Retrospective

Retrospective: Wednesday November 20

November 20, 2019

Articles I’ve read:

Reviewing The Dingbats Case Bound A5 Notebook (Write Experience) ✑ detailed review of a notebook that has been on my radar for a little while.
Schon Design “Pocket Six” Fountain Pen Review (edjelly) ✑Great looking and cute! Shame about the short-cartridge-only (for me).
review: robert oster signature direct sun (Ink Sharks) ✑ A rich Robert Oster red ink. A little too cool for my liking but how do you find it?
Review: M800 Brown-Black (2019) (The Pelikan’s Perch) ✑ I was really hoping when this was announced that the brown of the cap was lighter than the Tortoiseshell Brown and it is! So pretty!
review: robert oster signature 1980s colours honey bee (Ink Sharks) ✑ I love this colour from Robert Oster! Lovely yellow tan!

Check out my Sponsors and help out the blog:

Pen Chalet (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ Some great sale prices on Montegrappa plus Pen Chalet’s Exclusive Colorverse ink set looks great and is on sale!
Standard Bindery (10% off code: StandardMacchiato) ✒︎ Are selling the surprisingly pretty Platinum Prefounte Fountain Pen (I quite like Night Sea). They also have some high quality Tomoe River Traveler’s Notebook inserts that I use for my mini reviews on my instagram! As well they released some minimalistic letters and cards.
Pen Classics ✒︎ TWSBI inks and Papier Plume and Dingbats notebooks are for sale now. I love Papier Plume but I’m interested in the TWSBI.
Pen Savings (12% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ They have a three-piece of the Monteverde show exclusives for sale. The Blue is great and the ora age and teal look interesting! My go to place for US inks such as Organics Studio, Noodler’s, Monteverde, and Private Reserve. My favourites are Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses, Golden Brown, Navy and Turquoise as well as Private Reserve Avocado!
La Couronne do Comte (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN10) ✒︎ New Montblanc inks (Disney, Cigar Scented), grab (a pre-order) or Sailor’s international exclusive inks for a great intro price, and I always throw in a paper product or two in my orders!
Desk Bandit ✒︎ Recently started stocking some beautiful Ferris Wheel Press inks and pens. Sailor’s 100 Ink Studio inks are available for international sales here! Also the only place I know that stocks Carpink! Also Noodler’s Harold’s Hearse looks interesting!

Retrospective: Sunday November 3

November 03, 2019

Over on my Instagram (and my Facebook) I’m doing mini reviews every week or so. These a smaller and slightly less detailed ink reviews compared to what I do here. Make sure to follow one of those if you want to keep up with them! Here’s what I’ve reviewed so far (there’s meant to be a loose gradient).

Articles I’ve read:

True grails (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ Anthony brings up a topic I feel somewhat strongly about and I completely agree with his definition of grail!
review: robert oster signature bronze and review: robert oster signature khaki (inksharks) ✑ Some great reviews of some similar Robert Oster inks!
Introducing Eureka fountain pens from South Korea (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ Silver nibbed fountain pen nibs! Fascinating!
Ink Review: Vanness Pens/Joey Feldman “Inktober” and “Good Evening” (The Gentleman Stationer) ✑ Inktober is an interesting dark grey!
A Classic of Luxury and Status: The Montblanc Meisterstuck “149” – Part I (Throughout History) ✑ a thorough writeup on the famous Montblanc Meisterstuck (and just part 1)!
The Best Value Buys in Fountain Pens in 2019 (The Gentleman Stationer) ✑ I can’t say I disagree with this ‘list’ (it’s more thought out a general ‘list’ post)!

