Curated Shop Spotlight: Desk and Reading Accessories from Craighill Co.

Many of you who visited our table in San Francisco commented on our selection of accessories from designer and manufacturer Craighill Co., which first came on my radar back in 2019. Craighill’s timeless, functional design and overall focus on office and small personal accessories kept them on the short list of brands that I wanted to add to the store, and this summer I received my initial allocation of the Kepler Pen (which incorporates a D1 refill into a retractable knock mechanism), the Desk Knife and Plinth (a combination letter opener and utility knife), and reading accessories such as the “Perch” Bookmark and Page Indicators.

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Craighill Desk Knives on the four different cast concrete plinths.

Based on the reaction in San Francisco, we will likely be expanding our selection of Craighill goods, in addition to restocking those we already carry. Are you a fan of Craighill? Is there a specific item that you would like us to stock? Several of you offered some suggestions at the show, and those are already in the works. Happy Tuesday!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all goods sold, including Craighill.

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Check out the unique grip on the Craighill Kepler Pen!

Return from San Francisco and TWSBI ECO Indigo Blue + Bronze Pre-Orders!

As of (very) late last night, I’m back from the San Francisco Pen Show and, despite the physical tiredness, totally energized from getting to spend time with the members of this wonderful community in person! I will have a full show recap tomorrow or Thursday, and while I didn’t get out from behind my table as much as I would have liked, I still brought home fun stuff to share. More to come. :)

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TWSBI Indigo Blue and Bronze Pre-Orders Are Now Live

Pre-orders for TWSBI’s latest ECO release - the Indigo Blue with Bronze Trim - are live as of August 28, 2023. I expect the pens to arrive later this week, potentially early next, and they will ship as soon as I have them in stock. You can reserve yours now!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

Shop Update: Olive Traveler's Notebooks Are Back in Stock!

Late last week we received a small shipment of the Standard Olive Traveler’s Notebook Covers. Since Traveler’s Company sets up their own table at the San Francisco Pen Show and sells directly there, I probably won’t be bringing these with me unless someone places an order for pen show delivery. We also have a few of the matching Olive Pen Holders, as well as Sticker Release and Accordion Refills in both Standard and Passport sizes, as these were recently added to the standard Traveler’s lineup. Orders will ship until close of business on Wednesday August 23, and even though we’re traveling anything placed over the weekend will probably still fall within the 2-3 business day time frame. Many thanks!

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The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all Traveler’s Company products, including the Traveler’s Notebook system as well as the Spiral Ring Notebooks and Watercolor Sketchbooks.

New Arrivals: Anderillium Inks Lepidopteran Series!

Anderillium is known for their bright - and sometimes offbeat - colors inspired by nature. The first two series of inks included the Avian Series (Birds) and the Cephalopod Series (Squids and Octopuses). Anderillium’s latest line of creations is the “Lepidopteran Series,” inspired by Butterflies and Moths, and it might be my favorite yet, especially for those who enjoy unusual and interesting brown inks with uncommon undertones. Be sure to take a look at “Toltype Moth Warm”, which has subtle pink tones, and “Atlas Moth Brown,” which has blue sheen.

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Anderillium Inks are well-priced at $14.50 for a 1.5oz, wide-mouthed “jam jar” bottle, with 8-bottle sample sets also available if you’d like to test the entire range. You can check out our entire selection of Anderillium offerings here.

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Further Reading and Ink Reviews

We’ve previously reviewed many of the different Anderillium inks here on the blog. Favorites include Cuttlefish Brown, Colossal Squid Dark and Kingfisher Green, and American Goldfinch Yellow. Enjoy!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Anderillium.

Notes From the Curated Shop: Five Desk Essentials for Your Office or Dedicated Writing Space

In addition to standard pens and paper, we stock a wide range of desk and reading accessories to make your everyday work and home life more enjoyable! The reason I love this particular product category is that it’s often overlooked by many pen retailers even though it’s a natural extension of an interest in writing. At this past weekend’s D.C. Pen Show - there will be a full recap forthcoming, I promise - I brought along a range of non-pen items that included a handful of cases and desk accessories, and they sold quite well. Here are five of my favorites currently in the shop that can help you build out your ultimate desk setup.

1. The Penwell Desktop Pen Holder. I’ve long been a fan of the Penwell desktop pen holder, which turns any capped fountain pen or rollerball into a desk pen! Good Made Better, the maker of the Penwell, was kind enough to do a custom run for our shop in a deep “Aged Red” finish.

2. Quality Scissors. Until I started using good scissors, I didn’t appreciate how invaluable they are, whether it comes to opening mail or packages, trimming photographs or mementos to paste into a scrapbook, or craft projects. We stock several brands of high-end scissors that are both sharp and functional.

3. A Compact Ruler or Straightedge. I always find myself needing to measure something, and it’s rarely long enough to warrant pulling out the measuring tape unless I’m shipping packages. Rulers also serve as a handy straightedge for formatting plain paper, or when you want to transform a standard notebook into a planner.

4. A Book Stand. Another long-running product I’ve carried is the Hightide Folding Metal Bookstand. While you can certainly use it for reading, it’s versatility goes far beyond that - I use mine to hold notepads and notebooks as I transcribe my notes or to hold a handwritten draft of a document as I’m typing it into the computer. This particular model conveniently folds flat for easy transport in a briefcase so you can take it on the road.

5. A Pen Tray. I keep a lot on my desk, and it’s helpful to have a catch-all to hold pens, pencils, paper clips, erasers, sharpeners, bits of paper - you get the idea. These Hightide Marbled Pen Trays are made from melamine and come in either long rectangular versions or a smaller round option.

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While these five categories are fairly mainstream, other more specialized products to consider include a self-inking stamp, which can be customized to feature your letterhead, return address, or signature to add to written correspondence, or an analogue timing device like a Sandglass. We’re actively adding additional “home office” and reading accessories, so keep checking back!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.