The allure of the fountain pen
In an age of screens and keyboarding, when kids hardly learn cursive anymore, fountain pens — along with their old-timey accoutrements like blotters, bottled ink and fancy nibs — are making a comeback. There are jazzy new colors and styles, and an array of affordable options…
Read the full article on AP NEWS HERE
Montegrappa Mini Mule price reduction
The new lower prices are below:
Fountain Pen
Mini Copper Mule Fountain Pen – Model ISFSH_CU – $295
Available in F, M or B nib sizes
Rollerball
Mini Copper Mule Rollerball Pen – Model ISFSHRCU – $275
Ballpoint
Mini Copper Mule Ballpoint Pen – Model ISFSHBCU – $250
See full details HERE
Montegrappa Moonlanding Pen gets a write up in iW Magazine
Shaped like the Saturn V rocket that propelled Apollo 11’s crew to the moon, the new writing instrument uses visual references to show lineage with one of modern history’s most momentous achievements.
The new pen is an executive toy par excellence. It allows the user to simulate the separation of flight modules to reveal ink flux controls, observed through a special internal window…
Read the full article HERE
Krewe De Plume & Papier Plume are having a pen meet on May 9th @ 7pm at Le Citron Bar 1539 Religious St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. Kenro Industries will be in attendance showing off the latest and greatest from Esterbrook, Montegrappa, Aurora and Loclen. Special pricing available from them and Papier Plume for the meet up. If you’re in New Orleans it’s a must attend event! Our biggest meet up of the year.
Krewe De Plume began their monthly meet ups with the 2017 Fountain Pen Day Meet Up. Meet ups range in size but can get up to just north of 20 people some months. They welcome all fountain pen enthusiast and all those that may be fountain pen curious. Each month they meet in the historic building that now houses Citron Bistro at 1539 Religious Street in New Orleans, LA. A full bar is available for those that care to have a drink or two and often there is food on site for those that may want to have a bite. Participants have attended from all over the Gulf Coast and as far away as California and Canada. The group has participated in numerous letter writing parties and campaigns. Give aways are a regular occurrence and there are often ink swaps happening. Exclusive inks are sometimes given away from local pen shop Papier Plume. If you’re visiting New Orleans and have a love of fountain pens check out the groups Instagram @krewedeplume for information on upcoming meet-ups or contact Papier Plume and they may have the information if it’s available.
Iconic Fountain Pen Hospital will be holding its annual Spring Expo Friday and Saturday April 12th & 13th 9am – 5pm both days. Join us to see the full line up of Montegrappa, Aurora & Esterbrook. This will be a great show for hunting down those vintage Esterbrook nibs!
Located downtown at 10 Warren St. New York, NY 10007
Phone. 1-800-253-7367
Loclen Electa
This may be the first time you are viewing the Loclen Electa, with its unique industrial design and metal finishing. Well, it is something new and exciting for Kenro as well. We were fortunate to meet their designer and owner, Carlo Vazzoler at the Paperworld Show in Frankfurt this past January. Carlo had his Loclen pens advertised in vitrines throughout the show and they caught the eyes of our team. We knew we had to visit his exhibt. The pens were so unique that they couldn’t resist meeting with him and learning more about these metal writing tools.
Loclen is a relatively young brand with limited marketing or advertising. They don’t even have an Instagram or Facebook page, but that hasn’t halted their growth. Business has been good and the pens have been selling. Most sales have come from specialty pen retailers outside the US and Canada, so the idea of a partnership for our companies seemed like a good fit. Carlo was encouraged by the possibilities with Loclen but also shared the challenges with manufacturing hand turned pens in a small family business. Patience was a term he shared on several occasions and how turning brass, plating, brushing and assembly takes time. Thankfully we are patient people and his pens are certainly worth the wait!
3 beautiful finishes to choose from.
Loclen, derived from the names of Carlo’s children, is an Italian company based in Venice. The first model introduced from Kenro is the Electa. Electa is available in three finishes, including ruthenium, fine brushed chrome and raw brass. They are all brass based pens and currently available in fountain pen only. The nibs are size 5 from Jowo and each is engraved with the Loclen “duck” symbol and can be purchased in EF, F, M, B and 1.1. The ruthenium and chrome are sold with a chrome plated nib, while the raw brass has a two-tone gold and silver.
Product page HERE
Pictures from the workshop
THE MONTEGRAPPA MINI COPPER MULE
It’s copper, compact and impossibly cute – perfectly suited for any pocket, pencil case, purse or tool roll and available to order in fountain pen, rollerball and ballpoint modes.
The Mini Mule has been engineered to use smaller 5mm steel nibs (F, M, B), taking a standard convertor or cartridges and refills as conventional Fortuna models.
The new Mini Mule shares the same anti-microbial properties as its older sibling, as well as the patina and imperfections unique to copper. Like a Moleskine or a Traveler’s Company notebook, its changing appearance records the places it has been. Owners will thrill as they observe it ageing gracefully with use. A true workhorse!
The Mule program, and the creation of the Montegrappa Mule by Bassano’s own Danieli Bar have provided one of the most warmly received Montegrappa stories of recent years, attracting interest from lifestyle and cuisine editors. The Mini Mule arrives in a standard IKSDASIC case that includes the recipe for the famous cocktail.
As well as bringing a fresh, rootsy finish to the Fortuna silhouette, Mule’s honest rustic charm and gastronomic credentials have resonated with younger, hipster-inclined shoppers. With the arrival of the Mini Mule, we can turn up the charm and offer more to intrepid urban travellers, women and fans of every day carry (EDC).
Digital Brochure HERE
Fountain Pen
Mini Copper Mule Fountain Pen – Model ISFSH_CU – $350
Available in F, M or B nib sizes
Rollerball
Mini Copper Mule Rollerball Pen – Model ISFSHRCU – $295
Ballpoint
Mini Copper Mule Ballpoint Pen – Model ISFSHBCU – $250
The Blueberry Estie arrived!
Are you aware that its Blueberry season? That’s right! The Blueberry Estie arrived this week and they were quickly plucked from the shelves. The unique blue and white blended fountain pens are limited to a total of 600 pieces and are now sold out.
What was an initial concern for Esterbrook is now a great success. If you’re not aware, the Blueberries were supposed to be Lilacs, but when the acrylic supplier delivered the swatches the color was not correct. The material was blue, a beautiful blue, but clearly not purple lilac.
In this case, Esterbrook turned lemons to lemonade and made some very happy fountain pen enthusiasts. Also noteworthy is that the many Blueberries were shipped with 1.1 Stub nibs.
As mentioned, Esterbrook is sold out, but limited stock is available at your authorized Esterbrook retailer.
The Arkansas Pen Show 2019
My whirlwind U.S. Pen Show spring tour is almost at a close, with the Atlanta Pen Show up next for the first weekend of April, and then a long break until D.C. in August. This past weekend I was on the road again, to Little Rock
Read the full article HERE
The Baltimore/Washington International Pen Show 2019
You often hear people saying: “It was good, but it could have been great” when discussing a recent pen show (or any other large public event, for that matter). What’s less common is attending a pen show that should have been “good,” or maybe even “meh,” but turned out to be fabulous. This year’s Baltimore Pen Show was one such event.
Read the full article HERE