Summer Staff Picks!

Joy - Sailor Pro Gear Slim Mini

When you enter the part of Pen Boutique that we refer to as "the back"--our customer service area, warehouse, shipping department, owner Leena's office, media room, and break room--the first thing you usually see is Joy sitting at her desk right inside the door, unless she is busy elsewhere wearing one of her many, many hats. When I asked Joy what she does at Pen Boutique, she simply replied, "Customer service," but the real answer is more like, "What doesn't Joy do?"  In addition to working with customers on the phone and via email, Joy places the majority of our purchase orders, receives shipments from vendors (which includes unpacking and counting the contents), works with vendors with questions, and helps in the store when needed (like when I'm in the store alone and need to go on my lunch break, when we get super busy, or when a customer comes in with a question about a refill that I can't answer!), among other things.  I think of her as the glue that holds Pen Boutique together.

Joy has been with us for fourteen years, and when I asked her what her favorite part of her job is, she said that was hard to answer.  I agreed; it would be hard for me to narrow down what I do to one favorite thing, too!  After reflecting for a minute, she told me it's "working with customers and helping them find that special pen," which she usually does over the phone. Yes! There is something very special about that.

If you go behind Joy's desk and sit in her chair, you see right away which two pens she is most into right now, because she uses them every day and they "live" right next to her laptop or even on it! The one on the left is a Sailor Professional Slim Mini Rencontre fountain pen in limited edition Vert Sapin, and the one on the right is the Kaweco Sport Collection fountain pen in special edition Apricot Pearl, the new color from this spring. They are both compact pocket pens that expand to a comfortable size for writing when you post their caps.  She uses them for her daily work jottings including keeping track of nib switches, items to pull from the warehouse, and phone notes.

(Featured:  Joy's pens with Kartos writing set in Olivetti.)

The beautiful Pro Gear Slim Mini was Joy's first Sailor, and she loves that it's a true pocket pen, just like the Kaweco.  She inked it with Montblanc Master of Arts Gustav Klimt ink, and was surprised and happy at how well the Klimt ink matches the pen, and how compatible they are.  Joy has a nice little stash of Montblanc ink and really likes to write with the brand!  I'm always impressed when she shows me some of the limited production bottles she owns, and she actually lent me a few of the ones I used when I wrote a blog article about Montblanc inks last summer. 

I asked Joy if she always posts her Slim Mini, and she said that she actually doesn't, especially if it's just a quick note.  It's still comfortable for her to write with, even in super-mini form, and is very comfortable when extended with the cap on the back of the pen. At home, I tried both ways, and was reminded how much I love the precision of Sailor's wonderful medium fine nib!  Yes, for me also, the tiny pen is definitely just fine for writing short notes, and, for longer writing, the pen feels perfect with the cap posted. 

(Top observation written with my Pilot Custom 743 with FA nib and Iroshizuku Murasaki-Shikibu ink; quotation from Mozart's La clemenza di Tito written with the Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini with MF nib and Taccia Hokusai Sabimidori ink. Both are a pleasure to write with!)

When I wrote with the Slim Minis I brought home for this article, I really started to fall in love with the little pen, just like Joy!  Joy commented about her pen, "I like the little bit of feedback it has, but it's still very quiet and smooth."  I agree.  I've been writing a lot with my Pilot pens recently, and I love their nibs, but Sailor nibs are incredible too, in a different way!  Writing with Joy's pen reminded me how much I love the precision of that medium fine Sailor nib.

Pictured below are all the Professional Gear Slim Mini Rencontre colors: Bordeaux Fonce (Dark Bordeaux), Pistache (Pistachio), Vert Sapin (Pine Green), Glycine Violet (Wisteria Violet), Bleu Ciel (Sky Blue), and Gris Fer (Iron Grey).  They are all interesting and beautiful, with marbled barrels that are different and special.  Joy's is the Vert Sapin (Pine Green), which is an intriguing bluish green shade, sort of like Pilot Iroshizuku's Syo-ro (Dew on Pine Leaves) ink, which I've been obsessed with lately. I'd never noticed that pine trees have a blue tinge to their green, but apparently so! Joy says she loves that the color of her pen is an unusual shade.

Joy has a Sailor mini converter in her pen, which is sold separately, and has an ink volume capacity of 0.3ml.  The mini pens are too short for Sailor's standard converter, but regular Sailor cartridges fit perfectly, are available in a wide variety of beautiful colors, and are extremely convenient.  Sailor recently added the lovely new Shikiori Sansui colors to their cartridge collection, and I swatched them in the store.  They'd be great to pair with these pens.

