On Collecting Pens...

While updating my pen database this morning, it occurred to me how pleased I am with my pen collection at present. I am also pleased to say that I am no longer actively seeking pens for my collection. It's more along the lines of: If I see something I like, I might buy it - or I might not. I'm getting extremely specific now... it's easy to dismiss pens which once caught my eye.

I have been using fountain pens exclusively since 2004, when my collection consisted of several nice pens purchased a few years earlier and a few cheapies from my school days. One day in 2005, I put "fountain pen collecting" into Google, did some reading, and subsequently joined "Rambling Snail" (a now-defunct website which was the precursor to the FPN). When the RS domain was finally abandoned, I registered at the FPN in April 2006, having been a lurker there for several months.

Since that time, my collection has grown. Approximately ~130 pens are listed in this blog as part of my collection, but my database has something closer to 170 records, which is more correct. I have several duplicates of some pens, and then some cheapies, oddities and junkers which are not listed. Let's just say I have enough pens to occasionally 'rediscover' pens in a box or case which I completely forgotten I had.

In Q4 2007, I began drawing classes, and since January 2008 I have also been attending bi-weekly painting lessons, so both my pen collecting and my artistic pursuits have become my primary hobby - but pen collecting is slipping. I have simply lost the enthusiasm for pen collecting. I no longer make a dozen posts on the FPN a day, and also I simply don't enjoy visiting the site as much as I used to.

This is not some farewell post – I am most certainly not packing up my pens and going home, but my interest *has* shifted slightly. As an example: I have spent $6000 on art supplies this year, which normally would have been spent on pens. So yeah... a slight shift has occurred...

However, as I type, I am expecting a Pelikan Polar Lights this week, a Danitrio Mt. Fuji next week, and on top of that, a custom Nakaya will arrive at the end of the year. Along the way there will be others... (the Delta 'Aromatherapy' looks neat, for example!)

I guess I just wanted to say that if I seem absent, or if this blog goes without a post for a few weeks, it's because I'm sitting on the other side of the room, fountain pen (loaded with Sailor Kiwagura Waterproof Black) or paintbrush in hand, drawing or painting quietly. ;)

Pelikan Polar Lights M640

Tonight I ordered the rather delicious 'Polar Lights' SE, the latest pen in the Pelikan Natural Wonders series. Green and black, a very sexy combination. One thing though, why do the Sahara and Niagara look so... completely blah - while the Polar Lights looks so sexy...? One of life's mysteries...

Anyway, the pen is coming from Richard Binder, complete with one of those XXXF nibs which I love so much. :)

Sailor 1911 "Hanshin Tigers" LE

Here is a 1911 you won't see too often...

More details have been posted on FPN. :)

Sailor "Hougado" Edition Pens

Two very beautiful Sailor Professional Gear Slim pens joined my collection this week: a Hougado Brown and a Hougado Green.
Inked with Sailor-Hougado Deep Rust Black and Deep Moss Black respectively.

A Pilot Gift

Last week I received a very generous gift - a 1979 Pilot Red Stripe (model name unknown, so that's what I'm calling it).

I received this lovely gift because I mentioned in passing that the pen and I shared the same date code - "1179" (November 1979).

The prized Red Stripe:
Thank you. :)

Third Nakaya

I am about to sign-off on the design for my third Nakaya Piccolo!

I'm very excited about this special order... but I won't be revealing any details - all I will say is that it will feature the Chinkin / Chinkoku technique.

Happy, happy, happy!

Pens Incoming...

The following pens will hopefully join my collection soon...

• Danitrio Takumi "Mt Fuji"
• Nakaya Piccolo Special Order
• Sailor Pro Gear LE, "KAN"
• Sailor Pro Gear Slim LE, "Hougado Brown"
• Sailor Pro Gear Slim LE, "Hougado Green"
• Sailor 1911 LE, "Hanshin Tigers"

Yay!!!

Sailor "Dandelion" LE

Today my tenth Sailor Professional Gear arrived! This is a full-size LE called the Sailor-Mitsukoshi "Dandelion" - only fifty pens were produced.


This LE was accompanied by a bottle of Sailor yellow-green ink, specifically blended to match the colour of the pen.

The whole combination is rather sexy, IMO! :)

Paint Boxes

I love paint boxes... ever since I was old enough to have my first Crayola paint set (and then a Crayola "Caddy" once a year for several years, thereafter), I have never ceased to take delight in opening a paint box and seeing those little jewels of colour laid out within.

Earlier this year, when I took up watercolour painting again, I dug out my various paint boxes and set about preparing a field / sketch / plein air kit. Most of the artist's quality paint manufacturers make a vast array of travel and field paint boxes or paint sets, suitable for every occasion. I own several, of which Winsor & Netwon are likely the best-known brand.

I like metal paint boxes, and so I have recently been looking at buying an empty box with the idea of filling it with full or half-pans myself, but nothing had caught my eye - until I found some wonderful metal paint boxes on the Natural Pigments website!

Natural Pigments formulate artist's watercolour and oil paint using rare, traditional pigments, which make for a more subdued, classical palette (you won't find Quinacridone Magenta here). The Natural Pigments paint brand is Rublev, and I was excited to see Rublev Watercolors pre-packaged in heavy duty enamel paint boxes - here was a perfect opportunity to get the metal paint boxes I wanted, and also experiment with a different type of watercolour paint in a classical palette.

I went a little overboard and ordered three paint boxes, two are shown below:

• J.R. Cozens Travel Palette
  A muted and warm palette comprised of 8 half-pans (box can accommodate 12 half-pans), in a black enamel Bijou-style paint box with an built-in water bottle (35ml), integrated water dish and two mixing wells inside the lid. (I was ecstatic to find this paint box, as I have admired the W&N version for some time.)
  
• 18th Century Palette
  A beautiful and natural palette comprised of 12 full-pans, this large paint box has a flip-out mixing area as well as four mixing wells in the lid.
  
• Introductory Palette
  An expanded natural palette comprised of 16-half pans, this paint box also has a flip-out mixing area, and three mixing wells in the lid. (Not pictured.)

All of the Rublev boxes have a thumb-loop and v-clips to secure the pans - they are very well-made and sturdy.

As I already have my W&N Bijou Box for an 8 half-pan palette, I decided to modify the Cozens palette slightly:

I replaced an earth red, plus the blue ochre and black for paints with broader mixing capabilities, as well as adding a couple of essentials.

(PS: That travel paint box really *is* as adorable as it looks!)

Sailor KAN LE

Soon I'll add the beautiful Sailor "KAN" LE to my collection - I have lusted after this full-size Pro Gear for awhile, and when a friend in Japan offered to help ship one over to me, I just couldn't refuse.

The KAN: