By Caiti Anderson
It’s here! The holiday gift giving season! Or if you’re a self-proclaimed newbie pen enthusiast like me, it’s another reason to make a long wish list of pen must-haves. If you share an affinity for all things fountain pens, or you are shopping for the pen enthusiast in your life, we’ve got everything you need!
“Where do I even begin?” – a perfect prompt to start a (potentially lengthy) conversation with us at Penny Post about just the right gift – pens or pen adjacent. Let’s start with the timeless craft of fountain pens themselves. While we have a wonderful assortment for those new to fountain pens (please come and talk to me about them!), these recommendations are for anyone, and especially those looking to expand their pen collection.
LAMY 2000 FOUNTAIN PEN - $279
True to the timeless moniker, the Lamy 2000 has been around since 1966 and maintains its classic, elegant look and feel from its original release. This pen is made from Makrolon, a fiberglass-reinforced polycarbonate resin. Features include a hooded nib, a sleek and discrete piston filling system, and the most satisfying pen cap click around. This pen is a great pick for your pen enthusiast looking to add one of the most classic pens on the market to their collection.
KAWECO BRONZE SPORT FOUNTAIN PEN - $210
To round out Penny Post’s assortment of German brand fountain pens, the Kaweco sport is a favorite, for the veteran and novice alike. Kaweco Sports will take standard international cartridges, or a converter – which really broadens the spectrum of ink options for you. For the writer who wants to feel the heft of a bronze pen body, this pocket sized yet beefy pen comes in at a whopping 48g in weight (compared to 26g for your Lamy 2000)!
TWSBI ECO-T ROYAL JADE ROSE GOLD GIFT SET - $78
TWSBI (pronounced ‘twizbee’ and has a unique history behind its name) has built a reputation for great quality and precision in their pens, and at an affordable price. They are also known for clear resin barrels with a demonstrator body and piston filling system. While their breadth of pen expands beyond this, one of my favorite gift options is a literal gift set – it takes the guess work out of things! The ECO-T boasts a similar design to the popular ECO, with a triangular grip and cap. This beautiful Jade and Rose Gold set includes a bottle of Midnight Blue ink, a wrench and silicone grease.
SAILOR PRO GEAR SLIM RED + GOLD FOUNTAIN PEN - $275
One of Sailor’s most popular pens, the Pro Gear comes with a 14K Gold nib with Rhodium plating – which provides a super sleek and smooth writing experience. 14K Gold continues in the pen trim and clip, giving a beautiful (dare I say perfectly themed for the holidays?) design. At 124mm, the Pro Gear is slightly smaller than the Sailor 1911 Pen of the Year 2023 which comes in at 135mm (and for good measure comes in a Golden Olive color which is the perfect pair to the Pro Gear for the holidays *cough cough*). We’ll also have Sailor ink cartridges (proprietary to the brand) and ink converters (so you can open the door to the ink world!).
Now that you are on your way to figuring out what pen to get for your friend/family member/colleague/self, next we must think about PAPER! One of my first lessons in fountain pen-dom, was that not all paper is created equal when it comes to fountain pens. Here are some great options for paper that will compliment your new pen.
My picks:
MIDORI A5 DOT GRID NOTEBOOK - $18
MD Diary paper. Yes. Faint dot grid. Yes. Standard A5 size, soft cover and binding that enables the notebook to lay flat to write – YES. This is a great option for an everyday journal, jotter, idea absorber. Hint, this will also work well with The Superior Labor A5 Leather cover – super sleek!
TOMOE RIVER A6 BLANK NOTEBOOK - $16.50
I’m a dot grid fan so many of my recommendations will include dots – but this is a blank version for those of you who prefer a true blank canvas. This A6 is the little brother to A5 – and Tomoe River is arguably a top brand of fountain pen paper (68 GSM, pH neutral, lay flat design) – fit-in-your-pocket perfect.
YAMAMOTO PAPER FOUNTAIN PEN PAPER COLLECTION - $55
If you are looking for an assortment of paper options, look here! This is a sample book including 18 different types of paper – all ideal for fountain pens. 27 GSM to 81 GSM. Hint: GSM stands for grams per square meter. Typically, the higher the GSM the heavier and thicker the paper. (typical office paper is around 90 GSM)
TRAVELER’S COMPANY REGULAR NOTEBOOK - $69
Shameless plug! If you didn’t already know, Penny Post is very excited to be one of Traveler’s Company’s newest USA Partner Shops – Check out our story here for more on that. Traveler’s Notebooks are a great compliment to a fountain pen – most of the paper inserts will be fountain pen friendly!
BITS & BOBS
OF COURSE you’ll need bits & bobs for your fountain pen journey. Who knows, maybe who you are shopping for already has a hefty pen assortment. Here are some great little stationery bits….and bobs to add to the collection.
THE SUPERIOR LABOR BROWN LEATHER PEN ROLL - $110
You have the pens. Now you need to store them! This is a great option especially to keep your pens horizontal when not in use. This leather will develop a beautiful luster over time and will shape to your usage.
STUDIO CARTA SMALL CRANE SCISSORS - $42
Small, birdlike, 24karat gold plated handles, beautiful – a must if you like to journal on the go or have an affinity for animal-shaped things.
DIAMINE 2023 INKVENT CALENDAR - $118
For many fountain pen lovers, ink is just as big of a rabbit hole as the pens themselves! The Inkvent calendar is a perfect way to sample 25 different inks! Keep in mind, some of the inks in this calendar will be shimmering, which isn’t ideal for a fountain pen with a Fine or Extra Fine nib – you may have to maintain your pen a bit more!
The list of perfect pen gifts could go on and on (and on and on), and I hope this gave you some ideas for your next purchase with us – whether it’s for yourself or someone you care about.
Cheers and happy holidays from Penny Post!