Joy - Kaweco Sport

Joy's second pen, the Kaweco Sport Collection fountain pen in special edition Apricot Pearl, is special because she got the nib custom ground to an italic by nibmeister Kirk Speer from Pen Realm when he was visiting for our store event last month.  He will be at the upcoming D.C. Pen Show, as well as many other pen shows and store events around the country throughout the year, including another one with us this November.  Joy uses this pen in conjunction with her Sailor Pro Gear Slim Mini, but they have very different ink colors.  In the Apricot Pearl pen, she uses bright Kaweco Sunrise Orange cartridges. 

Again, she told me that she likes the color of this pen because it's different, and she likes the small size because it's comfortable and doesn't take up a lot of room in her workspace.  The Apricot Pearl pen features gold-plated accents paired with a shimmering, translucent orange hue that shifts to a pearlescent green, depending on the light. Joy refers to it as a "sheening color," and I love this description.  This effect is hard to capture in still photos, but is mesmerizing in person!

You can get a converter that fits the Sport, or use standard international short cartridges, which are available from many different brands, including Kaweco's own cartridges, Diamine, Graf von Faber-Castell, Monteverde, Pelikan, Montblanc, and more.  The mini converter doesn't hold a lot of ink, but it works extremely well, and I really like it!  I use one in my Kaweco Sport, and I've also added a contrasting clip to my pen. (You can see it in my pen tray in the background of this photo!)  Joy says she doesn't need a clip for hers, since she just keeps it at her desk!  (Yes, we do sell the crab pictured, in blue, red, and even green.)

The octagonal clip is available in two styles:  a streamlined and simple version with clean, modern lines, or a "Deluxe" version with curves and additional ornamentation for a few dollars more.  The simple style comes in Nickel-Plated, Gold Plated, or Black, and, for the vintage-looking Deluxe, you can choose Chrome, Gold, Black, or Raw Bronze.

I love that Joy's pen choices are practical, clever, and a little bit unusual, just like she is.  The more you get to know Joy, the more you find that she is full of surprises!

Amber - Sailor TUZU

You may remember Amber from my Five New Inks article in April.  At the time, I described how Amber was the impetus behind bringing Wearingeul inks to our shelves, told a little about her backstory, and shared that she was about to leave Pen Boutique to go on to new adventures, after being with us for about five years in customer service.  Well, Amber is now a teacher, but, because she only teaches during the school year, she was able to temporarily come back to help us out during the summer!  It's great seeing Amber behind the customer service desk again, and you may have spoken with her if you called our support line with questions or to place a phone order.

When I asked Amber what pen she is most into right now, she held up her Sailor Compass TUZU Adjust fountain pen, which she got about a month ago.  At the time, TUZU was a brand new release, and she brought hers up to the store for me to play with so I could write with it and understand how it works.  TUZU is a fascinating pen!  It's part of Sailor's lesser-known Compass line of affordable steel-nibbed pens, made with Sailor's meticulous attention to detail and renowned quality, but with less expensive materials.  The older line of transparent Compass 1911 pens mimics Sailor's classic cigar-shaped 1911 pens (named for the year the company was founded), but TUZU is a chunkier streamlined shape with a flat top and bottom, and slightly wider middle.  The lightweight pen is able to stand up on its own, and reminds me of a friendly-looking slim person with a little bit of a belly, eager to help out and keep you company as you write your way through your day.

Laura - Pelikan Passion

I wasn't going to write about my own pens in this article, but several of my readers urged me to, so I rethought my original plan. I guess I am pretty excited about my own new pens, so why not share them with you? I also shouldn't assume blog readers already know what my role at Pen Boutique is, but it's hard to easily summarize what I do by just giving a job title, especially because my position is constantly evolving. I sign my emails with the title "Sales and Marketing Representative," but I feel like, if I had to summarize what I do, I'd say that I spread the joy of pens. 

The majority of my time is distributed between creating these blog articles, creating episodes of our YouTube show with my co-host Leila, creating other social media content such as Instagram videos, engaging with people who respond to our various content, and working in our brick-and-mortar store helping customers along with the rest of our store team.  Working in the store sometimes makes it difficult for me to get the rest of my tasks finished, but it's very beneficial for me to talk to customers and learn what they are interested in, excited about, or struggling with. Helping them, getting to know them, and bringing joy to them is extremely rewarding and important.

