Pen Boutique Blog

MontBlanc Alfred Hitchcock Limited Edition Pens-“Thrilling from barrel to cap”

2012-02-06T17:38:00.001-05:00

It is completely, absolutely, and unarguably a fact that Hollywood is a staple of American culture. From “Birth of a Nation” to “Chicago”, from “To Have and Have Not” to “Avatar”, from “Psycho” to “The Shinning” and from “Gone With the Wind” to “The Titanic”, the American film industry has dominated not only the continental US, but the entire world. American-made films have, without fail, always been at the top of many nations’ film list consisting of the greatest and most seen movies of all time. This industry is so deeply entrenched in our culture that movie titles such as “Casablanca“, “King Kong“, “The Color Purple“, “A Streetcar Named Desire“ and “The Wizard of Oz“ are as familiar as your own name, even if you have never gotten around to seeing them. (I know I for one just saw “Chicago” and adored it!) Though they are the little darlings of movie culture, the films themselves must, every now and then, share a little limelight with the men and women who directed them to success. Peter Jackson, James Cameron, Stephen Spielberg, Gore Verbinski, Tim Burton, Clint Eastwood and Christopher Nolan are the geniuses that bring these masterpieces to life. Sometimes, unfortunately, they are overlooked in the public eye in favor of glitz and glamour of their products.

Overlooked, but certainly not forgotten if the Montblanc Company has anything to say about it. Despite Montblanc’s overwhelming popularity, they still feel compelled to produce not only new and innovative products, but products with meaning behind them. Pens are nice to have, to hold and to use, but Montblanc makes sure to not only give their products a voice and personality, but the ability to tell a story through design, complexity and finesse. For 2012, Montblanc has decided to visually tell the story of Sir Alfred Hitchcock, a mastermind and pioneer of suspense and psychological thriller movies and TV shows. This British-born subject was not native to America, but in his half a century-long career he managed to shake the country to its core.

The MontBlanc Alfred Hitchcock Limited Edition collection has turned out masterpiece after glorious masterpiece, but the Limited Edition 3000 in honor of Sir Hitchcock may just be the most intriguing one yet. The different elements of the design beautifully allude to famous, iconic scenes from Hitchcock’s most famous movies. Here are the details of the design

The precious lacquer barrel and cap are artfully engraved with a unique “stairway” texture. This conceptual design is reminiscent of Hitchcock’s movie “Vertigo” (1958), a suspenseful little film about a private investigator who suffers from a crippling fear of heights.
What is probably Hitchcock’s most recognizable film, “Psycho” (1960), is tastefully alluded to in the pen’s diamond-enriched clip shaped like a knife. (When you think of horror, it’s only natural that Psycho’s 45 second long murder scene jumps to the front of your mind. The piercing music, the murderer’s silhouette, the young woman’s scream as she is viciously murdered, and blood swirling down the drain are permanently seared into your mind.
The beautifully detailed film reel that encircles the base of the cap and boasts Hitchcock’s signature underneath.
Engravings on the cone depict the 53 movies that Alfred Hitchcock directed during his extended career.

Both the cap and barrel are available in jet black, evocative of Hitchcock’s black-and-white films, and maroon, a color that brings to life the color and concept of blood that was so frequently and tastefully used in his movies.(Maroon is not available right now for Sale..Please call if you are interested to get it)
The pen comes in a beautiful Gift Box and contains a additional Quote Box containing famous quotes from Hitchcock.

The fountain pen, built with a piston mechanism, possesses an 18K gold, rhodium-plated nib enriched with Hitchcock’s self-portrait. 925 Sterling Silver fittings give the entire presentation a pronounced look and are worked into the body of the pen to create a special effect lacquer that is nothing short of breath-taking.

Not only is the clip evocative of Sir Hitchcock’s most famous movie, but the feature film is also alluded to in an engraving upon the cap’s ring. It is artfully emblazoned with the phrases: “Dir. Mr. Hitchcock – Phoenix Arizona – Friday December the Eleventh.” (Sit down, my friends; it’s time for your daily snippet of history. Interestingly enough, Psycho was filmed in November in Phoenix, Arizona, where the temperature rarely goes below 81 °F. After all of the initial scenery shooting for the movie was complete, it was discovered that Christmas ornaments could be seen decorating a store in the background of a few extremely crucial scenes. This would have been peculiar and distracting to audiences who would be left thinking, “What’s with the Christmas stuff? It looks like summer. Is that important or something?” Instead of re-shooting, however, Hitchcock simply decided to add a place card in the opening scene that marked the date as “Friday, December the Eleventh.”)

Quality and craftsmanship do not even begin to describe the care, dedication and consideration that Montblanc has put into this tour-de-force of pens. If you have ever wanted to possess a pen, I would heartily suggest this one. It’s elegant, symbolic, cleverly creative, and if we’re going to be totally honest here, it’s just really, really cool. Let me tell you, my fingers are just itching to write with one. The Limited 3000 pen is something any true pen enthusiast would kill for. Pun intended. Kidding, kidding, you know I’m a kidder. As Sir Alfred Hitchcock once said: “I am to provide the public with beneficial shocks.”

MontBlanc Alfred Hitchcock Limited Edition rollerball costs $3,195 and the Fountain Pen costs $3745

Top 5 Gifts this Christmas season

2011-12-08T16:36:00.001-05:00

With the traumatic event known as Black Friday over, it is finally Christmas’s turn to have the spotlight. (Cause if we’re going to be totally honest, it is a bit annoying seeing Christmas commercials three days after Halloween. Wait your turn!) Now, the cool autumn evenings have given way to colder nights. Salvation Army advocates and volunteer Santa’s dot every street corner, filing the air with the crisp, ringing of bells. And for those who still believe, there’s a gentler, lighter sound that only those who believe can hear. (Please tell me you saw The Polar Express.) Houses and stores alike are filled with the calming smell of gingerbread men, fruitcake and nutmeg, all collaborating into an atmosphere that can only be described as ‘home for the holidays’. Undeniably, this is a lovely time of year.

Yes, yes, yes, Christmas is all nice and rosy – in retrospect. In the middle of the day, however, when you’re rushing around once again dealing with the annual stress of the year, the whole thing seems ridiculous. You have to think about what gifts to give – since when did I know so many people? – how much you should spend, and how creative you should be; all with the ever-present thought that you will most likely face the new year with red all over your bank accounts. (“Happy New Years! You’re bankrupt!” “Yeah! Paarrtaaayy—wait. What?”)

I ask you, why? Why bother showering your friends and relatives with expensive yet pointless gifts? It’s just one more thing for them to toss in the bottom drawer of their desk, never to be used again. (Or, they end up using it for ten years and when someone asks, “Where did you get that?” They gaze at it momentarily before giving a dismissive, “I don’t remember.”) I won’t be unreasonable: expensive gifts are nice, but I believe that most people respond more positively to a gift from the heart than any Pandora bracelet you just happened to pick up at the mall. So think more traditionally this year and play around with the idea of just giving someone a special keepsake this year. Pens are, undeniably, the most underappreciated gift ideas ever, and this season the Pen Boutique wants to rectify this presumption. Pens are the tools by which civilizations have risen and met their downfall. The instruments that have, since their genesis, drawn the design of our world and they continue to map out what the future has in store. Not only that, but pens are just a pleasure to possess. A beautifully constructed pen, picked out of thousands for its individual style and finesse is a lifelong companion that simply cannot be beat.

In fact, we have made it even easier for you this holiday season and picked out our top five favorite pens, each one more breath-taking than the last:

5. The Parker Ingenuity. The new Ingenuity series encompasses all of the beneficial designs of a ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen all in one cleverly designed model. Each member of the collection is made with Parker’s unique 5^thgeneration technology that gives a stunning performance every time. Each member of the collection offers an effortless flow of ink that glides smoothly over any surface. Thanks to this technology, each pen’s tip is designed to adjust itself to your individual writing style after only a few uses. The flexible tip is covered by a finely engraved, metallic hood which work together to imitate the feel of a fountain pen nib. Though there are dozens of color combinations, each Ingenuity pen has a classic and elegant finish. They are lacquered in deep gloss and adorned with Parker’s emblematic ciselé pattern on both the grip section and the metallic ring on the cap. In this display of design dominance, Parker has brought to life the best of not only two, but three worlds. This new generation is a force to be reckoned with, and their era of trendsetting has only just begun.

4. The Lamy Dialog (Black & Silver). Arriving straight from Germany, Lamy’s Dialog3 Black Matt Fountain Pen and Silver Fountain Pen are the first generation in a brand new field of pen mechanics. Devoid of a cap, these pens use a fascinating twist-action mechanism built into its barrel. Once turned, a rounded cover slides back and the retractable 14k gold-plated nib glides out smoothly. When closed, the covering creates an air-tight seal that prevents the nib from drying out or getting dirty. Unobtrusive, innovative and so smooth it belongs in a James Bond movie, the Lamy Dialog3 is the perfect present for anyone who values elegance and style.

3. The Visconti Rembrandt Collection Fountain Pens. Every single Visconti Rembrandt pen is handcrafted. Each and every one is individually made so each gets the proper care and attention it deserves as a future masterpiece. This collection has its own sense of beautiful ingenuity and silky elegance that is extraordinarily hard to find. Their bodies are made out of a smooth, slick variegated resin that is shined to such a high gloss that it’s almost reflective. The nibs are made of strong steel and engraved with the Visconti symbol and name. The body colors are available in ivory white, blue, purple and red. Accenting these beautiful colors are the silver-colored accents making up the pens’ rings and clips. Classic, affordable, and with Visconti’s unparalleled dedication to art, this collection comes the closest I’ve ever seen to perfection.

2. The Waterman Expert and Hémisphère Collections. Subtle sophistication with a clean, contemporary design and well-crafted quality, Waterman presents two lines that have earned their places among the best of the best. Like all great classics, the Expert and Hémisphère families know the ins and outs of power, style, and finesse. Despite their long heritages, each new member brings its own flair of modernity without losing its traditional dependability. The Expert Deluxe Fountain Pen and the Waterman Expert Black Lacquer are the forerunners in the Expert’s new generation of design. Each has bold, sleek black barrels artfully complimented by smooth chrome accessories. Even bolder than these are Hémisphère’s Shimmery Blue and Starlight Chrome, just to name a few. Each and every member of this line sports colors of such vibrancy that they almost appear fluorescent. For a more time-honored route, however, choices like the Waterman Expert Urban and Waterman Expert Smart are the way to go. Comet Red and Mars Black, despite their monochrome coloring, manage to encompass boldness and beauty into a design that is just as stylish as it is dramatic. Suave, sophisticated, but no less dashing, these gems are the quintessential embodiment of a Waterman classic. Young or old, traditional or contemporary, these series are designed to fill everyone’s needs.

1. The Montblanc Meisterstück: Classique Collection. The Meisterstück line from Montblanc has never disappointed, and the Classique collection is not exception to this rule. This series is part of a family that has consistently been at the top of its game from the very moment it was first released. Each and every Classique, from the Platinum Ballpoint Pen to the Gold Rollerball have their own unique personalities, but they all do have uniting characteristics. Their bodies are made from the precious, smooth black resin that Montblanc is known for. They all have at least three plated rings that are skillfully embossed with the Montblanc brand name. Clips are plated and engraved with individual serial numbers, giving each its own unique individuality. The Classique is a masterpiece that is sure to warm your heart and your home this holiday season.

Bonus!

(Don’t look surprised, you know how we like to spoil you.)

The Noodler’s Ink Ahab. Much like Noodler’s other flex pens, the Ahab is made from a sturdy celluloid derivative that, technically, makes it biodegradable. This creation comes in a number of beautiful vibrant colors like Burmese ruby, carniolan honey and maximilian emerald, each reminiscent of the holiday season. Its unique design manages to be ingeniously simple. Its entire body can be easily disassembled and put back together, making cleaning a breeze. The nib is made of a durable flex nib that can switch from medium to broad depending on how much pressure you apply. Stylish and affordable, the Ahab is the perfect stocking stuffer for this holiday season.

So all in all, take a chance this holiday season! Don’t let the holiday stress or traditional expectations prevent you from giving something truly meaningful this year. Be brave, be bold! because I assure you, not a single one of these gifts will disappoint.

Black friday and Pen Boutique

2011-11-25T11:55:00.001-05:00

Originally, Black Friday had nothing to do with shopping. Nothing at all. In fact, the very first records of the name refer to the US financial crisis in 1869 which had to do with the New York Gold Exchange. It was not until 1966 that Philadelphia’s Police Department gave it to the Friday following Thanksgiving Day due to the increase in traffic jams, over-crowded sidewalks and stores being mobbed from opening to closing. I don’t believe anything has ever been so aptly named as the day that brings an almost overbearing feeling of foreboding and obligation to each and every American.

Year after year you tell yourself “I’m going to get there early!” “I’ll just go to a store way out the way; that way there’ll be less competition.” “Midnight Madness here I come! Now where’s my space heater, lawn chair and Ramen Noodles…” And then you’re in Wal-Mart at 2:00 AM, barreling down the aisles with your shopping cart fighting off old ladies and trying not to get trampled as you sprint to the back of the store for the last copy of Battlefield 3. Or, you’re in the middle of Macy*s about to actually fight a woman for the last pair of Timberland Hiking Boots.

I’m not going to tell you that everything’s going to be alright, but I will tell you that Pen Boutique can make your holiday shopping a little easier. You deserve to take a breather this year. Instead of sitting in front of Wal-Mart for ten hours and running the risk of being trampled, stay home and participate in Cyber Black Friday. Who cares about the means of purchase; an elegant, cleverly-constructed pen is a subtle but powerful statement when given as a gift; whether you fought the crowds at the mall or enjoyed yourself in front of the computer with a cup of joe. Arguably the greatest tool ever created, it allows one to communicate with the world in as many different ways as your mind can devise. It’s practical, useful, and just because it has a function doesn’t mean it can’t look sleek in the process. No, we don’t have the latest videogame for Modern Warfare, but we have gifts that are three times more valuable and eight times more economical.