Check out my Sponsors and help out the blog:

Pen Chalet (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ Visconti Medici Palladium Trim for a very decent price! check out the sales page! Great range of eclectic brands! From 3•Osters to Taccia inks and from Taccia to Wancher fountain pens! They currently have buy-one-get-one-free for Monteverde inks and a good price on Platinum PTL-5000A Balance!
Standard Bindery (10% off code: StandardMacchiato) ✒︎ Are taking preorders for a second shipment of Hobonichi’s 2020 books. They also have some high quality Tomoe River Traveler’s Notebook inserts that I use for my mini reviews on my instagram!
Pen Classics ✒︎ TWSBI Diamond Eco Transparent Purple pre-order is up! A great place to grab Krishna’s increasingly sheeny inks and Stationery TAG’s Kyo-no-oto and Kyo-iro! Also Hurlestone Pen Pillows!
Pen Savings (12% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ My go to place for US inks such as Organics Studio, Noodler’s, Monteverde, and Private Reserve. My favourites are Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses, Golden Brown, Navy and Turquoise as well as Private Reserve Avocado!
La Couronne do Comte (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN10) ✒︎ Grab (a pre-order) or Sailor’s international exclusive inks for a great intro price.
Desk Bandit ✒︎ Recently started stocking some beautiful Ferris Wheel Press inks and pens. Sailor’s 100 Ink Studio inks are available for international sales here! Also the only place I know that stocks Carpink!

Retrospective: Thursday September 23rd

September 23, 2019

How was everyone’s Pelikan Hub (those off you who were able to attend? I was Hubmaster in Perth, Western Australia and from my perspective it went really well! Always an exciting part of the year when Pelikan puts on these amazing shindigs! The only downside was my Hub being omitted from the Pelikan Magazine’s Hub Map!

Articles I’ve read:

Vinta Inks Overview (The Well-Appointed Desk) ✑ I recently picked up a couple of Vinta inks. They look great and it’s really helpful to have this overview!

Ink Review #842: Vinta Emerald Carlos 1960 (Mountain of Ink) ✑ Speaking of Vinta, this is a beautiful green!
Flooding the Market? A Recap of Lamy’s 2019 Special and Limited Releases (The Gentleman Staitoner) ✑ Thourough recap and discussion on Lamy’s year.
Onoto’s new plunger filler is a blast from the past — for a price (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ an in depth discussion on the new (old) Onoto filling mechanism.
Fountain Pen Review: Karas Pen Co. Vertex (Delrin) (The Well-Appointed Desk) ✑ I wasn’t particularly wowed by Karas Kustoms first plastic fountain pen but this one looks a lot nicer (even though I will still be sticking to their aluminium pens!) but that nib etching is very nice!

Check out my Sponsors and help out the blog:

Standard Bindery (10% off code: StandardMacchiato) ✒︎ Are taking preorders for a second shipment of Hobonichi’s 2020 books. They also have some high quality Tomoe River Traveler’s Notebook inserts that I use for my mini reviews on my instagram!
Pen Classics ✒︎ TWSBI Diamond Eco Transparent Purple pre-order is up! A great place to grab Krishna’s increasingly sheeny inks and Stationery TAG’s Kyo-no-oto and Kyo-iro! Also Hurlestone Pen Pillows!
La Couronne do Comte (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN10) ✒︎ Grab (a pre-order) or Sailor’s international exclusive inks for a great intro price.
Desk Bandit ✒︎ Recently started stocking some beautiful 3•Oysters inks. Sailor’s 100 Ink Studio inks are available for international sales here! Also the only place I know that stocks Carpink!
Pen Chalet (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ Visconti Medici Palladium Trim for a very decent price! check out the sales page! Great range of eclectic brands! From 3•Osters to Taccia inks and from Taccia to Wancher fountain pens! They currently have buy-one-get-one-free for Monteverde inks and a good price on Platinum PTL-5000A Balance!
Pen Savings (12% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ My go to place for US inks such as Organics Studio, Noodler’s, Monteverde, and Private Reserve. My favourites are Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses, Golden Brown, Navy and Turquoise as well as Private Reserve Avocado!

Retrospective: Sunday August 4th

August 04, 2019

My articles you may have missed:

I’ve had issues with my RSS feed (too many photos and words…) so if this somehow gets through, be sure to check out these posts you may have missed:

Articles I’ve read:

Visiting Pilot Pens Fountain Pen Factory in Hiratsuka and On Taking the Train in Tokyo (Wonderpens) ✑ Love these little posts on Japan visits! Really brings me back to Japan!
State of the collection: August 2019 (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ Anthony gives us an update on his pen collection.
The Aurora Duo-Cart could just be a modern classic (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ Anthony reviews the Aurora Duo-Cart which I absolutely loved. Now that they are back I think I’ll be taking the plunge! Light Blue or Light Green though?
Diamine Exclusive - Bloody Absinth (Nick Stewart) ✑ Diamine’s being releasing so many exclusives and limited edition inks lately! My only worry is how many of them are similar to each other (though they are definitely different!)
Ink Review: Troublemaker Inks Petrichor (The Well-Appointed Desk) A great name (coined by two Australian scientists back in 1964). Love these multi coloured inks!