Interacting with my colleagues, including Pen Boutique staff as well as representatives from different pen, ink, stationery, and accessory brands, is also incredibly important to what I do.  I learn from them and get different perspectives that broaden my outlook.  I am very excited to be going to the Washington DC Fountain Pen Supershow again in a few weeks, and I can't wait to talk with pen enthusiasts, vintage pen dealers, and brand representatives from all over the world. I feel like I grow exponentially each time I go to a pen show!

I explore a lot of different brands, and they are all interesting in their own ways, but the two that I've personally been most into lately are Pilot and Pelikan. Despite working for a pen store, I don't add new pens to my collection as often as many pen lovers do, so the ones I choose are usually very significant to me.

One of my favorite new pens is the special edition Copper Rose Gold Classic M200 from Pelikan.  I've written before in this blog about why, and how much, I love Pelikan pens, so I'm not going to repeat the same facts I've already thoroughly covered.  I'm not usually a gushy person, but I do get a little giddy when I start talking about Pelikans.  I've been slowly growing my little "flock" over time, and as soon as I read about the upcoming Copper Rose Gold pen last September, I knew I wanted it.  I love coppery colors, the freshness of bright white, and shiny rose gold metal, so I couldn't stop thinking about this pen's rich copper barrel, accented by the clean sophistication of white, tied together by warm rose gold plated trim.  I felt like it had been designed just for me!

The release of Copper Rose Gold ended up being postponed until this April because Pelikan wanted it to be perfect, and it felt like a long wait, but it was worth it.  The pen was even more beautiful than I'd hoped.  When we finally got them in our store, I eagerly opened one and brought it outside to our front walk, where it was shadowy in one spot and sunny in another.  When I walked into the sun, I honestly just about fell over.  The coppery barrel was so intense, it was dazzling!  I was so thrilled to talk about Copper Rose Gold on the next episode of our show, you could feel my love for the pen radiating off of me as I described to Leila just how wonderful it is.

I got my very own fine nib Copper Rose Gold pen later that month when Gary Lange, the brand manager of Pelikan North America, visited Pen Boutique for a store event.  It's always wonderful to see Gary, and I even had the opportunity to interview him for our show, which was a total honor and pleasure.  Tying the two together made my pen even more special to me, and, as soon as I started using my new M200, I loved it just as much as I knew I would.

(Pictured is my Girologio pen case loaded with my Pelikan pen collection at the time:  White Tortoiseshell M400, Petrol-Marbled M205, Art Collection Glauco Cambon Special Edition M600, a vintage Pelikan Pen Collection P21, and brand new Copper Rose Gold M200.)  

I introduced Copper Rose Gold to the rest of my Pelikan flock right away, and it immediately became my go-to pen at work.  The fairly small size makes it easy to carry with me in the store and pull out to show customers who want to try it, which never fails to elicit gasps at its beauty. In addition, the smooth fine nib is perfect for writing small on post-it notes to record customers' questions for Joy regarding when a pen will be back in stock, or scribble down the SKU number of a new pen to grab from the warehouse and deliver into the hands of its excited new owner. Paired with my Write Meeting Notebook, I use my pen to prepare For Your Penjoyment episodes; in my Mnemosyne notebook, I tally our weekly Instagram Battle of the Pens, brainstorm for our show's Silly Segment, and make notes for this blog.

Although my pen never fails to take my breath away when the sunlight hits it, it's gorgeous even under dim fluorescent lights and brings joy to my most tedious tasks. It doesn't matter whether I'm relaxing at a coffee shop on my day off or rushing to finish our Limited Edition pen checklist at store closing time, using my Copper Rose Gold Pelikan always makes the experience a little more special, and, accordingly, it goes everywhere with me.  

I've already had to refill it once, and, as always with my Pelikans, I loved how quick it was to fill and clean with the built-in piston mechanism. Since I decided to switch to a different color and try an Iroshizuku ink on my second fill, I even unscrewed the nib and feed from the nib section and rinsed it under the faucet to finish off the cleaning, then rinsed the empty barrel as well.  So easy!  The ability to do that is one of my favorite things about my Pelikans.  It was 100% clean and ready for new ink in moments. Now I'm enjoying one of my own custom Iroshizuku mixes, and daydreaming about what ink I'll use next. 

