Today a wonderful Sailor Professional Gear arrived!
Behold the full-size Sailor & Bunzo Stationery 2009 "Smoke Green" LE - only twenty-five pens were produced.
This limited edition pen was accompanied by a bottle of Sailor green ink, specifically blended to match the colour of the pen. It's a beautiful deep green ink that looks perfect coming out of the EF nib.
Gorgeous, gorgeous GREEN!
The pen will remain in Japan for some time yet, until the design of a new rose gold nib is complete.
The normal Chinkin technique of engraved line work into highly polished lacquer has always seemed too much of a visual contrast to me, so I opted for the subtler approach of line work into a unpolished Shu urushi body. The unpolished finish is akin to a 'satin' finish.
In a couple of months I will be starting talks with Nakaya for a fourth Piccolo, one with a completely custom design. I don't expect to see it until 2010, however, my tradition of at least one exquisite Nakaya a year is something which I love. I never mind waiting for pens like these. :)
Photo © Nakaya Corporation.
I'm not a big fan of gel pens in general. The points are usually far too large for my handwriting, but I must say that I have been enjoying Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.25mm gel pens for some time now. I have found them to be wonderful for drawing and sketching in particular.
I really wish they were available in the full colour range, though... the 0.3mm/0.4mm colour range is beautiful.
(This concludes one of my very rare "pens-but-not-fountain-pens" posts!)
I am back from my painting workshop - it rocked!
But now for the shock: There was a lovely man in my workshop who also liked fountain pens! *Gasp!* A real, live person! Someone from outside of the internet! That liked fountain pens!
I know, I could hardly believe it myself.
So, it was lunch time, and we were standing around in a small group, chatting. Someone had asked me something about myself, and in my prattling on I threw the usual line in about collecting fountain pens. The nice man then asked me what my favourite brand was (at this point, I think I experienced a mild case of shock, because I don't remember making much sense when I tried to explain that I liked Japanese pens). Then I asked him what his favourite brand was, and it was Montegrappa! (How wonderful to hear he liked something exotic, and didn't just say Parker or Sheaffer!) I was all: "*Gasps!* I have a Montegrappa Micra!! What model do you have?! Is it an LE?!" (Plus he knew what the Micra was!!!)
Then I realized that I really was speaking with that many exclamations, so I tried to chill and not act like an over excited eight year-old. I went and fetched my Libelle 5-pen wrap and revealed the goods! I am proud to say that they were greeted with awe. I had a Nakaya Piccolo, Sailor Pro Gear, Pilot MYU M90, Pelikan Polar Lights... and something else which escapes me at present.
Anyway, next time I am in Brisbane, we're going to have lunch, and I'm going to bring some of my pens! (OMG, an outing with my pens, I thought this day would never come!)
From tomorrow, I'm heading out of town for a couple of weeks. I'm going to a two-week watercolour painting workshop, something I've been looking forward to for the last few months!
I've packed a couple of my trusty Sailor Pro Gear pens, a bottle of Noodler's Golden Brown, and a couple of Rhodia notebooks. I'm good to go!
I won't have any internet access while I am away, so bye bye for a while. :)
I am in no way ready for it to be 2009.
This year, my hedonistic little life will effectively be over. This year, my husband wants me to have a baby.
A baby.
What on earth would I do with a baby?
The whole idea is just appalling.
Not even inking one of my most-loved pens, an OMAS Princess (Saft Green) with Binder 0.3mm Stub nib, has cheered me up.
*Sulks*
My third Nakaya Piccolo will be residing in Japan for several weeks longer. I decided to wait until the new Super Extra Fine nib design is ready. It is a prettier nib, IMO.
Good things come to those who wait. :D
I am leaning toward Pink Gold, but if we don't agree that is the best match, I will probably choose the two-tone nib.
Very exciting stuff! :)
My Iroshizuku inks arrived today! Four beautiful bottles! The colours are gorgeous and bright!
(Also posted on FPN.)
I was planning to have my pen sale ready by now, but life has gotten in the way. I suddenly have two weddings to photograph out of town (one this weekend and the other next weekend), so I will have to plan my formal FPN or eBay sale for later in November.
In the meantime, here is a tentative list of the pens I am considering for sale - I still may add more.
Pre-1950s Pens
Aikin Lambert, Capitol, olive green marble, lever, 14K F.
Duchessa (Montegrappa), Unknown, pink-red marble, lever, 14K F.
Majestic, Unknown lady-size, green stripe, lever, 14K M.
Melbi, № 6, BHR, safety, steel F.
Parker, '21', black, XF.
Redipoint, Advertising Pen (Home Insurance Co.), gold fleur-de-lis relief, lever, 14K F.
Sheaffer's, Snorkel Clipper, pastel blue, PdAg F.
Sheaffer's, Snorkel Valiant, burgundy, 14K XF.
Townsend, Ringtop, tortoise marble, lever, 14K M.
Waterman, Lady Patricia Ink-Vue, pearl grey, lever, 14K factory Account/XXF.
Waterman, № 3V, moss agate, lever, 14K B.
Post-1950 and Modern Pens
Pilot, Elite 'Kara Kara' Set, blue/aqua/pink, 14K F.
Pilot, Legno 89s, deep red cherry, 14K F.
Pilot, Penko Mini, white, steel F.
Platinum, Karakusa, gold-beige, 18K F.
Sailor, 1911 Hanshin Tigers LE, black-white stripe, 21K M.
Sailor, 1911M, red, 14K EF.
Sailor, '21' Short, pink section, 21K XF.
Sailor, 'Chequered Band' Set FP/BP/MP, stainless, 14K F.
Sailor, Sapporo Slim, black rhodium, 14K EF.
Waterman, Lady Charlotte, orange-black, steel F.
Waterman, Watermina, brown marble laqué, 18K BB.
If you are interested in something please email me for more information on a pen, or for prices and photos.
