Santanu Ganguly, India Education Diary, December 3, 2012
The write stuff - Himani Chandna Gurtoo, Hindustan Times, December 2, 2012
Türkler kalem sevmez dediler! (Turkish) - Asli Öktener, AKSAM.com, December 2, 2012
Montblanc Freedom Series limited edition fountain pens writing up to $30,000 apiece - AntiqueTrader.com, December 2, 2012
Writer's prize - Priyanka Sharma, Business-Standard.com, December 1, 2012
Montegrappa celebrates its 88th Anniversary - Live Trading News, December 1, 2012
November, 2012
Visconti’s New Van Gogh Self Portrait - Live Trading News, November 30, 2012
Comment: Forget Twitter, give me a good old fashioned fountain pen - John Taylor, Milton Keynes Citizen, November 29, 2012
The Dawning of a Wide Range of Aurora Fountain Pens Available on the Canadian Market - SFGate.com, November 29, 2012
UPDATE: Lee County officials dedicating efforts to causes of Fort Madison fires - WGEM.com, November 29, 2012
Seoul reveals poisoned pen plot - Leo Lewis, The Australian, November 28, 2012
N. Korean assassin armed with poison pens caught in Seoul - The Voice of Russia, November 27, 2012
The pen really is mightier than the sword: James Bond-style weapons used by a would-be North Korean assassin revealed by intelligence officers - Steve Nolan, MailOnline, November 27, 2012
ICEPEN combines a ballpoint pen and touchscreen stylus, looks great while doing it -Kyle Frost, Today's iPhone, November 26, 2012
'Poison' pen mightier than sword for would-be North Korean assassin - Paula Hancocks and K.J. Kwon, CNN, November 26, 2012
Poison Pen, Flashlight Gun Among North Korean Assassin's Toolkit (VIDEO) - Andy Campbell, The Huffington Post, November 26, 2012
Hero Pen plans to auction 49% stake - Chen Yang, GlobalTimes.cn, November 26, 2012
Gift Guide: The Pen Type-A - Romain Dillet, TechCrunch.com, November 26, 2012
Arnholt: Trusty fountain pen is back in hand - Mike Arnholt, Fayetteville Observer, November 25, 2012
Dupont to make pens for Louis Vuitton - AsiaOne News, November 21, 2012
PENSRUS Pens Special Gift Collection of Engraved Pens for Holiday Season - MarketWatch.com, November 9, 2012
Product Announcements
Montblanc Introduces Bespoke Nib Service 2012
Montblanc introduces a new Bespoke Nib Service, using software to analyze, record, and measure each individual's writing characteristics so that a customized nib can be prepared that fits the writer's unique style.
Montblanc Heritage Collection 1912 Limited Edition 2012
A new limited edition from Montblanc celebrating 100 years of Montblanc writing instruments and incorporating features and elements from many of the company's significant models in a modern interpretation.
Porsche Design TecFlex Black 2012
Porsche Design brings black to the iconic TecFlex line, originally released in 1999, updated for release in November, 2012.
Porsche Design Shake Pen Twist Black 2012
Porsche Design has released a new matte black twist model of the popular Shake Pen in October, 2012.
A review of Andreas Lambrou's latest tome, Fountain Pens of Japan, a huge lavishly illustrated coffee table book covering the history of the fountain pen and its industry in Japan from around 1880 to the present.
Porsche Design Laser Flex 2012
Porsche Design is releasing several exciting new models in 2012, and one of the most intriguing is the new Laser Flex ballpoint pen. This new pen is expected to be released in November, 2012.
Sheaffer Sagaris Writing Instruments 2012
Sheaffer announces the new Sagaris line, is due to be released at the end of October, 2012. The Sagaris will remind you of the Imperial and Triumph pen lines that began in the early 1960s and continued through many variations through the late 1990s.
Classic Pens LB5 King Profit Themes 2012
Themes and colors chosen for the Classic Pens LB5!
Classic Pens LB5 King Profit 2012
Finally, Classic Pens has the Sailor King of Pens as a Limited Edition - October, 2012 release!
Pen Show Calendar:
March, 2013
Baltimore Pen Show
March 1-3, 2013
Tremont Grand
Baltimore, MD, USA
Arkansas Pen Show
March 8-9, 2013
Wyndham Riverfront Little Rock Hotel
North Little Rock, AR, USA
Long Island Pen Show
March 16-17, 2013
Hofstra University Student Center
Hempstead, Long Island, NY, USA
Eastern Pen Show
March 17, 2013
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel
Cambridge, UK
April, 2013
Atlanta Pen Show
April 12-14, 2013
Wyndham Atlanta Galleria
Atlanta, GA, USA
Northern Pen Show
April 21, 2013
Clifton Arms Hotel
Lytham, Lancashire, UK
See the full 2013 calendar here.
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