I have to admit, though, Copper Rose Gold is no longer my newest Pelikan.  I loved it so much that I decided to give in and buy the Tortoiseshell Red M600 I'd been admiring for years, since we were able to get a limited amount of retired Special Edition Pelikan pens from Gary. I haven't used my new Souverän M600 as much as Copper Rose Gold yet, but already it's going on adventures with me, such as my recent visit to Shmidt Spirits for a mini (very mini) pen meet after work. I got my favorite Inkwell Whiskey cocktail, the Inkblot. It was very fun hanging out with a Pen Boutique customer/friend, the owners Brian and Arthur, and another whiskey enthusiast, talking pens, inks, nibs, spirits, and hippopotamuses!

(Pictured: Shane's drink, along with my Tortoiseshell Red M600, Pilot Custom 743, and White Tortoiseshell M400, the distillery owners' pens, and Shane's Sailor 1911L Loch Ness Monster.)

When I discussed this pen with Gary during our interview, he told me that it was the fastest selling-out pen that he'd done.  He'd hoped that the inventory he bought in for the North American market would last for about a year, but it sold out within two months!  I can see why. It's such a striking pen, every time I see a photo of one online, it catches my attention and I can't stop thinking about it later.  I know a lot of other people feel the same way, and, after it sold out, it became very desirable on the after-market.  When I had the opportunity to get one at our store, I knew I shouldn't pass it up.

I adore the rich, warm orangey-red tones of my new pen, the depth and variety of shades in the tortoiseshell coloration, and the way the stripes catch the light.  It reminds me of a flickering campfire on a cool summer evening, crackling and roaring along with the trills of crickets and katydids filling the trees. 

I'm usually very frugal about my purchases, but I knew I'd made the right decision as soon as I took this pen home with me.  I've been wanting a Tortoiseshell Red Pelikan ever since I first saw one in ballpoint form, not long after I started working at Pen Boutique.  It was the last one left in our inventory at the time, and I stared at it for months in the display case, even though I knew I didn't want a ballpoint.  I feel about Red Tortoiseshell the same way I do about Copper Rose Gold:  the colors are just so me, it's like it was designed by someone with a key to my brain.  Once we sell them all, it will be extremely hard to find another one, and this pen is special.

Laura - Pilot Custom 743

I spent so much time talking about Joy's pens, Amber's pens, and my Pelikans, that I ran out of time to give my most favorite new pen the attention it deserves.  After writing my blog article on Flexing My Creativity with Pilot's Falcon Pen and Nibs back in April, I knew I wanted the beautiful Pilot Custom 743 with a flexible FA nib, and I couldn't stop talking about my love for this pen on our YouTube show.  I didn't buy one immediately, but, about a month later, I was thrilled to be given my dream pen as a gift from a good friend.  I love it so much!

I inked my new pen right away, and couldn't believe how comfortable it is to use regularly. I'd loved it when I tried it for my blog, but using it as my very own pen is something else entirely.  Even though I'd tested it extensively for my blog article, I was surprised by how fine the FA nib writes as it glides over my pages in everyday writing, and delighted by how expressive, beautiful, and satisfying the thicker line is when I gently increase my writing pressure!  The line variation is lovely, and feels so natural. When I showed Leila my new pen and described how much joy it was bringing me, she said I was "over the moon" about it.  Pretty accurate. The fact that it was a gift makes it extra special to me, but that's not why I love the pen.  I love the pen because it is so comfortable, so elegant, and such an amazing writer.  I love the ergonomic soft touch textured grip, which is very subtle but significant to me. It helps keep my fingers from slipping and adds a tiny amount of cushioning that makes the pen more pleasurable to write or draw with.

When I use the Custom 743, the combination of control and relaxation that the size, shape, and weight of the pen, the texture of the grip section, and the flexibility, smoothness, and precision of the nib gives me is like no other pen that I own.  The large #15 size nib is incredible to use, and I love writing my show notes with it, drawing with it, and having it with me in my pen case every day so I can enjoy how happy it makes me.

I use this pen so often, for work, at home, and everywhere I go.  It just makes everything more special.

I love the tasteful refinement of the Custom 743, and, every time I use it in public, I feel people looking at it in my hand, admiring it.  Not that I really care what other people think, but it just makes me even more aware of what a nice pen it is.  More than one person has commented that they thought it was a Montblanc!  Nope--my Pilot Custom 743 has a Falcon nib, and his name is Sebastian, and he's the perfect pen for me. 

What pens are you most excited about right now?  I loved seeing what my coworkers are into and sharing my own new obsessions, and I'd love to hear about the pens that are bringing you joy this summer, too. 

-Laura P.

I love comments on my blog!  Please leave comments if you like the articles, and, if you have any questions about this article, or any of the other blog articles, you can e-mail support@penboutique.com.  Thank you!