The Allure of Enamel Lapel Pins

One thing I’ve never mentioned before is that I have a (very) large collection of enamel pins. Or maybe it’s better defined as an accumulation, because there’s no real theme to it. Whatever you want to call it, it’s intergenerational, since I inherited about half of my pins from my dad when he passed away a few years ago. Most commemorate some family trip or event, and when I was sorting through this box the other day it astonished me that I could remember exactly when some of these were purchased, 25-30 years ago. I think that’s the true allure of pins: they’re small, relatively inexpensive memory tokens that don’t occupy a lot of space.

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Let’s just say that I rocked the one on the right yesterday. Certainly got some looks where I live.

I’ve recently started to take up this tradition again, buying not only pins that serve as a reminder of a trip or event but also seeking out those that represent something especially meaningful to me that I can wear on my lapel or bag. And ever since I first started my little shop, I knew that I’d eventually add pins as a category, regardless of whether they would ever turn into a core product or a big seller. Sometimes you just gotta go with what moves you.

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What I’ll call my “Reading Collection.”

This morning I’m happy to introduce a new section of the T.G.S. Curated Shop, starting with six different high-quality enamel pins from Pasadena, California-based iLootPaperie, who make many of my favorite washi tapes. Currently, there are two main themes: Books and Science, with a pencil pin thrown in for good measure. These are larger pins, and “Stacks on Stacks” and “Make Your Mark” each feature two posts. I hope to add more soon; my only regret was that I couldn’t get these listed quicker, but I guess there’s still a possibility for holiday delivery if you get your orders in early today. Enjoy!

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The Gentleman Stationer Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of iLootPaperie products. Sales through The Curated Shop, the TGS Patreon Program, and affiliations with other sites and retailers are how I fund The Gentleman Stationer. Your support is greatly appreciated!

New Arrivals: Field Notes "United States of Letterpress" Edition and More!

The pictures don’t do this edition justice: “United States of Letterpress” might be one of my favorite Field Notes Editions of all time, and certainly of those released over the past few years. And this one has special meaning, as my friends at Skylab Letterpress in Kansas City printed the flyleaf for each notebook! A huge congratulations to Bob and Ana on this accomplishment, which I understand was in the works for a long time.

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This Field Notes limited edition includes three different three-packs, with each notebook cover featuring the work of nine independent letterpress shops from across the United States. Featured artists include:

Letterpress & Design
Genghis Kern, Denver, Colorado
Full-Circle Press, Nevada City, California
Mama’s Sauce, Orlando, Florida
Brad Vetter,  Louisville, Kentucky
Springtide Press, Tacoma, Washington
Ben Blount, Evanston, Illinois
Erin Beckloff, Springboro, Ohio
Rick Griffith, Denver, Colorado
Starshaped Press, Chicago, Illinois

Additional Printing
Thomas Printers, Ogden Utah
Skylab Letterpress, Kansas City, Missouri
Lake County Press, Waukegan, Illinois

I still have the coveted Field Notes Archival Boxes in stock, which will make excellent holiday gifts, especially stuffed with fresh pocket notebooks!

Check Out Additional Field Notes Releases and New Shop Releases

The Gentleman Stationer Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Field Notes, and carries a full array of Field Notes Limited Editions, in addition to standard releases. Recent additions to the shop include the new National Parks Series E, “Mile Marker,” and “Signature” editions. I also have added the Field Notes Undated Planner, a spiral-bound undated notebook with a setup for 56 weeks. Happy Shopping!

An Overlooked Gem? The Traveler's Company Brass Ballpoint Pen

A couple of weeks back I posted the “travel kit” that I had packed to take with me on vacation. As usual, I was overly optimistic in thinking I would write through three fully inked fountain pens, though I did manage to get a bit of journaling in over the course of the week. (This wasn’t necessarily due to a lack of motivation, but rather a lack of privacy/space, as the rental we stayed in turned out to be MUCH more cramped than anticipated.) I ended up spending much of my free time reading, with my annotation pen of choice being the Traveler’s Company Brass Ballpoint that I kept clipped to the front cover of my book, even on the beach.

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Traveler’s Company (sometimes referred to as “TRC”) is the maker of the ubiquitous Traveler’s Notebook, formerly sold under the Midori mark but spun off around 2015 into its own group of products that includes not just the Traveler’s Notebook but a line of related accessories, including writing instruments.

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A vintage bullet pencil from the 1940s on the left, compared against the modern Traveler’s Company version.

The TRC “Brass Pencil” (formerly known as the “Midori Bullet Pencil”) has been around for several years, and regarded as the modern bullet pencil that most closely imitated the vintage form factor. Although it’s a high-quality writing instrument, the market for true bullet pencils is somewhat limited, and TRC apparently decided to expand the form factor by releasing ballpoint, rollerball, and, yes, even fountain pen versions.

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Today I plan to take a closer look at the TRC Brass Ballpoint. In order to maintain the traditional “Bullet Pencil” form factor, TRC developed a woodcase insert to hold the refill, which is a needle-tip hybrid ballpoint refill that I found thoroughly enjoyable to write with. Reminiscent of a Uniball Jetstream, it dries quickly and maintains a very fine line for a ballpoint pen. Best of all, the refill is relatively inexpensive, clocking in at $1.80 for one that should last you a very long time. I wrote with this pen daily for a week and have barely put a dent in the ink.

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The Traveler’s Company ballpoint refill writes like a cross between the Jetstream and the Hi-Tec-C. Honestly, it may perform better for many people.