To begin, let’s start off with a pen that breaks all barriers when it comes to affordability and convenience. The Parker Insignia Matt Black Chrome completely redefines luxury. Its smooth, comfortable texture is enveloped with a beautiful black matt coloring. Beautiful 14k Gold plated, champagne-colored trims finish off the look and leave the pen with an almost tangible air of prestige and excellence. For something a little less dramatic but no less edgy, Pelikan presents the newest member of their Epoch series. Modern style and excellent craftsmanship are effectively combined in the Epoch 360 to create a truly stunning product. It features a wide, comfortable barrel and cap with satin-matte finishes. The steel nib is semi-firm and plated with bright palladium for a smooth, non-skip ink flow. Though very chic, executive style does not always have to be so monochrome. Waterman invites you to try their Hemisphere Comet Red Rollerball. Much more festive than its aforementioned counterparts, the Comet is made of an innovative micro-particle lacquer finish that captures the light. The smooth polish highlights the barrel’s deep vibrant red that is set off with contemporary chrome trims.

The deals don’t stop there, however. Representing a more modern approach, Pen Boutique offers the Fisher Space Bullet Pen. Its brass body is plated with bright chrome finishes that are smooth to the touch. When it’s slide-on cap is closed, the Bullet Pen is a perfect fit to carry in your wallet, pocket, backpack, purse, car glove and just about anywhere else you can think of. Cited as an outstanding example of industrial art, the classic design of the Fisher Bullet Pen has been exhibited for years in the New York Museum of Modern Art. (How’s that for bragging rights? Hey, my pen is featured in an art gallery.) Cross is also a contender in this cyber sale with their Townsend 18k Gold ballpoint pen. The ultimate expression of pen-making design, this ballpoint embodies classic American elegance and finesse. Inspired by the graceful lines of 1930’s Art Deco design, with distinctive finishes, precious metals and the signature double band, Townsend delivers a lifetime of smooth, effortless writing. Last, but most certainly not least, arrives the Montblanc Meisterstück Classique Rollerball. It is a widely known secret that Montblanc pens are among the finest writing instruments in the world. The Classique’s barrel and cap are made out of precious jet-black resin that is shined to a high gloss. The top of the cap and the three gold-plated rings around the barrel are embossed with the legendary Montblanc symbol.

Oh, and did I forget? Pen Boutique’s special Black Friday coupon gives you $20 dollars off any purchase of $100 dollars or more(BLACKFRIDAY2511). (That’s, like, a discount on top of a discount!) I’m not going to lie to you; it’ll be tough out there. Rambo’s got nothing on the survival skills you’ll need when you face those stores on Friday. So I suggest that you don’t. Just, don’t. Stay home, relax, and let your fingers do the shopping for you. The Pen Boutique website is open 24/7, and all these deals – including many, many more – last all day long.

Noodler’s Pens and Ink - May be this is all you need.

2011-11-04T10:56:00.001-04:00

Many of you have probably already heard of Noodler’s; whether it was the inks that attracted you, their new line of pens or their occasionally, infamous reputation; this company has been a constant presence in every pen enthusiast’s mind. The rest of you, however, have no idea who they are, so prepare to be amazed! The Noodler’s company is named after a sport played down South in the United States known as “noodling.” Those of you with southern roots know what I’m talking about, but if you are a cultural turtle on southern traditions, allow me to enlighten you.

Noodling is a sport where the objective is to capture a live catfish. (Which is, as expected, Noodler’s logo.) What makes this sport different from fishing, you ask? Well, when noodling, you have to use your bare hands! Noodling enthusiasts feel this gives the catfish a fighting chance. This idea is what The Noodler’s Company is all about: giving you a chance to get a quality product at a fair price.

If there was ever a controversial company in the world of luxury stationary, Noodler’s Ink would be that company. From its genesis, the American-born company had a lot of competition from its oversea cousins Namiki, Faber-Castell and Lamy and even its homegrown siblings Cross and Waterman. All of these companies have a steady fan base, and their own individually cultivated reputation and image.

Those who have experienced Noodler’s Ink’s…ink, however, have always been in conflict about whether they actually like it or not. The company has a tendency to be inconsistent in the quality of its pens and this unreliability has turned many enthusiasts away from the brand. Now, before you get out your torches, let us evaluate Noodler’s Ink fairly.

While the Pen Boutique has carried Noodler’s Ink’s ink, carrying their pens always seemed like it would bring about a Schrödinger’s Cat scenario (And frankly, whether the cat – or pen, in this case – is “alive” or “dead,” it will always be a stressful situation for everyone involved). For a long time Pen Boutique never carried Noodler’s Ink’s pens, and it ultimately seemed like a good idea. However, ever thoughtful of our public, it was decided that going out of our way to listen to the requests of the more than 40% of customers who genuinely like Noodler’s Ink’s pens, regardless of their indiscriminate effectiveness. Though they are a minority, Pen Boutique listens to each and every request sent our way. Even if uttered by a single voice, we pay attention to our customers and try to give them the best experience imaginable.

The Noodler’s company has a past decorated with extravagant inks of different shades and qualities. The list of products is so extensive that a classification system had to be developed. The “Freeze Resistant” class resists freezing temperatures far below zero; the “Eternal” class resists the hardships time such as moisture humidity and UV light; the “Bullet Proof” class is capable of resisting all known tools of forgery such as, carpet or oven cleaner, bleach, UV light wands, solvents, petrochemicals, and even water!

Interestingly enough, these classes are not set in stone. Inks can be grouped in multiple classes, such as being Freeze Resistant and Bullet Proof. (Very useful if you ever become a top secret agent and have to fight Russian spies. Or if you’re just a careful person and live somewhere cold, but the former reason is much more exciting.) All of the inks are made from a special cellulose reactive substance developed in Rochester, New York. They are all also, for the most part, waterproof, so their properties remain even when dried. The ink can be reconstituted with simple tap water! How’s that for convenient?

That’s enough about Noodler’s already well-known inks. Let’s move on to their pens. Their newest line includes treasures such as the Piston Fill Resin fountain pen, the Noodlers Ebonite fountain pen, and their roller ball counterparts. The Piston Fill Resin has an extremely classical and traditional look. It possesses a bow windowed ink chamber design that is similar to pens of the 1960’s. The piston seal is made of a unique type of nylon, which is the same material used in high-end piston fill pens. The Noodler’s Piston Filled Resin fountain pen is made from a celluloid derivative, like the inks, and boasts a variety of colors including: black, red, orange, turquoise, burgundy, and navy blue.

The Ebonite is slightly different: it has a metal cap clutch with an internal seat to prevent the more forceful writers from destroying the cap. This is a blessing for those of us who post our caps for balance, or otherwise. It also has an ebonite double fissure wide channel feed (and this is where the ebonite comes in). The pens both have a stainless steel “flexible” nib, which basically means that depending on the pressure you put on the pen, you can get a medium font, or a broad font! (Awesome, right? I was so excited when I heard about this.)

The two fountain pens also possess a rim band that protects the ebonite from the damages of long term use. The Noodler’s brand Roller Ball pen is made with an ebonite feed system, much like the other two fountain pens. The design was inspired by an 1870 style with a fine ball tip. These pens and inks are cost effective, water proof, and revivable if dried. However, the inks cannot be mixed with other, more “conventional” inks. This will cause the special properties in the Noodler’s ink to become inactive, but with the things these inks do, who needs another kind of ink? The Noodler’s ink should not only be kept away from other inks, but you should also be wary of which types of pens you put the ink in as well. There have been a few instances where the pen was bleeding through, and a few cases of nib creep. To these problems, my advice is to clean out your pen, if you have not done so already, or try the ink in another pen. If that doesn’t work then you should definitely call in and talk to Noodler’s customer service division.

These pens and inks are mostly made for your hard core writer. If you take notes at school for hours on end, the Ebonite fountain pen is the one for you. Its durability allows you to write for ages without it suffering any damage. Also, don’t forget to use a Bullet Proof-Eternal ink so that you can have the notes for a long period of time without it smudging or being washed away by liquids. (Cause I know we’ve all had that happen to us at some point.)

As a fun side note, I would like to point out the delightful names of the inks. “Habanero” is a deep sauce red named after the famous pepper used in southern dishes. “Polar Blue/Black” are named for their tolerance to extremely cold temperatures. Each of the Noodler’s Ink’s inks have their own unique name that adds a refreshing touch of flavor and individuality.

The Noodler’s ink appears to pride itself on the life span of their pens and inks. This sense of pride is not misplaced, even though there may be a few hiccups. There is nothing perfect in this world, and with that in mind I’d say that for the most part these pens and inks are pretty fantastic. If you can get past the minor issues, which every pen goes through, no matter how high-end, then you will not regret it, and your enjoyment of the product will last as long as the ink does.

Parker Ingenuity 5th Technology Pens

2011-10-13T12:40:00.001-04:00

I know what you’re thinking: How can you innovate pens? They write in ink, they’ve always written in ink, and they always will write in ink. End of story. A few weeks ago I would have grudgingly agreed with this assessment. It has been a long time since pen manufacturers, even our most trusted and reliable ones, have created a truly groundbreaking design that has taken the pen community by storm.

Until now, that is.

This year, Parker has unveiled a modern wonder in the world of luxury design. Their new Ingenuity line is the pinnacle of innovation, inspiration and, as it is so aptly named, ingenuity. Never one for cutting corners, Parker had dozens of agents do extensive work to discover what exactly pen collector’s felt about their treasures. They were sent to find out what they liked, what they did not like; what they hated, and what they could tolerate. What was, for lack of better words, really cool and what simply wasn’t. Their findings brought them to the conclusion that there were universal positives and negatives concerning fountain pens, rollerball pens and ballpoint pens, however, none seemed to be universally superior to the other two. Once this was evaluated, the most obvious question came to light: Why settle for good enough? Why take the best characteristics of each pen type, when you could just take the best characteristics of all three and create one superior pen? The question was posed, and the Parker Pen Company decided that no, you don’t have to settle. Of course, the nonbelievers shouted, “Preposterous! It can’t be done!” No good idea has ever gone unchallenged, and it’s safe to say that this is Parker’s most brilliant idea yet.

The new Ingenuity series encompasses all of the beneficial designs of a ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen all in one cleverly designed model. Each member of the collection is made with Parker’s unique 5^th generation technology that gives a stunning performance every time. Each member of the collection offers an effortless flow of ink that glides smoothly over any surface. Thanks to this technology, each pen’s tip is designed to adjust itself to your individual writing style after only a few uses. The flexible tip is covered by a finely engraved, metallic hood which work together to imitate the feel of a fountain pen nib. Though there are dozens of color combinations, each Ingenuity pen has a classic and elegant finish. They are lacquered in deep gloss and adorned with Parker’s emblematic ciselé pattern on both the grip section and the metallic ring on the cap.

(Ingenuity pens only cater to exclusive Ingenuity 5th technology refills that are made of water-resistant blue and black ink.)

Whether you buy the S-Class (slim version) or the L-Class (large version); whether you buy it in black, gold, brown, peach, tan, pearl and every other customizable color option available, there is no denying that you will be a part of the dawning of a new age in pen modernization.

The Ingenuity series has flawlessly combined the ink flow of a fountain pen, the feel of a rollerball pen and the convenience of a ballpoint pen into an unstoppable triple-threat. In this display of design dominance, Parker has brought to life the best of not only two, but three worlds. This new generation is a force to be reckoned with, and their era of trendsetting has only just begun. The Ingenuity: a new age in pen innovation has arrived. Recognize.

Montblanc Carlo Collidi Writers Edition Pen and Ink

2011-10-06T10:41:00.001-04:00

In the earlier days ,growing up, every kids life is filled with stories like The Little Mermaid, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, and a heap of other fairytales,(todays kid’s life is filled with XBOX Games,Spongebob and iCarly stories .The true essence of characters like Pinnochio and Rumpelstiltskin has been tarnished by making them a “mere cartoon character” in movies like Shrek. ) but there has never been one as curiously unique as the story of Pinocchio. Written by Carlo Collodi, who is one of the best children’s author of all time, it is a story that possesses the expected magic, mystery and mischief that colors all fairytales, but in the end these all take a backseat to the story’s true meaning: honesty, friendship, and being true to oneself. With such an artful collaboration of elements, it is no surprise that the legacy of this story has caught Montblanc’s attention. Every year since 1992, Montblanc has honored the greatest literary figures throughout history in their Writers’ Edition collection that is a timeless masterpiece unto itself. For 2011, the story of Pinocchio is being acknowledged as the brilliant and simply delightful story that it is.

[Montblanc Carlo Collidi Writers Edition Set may run out soon as its very limited in production]

Montblanc cuts no corners with their stunning rendition of this timeless story. Their design and color layout is just as complex and interwoven as the fairytale itself. Let us begin with the barrel, for humble beginnings are always best.

The barrel is large, but has a balanced weight that makes it comfortable to hold. It is made of a precious dark brown resin that is shined to a high, reflective gloss. At one end is a champagne-colored gold-plated cone that is reminiscent of Pinocchio’s nose.

The hand-crafted conical design beautifully contrasts the base’s dark color and creates a beautiful palette of wood colors. At the other end is the nib; a treasure unto itself. Montblanc Carlo Collodi Fountain pens boast a hand-crafted nib made of 18K champagne gold. Like all Montblanc fountain pens, the base of the nib boasts the Montblanc six-pointed symbol, but right above that is a symbol that stretches back centuries. Jiminy Cricket, the embodiment of Pinocchio’s conscious, is engraved directly under the heart of the nib.

Despite all of these hidden treasures, the truly magnificent aspect of this pen, surprisingly enough, is the cap. Collodi’s fairytale world is unfolded in a magnificent, gold-plated skeletonized design that depicts the story’s heroes and villains in a mesmerizing light. Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, the fox, the cat, and the whale are all illustrated in an elaborate design that looks invitingly playful and yet majestically noble at the same time. Their light-colored forms against a dark brown background bring to mind a puppet theatre, and it is clear that Montblanc’s designers have put on a show worth seeing.

The gold-plated clip is connected to the cap by a screw, symbolizing the joints of everyone’s favorite marionette. Above the theatre-show is a golden bar with Carolo Collodi’s signature right under Montblanc’s traditional, striking logo.

