A day with a Duofold

I've wondered on and off for some time about getting a Duofold — ideally a Centennial (the larger size) in Big Red colour. Considering my first fountain pens were Parkers, my collection is alarmingly Parker-free. A few things have put me off from getting a Duofold, though. First is the price. These are flagship-priced pens, …

The redesigned Galen Writing Box looks promising

A quick post, all. Galen Leather came through on their promise to send me a third writing box. It arrived about a week ago. I had to pay about 45 quid for import charges, but that didn't bother me one bit. These guys have gone out of their way over a period of months to …

Travels with pens: Krakow and a new 149

Back to the airport... I always knew that I'd get another Montblanc 149 to replace the one I sold. There's something about the proportions that's just perfect, and it's a timeless design. And a work trip to Krakow this week presented me with an opportunity to scratch the itch. The Montblanc boutique in Terminal 5 …

Looking ahead to the London Writing Equipment Show

I didn't make it to the Bristol Pen Show this year, or Newcastle. Due to an unexpected business trip I won't make the London Pelikan Hub next week, alas. So the LWES in October will be my only pen show of the year (gasp!) and there's a lot riding on it. To say I'm looking …

Travels with pens: Austria

I spent the past week in Austria, surrounded by mountains, forests and lakes. It was a proper family holiday, but that didn't mean I left my pens behind. As usual before a trip, I spent more time planning which pens to take than anything else. These five made the cut. Left to right: Pelikan M400 …