Check out my Sponsors and help out the blog:

Pen Classics ✒︎ TWSBI Diamond Eco-T Coral pre-order is up! A great place to grab Krishna’s increasingly sheeny inks and Stationery TAG’s Kyo-no-oto and Kyo-iro! Also Hurlestone Pen Pillows!
Desk Bandit ✒︎ Recently started stocking some beautiful 3•Oysters inks. Sailor’s 100 Ink Studio inks are available for international sales here! Also the only place I know that stocks Carpink!
La Couronne do Comte (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN10) ✒︎ Great prices, huge variety, and good international shipping prices. I’m always checking the Specials and New Products pages! They recently added the Jacques Herbin premium products (including the inks and pens)!
Pen Chalet (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ Visconti Medici Palladium Trim for a very decent price! check out the sales page! Great range of eclectic brands! From 3•Osters to Taccia inks and from Taccia to Wancher fountain pens! They currently have buy-one-get-one-free for Monteverde inks and a good price on Platinum PTL-5000A Balance!
Pen Savings (12% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ My go to place for US inks such as Organics Studio, Noodler’s, Monteverde, and Private Reserve. My favourites are Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses, Golden Brown, Navy and Turquoise as well as Private Reserve Avocado!

Retrospective: Tuesday June 18th

June 18, 2019

Articles I’ve read:

Taiwan Pen and Stationery Shop List (Inkantadora's International Desk) ✑ I don’t exactly know how I missed that Ana created a blog in April but I’ve got some catching up to do!
Midori Traveller's Diary 2019 (Inkdependence!) ✑ I’ve been getting back into my Traveler’s Notebook for my Instagram and for this blog. I think I need this for mine!
PenBBS 469 Double-nibbed Fountain Pen (The Gentleman Stationer) ✑ “I have yet to be disappointed by a PenBBS pen, and I’ve frankly been stunned at the level of quality they manage to produce at their current price point.” I couldn’t agree more!
The simple joy of mucking about with pens (UK Fountain Pens) ✑ I personally believe everyone should try to learn basic nib maintenance and mending and this shows why!
Ink Review #774: Papier Plume Bad Bad Leroy Brown (Mountain of Ink) ✑ This brown just screams “brown” to me. It’s such a purely brown colour to my eyes.

Check out my Sponsors and help out the blog:

Desk Bandit ✒︎ Sailor Ink Studio are difficult to get! In the US they are brick and mortar only. Fortunately in Australia that isn’t the case. Sailor’s 100 Ink Studio inks are available for international sales here! Also the only place I know that stocks Carpink!
Pen Classics ✒︎ TWSBI Diamond 580AL R Purple, and the new OPUS 88 Demo colours are in! Lots of great colours to choose from. I’m a huge fan of Opus 88 pens, and a great place to grab Krishna’s increasingly sheeny inks and Stationery TAG’s Kyo-no-oto and Kyo-iro!
La Couronne do Comte (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN10) ✒︎ Great prices, huge variety, and good international shipping prices. I’m always checking the Specials and New Products pages!
Pen Chalet (10% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ Visconti Medici Palladium Trim for a very decent price! check out the sales page! Great range of eclectic brands! From 3•Osters to Taccia inks and from Taccia to Wancher fountain pens! They currently have buy-one-get-one-free for Monteverde inks and a good price on Platinum PTL-5000A Balance!
Pen Savings (12% off with MACCHIATOMAN) ✒︎ My go to place for US inks such as Organics Studio, Noodler’s, Monteverde, and Private Reserve. My favourites are Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses, Golden Brown, Navy and Turquoise as well as Private Reserve Avocado!