Product News

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  Touch Base with a Rhodia Touch

  26 March 2020

  What makes a notebook stand out is its paper. Yes, the cover's sort of important, but it's what's sandwiched in between them that really cuts the mustard. And that's why Rhodia notebooks are so loved. The paper is, quite simply, superb. There's a Rhodia notebook ......Read More

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  Blackstone Inks

  29 March 2019

  Blackstone inks began in quite a roundabout way, coming from a discussion on Fountain Pen Network, but we'll come back to that. It's an interesting story, but you may just want to know what they're doing now. Well, they're making inks in Australia, with colours based ......Read More

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  In the Garden With Pilot Pintor Markers

  1 March 2019

  Spring has sprung, the grass is riz. Or so that peculiar poem goes. Having just experienced a very spring-like warmest February ever, we're definitely looking forward to 'proper' springtime, and possibly the loveliest months of the year: March, April and May. And what do you ......Read More

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  Meet the Brand: edding

  1 March 2019

  When you're looking for a marker that will do exactly what you want it to do, it's an edding that you'll need. It's a proper marker. It doesn't matter what you want to mark, or how (or even why), it'll perform just as you want ......Read More

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  The Secret Life of the Pencil - Book and Premium Pencil Pack

  10 October 2018

  It started with the book. We weren't particularly planning to sell the book, but it was an interesting new book about pencils, so we wanted to see it. It's all about creative people, but from the point of view of the pencils they use. Instead ......Read More

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  Robert Oster Inks

  8 October 2018

  If you have a fountain pen, and you use bottled ink, you haven't been short of choices for inks to use. From old classics like Parker Quink, Waterman and Pelikan 4001, to interesting Japanese inks from Sailor, Pilot and Platinum. From the vast selection of ......Read More

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  Cult Pens Iridescink - Meet Robert and Maureen

  2 October 2018

  We have two new exclusive inks, made by Diamine, with lots of sheen. If you just want to buy them, you can go and get them here. If you want to know more about how this happened, and perhaps the bigger question, how they ended ......Read More

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  The Dynamic Duo of Diamine

  2 October 2018

  If you were to slice Christine Joynson open, she'd probably bleed Dragon Blood Shimmer ink. Bit of a macabre start to a blog post, I fear, so I should apologise - sorry. There. Now that’s out of the way, I'll explain… Christine is one half of ......Read More

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  TWSBI GO - The Perfect Fountain Pen for Ink Geeks and Students

  4 September 2018

  Generally TWSBI pens are aimed squarely at pen geeks. And we love that about them. Well, we would, we are pen geeks. 'Normal' for TWSBI is still bottle-fed pens, with transparent barrels so you can watch the ink slosh about inside; often supplied with the ......Read More

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  Field Notes Tenth Anniversary

  2 February 2018

  Field Notes was a simple idea. Designer Aaron Draplin had developed a bit of a fascination with old farmer's notebooks. Companies that made seed, sold parts for tractors, or fertiliser, would make little books. Sometimes they were printed, with information about their products and how ......Read More

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  Manuscript and Charlie

  25 October 2017

  Manuscript - the word alone conjures up one of two things: either a thick pile of A4 sheets with double-spaced type representing a hopeful author's literary debut; or - if you're more of a romantic bent - a scroll-like piece of parchment covered with curly ......Read More

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  New LOCLEN Pens and Pencils

  24 October 2017

  It's not all that long since we first introduced LOCLEN to you, but we're about to do it again. It does make some sense - they've seen a lot of changes, expanded their premises, and have launched a number of new products. Founder Carlo Vazzoler has ......Read More

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  Michael's Paper Republic Notebook Cover

  9 May 2017

  I've been tempted by the idea of a 'Traveler's Notebook' for a long time. They always look beautiful, and it's a nice simple idea. I'd drifted away from using notebooks much in the last few years, which reduced the temptation a bit, and each version ......Read More

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  J Herbin Scented Inks

  9 December 2016

  Your sense of smell is incredibly evocative, probably more so than any of the other four senses. Random scents can conjure up long-buried memories; they can make you smile with pleasure (newly-baked bread, fresh coffee), or wrinkle your nose in disgust. Some - like petrol, ......Read More

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  Derwent Inktense Creative Morning

  3 October 2016

  Cult Pens Get Inktensely Messy! We don't just sit around answering the phone or writing newsletters or wandering around the warehouse picking orders, you know. Oh no. Sometimes we spread the Tiverton Gazette over the meeting room table, dish out some Derwent and get arty (well ......Read More