Though its body is an architectural masterpiece, the heart and blood of the Pinocchio pen actually lies in its customized ink. Montblanc presents the treasure in a 50ml bottle with a deceptively unadorned look. The outside only boasts Collodi’s signature with a small drawing of Pinnochio’s head on the opposite side. Once opened, however, the true value and ingenuity of the ink is immediately apparent. Styled to emulate a warm chestnut color, this ink has the personality and texture to leave you captivated every time you use it.

Ever since I was a child I’ve been witness to Ariel finding true love, Jack’s apparent inattentiveness, Little Red’s ignorance, and Alice finding her way home, but Pinocchio has always stood out as something more. It is something more than an overdramatized ethics lesson. It was a fantastically crafted allegory of contemporary society, values, respectability, optimism, and, of course, honesty. Montblanc’s interpretation of the legend is akin to the story itself: unique in its own right. Most tributary pen designs are clear-cut and hone in on one particular aspect of its subject, but Montblanc takes in all of Pinocchio’s traits. Like the story, this latest addition to an already marvelous collection is a compilation of designs, ideas, themes and, most importantly, beauty.

Writers young and old will be reminded of these meanings and values from the first moment they begin their lifelong journey with these pens.

Also,if your kids don’t know Pinochhio ,probably its time you include his story in the bedtime.

Visconti Impressionist Van Gogh 2011 Collection.

2011-09-29T15:21:00.001-04:00

Believe what you will about his reputation, but there is no one in the world that can say Vincent van Gogh is not one of the most influential artists the world has ever seen. Despite his complicated personal life, continuous bouts of mental illness and that dreadful ear incident everyone is familiar with, van Gogh’s artworks have become world-renowned for their rough beauty, emotional honesty and bold colors that are just as captivating as they are striking. In fact, these are the very feelings Visconti wishes to convey in their newest Van Gogh Impressionist collection. The original collection enjoyed more than ten years of success worldwide before being discontinued in 2008. Three years later, Visconti’s innovation of their original idea has turned the collection into something unusually beautiful. Instead of dedicating the series to the overall magnificence of van Gogh, each writing utensil will be inspired by not only his heritage, skill and technique, but by the emotion and personality of each individual painting. Visconti has honored each of his most famous works, from Sunflowers to Room in Arles in a collection that is sure to enthrall any art-lover – and anyone who simply appreciates finely crafted work.

The gift boxes themselves are unique treasures of ingenuity that can be appreciated all on their own. They are made of smooth, dark brown leather, and shaped like an elongated triangle with the Visconti symbol imprinted on the cover. When opened, the inside is reminiscent of a picture book. On the right is a picture of the dedicated painting and on the left, in all its majesty, is the writing utensil with a collection booklet tucked underneath.

Now it’s time for the fun part: the designs. Let us begin with Sunflowers. A still life painted in 1888, the painting utilizes a very unique range of yellows, browns and greens. The yellows, traditionally meant to be bright, are muted to more somber shades, while van Gogh manages to make the browns come alive and steal the show. The pen’s barrel and cap are commendably-crafted works of art that artfully combine Sunflowers complicated palette of colors into a surprisingly beautiful collage. (Think about it, the very thought of meshing yellow, gold, brown and green together just sounds ugly, but hey, that’s Visconti for you. They make daisies into diamonds!) The top of the cap is nondescript and simply boasts the Visconti logo on a slightly raised silver background. The pen’s ring is thick, and like every other member of the collection, has the title of the tributary painting engraved in all capital letters, as if it would ever be possible for you to forget.

The second addition to the collection is based on Room in Arles. (Don’t even think about asking me where that is. Narnia, I imagine.) This one must have been particularly difficult to design, since nearly every color in the entire spectrum had to be included. Van Gogh’s use of blue, brown, red, yellow, orange, black (And once again, I repeat, doesn’t that just sound ugly?) brings to life the smoothness of polished wood, the coolness of the blue walls, and the homey feeling of a lived-in room, a feat he accomplishes quite nicely. The colors are arranged in a swirling pattern that allows them to flow together instead of crashing and creating a jarring image.

Last but most certainly not least, is the dedication to the painting Starry Night. (Thankfully, possible color clashes with this palette are not as alarming as the others.) Browns, blacks, whites, blues and yellows, each a color of the night lay over one another with a familiarity that comes from centuries of being blended together. This one is my absolute favorite. The blues give off a cool mystique while the striking yellows and browns lend it an air of sophistication. The finished result is a pen that is the embodiment of power carefully shrouded in elegance.

From these three designs alone, this series has the class, character and craftsmanship to be a completed masterpiece, but Visconti does not stop there. Far from done, they have planned to add dedications to A Pair of Shoes, Iris, Self Portrait With Hat and others to this already impressive repertoire of designs. It will be a while before they’re released, but the original three have enough specs and appeal to keep us entertained until that day comes.

The series is available as ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pens, but the hidden treasure to look for is the eco-roller. It has the same traditional tip as a rollerball pen, but it fills by an ink cartridge. Rollerball pens have a permanent cartridge that must be thrown out, nib and all, when the ink runs out. Instead of having all of this excess, unnecessary waste, the much more economical eco-roller only requires the abandonment of a small plastic cartridge. (That, and the whole design makes everything much, much more convenient, and I’m all about convenience.)

Brilliance inspires brilliance, creativity inspires creativity and innovation inspires innovation. Vincent van Gogh, a leader in all these qualities, has been paid homage to by a much more recent master in a tribute that will forever set a new standard. Visconti has risen above their peers in terms of ingenuity and dedication and presented to the world a collection that they, and most importantly, van Gogh, can be proud of.

Drag yourself to school kids…its time

2011-08-26T11:24:00.001-04:00

Well, everyone, it’s that time of year again. I know you’ve all been trying to ignore it, procrastinating preparing for it, and overall wishing very desperately that it didn’t apply to you, but it’s here at last! That’s right: it’s Back to School season! . After shopping (was it shopping or treasure hunt? Iam still hunting the exact dimension of a storage box that the school wants ) the typical school needs from the usual war zones such as Wal*Mart, Target and Costco ,just to name a few,now relax and shop at the comfort of your home by shopping at our online store. (Of course if you like the excitement of the hunt you can stop by one of our stores in Columbia and Montgomery.)

Lets see how Pen Boutique can compliment your usual school supplies with some high quality paper and pens that will improve your kids calligraphy skills.

It’s a universal truth that excluding clothes (and perhaps a backpack), the first things you will buy to prepare for the school year are notebooks. Let us begin with the Rhodia Company, for it would be impossible to talk about notebooks and not mention them. One of the leading manufactures in all stationery concerning paper, notebooks, organizers and binders, the quality of their products is practically unparalleled. One of their bestselling notebooks is the Rhodia LD 5 Webnotebook, an economical choice that is a favorite among artists and writers alike. It’s made of smooth black and orange Italian leather and possesses 90 g ivory, acid-free pages. It has been designed to give you an unbelievably peaceful and warm feeling when you open the cover, hear the gentle crinkle of freshly stapled paper and lay your hand on the crisp, cool pages. Why, it’s like heaven in book form.

For something a little smaller and more compact, Rhodia also offers the Staplebound Lined Notebook that has the same features as the Webnotebook but with only 48 sheets. It’s perfect for a lab journal, a writing journal, a sketchbook or just something convenient and fashionable to take notes in. With a lined notebook that’s properly labeled all your notes, thoughts and ideas for that class are kept in a neat, organized and secure place so studying will be a breeze. Speaking of organization, you will most likely be doing a lot of it in the upcoming school year. Between homework, afterschool activities, clubs, sports, family, jobs, friends, and ‘me time’, you’re bound to be extraordinarily busy. You’re going to have a lot of things to do and very little time to do it, so the traditional laissez-faire feelings of “Well, I do need to get started on that final paper, but I have two days to get it done... and I do need to beat that last mission on the new Call of Duty” that we’ve all experienced must come to an end. Remember, procrastination is not your friend, but Filofax is here to give you a trustworthy one: the Flex. The Flex is a three-part leatherette notebook series that is available in three sizes: A5, slim and pocket. They are customizable personal organizers that contain credit card slots, large pockets, a jot pad, a pen loop and an extra writing booklet that can be changed in and out of the notebook. From plain notebook paper, a contacts list, a year-long diary, a year-long planner in over four languages and an assortment of other combinations, you will be as organized as if you had a personal secretary. The days of, “What!? The project’s due next period?” and “Wait, the test is today?” will all be in the past.

Now let us move on to the meat and bones of the matter: pens and pencils. Perhaps you’re thinking, why do I even need a pen? Anything I don’t need a pencil for I can do on the computer. A reasonable argument in most cases, but there will always be that one teacher, or that one assignment that requires the use of a pen that you don’t have. (Then begins the unanimous, aggravated sigh of your entire class and you asking five or more people around you if they have a pen, and of course they don’t. No one ever does.) For those of you who just ‘want a pen that works’, products by the Lamy Company will be your best bet. The Lamy Safari Aquamarine, the Pico and the Lamy Noto are all good choices that don’t sacrifice style for economics. Their unique, innovative designs are eye-catching and will earn you a few envious looks from those who are more used to seeing typical, disposable ballpoints. If you’re one of those who like to write with style, then Pelikan, Namiki and Faber-Castell each have products that cater to every indulgence. They offer an assortment of rollerball and ballpoints, but their fountain pens are where the real treasures lie. If you’re new to the fountain pen game, you can always try out Pelikan’s Pelikano series that’s specifically created for first-time users. Its structure is designed to show you the proper way to hold the barrel to optimize the pen’s performance. (And if you want something a little more colorful and whimsical, there is always the Pelikano Junior.) For veterans or those who simply want to jump into the thick of things, the Namiki Vanishing Point Series is a good place to start. Their pens have smooth, free-flowing ink, the distinguished beauty of fountain pens and the functionality and convenience of clickable ballpoint pens. With elegant yet executively subtle designs, the pens in these series are gems in their own rights. (For the latest in this revolutionary pen style, you should probably consider the 2011 Pink Limited Edition whose beauty and sensibility is uncontested.) Faber-Castell offers the Ambition and the Ambition Rhombus, both nicely weighted fountain pens that offer the perfect balance of classical and modernism. Their barrels are made of soft finishes to add comfort when writing and possess resin and chrome trims. Each of these pens has their own distinct style, technique and design, but they are all indisputably stunning and are bound to make you the center of attention. (If you’re looking for inks to compliment your fountain pen, I would suggest Montblanc’s newest “Ink of…” line. They’re absolutely amazing and I just adore them.)

Speaking of attention, have you ever sat back and paid attention to your penmanship? This may not apply to the 10% of the human population with heartbreakingly beautiful handwriting, but the rest of us have to deal with winces of embarrassment when someone looks at our writing. (It hurts, I know, I’ve been there.) These painful looks and feelings can be easily forgotten by adding a Calligraphy fountain pen to your literary entourage. Traditionally, fountain pens have a small metallic ball at the end of their nibs, but the tip of a calligraphy pen nib is cut straight across. Available in hundreds of designs and colors, these pens are designed to improve handwriting so that even the most unintelligible chicken scratch becomes passable, and in most cases even admirable. (There’s really no point in doing all that writing in class if your teacher won’t even accept the work because they can’t read it; again, I’ve been there.) Lamy offers an excellent selection, specifically the Lamy Joy which is offered by itself or as a set. It is a beautiful pen that manages to be elegant and efficient without being flashy or gaudy. It’s the Dark Knight of calligraphy pens: mysterious, deadly, and totally awesome. (Not deadly for real, of course. It’s just, I still can’t get over how awesome that movie was.)

Now onto the subject of pencils! In this day and age traditional wooden pencils are quickly falling out of favor – even though we have a nice selection of them for you traditionalists – to be replaced with mechanical pencils. Everyone always gets those dozen pack mechanical pencils with the cheap erasers – you know the ones; erasers that don’t actually erase, they just spread the lead around. These writing tools are so inconspicuous and uninteresting that they’re lost just as frequently as they’re bought. With that in mind, why be boring? Why be predictable? Why not take a shot at a mechanical pencil whose beauty, quality and superior sophistication will quickly make it a favorite writing tool that you’re sure to hold on to? Personally, I like my pens to have a “Men in Black” air about them, so products such as the Aurora Ipsilon Deluxe, the Etoile de Montblanc, and the Waterman Charleston are right up my alley. They’re reliable, beautiful, and have a subtle sophistication that’s hard to beat. Nevertheless, perhaps you like the brighter side of the color spectrum and want pencils that are so vivid and stunning they put sunflowers to shame. If you’re looking for something a little less animated about its individuality – but no less impressive or unique – the Pelikan Pura D40 and the Retro 51 Tornado Lollipop Grape are prime choices. (And they’re economical to boot; always a plus in this day and age.)

We are living at the height of the information age in this brave new world of ours. Where programs such as Wikipedia, CNN (and BBC), Twitter, Facebook (and perhaps even Myspace if you’re one of the few people who still use it) and the internet in general are the leading forces behind everything we see, read, believe and process. They’re the masters of this age and with each passing day the electronic world gets bigger and the written world gets smaller. The importance of the written word isn’t expressed nearly as much as it should be, but this battle against electronic modernization is being valiantly combated by the creative designs of the world’s pen manufacturers and their dealers. Ballpoint pens, rollerball pens and fountain pens are unique treasures that aren’t antiques, but misunderstood and sometimes unappreciated necessities. So this school year don’t think of supply shopping as a tedious, uninteresting chore, but think of it as an exciting adventure to purchase the descendants of an exclusive order that stretches back to the dawn of civilization. I mean, you have to get these supplies anyway, so why not pick ones that make you happy just by holding them? If you don’t want your kids to take tablets and laptops to school,act up now and perhaps its time that we invest in pens,writing accessories that interests them.

Look for the add-on school supplies here .

D.C Pen Show 2011.. Were you there?