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The TRC Brass Ballpoint is also available in the matte “Factory Green” finish, a special edition.

Otherwise, I enjoy the Traveler’s Company Ballpoint because it retains the vintage-style charm of a classic bullet pencil in what many will consider a more functional everyday format. This pen is comfortable to use - it feels exactly like writing with a rounded pencil - and the clip, brass construction, and overall light weight make it an excellent travel companion or pocket pen for when you’re out and about.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

While I’m not a hardcore “everyday carry” enthusiast, I have a soft spot for pocket pens, and lean heavily towards ballpoints for most of my on-the-go writing. The trouble with ballpoints - and pocket ballpoints especially - is that it can be difficult to find a decent fine-point refill. If you write small, and/or prefer needle-tip pens, consider giving the Traveler’s Company Brass Ballpoint a try.

The Gentleman Stationer Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Traveler’s Company pocket pens and pencils, including the Brass “Bullet Pencil,” the Brass Ballpoint, and now a fountain pen. The TRC Brass Ballpoint starts at $30. In addition to the standard brass versions, I also carry the “Factory Green” pens. Look for additional write-ups on the rest of the line as I put my demos through their paces!

Disclaimer: As noted, the T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

Introducing the NOBILE ITALIA from Giuliano Mazzuoli

Umberto Nobile (1995-1978) was one of the key figures in the history of flight. A General in the Italian Royal Air Force, Nobile designed air ships (dirigibles, also known as “Zeppelins”) all over the world, but he is mostly known for having flown across the North Pole twice. The first time was in 1926 at the request of Norway with the airship NORGE, which he designed and commanded. The second time was in 1928 on an Italian expedition aboard the airship ITALIA, the namesake for this pen. You can read more about how that all ended up here. Yikes.

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The size and shape of this pen make it quite comfortable to write with. Also, if you invert the pen, it looks exactly like an airship.

With a comfortable, ergonomic shape reminiscent of the airship for which it was named, the Nobile Italia ballpoint and mechanical pencil allows the user to swap out a Schmidt Easyflow ballpoint refill or Schmidt .7mm mechanical pencil insert. A twist mechanism both deploys the ballpoint refill for writing and extends the mechanical pencil lead (the latter of which I haven’t experienced before on a mechanical pencil and which I’ve enjoyed). Both the ballpoint and mechanical pencil inserts are included with purchase, and Mazzuoli conveniently includes three different Schmidt Easyflow refills in blue, black, and red. The Mazzuoli Nobile Italia is available in four different finishes: Polished Chrome, Matte Chrome, Black, and Aviation Blue.

All Giuliano Mazzuoli pens are made in Italy. I’m pleased to offer the Nobile Italia in the T.G.S. Curated Shop in all four finishes, priced at $120. While all of these pens/pencils are great looking, that “Aviator Blue” version looks absolutely outstanding.

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Since Giuliano Mazzuoli also does their own printing, their packaging is top notch. I’m normally not a “Box enthusiast,” but the airship theme carries over here and it’s well-executed.

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The packaging is well laid-out, with three refills, the mechanical pencil insert, an eraser, and the Nobile Italia body itself. (All ballpoint refills ship in the medium size, and the pencil is .7mm.)

Personal Favorites: Clairefontaine French-Ruled Paper!

One type of paper that is featured on this website fairly frequently is Clairefontaine “French-ruled”, sometimes referred to as “Seyes-ruled” notebooks and looseleaf. As many of you know, I have a personal soft spot for this product - perhaps making it my all-time favorite stationery - because it reminds me of when I was living in France during college and law school, which is when I first truly started to appreciate good stationery and writing supplies. Clairefontaine paper was everywhere, even drugstores, and at that point in my life it was easily the best writing paper I had ever used. Since then, I’ve always kept a steady supply on hand, even if it meant carting back overweight suitcases stuffed full of French-ruled notebooks from Europe. I always said that if I was ever fortunate enough to have my own stationery shop, one of the first things I would do is stock it full of Clairefontaine paper! Now that’s a reality.

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There’s something elegant about this ruling that I love but can’t really explain. Part nostalgia, part stationery nerddom, I guess.

In general, Clairefontaine paper is some of the most fountain-pen friendly paper you can buy, but it also works great with other wet writers such as rollerballs and felt-tipped pens. While the French-ruled paper uses a combination of grid and lines originally intended to help those learning handwriting maintain consistent height and spacing of letters, I appreciate this paper for its unique aesthetics, as well as its versatility in allowing you to write both large and small, depending on the type of work you are doing. Use the darker blue lines if you need a wide ruling, or use the lighter blue lines to size down.

In recent years, Clairefontaine French-ruled paper has become easier to find in the U.S. Starting today, I’m pleased to offer this favorite of mine in spiral, cloth, and staplebound Clairefontaine French-ruled notebooks in The Curated Shop. Despite its high quality and the fact that it’s imported, Clairefontaine paper remains relatively inexpensive compared to many other fountain pen friendly options. You can give the French-ruled paper a try for as little as $3 in the A5 staplebound format. (For those of you who prefer graph, I also have spiral bound A4 and A5 notebooks.)

“You have a store now?” I get that all the time. Yes, earlier this year I launched a small curated retail operation that I’ve dubbed the “T.G.S. Curated Shop.” The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all products sold in The T.G.S. Curated Shop, including Clairefontaine, Write Notepads, Midori, and others. You can discover all the brands I carry here. If you’ve purchased from me, and were happy with the experience, I’d be eternally grateful if you’d spread the word!