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  Pentel's 70th Anniversary

  3 October 2016

  What do Dolly Parton, Joanna Lumley and Steven Spielberg have in common? Well not a great deal, it must be said, apart from the fact that they are the same age - yes, 70! - as Pentel, one of the most recognisable pen brands in ......Read More

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  Old Favourites Return - the Jotter and Silvine Notebooks

  12 September 2016

  Two classic designs that will bring back memories for many of us - the Parker Jotter and the Silvine Notebook. The Jotter has been around since 1954, and while it wasn't the first ballpoint pen, it quickly became one of the most popular, with over 750 ......Read More

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  LOCLEN

  8 August 2016

  Think of Italy and the usual stuff comes to mind - sunbaked terracotta-tiled roofs… hillsides covered with vineyards and olive groves… certain red sports cars with a prancing horse logo… and of course, spaghetti. How about pens? No? Well, that's understandable, but we hope to ......Read More

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  ACME Studio

  3 August 2016

  "Beep, beep." For those of you old enough to remember, ACME featured heavily in Wile E Coyote's arsenal in his ongoing battle against the Road Runner, usually featuring some device that didn't work, or did work, but not in the way he wanted. Ironically, 'acme' ......Read More

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  Cross 21st Century

  2 June 2016

  Staggeringly, over 100 million (yes, million) Cross Classic Centuries have been sold in the last 70 years. Quite an achievement; they must be doing something right! To celebrate, and also to commemorate 170 years of Cross innovation, they have created the extremely special 21st Century ......Read More

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  Start Bay Notebooks - For The Adventure

  10 May 2016

  Start Bay notebook covers - as the names suggests if you're familiar with the West Country - are made on the south coast of Devon. They're leathery (very leathery) and tough (very tough) and really nice. They are the vision of Peter Cattermole, and are hand-made ......Read More

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  Jessica Palmer

  12 April 2016

  Jessica Palmer produces the sort of art that - if you're a talentless twit such as myself - makes you really wish you could draw. So it's a good job that colouring books for adults is an avenue into which she's ventured, because at least ......Read More

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  Platinum #3776

  13 November 2015

  The #3776 from Platinum is a longstanding classic among fountain pens, though still not as well known as it should be outside its native Japan. With its traditional and simple styling, comfortable shape to hold, and legendary nib quality, the #3776 has long been a ......Read More

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  Meet the Brand: Koh-i-Noor

  8 September 2015

  Googling 'Koh-i-Noor' frequently results in either listings of Indian restaurants or references to the famous diamond that adorns the Queen's crown. But look a little further and you will see that Koh-i-Noor is also a rather good manufacturer of pencils, pens and general art supplies; ......Read More

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  Kum Memory Point Brushes

  12 August 2015

  KUM’s Memory Point brushes solve, or at least help with, three of the biggest problems artists face with existing brushes. If you use paint brushes, and have any of these problems, you’ll want to try them: Most brushes lose their shape easily, and don’t spring back ......Read More

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  Zentangle

  12 August 2015

  Zentangle is, essentially, a way of doodling with some added structure. Yes, you could just doodle from scratch, deciding what to draw as you go, but that involves more thinking, and this is supposed to be relaxing. Zentangle is about relaxing and going with the ......Read More

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  Uni Chalk Markers

  7 July 2015

  To give you an idea of just how versatile Uni-ball's Chalk Markers are, we asked a friendly sign writer - Zoe Rowley - to experiment with them and give us her opinion. Here's what she had to say:'They're great pens - given that they are wet ......Read More

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  Quiver

  7 July 2015

  Quivers are traditionally used to carry arrows. But not in this case. These days there's not much call for arrow-holders outside of archery clubs, but there is certainly a call for somewhere stylish to store a pen or two. Not slung over your back in ......Read More

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  Tomoe River Paper

  12 May 2015

  Tomoe River paper has been long-awaited. Many people in the UK have already used it, by ordering it in from other countries, with the delays and import duties that can involve. It’s famous around the world among those a little obsessed with this sort of ......Read More

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  Win National Garden Centre vouchers with Cross Botanica

  17 April 2015

  Win National Garden Centre vouchers with Cross BotanicaSpring has sprung, and what better way to celebrate than with a trip to a Garden Centre? Even better, what if you had £100 to spend there? £100 that didn't have to come out of your bank account? ......Read More

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