2011-08-19T10:25:00.000-04:00

It was crowded that day. Of course, that’s a business area and its crowded pretty much every day; there was just something different about this day. Instead of the hectic, crowded streets I’m used to with pedestrians who can’t decide whether they’re actually in a hurry or just sightseeing, there was a business-like feel in the air. People acted like they had places to go, people to see, and like me, conventions to attend .Yes,finally the much awaited DC Pen Supershow is here. The streets were overflowed with vans, cars and busses(I agree they are all not going to show..must be the new Metrorail project coming in VA area the roads were narrowed and my GPS kept saying to take a right where there was no right turn) . I reached the convention area (of course I switched off GPS and figured it out myself) and already the parking was diverted to the deserted HUMMER building .I parked my car and walked to the hotel, and I saw many vehicles bore company workers, seasoned pen collectors, new collectors, and anyone else that just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Groups of people in matching work clothes were pulling tables, chairs and supplies out of their cars and carting everything through the front entrance of the Sheraton Hotel at Tysons Corner, Virginia. (I’ve always liked this hotel chain, mostly because they don’t feel a need to flaunt their prestige.) The front of the building was simple; it had uniform rows of windows that cast a stunning reflection of the gray and white clouds that blanketed the sky. In the building’s center hung the words “Sheraton Premier” in unassuming red font.

Around 11am ,the Ballroom was buzzing with activity. There was a sizeable amount of shoppers and vendors alike, but not enough where I felt crowded or uncomfortable.They bustled through the various displays and stations in what could only be called a Pen Bazaar (only , you know, inside a building.If you don’t believe me ,look at the picture here in the right .Where else would you see hundreds of pens spread on a table like vegetables). A cheerful feeling permeated the space, affecting everyone who stepped into the room. Whether their actions were methodical, purposeful or relaxed, everyone in the room had a pleasant, unperturbed air about themselves. The pleasure of being at a spectacular event dedicated to one of their strongest passions was written in the faces of everyone I saw. It was a happy affair, and it showed. As I walked around, I realized that the people in attendance were just as interesting as the products they were inspecting. I saw seasoned pen collectors who looked around and walked with a purpose at all times. Like an eagle hunting a rabbit, they scoped out the tables with a hungry look in their eyes until they found their prize. Others were veterans who came equipped with tools like magnifying glasses to inspect the pens.They would hold up anything that caught their interest and examine the nib, body and inner mechanics. Many of them were so skilled in discerning pen designs that they could immediately identify the type of nib, who made it, how old it was, how often it had been used and, of course, if it was a fake. Advanced knowledge and recognition of pen structure, which would probably take me at least ten minutes to identify, came as second nature to them. Mixed among these were the first timers and young children who were just being introduced to the world of fine writing.I remember seeing a table who were educating kids to use Fountain Pens(though I personally feel that kids under the age of 7 should not use Fountain Pen,the lady in the counter was persistent that even 2 year old should hold a fountain pen.) Their excitement and fascination with the incalculable number of mechanics, inks, designs, and pens was as obvious as it was heartwarming.

Many customers were just there to get their pens repaired. Many had broken barrels, dismantled clip and some of them even roamed around with almost irreparable pens. Many queued up to get their nibs repaired with Yukio Nagahara,the legendary master nib maker from Sailor.

Companies like Conklin,Montegrappa(with all those icons in the background,it reminded me of the Expendables movie banner) and Delta all had many tables manned by company subject matter experts. Dressed in freshly pressed black suits with a no-nonsense demeanor, they were almost as intimidating as they were professional. Certain tables had no brand owner and were manned by one or two staff members who just offered ink samplings. These stations were piled high with row after row of so many different inks that I barely even knew where to start. (After glancing over the choices I resorted to the age-old habit of just going “Oh! This looks pretty! And so does this! Oh, oh, and that too! I want that too!”) Other non-brand tables were occupied by vintage collectors selling items from their personal inventories. Most, if not all of them, were extraordinarily affordable.

Calligraphy classes were being held in an adjacent room (Maria Weyraugh's calligraphy Workshop,New Calligraphy Chisel Point Workshop). This room had less traffic, as a class reservation had to be made in advance, but it was no less interesting than the rest of the convention. All of the students – adults as well as children – were dutifully bent over their work making concise, beautiful words with apparent ease. (Though if you asked each one of them personally, I’m sure they would speak to the contrary.) I didn’t spend much time there as I had more area to cover..

Of course there wouldn’t be a pen show without David Oscarson –the guy with the totally awesome pens – making an appearance. As usual, he sat quietly in the special booth that he gets every year. He was very polite and greeted everyone who passed his table warmly. He seemed a little weary, but he spoke in length with anyone who stopped by about his collections and upcoming products.

Even though there was so much to see and so much to do, I had to check on Pen Boutique’s tables, which, I might add, were doing quite well. The artful table displays were composed of Rhodia notebooks, the Namiki 2011 Pink Vanishing Point, Filofax Flex organizers, Moleskine notebooks, Pelikan, Retro51, Parker and Waterman pens all going at dirt cheap prices. What was especially interesting about our table, though, was the raffle. The item being raffled was an antique Parker wooden pen collection box with gold-colored handles on either side. The lid was mostly made of display glass with two extra drawers underneath. It was very attractive (I really wanted it, I must confess) and I was not the only one that thought so. Just about everyone who came up to the table entered the raffle and by the end of the day the bin was completely stuffed with applications. (Hmm, the more I think about it the more I really wanted that box... I don’t believe Parker even makes it anymore...I should have entered even though I told myself I wouldn’t.)

In the end, it was a lovely event. I got a couple vintage pens to add to my collection and made a mental note of others I plan on hunting down next year. The convention was an exciting, unbelievably informative and, as usual, extraordinarily fun event. I can’t wait until next year; it’s going to be so awesome.

While driving back home, I realized that the theme of the DC Pen Show – Delta Demonstrator IT Vermil..Oops I totally forgot to take a look at it….(Did you?) ..Well..how much can you see in a day? I had my measure of fun with pen today..

Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point 2011 Limited Edition Pink Fountain Pen–In Stock

2011-08-12T15:01:00.001-04:00

Throughout its extensive history, The Namiki Pen Company has garnered most of its fame from its masterfully-crafted Japanese-themed pieces. Styled by the best artisans Japan has to offer, the artwork sculpted on their classic pen barrels and the intricacies of their mechanics have made Namiki a powerhouse in the world of pens. From Tokyo to New York City and back again, the name Namiki carries an unmatched reputation for high quality and design. This unfailing tradition will be continued this year when Namiki brings out the newest addition to their prestigious Limited Edition Vanishing Point Collection. This colorful and charming family will welcome the Namiki Pink Limited Edition 2011 Vanishing Point to its ranks; a lovely little pen proceeded by an enormous reputation. This latest installment has been eagerly awaited by pen enthusiasts around the world for months on end, and its limited numbers have made these pens even more desirable. With only 2,011 available world-wide and only 850 being released in the U.S.A., this edition would be the crown jewel of any enthusiast’s collection.

From the very beginning you are greeted with an artistic leatherette box that is striking in its elegant simplicity. It is kept closed by a magnetic clasp that is stylishly charming in its boldness. Yet the true enchantment does not begin until you unhook the clasp, open the lid and behold a divine treasure precisely placed upon a soft gray cloth. Whereas most pens are nestled inside their own little slots inside their gift boxes, the Namiki Pink Limited Edition Vanishing Point is held down by a soft, smooth grey ribbon that is just tight enough to keep the pen in place. It is a stunning presentation that exudes an air of elegance with a subtle hint of practicality.

Now, let us take a look at the very treasure that called us here in the first place. Deceptively simple, the Pink Vanishing Point is a masterpiece of creative design and ingenuity. Despite all of its internal mechanisms and design aspects, it’s much lighter than you would ever suspect. It is one ounce of evenly distributed weight that will make your writing experience all the more pleasurable. The pen’s body is colored a comforting, warm pink that is bright enough to be bold but not enough to be blinding. Instead, the gentle color wraps around the barrel like a suit of undeniable attractiveness and irresistible charm. The body’s metal is smooth to the touch, but ensures a non-slip grip. (Isn’t it just so irritating when your pen is so smooth it slips through your fingers every three seconds when you’re trying to write?) Two rhodium-plated rings encircle the pen’s center, bringing a cool gray breeze to a limitless sea of pink.

The two distinct ends of the Vanishing Point are also rhodium-plated, complimenting the pen’s base color beautifully. On one end is an artfully crafted click-action top that heralds in a new age of convenience for writing utensils. Just about every fountain pen on the market has a cap, leaving you with the dilemma of having to keep it somewhere it will be safe without disrupting the weight balance of your pen. Easily overcoming this dilemma that has been plaguing the pen-collecting community for decades, the Vanishing Point offers a quick, clickable solution. With just one click the 18k gold nib engraved with its own serial number and manufacturer’s name is revealed. With another click the nib – lo and behold – vanishes back inside the barrel. When the pen is not in use a small trap door closes over the nib and keeps it in a seal-tight chamber so the ink doesn’t dry out. On this same end is a slender clip made out of the same material as the other accents. It’s a rather unusual design that may throw off first-time users, but never fear. You are sure to get used to it very quickly and after only a few uses it becomes a very endearing feature.

If a click-action pen is still just a little too inconvenient for you, or if you’re simply lazy – hey, there’s no shame in the game – you could always take a look at Lamy’s Dialog series and see if they’re up your alley. Namiki was the first to create a retractable nib for fountain pens, and Lamy has taken this idea and redesigned it in their own image. Instead of clicking, all you have to do is twist the bottom half of the barrel. A silver circular cover slides open and the nib, which is much larger than the Namiki one, slides out smoothly. Its convenience and versatility speaks for itself. Unfortunately, lacks the colorful yet tasteful appeal that Vanishing Points possess.

The Pink Namiki Limited Edition Vanishing Point is a work of art in its own right. It is part of a small, selective branch of limited edition pens that are known world-wide for their boldness, color and charisma that are impossible to replicate. The visual differences between the Limited Edition Vanishing Points and their Classic Vanishing Point counterparts are clear from just a passing glance. For example, the Namiki Vanishing Point Black Matt has a much more traditional air about it. Its charm lies not in its easily recognizable individuality, but in its solemn simplicity. Though it has the same 18k gold nib as the Limited Edition, its body is completely black. There are no silver accents, no breaks in color, no nothing. A sheet the color of a moonless night sky is carefully wrapped around the body of the pen, providing a vision of inexplicable beauty. No matter what your tastes, whether it’s vibrant colors and excitement or muted colors and serious traditionalism, Namiki has catered to them. Whether it’s the rainbow or the midnight sky, the choice is yours.

Pilot (Namiki’s mother company) has always produced practical, capable pens, and Namiki has always produced jaw-dropping, unimaginably beautiful ones. This year they have once again joined forces to create a pen that sets the standard for fashion, style, functionality and sensibility. Pens for The Limited Edition Vanishing Point Collection have always been created with the best of both worlds in mind, and 2011’s edition is no exception.

Montblanc Ink of Joy,Ink of Friendship and Ink of love

2011-08-05T11:20:00.002-04:00

After blogging about the Montblanc – A tribute to the Mont blanc pens,I was hesitant to blog about Montblanc again as there are new products coming soon like the Namiki Vanishing Point 2011 Pink Special Edition, Cross Year of the Dragon Pens and many others. But these new bottles of ink sitting on my desk staring at me everyday persuaded me to blog about them..Probably ,it’s the joy that I gain by trying out with new inks that made me to start writing about them… its probably the love for ink that compelled me to pick my pen and dip it in these new vibrant colors and its probably the friendship that I have with my readers ,that I wanted to share my feeling about these new ink bottles .

(Looks like not even 2 eyes,but 3 of them staring at me)

The Montblanc Ink of Love, Joy and Friendship 30ml Ink Bottles Refill. Montblanc has this compelling habit of taking old products, sometimes less than a year old, and upgrading them. Whether it’s adding scent, changing bottle styles, or revamping original designs, Montblanc obsesses over making every one of their products the best they can possibly be. This year, Montblanc has redesigned three specific inks with their own unique brand, name and bottle. Don’t you think Old Wine in new bottle tastes a little better

To begin, the Ink of Love is a modernized version of Montblanc’s original Red Ruby released in the late 1990’s. Though beautiful, this shade was more reminiscent of the pale orange-pink color that many pen companies such as Lamy and Pelikan had recently created than the deep red it was meant to personify. In 2008 it was changed to a magenta-red color and given a rose scent. The ink was renamed Love You and in three years it was given another facelift. The Ink of Love is a much darker medium red with more brownish tones compared to its predecessors. Although darker, the intensity and mystery of the ink draws you in and captivates you from start to finish.

Montblanc always compliment their ink bottles by creating the same variety of cartridge for the easy goers.Montblanc ink of love,ink of joy and ink of friendship cartridge comes with 8 cartridge and will last probably a week for deep writers like me..Iam always a bottle fan..

Next, is the Ink of Joy. Its ancestor is the Mahatma Gandhi Saffron released in 2009. This original was packaged in Montblanc’s traditional rectangle shoe-styled bottles instead of their recent square ones that possess a beautiful ripple effect. The Mahatma Gandhi Saffron was a very rich orange with little to no yellow or brown tones, and gave off a cream and carrot color. The Ink of Joy, however, is a much more vibrant and intense orange color that manages to be eye-catching without being garish. It has a smooth, beautiful hue that evokes thoughts of sunsets, autumn leaves, and jack-o-lanterns.

Last but certainly not least, the Ink of Friendship. Its origins lie in the Montblanc Turquoise that was released in the late 1990’s. It was a dark teal and aqua color that had hints of green. It was so smooth, crisp, and fun to write with it was not to be believed. Montblanc has kept the ink’s mechanics but changed the aesthetics. The Ink of Friendship is a medium cyan blue that is much brighter, more intense, and is strictly turquoise with no green tones to speak of. This new ink is bright, beautiful and gives a flawless, effortless performance that speaks for itself.

Each ink comes in Montblanc’s newly-styled bottles that are a stark contrast to their more traditional ones. All the bottles are labeled “Made in Austria” with the ink’s name in French underneath.

Montblanc has also confirmed to us that author being honored in the Writer's Edition collection this year is Carlo Collodi who is best known for having written PINOCCHIO.Here is the first glance of the eagerly awaited pen.Watch for our blog on it…

In the meantime,find all the spices of life viz Love,Friendship and Joy at Pen Boutique in a 30ml bottle or 8 piece cartridge .I wish life was that easy.

Montblanc–A tribute to the Mont Blanc Special Editions

2011-07-25T15:36:00.001-04:00

One would think that amidst all the, wars, conquests, political intrigue and endless scandals, someone in Europe would have thought to climb to the top of the continent’s highest mountain. (For the fun of it if nothing else, as mountain-climbing is a delightful hobby.) This particular mountain sits directly on the French-Italian border in the Alps and remained completely unconquered for centuries. Vague interest in climbing the mountain began around the middle of the 18^th century, but it was not until 1760 when Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, a Swiss mountain-climber, sparked a European-wide obsession by announcing that he would give a monetary reward to the first person to climb the mountain. Immediately, untold attempts were made to reach the top of the mountain’s mysterious peak that had yet to see a trace of human life. On August 8^th, 1786 Jacques Balmot, a Savoyan mountain guide, and Michel-Gabriel Paccard, a Savoyan doctor and alpinist, were the first ones to successfully reach the crown of this natural phenomenon. They reached the peak of Mont Blanc; or, as the Italians call it, Monte Bianco.

For over a century, the Montblanc Company has made some of the world’s finest pens. Their name has been synonymous with craftsmanship, expertise and innovative design. Montblanc has always taken pride in its namesake by incorporating aspects of the great mountain into nearly all their pen designs. In fact, their very logo – a rounded six-pointed white star – represents Mont Blanc’s six glaciers and snow-capped peak. The number 4810 – the height of the mountain – occurs frequently in their collections, whether it’s a simple engraving onto the pens or the quantity of a collection. This year, Montblanc has decided to pay a more direct tribute by giving Mont Blanc its very own collection. The new “Montblanc Meisterstück: Tribute to the Mont Blanc” collection is a timeless compilation of the finest skill, artistry and care that European craftsmanship can produce. Every aspect of this new collection – from the barrels to the nibs, from the cartridges to the clips, and from the emblem to the engravings – contains components that are carefully selected by master craftsmen. Each pen is created with a special diligence and dedication that marks each pen as a Meisterstück – a masterpiece.

By their very nature pens are common and unassuming, but Montblanc has turned these simple instruments into works of art that would put the finest jewelry to shame. To begin, the Montblanc emblem at the top of each pen is carved from beautiful, luminescent snow quartz. This is the only Montblanc collection that uses these precious minerals in the emblem. The pure-white, marble design represents the perfect, eternal snow that sits undisturbed at Mont Blanc’s peak. As for the barrel design, Montblanc took inspiration from the exact moment when sunlight reflects off the sleek glacial ice that covers Mont Blanc. To replicate this priceless reflection of nature, the pen barrels have a snow-white lacquering that is shined to a high, crystal-like gloss. Montblanc Meisterstuck Tribute to the Mont blanc fountain pen has a stunning 18k rhodium-plated nib that is just as captivating as it is unique.

These exquisite accents alone would make the pen almost prettier than the mountain it represents, but Montblanc has never been satisfied with excellence when they can hear perfection echoing from the mountain peaks. To answer perfection’s call, Montblanc has added a special element to the metal foreparts of their pens. A panoramic view of the Mont Blanc massif – for those of you who are not mountain-savvy, a massif is a group of mountains that form a specific mountain range – is engraved into the foreparts’ platinum-plating. There is an inscription above the image that lists some of the tallest and most famous peaks of the massif and their altitudes. With arrows pointing to the mountain it represents, the labels read: Mont Blanc (4810 m), Dômes de Miage (3670 m), Aig. de la Bérangère (3425 m), Aiguille de Tré la Tête (3930 m), Aig. de la Lex Blanche (3697 m), Aiguille des Glaciers (3817 m), Glacier de Tré la Tête, Dôme du Goûter (4304 m) and Aig. de Bionnassay (4052 m). These informations are laser engraved on both Fountain pen and Rollerball pen quite visibly unlike the ballpoint pen due to the lack of grip section in the ballpoint pen.

The beautifully simplistic text and artfully engraved mountains shimmer incandescently in the metal’s matt silken sheen. The foreparts are available in two distinct colors. Whether it’s pale white gold, reminiscent of frozen winter skies, or subtle rose gold, a color that evokes the image of a faded sunset, each theme will compliment the other accents of the pen to create an instrument of awe-inspiring beauty.

There is no finer or more reliable companion than a pen, and there is no finer pen than those in the Tribute to the Mont Blanc collection. These pens transmit an air of grace, quality and prestige that cannot be duplicated. They are impeccable, everlasting masterpieces that will become the crown jewels of any pen enthusiast’s collection.

In 1786, two gentlemen set forth with a desire to achieve what was previously an unthinkable, inhuman feat. This year, Montblanc set forth with a similar desire, and excluding the mountain in itself, these visionaries have one important thing in common: they have achieved the pinnacle of greatness.

Filofax Flex Notes,fun and more….

2011-07-05T17:40:00.001-04:00

The Fourth of July has come and gone, the local theme parks are packed, the days are hot, the nights are warm, and if you look outside, right after sunset, you will see armies of lightning bugs brightening the woods. Summer is officially in full swing, accompanied by its usual entourage: bliss, relaxation, and freedom. This year Filofax, one of the world’s most trusted stationery manufacturers, has introduced a new member to the world of summer: the Flex. The Flex is a three-part notebook series that is guaranteed to transform your summer from endless carefree days into one full of inspiration, literary satisfaction and a new favorite writing companion.

The Flex comes in three sizes: A5 (170x223mm), slim (105x163mm) and flex pocket (100x133mm). The A5 is the most commonly used given its size, unlimited functionality and diversity. When opened, the a5 notebook lays completely flat – how convenient! (How many times have you tried to write in a notebook, only to have its bulky spine aggravate you? Irritating, isn’t it?) On the left hand side of the notebook is an 80 page ruled notepad made of smooth, crisp Filofax stationery. Beneath that are multiple pockets of varying sizes to hold all of your essentials. There are six credit card slots and two additional, larger ones that are perfect for storing torn out notes, checkbooks, receipts, and any other miscellaneous papers. On the right hand side is a 32 page, unlined jot pad that stretches the height of the notebook. This little pad is one of the most useful aspects of the entire notebook. It lets you quickly scribble down any short note, thought, or mental sidebars you want. The jot pad’s paper – though just as smooth and easy to work with as the notepad’s – is easily disposed of, so you can keep all your more relevant thoughts in your notepad. (The jot pad is more for things like the title of a good song you just heard on the radio, a book title, your grocery list, someone’s phone number…) In the center of the notebook is a removable, cardboard pencil holder. With most other notebooks, you’re left to stick your pen into various slots and hope it doesn’t fall out or get lost when you need it most. The Flex has a pencil holder that can be taken out and slipped into pockets on the left and right hand side of the notebook for your optimum comfort and convenience.

(That’s a Flex with a Laban Pen,a neat fit into the pen holder)

All of the aforementioned information is just the beginning. Though it comes in this revolutionary package, a simple writing notepad with lines – or no lines – is just that. Simple. So, to combat this seemingly unoriginality, Filofax has made the Flex’s paper completely customizable. A multitude of different refill options are available and can be switched in and out of the notebook at any time. There are sketchpads, for the spontaneous artist; planners, for on the go businessmen or businesswomen; diaries, for the more emotional and free-spirited types; and contact lists, for the social types. There is also a variety of other options for any and everyone. The Flex’s properties are just as flexible as its seemingly nonexistent spine!

Check out this diagram that helps you to make the your filofax flexible.

Though it has everything you could ever want in a portable organizer just short of a secretary, you may be inclined to think that the a5 is bigger than what you really need. Have no fear; the Flex’s slim and pocket versions are made to conform to these thoughts. To prevent unnecessary bulkiness, these remaining pads are only equipped with a 64 paged notepad and 32 paged jot pad respectively. Their limitless practicality and heightened convenience more than make up for this small slight. The Flex slim has a shortened height and width. It has about the same density and weight of a checkbook or leather wallet. The slim fits nicely inside your pocket, briefcase, or purse. The Flex pocket version is perfect for, well, your pocket. It’s small, compact and by summer’s end you’ll never want to be without it.

(Filofax flex,display at PenBoutique Sterret Place ,Columbia MD location)

The Flex series comes in three distinct, professionally tasteful colors: black, slate, and for those who want a more decorative flair, magenta. They are made out of sleek, soft and smooth two-toned leather that gives the notebooks depth and personality.

(Flex in various size and color)

This summer, keep in mind that taking it slow, organizing your time wisely, and having an outlet to your insatiable creativity makes for a pleasant, unforgettable summer. With the Flex series, that perfect summer is only a notebook away.

Filofax Flex at PenBoutique

Lamy Safari Special Edition Aquamarine: Fountain and Ballpoint Pens

2011-06-14T12:33:00.001-04:00

With Father’s Day coming in a few days , the New Color in Safari Collection ,the Lamy Aquamarine Special Edition ,is a great gift for those fathers who write often and like the comfort and consistency that Lamy can provide.They are available as Fountain Pen and the Ballpoint pen. .Added to the father’s day celebrations ,summer is catching up on its heat everyday and this could be a great pen for use in the summer, as it will remind the writer of the ebb and flow of the ocean currents.

This solid pen is relatively lightweight and made of a strong ABS plastic with a chrome clip which is perfect to clip on to any shirt pocket or notebook cover. The Ballpoint does not dry out easily and is very smooth on any paper. This pen is perfect to take to the beach to enjoy a Sudoku puzzle while tanning in the beautiful summer weather.
The unique German design of the Lamy Safari Series is a reliable, economical pen which will be there when you need it most. Lamy, originally founded in 1930 Germany by one of Parker’s representatives, Josef Lamy. Lamy believed in using synthetic plastics (such as the ABS plastic used in the Safari Series) to make penmanship a more affordable experience for the masses. The first Lamy Safari pens were released in 1980 by the design of Bernt Speigelm intended for use with school children. Today, the Lamy Safari Series comes in a variety of colors, from the recently released Lamy Safari Pink Limited Edition to a Matt Charcoal with black clip, this pen spans all age groups and all purposes. The variety of colors available to the everyday pen user is refreshing; Lamy is unique in its color variety. The Lamy even comes in a demonstrator edition where you can see how each component of the pen comes together to give you the unique economical writing experience that Lamy can provide. A nice thing about the Safari Fountain Pen series is that one can purchase left handed nibs for those who find it difficult to write with extra fine nibs but like the look and feel of a finer line.

However, The Lamy Safari pens are not perfect for everyone. For those looking for a more flexible nib should look into the Pelikan M200 with italic gold nib. The Pelikan M200 holds an 18 Kt. Gold italic nib which is smooth from the first use to the last. The Lamy requires some time and lots of use to wear to your preferred writing style. The plastic is strong but is prone to scratching over time. The light weight of the pen is great for those interested in calligraphy, but for some, nothing beats the feel of a heavy pen weighing down on paper.

If you’re looking for a good starter pen to learn about calligraphy or want to learn how to write with a fountain pen without breaking the bank, the Lamy Safari Series Fountain pen is the best way to go. This Father’s day, buy your father the pen that you know he will use time and time again, without worrying too much about losing a timeless valuable writing instrument. Click here for more selection of Fathers Day Gift ideas.

Having said all good things about the Pen,we just came to know from the Lamy Vendor in USA that the pen is a absolute sold out and as it’s a limited edition,its nowhere in pipeline for future delivery. Pen Boutique currently has lots in stock so come in today or order online! We also have Lamy ink refills so the joy of writing never stops!

MoleSkines ,the legendary notebooks from France has introduced a new color that may go well with the aquamarine color. It’s the SKY BLUE Color Moleskine Volant X-Small Plain Notebook (Set of 2) (2.5 x 4 inches) . Also the Moleksine Address Book matches well with the pen.

I always write on my Rhodia Webnotebook.The paper is thick and gives me a crisp writing. Infact,it makes my handwriting readable..nothing more better than that for me.

This weekend I am enjoying the Father’s day with my new Lamy Aquamarine Pen in Rehobath Beach ,Delaware.What about you?

Faber-Castell Pen of the Year 2011 “The Jade Pen”

2011-06-03T16:11:00.001-04:00

It was the end of a chilly winter and we were all getting ready to welcome the spring.

The phone rings and the customer care answers with the usual warmth you get when calling Pen Boutique. “Thank you for calling Pen Boutique.This is Cindy speaking. How may I help you?” . “I heard about Faber Castell Pen of the year 2011 and I would like to place order for that” said an elderly gentleman who is ordering from us for the first time. Cindy,quickly said in her pleasant tone “We are taking only preorders on that,as the pen is supposed to arrive only by end of March”. He said, “No problem,I would like to place a order and get it shipped when it comes in”.

Spring came and it kept the entire town wet all the time,but the pen had some issues coming from Germany and it kept getting delayed.Frustration among customers started growing.Since then, the gentleman kept calling every other day to know whether the pen has arrived or not. Cant blame him,that’s the kind of reception the pen has had among pen enthusiasts.

It’s that time of year again. Time for pools, ice cream, walks in the park and “The Pen of the Year” from Faber-Castell is finally here and all the preorders has been shipped.We special ordered a few more because of the interest it has created in the past many months. All the customers who received the pens have nothing but good things to say about this pen.

Every year since 2004, Faber-Castell creates a uniquely designed pen that distinguishes itself from all other pens. The series represents a one of a kind union of art and technology coming together to create a unique writing experience. They represent a distinctive tone and elegance that makes them a marvel(did I say marbel?) to write with and are very pleasing to the eye. The 2011 Pen of the Year is absolutely no exception.

The Faber-Castell 2011 Pen of the Year is a tribute to artmans. Faber-Castell uses Russian jade(Jade is also found in China,India) or nephrite, to bring a new level of design to the Pen of the Year series. Known by many as a bringer of luck(could be a good addition to hit that jackpot) , symbol of power(Did superman……?) , elixir of immortality, jade is an ornamental stone and has always been surrounded by a special aura.

Jade is not easy to come by and is extremely difficult to work. Used by many civilizations, jade has inspired craftsmen through the ages to create amazing works of art. Extraordinary skill is required to bring out the amazing qualities of this gemstone. Faber-Castell uses eight segments of jade on the Pen of the Year 2011, symbolizing the eight generations that have made their mark on the family firm to date.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of it. The moment you first lay your eyes on this pen, you quickly notice its 2” inch long jade segments. Jade is an interesting stone because it is a subtle stone that still catches your attention very easily. The stones are surrounded by a platinum plated frame that complements the stones very nicely and do not overpower the jade at all. The next thing you notice is the weight. As soon as you pick it up you can really feel the weight of this instrument. With a pretty hefty weight and close to 5 1/2 inches long from cap to cap, this pen of the year has plenty of substance. Almost half of the weight seems to be on the cap itself. Once the cap comes off though, you instantly feel like writing. The pen fits very comfortably in your hand and has a great feel to it. It has a screw on cap with the classic Faber-Castell spring action clip with one downside. The cap does not post. It will protect the nib very well though.

Faber-Castell has incorporated green gemstones that celebrate Faber-Castell’s 250th anniversary. The emerald-colored stones on the cap and blind cap are delicately mottled with a deep green that really shows some unusually appealing shadings.

There are many processing steps that are required before a piece of jade can be inserted into these pens. From the first slice of the raw stone to the final polish, the artist must recognize its unique nuances and bring out jade’s nature. Only very experienced jewelers can achieve that. Only the most experienced artists can master the cuts typical of jade. These are chiseled piece by piece to create a masterpiece in stone. This chiseled jade is found in Siberia, but the exact location has always been one of the dealer’s best-kept secrets. Needless to say, real jade is usually not found at your local hardware store.

The faceting of the stones on the barrel are really the crowning glory of the Pen of the Year. Immaculately faceted and polished, the jade is given its final and perfect form by a master craftsman of the Stephan gemstone manufactory. All of this backed by the long tradition of the Idar Oberstein workshops that were set up in the 15th century and now enjoy a world-wide reputation. So, it seems like they know what there doing.

For more intricate details about how the pen was made,please click here –> Graf Von Faber Castell

The 18-carat bicolor gold nib is very smooth available in Fine, Medium, and Broad nib sizes, each one ‘run in’ by hand. The platinum-plated end cap, or blind cap, protects the twist knob for the filling piston mechanism.

Each pen is individually numbered and comes in an exclusive wooden case. The green lid is polished to a high gloss and is a very nice touch to the whole design. It’s the kind of box that gets you curious and makes you wonder what is inside. Included is a certificate that bears the personal signature of Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell (Click the link to read an interesting article about him on Money Week magazine), reminding you that what you hold in your hands is the limited edition Pen of the Year 2011.

The Faber-Castell Pen of the Year 2011 is absolutely a must have for any pen enthusiast. It’s also a prefect birthday gift for anyone born in the month of March since jade is listed as the mystical birthstone for the month of March and is also the birthstone for the sun sign Virgo. A beautiful design and immaculate engineering backed by the Faber-Castell name, the “jade” pen is a sight to behold and a fine writing instrument to be had.

For those of you ,who are reading this and you are holding one of these prized possessions in your hand..I have one to thing to say . This is going to be the pen you would cherish for a long time.

MontBlanc Patron of Arts Gaius Maecenas Limited Edition Pen

2011-03-17T15:34:00.001-04:00

Apart from the the sight of cherry blossom in DC , Tulips in Netherlands and the end of a suspenseful winter, spring is awaited for the Patron Of Arts collection that is released by MontBlanc every year. This year MontBlanc enters the 20th year of Patron of Arts Edition.

Patron is a person or a champion that supports a cause or a event. MontBlanc honors one such personality from the history year after year and pays tribute for their work in the field of art and culture.They are meticulously designed and handcrafted for quality and fine design. The usual number that is made available is 4810 pieces and in some cases only 888 pieces are available.

Last year’s Patron of Arts edition was based on Queen Elizabeth I and it was well received by many of our customers.

Pictures of Montblanc Queen Elizabeth I Patron of Arts Limited Edition Fountain Pen.

Following in the same foot steps that have been followed for 20 years ,MontBlanc releases Gaius Maecenas Limited edition pen this year.

Gaius Cilnius Maecenas was an important patron for the new generation of Augustan poets and he was the political advisor to Octavian.His name has become a byword for a wealthy, generous and enlightened patron of the arts.

Bust of Maecenas at Coole Park, Co. Galway, Ireland

The Gold Version of Montblanc Patron of Art Gaius Maecenas 888 Limited Edition Fountain Pen-Medium and the Sterling silver has the following features.

Design Features:

The design is influenced by antique ornaments and elements which are typical for the Roman Empire
The first line of the poem from Virgil - an homage to Gaius Maecenas - decorates the skeletonized cap
The origin marble barrel reflects the typical structure of a roman column
The clip reminds of an old sword
His portrait could be found on the antique like coin in the cone

Product Features:

Barrel made of origin marble
18k gold nib, with special engraving

The sterling silver pen has Lacquered barrel with 925 Sterling silver rings with engravings

The Gold pen has solid gold .

The pen is available in Fine and Medium point for Silver Edition

We are taking preorders on this pen now and call 1800-263-2736

Caran D Ache Wenger Pen-Knife Gift Sets -The Swiss Connection

2011-03-01T00:02:00.001-05:00

May be too late for Christmas or Valentines day gift and too early for Fathers Day gift. Either way ,I think it’s the best time to buy the Caran D Ache Wenger ballpoint pen gift set ,which gives the combination to two best known accessory to human being – pen and knife (the swiss army knife)

Caran D Ache has its origin from Switzerland but the name derives from a Russian word “Karandash” for pencil.Pen Boutique has been selling Caran D Ache pen for many years and we have many happy customers with a Caran D Ache in their hands.

Available in 3 colors ,RED ,BLUE and BLACK(My personal favorite is RED in this collection),this Ballpoint Pen Gift set would be a nice starter kit for new pen enthusiastic or for that case,any body who wants to write and have a handy utility kit ready in their bag.

Wenger is the maker of genuine Swiss army knife and it was acquired by Victorinox in 2005.This is a unique combination from the two Swiss based company to release this gift set.

Pen comes with a good looking gift box that can be additionally gift wrapped (Offering free of cost for next one week from Pen Boutique)

The replacement ballpoint refill for this pen would be the Caran D Ache Ballpoint refills. They are available in Black and Blue.Pity it is not available in Red Color. I don’t get to put Red refill in the Red Gift Set that I kept for myself.If you know of any other refill that would fit this pen available in Red,let me know.

“The pen is the interpreter of the soul: what one thinks, the other expresses.” This is a lovely quote by Cerventes and suits aptly to the pen world. With Caran D Ache pens,you will find justice to this statement.

“Enter the Dragon”–It’s the year of Bruce Lee Pens

2011-02-09T20:23:00.002-05:00

Introduce me to someone who hasn’t watched “Enter the Dragon” movie more than once. Bruce Lee has been “Icon” for ages and many of the martial arts followers like you and me would hardly find any one who hasn’t done a Bruce Lee styled “screaming” on somebody in your high school.

Its always good to remember somebody so iconic (who eventually lived even after his death) on their birthday anniversary rather than the death anniversary and that what exactly Montegrappa has done .Montegrappa has released the their second “Icon” Series pens and its based on none other than Bruce Lee,the name,the legend,that stays always close to heart.

At the very first look,it has the color(red) and the similar design pattern of Montegrappa Eternal bird. It comes in both Fountain Pen and Rollerball Pen. The Montegrappa Bruce Lee Sterling Silver Fountain Pen costs $5,110 and the Rollerball pen costs $4675.The Gold with Diamonds Rollerball pen costs more than the Gold with diamonds Fountain Pen.

Another good news for collectors regarding this pen is that its based on the “The Dragon” pen from Montegrappa that is now only available in the collectors circle. Bruce Lee was also known as “The Dragon” as he was born on the day and the hour of the dragon of Chinese Horoscope.So its another chance for collectors who missed out on the dragon.Especially new collectors ,as the Dragon came out in 1985 and was an instant hit.

Bruce Lee is a legend and there are so many events and fundraisers started in his name every year.

Picture of “Bruce Lee Paradise” park recently opened in China celebrating 70th birth anniversary of BruceLee.

Madame Tussauds also came up with their first wax figure of Bruce Lee in USA at Los Angeles last year commemorating the 70th anniversary of Bruce Lee’s birth

Some Facts about Bruce Lee

The Lee Surname is derives from the Lee Clan Temple in China in Juan Town.
Bruce Lee created his own martial art form Jeet Kune Do
Lee studied Philosophy at the University of Washington.
Bruce was the 4th child of the 7 children
He started learning martial arts at the age of 13 from master Yip Man(by the way IPMan part 1 and part 2 is a must watch movie )

That’s Bruce Lee’s Daughter Shannon and Grand Daughter Wren. What a proud descendants.

Montegrappa has announced that it will produce a total of 2010 pieces consisting of the following

888 sterling silver fountain pens
888 sterling silver roller balls
88 solid yellow gold fountain pens
88 solid yellow gold roller balls
8 fountain pens in solid yellow gold with black diamonds
8 roller balls in solid yellow gold with black diamonds
8 fountain pens in solid yellow gold with rubies
8 roller balls in solid yellow gold with rubies
8 fountain pens in solid yellow gold with emeralds
8 roller balls in solid yellow gold with emeralds

Offered in addition to the 2000 individual pens listed above will be 10 ultra-rare, three-piece sets consisting of fountain pen, roller ball and inkwell in solid gold with white diamonds

The pen also features a body and cap made of red celluloid with black veining, referred to as "cinnamon." Topping the cap is the yin-yang symbol, representing balance.

The cap and the barrel are both embraced by exquisitely carved dragons, their eyes highlighted by rubies on the sterling silver version and by matching precious stones on the fully-encrusted versions.

Just like the Montegrappa Muhammad Ali Special Edition the nib of this pen has the famous stance of Bruce Lee ,extending his fist and foot suspended in air.

The Bruce Lee was officially inaugurated in Singapore Last month.I was talking to the Rep of Montegrappa and he said that Sylvester Stallone has been just signed to be the brand ambassador for Montegrappa. Now this is going to be fun “The living icon to promote the iconic series”.No one can do a better job.

Montegrappa Icons Dragon Bruce Lee Gold w/ Diamonds Fountain Pen and Rollerball pen.

Think Black/Red Bruce Lee Limited Edition Pen

“As you think, so shall you become” .These words from Bruce Lee sounds perfect for Think pens .The next of Bruce Lee pen is the Think’s Bruce Lee Pen.Pen Boutique is carrying both the Think Bruce Lee Fountain Pen and the Think Bruce Lee Rollerball Pen.

Call us at 18002632736 for special pricing for both Montegrappa and Think Bruce Lee pen

Visconti–Declaration of Independence 1776 Pen

2011-01-21T15:58:00.003-05:00

Couple of the most aggressive brand to bring in new products this year is Waterman and Visconti. While Waterman brings elegance, Visconti brings creativity to the table.

Visconti has come up with this splendid idea of making a pen based on the Declaration of Independence .Visconti Declaration of Independence limited edition pen may be one of the finest creation by the Visconti Pen owner - Dante.

The unique feature about this pen is that Visconti has used their scrimshaw technique to embed the text of the declaration of independence into the barrel of the pen. The pen also comes with a magnifying glass to see and enjoy the intricate features of the pen.I don’t know how they could fit in so much words into it but its really amazing how they did that.

Visconti pens in the past has been inspiring us with their unique limited editions pens ,out of which the honorable mentions are Visconti The Bible Limited Edition and Visconti Knights Templar Special Reserve‏ Limited Edition Fountain Pen and this one stands apart from all the previous edition especially for United States as it marks the most important date in the history of US July 4th 1776.

This pen will be officially inaugurated today in the Philadephia Pen Show ( Jan 21st to Jan 23rd) and the state mayor himself along with the owner of Visconti would be there for the opening ceremony.

The pen and magnifying glass are packaged together with a scroll in a special collector's edition box made from American walnut wood. The top of the box is made from leather and is engraved with the names of the signatories from the historic act.

The most interesting part about the pen is the Fountain Pen’s plunger filler. It is shaped based on the Liberty Bell and the representation of the bell is so detailed that it also has the crack that can be seen on the original bel. The nib of the pen is made with palladium ( not gold) and in the last one year we have seen some raving positive comments on this new element for nib.

Original pen’s filler shaped like Liberty bell compared with the original bell at Philadelphia.

The Visconti Declaration of Independence Pen also has the important event in US history captured in picture. I believe one of them is Thomas Jefferson,third president of United States and the principal author of the declaration of independence

Visconti is releasing this pen in Sterling Silver Edition which is more common and also gold very limited edition. The details on the pen is very intricate and the workmanship is worth. In the past when talking to Dante ( believe it or not Dante has a hand in every pen made), he had mentioned that he makes one pen gives it to his staff to use it and then when they say that they feel good about that pen, then only he proceeds to make more of them with the same metrics.

Here are the details of the Product Specification.

Silver Edition: Limited to 776 pens in silver

Material: Natural resin

Nib: 23kt Palladium one tone white nib

Trims: Aged 925 Sterling silver

Fountain: $2,950

Rollerball: $2,850

Gold Edition: Limited of 76 pens in 18kt gold

Material: Natural resin

Nib: 23kt Palladium two tones

Trims: Aged 18kt rose gold

Fountain: $26,950

Rollerball: $26,750

The Gold prices are way to high(may be something to do with the current market prices of the Gold) but they are also very limited. Down the lane in future it may be priceless ,once the entire edition is sold out.

Close up view of the cap

We are taking on this pen, and you can call 1800- 263-2736 to reserve your pen. The shipping will be starting in February 1st week after the Philadelphia Pen Show.

Montegrappa Muhammed Ali Limited Edition Pen

2010-12-17T10:12:00.001-05:00

If you are a fan of boxing then odds are that you are fan of Muhammed Ali. What Pele is to Soccer,what Jordan is to Basketball,Tiger Woods is to Golf, Ali is to the world of boxing.Undoubtedly Ali is the greatest boxer the world has seen till date. Possession of Montegrappa’s special addition on Ali would be a great collection item that would look just awesome to any collector .

The design of the pen reflects elements of Muhammad Ali’s career as a professional boxer and celebrity boxer.The limited edition pen also addresses key elements of Muhammad Ali's life. 1942 is the year of his birth. He fought 61 fights. He won 56. His wins by knockout numbered 37. Inspired by these astonishing figures, Montegrappa has created 1942 fountain pens and 1942 roller balls in resin with sterling silver trims, 61 fountain pens with solid gold trims and 56 roller balls with solid gold trims.That’s a quite impressive figure for both Ali and Montegrappa.

The barrel bears the colors of his boxing shorts in white pearlized resin with black stripes. The solid gold clip is reminiscent of the stitching on Ali’s boxing gloves. The cap’s profile follows the arc of a speed bag, crowned with the squared shape of the “World Championship” diamond-encrusted ring worn by Ali. Ali's signature is found on the cap, with the legend “The Greatest of All Time” engraved around the top.

The pen has been crafted with amazing craftsmanship and the best part of the entire pen (atleast my favorite ) is the nib, with its gold inlaid silhouette of the classic Ali pose with his hands raised in the air. Keep staring at those winning moments whenever you write with this pen.

Also available is an exclusive "knock-out" edition, gold-trimmed and set with diamonds in the cap's end-piece. Only 37 in total this was produced with the client selecting either a fountain pen or roller ball. Each solid gold version will bear a number corresponding to a specific opponent and fight, the pen engraved with the fighter's name, as well as the date and location of the event.

The year 2010 has been a exemplary year from Montegrappa in Limited editions. It saw the release of Montegrappa Alfa Romeo Limited Edition pen, Montegrappa St Andrews Links Limited Edition Pen being the top ones.

It comes packed in a beautiful Gift Pack which secures the pen and gives it the collectors look and feel.

Prices on Pen Boutique website is

Montegrappa Icons Muhammad Ali Sterling Silver Limited Edition Fountain Pen $2595

Montegrappa Icons Muhammad Ali Gold Limited Edition Fountain Pen $18,500

Montegrappa Icons Muhammad Ali Sterling Silver Limited Edition Rollerball Pen $2195

Montegrappa Icons Muhammad Ali Gold Limited Edition Rollerball Pen $21,500

Montegrappa Icons Muhammad Ali Gold with Diamonds Knock-Out Rollerball Pen $25,000(yes I haven't misspelt it )

Montegrappa Icons Muhammad Ali Gold with Diamonds Knock-Out Fountain Pen $21,900

Call out Customer Care executives (1-800-263-2736 ) for discount of these prices.

One of the famous dialogue of the movie Cars is “Float like a Cadillac and Sting like a beemer” . Well its an adaptation from the fighting style of Muhammed Ali which he described in his own words as “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee”. I would rephrase it for Montegrappa’s special edition ,that the Special edition of this pen right now “writes like butter and sells like hot cake” . Get it before its all gone..

Santa brings Pens as holiday gift this Christmas

2010-12-08T14:44:00.001-05:00

With the holidays fast approaching(mine is all over,you can see that I haven't blogged for quite sometime now) ,iam sure everybody have their shopping plans spread out for the entire month.Make this holiday a special one with gifts that are more sensible.Looks like one in three gift this season is going to be an iPad or iPhone. Technology changes every year and an iPad or iPhone may be a thing of past in a few years.Anyhow,how long does anyone carry a mobile phone. I still have the MontBlanc pen (in pristine condition) I got as Christmas gift 10 years back and the Nokia 3310 which was a fashion statement at the same time is not even carried by kinder garden kids.So this Christmas act smart and get a pen. Pen is a symbol of education and it never gives up on you…..

Pen Boutique has lined up top 5 gifts that you could give this season to your loved ones (or probably to the ones you are going to love ). This makes perfect sense and stays within your budget

Waterman Phileas Rollerball Pen

Starting from down ,the first one would be Waterman Phileas Rollerball Pen . This is an entry level pen that can be a perfect gift for pulling more of your friends and relative into the pen lovers world. This is an guaranteed “fall in love at first sight” pen with its well balanced and attractive look. Not to heavy and not to light,this fits the palm comfortably making writing smooth and elegant.The pen comes in a all familiar and beautiful clamshell box . And why not,for $60 (now going on sale 20% off) ,it fits your budget and makes a gift that is worth remembering you. Let me share a secret with you,this may be the first and the last pen some of them may get in their lifetime ,just for the simple reason that this pen will never give up as it has been used since last many years and there is not much complaining about it till now. And if you think Fountain pen makes sense try the Waterman Phileas Blue Fountain pen with Medium size nib(Unfortunately all the other colors just like the rollerball is discontinued and no longer available)

Parker Insignia Matt Black Chrome Trim Ballpoint Pen

Parker Insignia’s are one of the top selling series from Parker which has been around for more than 2 decades. This particular model of Parker was introduced in year 2005 and introduced with 3 colors(Satin Blue,Burgandy and Spiral Blue ..of course they are discontinued) The Insignia is officially discontinued in the year 2008. So this will be an special item in your collection now going at unbelievable price (keep an eye on our deal of the day where we sell it at lowest prices ever). The pen comes in a nice black colored gift box and is again a good deal for the holiday . The Parker Insignia stainless steel Gold trim is also available if you prefer to gift this.Retail Price of this pen is $50 and now its on 50% off for the holiday season. The stocks are depleting fast on this pen as it has been the bestseller for years.We were able to procure some good number of pens last month keeping in mind that this holiday we need everyone to get gifts!!!.

Lamy Safari Fountain Pen

Available in various colors ,the Safari is the most economical pen of the era. The pen’s body is made out of plastic which makes the pen very light and easy on hand. The flat section on the pen prevents the pen from turning around which aids a lot to write on a paper steadily.

The pen comes with a Cartridge ,packed in a gray cardboard box. You could use a Lamy Safari Converter with the pen or get genuine lamy cartridges of different colors.Please make sure that you use only Lamy converter and cartridge.

This Christmas, if you find a Lamy Pen in your Christmas stockings..I bet you are one lucky person.

Pilot Namiki Falcon Gold Fountain Pen

Available in 3 points (Soft Medium,Soft Fine and Soft Broad) Falcon heightens the writing pleasure the moment you start writing with it. This is one brand from Asia that is the top seller in US. The nibs from Namiki is the highlight of the pen. Made out of Gold, the nib is flexible and a perfect companion if you are one of those who writes by yourself sitting in that couch of yours all alone with your coffee,pen and paper.The pen comes with a 3 years warranty and a converter

MontBlanc Meisterstuck Gold Plated Trim Classique Ballpoint Pen

This has always been the number one seller for any season and this Christmas it stands number one without any surprises. MontBlanc has been a tradition for ages as an perfect thanksgiving and Christmas gift. I personally own one for more than 10 years now and it has been serving me like a charm without any complaints. I thank my sister for giving me this present(infact this was my first branded pen) and it still stays my favorite till date.As I said I have had this pen for ages and I love the feel of it in my hands. Nothing compares to the feel of a MontBlanc pen ,the right size ,the right weight and I recommend this a right gift this season.Apart from Gold Plated ,it is also available as Platinum plated .So ,if you want to gift a pen that stays in the good books of the person who received the gift MontBlanc is the name..

MontBlanc cannot be purchased online from any website. Pen Boutique is among the few authorized MontBlanc dealer in USA . Last thing you want to do this Christmas is to gift a knockoff MontBlanc . Don’t get rigged Call 1800-263-2736 for ordering a pen now.

Pilot Namiki Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Bottle Ink

2010-10-15T10:04:00.002-04:00

So much ink and so little time .Not fair.

Seventeen colors from a single manufacturer, that’s a lot of ink . I wish I could use every color with my Namiki Vanishing Point Fountain Pen (Broad Point). Slowly, I will fulfill that wish but right now I tried a few colors that looked very appealing to me.

So I started my quest of filling the so called Pilot Namiki Iroshizuku Ink Bottle to know what the buzz is all about.. First I filled the pen with tsukushi(Field HorseTail) . This is a Reddish Dark Brown colored ink . Namiki Vanishing point Fountain Pen comes with converter . Now the best part about a converter with a nib is that we can have different converter filled with different colored ink and that helps to avoid cleaning the nib when you want to change the color of ink. Hats off to Pilot Namiki to bring in this technology which helps fountain pen lovers to try different color without having to undergo the pain of cleaning the nibs. I started to write in my to-do lists of Filofax Finchley Filled Organizer Pocket Size Black

The drying time of the ink is little high when compared to other inks. But again that depends also on the paper used. On the filofax organizer paper ,it took around 3-4 seconds to dry and on an ordinary white paper,it took lesser time to dry.

These luxurious line of ink from Pilot Namiki were created to reflect the beautiful natural scenary of Japan ,different local flowers and fruit. The bottle is truly gorgeous and will fill your fountain pen with different colors for different season.Try Winter with Old Man Winter (fuyu-syogun) ,summer with Deep Cerulean Blue or Sunset (yu-yake) and Fall with Autumn Shower (kiri-same) or Autumn Leaves (momiji)

1) Tsuki-yo Night Sky (Greenish Deep Blue) would compare it to the Blue-Black Color . It contains more Green to be called a genuine blue-black.It has a moon-ish color . (“tsuki” means moon ).

2) Tsukushi Field Horsetail - This is the ink that matches the color of my Namiki Vanishing Point Fountain Pen.It is nice chocolate based brown and there is bit of reddishness in the color.Its based on a grass named horsetail which is basically green in color .But the color which Pilot thought about when making the ink was dried horsetail.( I don’t know…iam just guessing it wild(weed?))

3) Asa-gao Morning Glory (Vivid Purplish Blue) . The first color that came in my mind when I saw it was the the J. Herbin's Eclat de Saphir. I put 3 drops on a J Herbin Blotting Paper

One observation of the ink is that it is not as viscous as J Herbin ink.

The color is based on the flower Morning Glory found in Japan . This flower was introduced to the Japanese in the 9th century, and they were first to cultivate it as an ornament

4) Tsuyu-kusa Asiatic Dayflower

Based on the flower shown below .It is considered to be in the weed family but is also consumed as leaf vegetable in Japan and other countries in Southeast Asia.

5) Ajisai Hydrangea – this shade of blue is reminiscent of the image of raindrops nestling on its petals.

The color of this ink is based on the flower Hydrangea which blooms during early spring to late autumn .There are many varieties of this flower with different colors.Out of that the following varieties are found in Japan Hydrangea hirta, Hydrangea involucrata, Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata. Hydrangea is a common flower in China than Japan.

6) Kon-peki - Deep Cerulean Blue - expresses the color of a vast and clear summer sky.

7) ku-jaku Peacock – a green color which evokes visions of the stark and vivid feathers of the richly multicolored peacock.

8) Yama Budo Crimson Glory Vine – this red embodies the bright and ripe fruit of the wild, yet subdued crimson glory vine. I wish they made wine with this vine. The fruit resemble red grapes..but it is not red grape.The color is an exact match to red wine.

9) Tsutsuji - Azalea – a red hue like the common red amongst the myriad hues of the Azalea flowers.

Are you a Sagittarian? This ink may bring you luck. The color of the ink is based on the flower Azalea which is the flower for astrology symbol Sagittarius.

Amazing snap of Azalea in mountainous region of Japan.

10) Yu-yake Sunset – an orange hue like sky, painted by the evening sunset on clear day.

There are no more apt words to describe sunset than the poem by Victor Hugo

Synopsis of the poem

I love the evenings, passionless and fair, I love the evens,
Whether old manor-fronts their ray with golden fulgence leavens,
In numerous leafage bosomed close;
Whether the mist in reefs of fire extend its reaches sheer,
Or a hundred sunbeams splinter in an azure atmosphere
On cloudy archipelagos…………..

All vanishes! The Sun, from topmost heaven precipitated,
Like a globe of iron which is tossed back fiery red
Into the furnace stirred to fume,
Shocking the cloudy surges, plashed from its impetuous ire,
Even to the zenith spattereth in a flecking scud of fire
The vaporous and inflamèd spaume.

Caran D Ache “Colors of the Earth” Ink Bottle with Saffron color is very much similar to the color of Yu-yake.If you are a color freak,this one should find a place in the collection .

This is the second color that iam testing on Blotting Paper . If you look closely into the ink of Pilot,it looks like it is more watery than other inks. This may be the reason why Pilot Namiki’s ink is more smoother while writing.

11) yama-guri Wild Chestnut – a brown color similar to the image of a ripe, fallen chestnut shell during the longing season of autumn.

12) fuyu-gaki Winter Persimmon –The color of this ink is based on an orange similar to the shade of a lusciously ripe persimmon.

Now there is an interesting fact about Winter Persimmon. According to folklore (which means it hasn't been scientific proven, or disproved), the severity of approaching winter can be cutting open a persimmon seed and looking at the shape of the kernel inside. Hold the seed carefully with a pair of needled-nose pliers and use a paring knife to slice it open.

If the kernel is spoon-shaped, lots of heavy, wet snow is forecasted.

If the kernel is fork-shaped, powdery light snow and a mild winter is predicted.

If the kernel is knife-shaped, bitter icy cutting winds for next few months will occur.

It is recommended to cut at least ten seeds to determine the outcome of the kernel shape.

Iam glad that Pilot had one color which is based on Edible fruit.

13) syo-ro Dew on Pine – a green shade similar to a dewdrop reflecting pine needles.

14) shin-ryoku Forest Green – embodies the unchanging color of a dense evergreen forest in a long winter.

15) kiri-same Autumn Shower – a grey shade like a landscape expectant of winter.

16) fuyu-syogun -Old Man Winter – a grey conjuring up the image of the cold, clear air of the severe winter season.

17) Shin-ryoku –Deep Green – The inks are based on the flower and the natural beauty of Japan. So this ink

The bottle is cleverly done. It’s pretty tall and narrow .It holds 50ml of ink. The opening of the bottle is also quite wide for bigger pens to be dipped or filled. There is an triangle shaped depression in the bottom of the bottle (as shown in image below) which allows us to enjoy the last drop of ink(afterall we need to get that last drop as the ink is not cheap)

Colors are saturated and lubricated

In short this can be rated as one of the most beautiful ink ever produced (I know lots of MontBlanc ,Aurora or J Herbin ink lovers would be raising their eyebrow on this comment, at least the bottle deserves credit..come on) .The ink costs $35 a piece but we give a 20% discount and sell it for $28. Just for today/tomorrow ie October 15th 2010,for the agony of reaching until here reading my blog,I am giving additional $3 off using coupon code JAPAN3 at checkout.

Well..that’s a lot of writing and in the end , like the ink or not..I think I started liking Japanese..:)

Cross Torero Braided Black,Desert Diamond Black,Bordeaux Croc Fountain Pen,Rollerball and Ballpoint Pen

2010-10-07T14:06:00.009-04:00

Guess what is the talk of the town( ofcourse I mean the town where pen is life,ink is water and so on )..Well,for starters ,I think it is MontBlanc Mark Twain pen which are getting sold out like the NFL football tickets . But we have a wild entry in the town..Its the new Cross Pens.

The pens hit our store more than 2 weeks back and ever since there has been lots of inquiries on the pen and the customers who purchased these pens having nothing to say about it other than good things. We sold out of the first stock we got from Cross and the next shipment just arrived today. The pens are online in our website and we get many inquiries about when this pen will be put in our deal of the day .You never know..keep an alert of the page on a daily basis.

Cross has released a new series named Cross Torero and Cross Edge and it is gaining popularity ,slowly but surely.

The peculiarity about Cross Torero is that the outside of the pen is covered in Leather.The grip of the pen is quite comfortable and you have a good feeling while writing it. I think many people would have doubts on the quality of leather and will it get worn out just like other leather products do. Does the warranty cover the leather? Cross did have a similar collection some time back in leather with their Cross AutoCross series.We haven’t heard any complaints about the leather of Autocross . So we believe the quality of the leather can be taken for granted. Afterall,Cross is an renowned company and would not release a product in market without rigorous testing.Also with Autocross, Cross had more variety of products like the Cross Wallet and Cufflinks. Cross discontinued the production of Autocross and they are not available any more in the market.

There are various colors available (one of them Bordeaux Croc actually looks like my Samsonite briefcase,I may get that to match by briefcase ).

I got curious about the name “Torero”. I googled it and came to know that a Torero is “a matador or one of the supporting team during a bull fight” . Well,why would Cross name its Pen as Torero? I never found the answer. If you have any idea,let us know.

Cross Torero Ballpoint Pen is my favorite among the three.It has got rich looks and with the leather covering and has a good grip.

Cross Torero Fountain Pen

The nib is Stainless steel and is available as Fine, Medium and Broad.The Fountain pen weighs 1.48oz. Closed length is is 5.6" and open is 5.74".

The clip,grip and cap are all Chrome-plated accents.

Base Metal is made of of Brass.

Recommended Converter for this is the Cross Push In Style Converter

You could also use the Cross Cartridge for the Fountain Pen .

As usual with all Cross Pens this comes with a Gift Box.

All Ballpoint,Fountain Pen and Rollerball are available in three different unique colors.

Braided Black. This looks like leather being woven and could match the Neiman Marcus jewelery which has this kind of design.

Desert Diamond black. – Desert Diamond is based on the color of Desert Diamonds that comes from the deserts of Arabian peninsula,primarily the central plains of Saudi Arabia.

Bordeaux Croc Embossed – This one looks like the Christian Dior Handbag color . The color has a rich look and is a definite match for women who have this handbag.

All said and done..Lets see how it fares in the pen world. From the looks of it there are going to be many takers of this pen. There may be many non-takers too.. But i have decided that one of them goes into my collection for sure...Guess which one???

Pelikan Edelstein Fountain Pen Ink Bottle

2010-09-27T18:05:00.005-04:00

Seven vibrant colors from Pelikan named Edelstein is now in stock here at Pen Boutique stores/warehouse to be shipped out and tried by the pen/ink lovers all around the world. The word about this ink bottles is out since mid of 2009 and stocks are depleting fast enough as there was many preorders for this ink bottle.

At the first glance it looked like we are getting about 30ml of ink in the bottle,but wait the bottle says 50ml. It looks like the ink is stuck on the ceiling of the ink bottle .The glass is an absolute beauty and the base of the glass is spread across giving it the extra curve to hold more ink.The bottle is called ‘flacon’ .Bottle is pretty heavy and the ink along with bottle weighs 9.6 ounces.The ink is Made in Germany and Pelikan calls it the Extra Soft Ink.

Now an ink like this is definitely worth trying. So I filled my Pelikan M215 Fountain Pen with one of the colors ,every color looked good,so I selected a random color JADE(sounded like a pretty nice name). The writing was pretty smooth and I felt that ink was drying at a pretty decent pace.The color of the ink was elegant soft green and the ink never skipped while writing. Need to try another color (guessing Mandarin as its close to the Rhodia note pad that I use everyday as my mouse pad)

It is definitely worth to have each color in your collection. Each bottle costs 20 dollar and there are 7 colors with a gemstone theme: Ruby, Mandarin, Aventurin, Jade, Topaz, Sapphire, and Onyx.Edelstein is the German word for ‘gemstone’ . The Edelstein collection has stirred a lot of interest among the pen lovers as it has been quite sometime that an company has released fancy ink bottle.Well,guess the wait is worth it.But only time will tell whether it has been accepted by ink lovers across the globe.Waiting for comments from users.

Fisher Space Cap-O-Matic Paired With Maglite Flashlight Chrome or Black Plated Ballpoint Pen

2010-09-22T15:25:00.002-04:00

The temperature is 250 degrees Fahrenheit, its pitch dark and only thing you can see is the color created by God and hated by humans, and you are upside down in a container trying to avoid an eye contact with alien. You want to write a message in a sheet of paper and throw it to the next space vessel ,from which you got separated, that would probably save mankind. Wish you had a pen that could just write here in space !!!!

Couple of days back….
You are all packed to go for the space mission. You pass fitness test, get your new space suits (the best part about going to a space mission is that you don’t do any kind of shopping ,for rest of all long journeys shopping is a necessity) . You are in the first ever manned space mission of your life and your best friends throw a nice see-off party. You get numerous gifts that you cannot take on a space mission but you find one which doesn’t make sense. The Fisher Space Pen ..writes on everything …why on earth would you require a pen like this..well..never know..you are not on earth.You open the cover and put that pen in your pocket along with the flashlight.

Back to space mission…

Alas,you have something that will help you now. You find that little filthy oily paper stuck on the container, take out your pen from the pocket and write the command sequence to exterminate the alien .You wonder if it would write as no other pen in the world can do it. But you are in for a surprise that’s Fisher Space Pen for you. It writes on anything, everything and anytime.Now that a gift that is worth a mankind.

Fisher Space Pen known for its pressurized refill and supposedly the only pen to be successfully used in space missions has this special edition for you which is on the verge of discontinuation.
Along with Maglite , a company selling aluminum based Flashlights ,fisher space pen are selling this as a gift set for a limited period of time.

These unique manufacturers joint venture together in one package is a sure guarantee to function in situation in which other similar products would falter.
Fisher Space Pen writes Underwater,In freezing cold,In burning heat( I would rather refrain myself from doing all this test),at any angle and upside down.It has been selected by NASA and used by astronauts on space mission.Maglite Solitaire is constructed of Aluminum,Water Resistant ,shock resistant and focused beam.

The product comes with a AAA battery for the flash light, Key lead so that the flash light can be with you always,Fisher Space Pen M4C Cap-o-Matic which contains a black ink ,medium point,pressurized cartridge filled with fishers patented thixotropic ,visco-elastic ink (now this is the technology that saved our astronaut)
. It comes in two colors for your selection. Fisher Space Cap-O-Matic Paired With Maglite lashlight Shiny Black Ballpoint Pen and Fisher Space Cap-O-Matic Paired With Maglite Flashlight Chrome Plated Ballpoint Pen

Get before the alien gets hint of this technology….:)

Mont Blanc Mark Twain Writers Limited Edition Pen

2010-09-07T14:48:00.005-04:00

This is a long pending tribute to the “Father of American Literature” (By the way did you know Mark Twain was given this title by William Faulkner, who has a writer edition dedicated to him by MontBlanc) by MontBlanc. MontBlanc brings out writers edition pens every year and after the hit of last year with Thomas Mann , MontBlanc is ready to release Mark Twain Limited Edition.

When I knew about Writers Edition pens from MontBlanc ,the first question I asked my sister (my sister is the most knowledgeable pen person in the entire world) was “Hey I want the Mark Twain Edition”. You should have seen the expression on my face when I heard from her that “MontBlanc doesn’t have one on Mark Twain” . I was taken aback for a minute. I asked her “Do you mean to say that MontBlanc doesn’t have a pen on Mark Twain,the first author of America?” . She always has a fitting reply to every question on pens “MontBlanc always waits for the right moment,probably they would come out with one in 2010,Mark Twain’s centenary ” ,she said with an ease which kind of put an end to my frown.Well,turns out she was right about it. (Did she have internal sources at MontBlanc who gives her coded secret message in cipher text with 256 bit encryption DES algorithm, may be,that’s German engineering ) As I sit in my office and write this blog, I can hear our customer care executives repeatedly asking a question “When is MontBlanc Mark Twain coming in stock?” . There has been a plethora of calls since the announcement by MontBlanc on this special edition and I think we just may not meet the numbers to satisfy every customer as the production is limited to: 12,000 Fountain Pens, 15,000 Ballpoint Pens 6,000 Rollerball Pens, 3,000 sets consisting of Montblanc Mark Twain Fountain Pen, Ballpoint Pen and Mechanical Pencil. I were you,I would call 800-263-2736 and preorder one right now.I had the privilege to walk over to customer care and tell them take an order on my behalf( that is some special privilege of working in pen retail company). I have asked for the rollerball pen. I would have personally wanted to get the fountain pen,but as I own couple of fountain pen and ballpoint pens from MontBlanc, I decided to get a rollerball this time.

Lets see what they have to offer on each pen.

The design of the writing instrument is also inspired by the river that had a lasting influence on Twain and his work: The sinuous curving lines on cap and barrel, made of deep-blue precious resin, reflect the shallow waves of the river. The top of the cap is shaped to resemble the Mississippi steamboat chimneys, whose steam is illustrated by ivory-colored precious resin.
The clip is formed by a stylized jew’s harp, a musical instrument that was popular in the Southern states in Twain’s time. Platinum-plated mountings and the ivory-colored Montblanc emblem complete the distinctive character of the writing instrument. The crowning features of this unique Limited Edition are Mark Twain’s signature and the number of the pen on the cap ring, and the two fathoms engraved on the rhodium-plated 18 K gold nib.

Shipment from Germany is expected this month end and I can't wait to get my hands on this much awaited ones.

When time passes by...

2010-01-30T22:10:00.001-05:00

Pen Boutique been online for 5 years and all these years we grew by learning from others. We looked upon others to learn how they do things. The dealers in writing instruments have experience of decades and we were a child in this whole scenario. We started when the recession was over and just with a hope that our passion can help us to channel our energy where our heart lies - Fine pens. We were only thinking that we will have something very nice and small and help the niche customers. There were no big ambitions, just try to do something.. something with our lives to make it more meaningful... We were ready to put our hearts in customer service and make it the priority. What we did not expect was that there would be so much love from customers that we kept on growing at rapid pace. We never know how time files.. We were chugging through the recession and today we are one of the largest dealers of fine pens in US. We are one of the top dealers of Montblanc Pens , waterman pens, Faber castell pens , Pelikan pens. In between we opened up another store, also expanded our online operations. The success can attributed only because of the love of the customers. We are blessed with one of the finest customer base. We recently sent out a survey to our customers hoping that there will be some reply and we can work on it to improvise. What we did not expect was an overwhelming response as to what we can do to make things even better. We have noted every one of your comments and we will try to implement them.

We always wanted to write a blog, express ourselves but in between our work and sleep we never had time :-) Hopefully, we will have a continuation this time and hoping that we will be able to communicate even better with our customers.

Thank you all for the wonderful support. Writing makes one remember things. When I used to be in college, the professor used to say that while reading if you want to remember the points to write, first read the book, understand it and then write it. If you are able to write all the points without seeing the book, you have understood it. Otherwise, you need to go back and start reading until you can write without seeing the text in the book.

It is been a wonderful journey so far and we are hoping that we can serve our customers even better.

Thank you,

Montblanc StarWalker Black Mystery Ballpoint Pen

2009-01-21T14:21:00.000-05:00

Monblanc is launching the new starwalker black mystery pens. This is the next in the line after the starwalker cool blue, which was a great hit.

The pens are supposed to be available in jan 1st week. But it has not shown up until now. It might be because of the Montblanc warehouse inventory which is until the 15th of Jan.

But check out the new starwalker mystery at the site:

http://www.penboutique.com/p-4885-montblanc-starwalker-black-mystery-ballpoint-pen.aspx

lamy Fountain Pen Price Changes.

2009-01-21T14:19:00.000-05:00

Looks like Lamy is going to raise their prices for the fountain pens by $2.50. They have already increased the price of the lamy ballpoint, rollerball and pencils. It is a tough walk in this economy. We do sell a lots of Lamy since it is one of the best bargain for the money and one of the best starter pens you can find around.

About Pen boutique

2009-01-21T14:18:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Pen Boutique: Leader in fine writing instruments and premium gifts
Pen Boutique Ltd is a fast growing firm with both a physical and an online presence. We deal mainly with selling writing instruments and other premier gifts to include executive and leather goods. From the company's inception,our top most priority has been exemplary customer service, irregardless of the order value. This dedication has been proven through the success of both Pen Boutique locations and the web site. The experienced staff at Pen Boutique are committed to 100% customer satisfaction and will go the extra mile to ensure that your shopping experience is convenient and above all,enjoyable. From answering product questions, offering suggestions,listening to customer feedback to providing any needed solutions, you will find that Pen Boutique Ltd is a company which tailors itself to your needs,no matter how diverse. Those are just a few reasons why over 100,000 people world-wide have chosen us for their writing instrument and gift needs.
We are authorized dealers for all the pens, writing accessories and leather executive gifts we carry. All our products are genuine and all of them are the newest stock fresh from the companies.