Notebook Review: Endless Recorder

I always love trying new paper so when Ana presented me with The Endless Recorder to try, I was thrilled. The Endless Recorder (€18.14 or $21.96) is a journal designed in Madrasa and manufactured in India. It is an A5 hard-bound journal, with a leatherette cover available in Deep Ocean (Blue), Infinite Space (Grey), Crimson Sky (Red) or Forest Canopy (Green) and measures 5.5 x 8.25″ (21 x 14 cm).

Then end pages are ivory and include a nameplate page up front and an expandable pocket in the back. A turquoise ribbon bookmark and elastic band help you keep your place and hold the notebook closed.

The journal includes 2 pages up front for a Table of Contents and the remainder of the 192 pages are white square grid (0.5 x 0.5 cm squares). The notebook includes 187 numbered pages and 16 perforated sheets. And the main draw of the notebook (least to me) is that the pages themselves are acid-free 68 GSM Tomoe River promising “zero bleed-through and feathering.”

So let’s dig into this paper!

Normally my only problem with Tomoe River is how thin is it. I dislike it when my writing shows through the other side of the page; I find it distracting to read and write on the next page. This paper doesn’t do that! There is a nice level of shading in the inks I used and true to claim, no bleeding or feathering. Now if only it were available in dot grid?

PS – So the photos tell a different story huh? When I look at the page I see very little of the writing through but in the photos it’s more visible!


DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge from Appelboom for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

 

Pen Review: Maiora Impronte Oversized

Pen Review: Maiora Impronte Oversized

The Italian brand Leonardo has received a lot of attention over the last year or so and also earned a meaningful place in my own pen collection. Over the last several months, another Italian brand Maiora has entered the market. In a year without pen shows, this new release stayed a little more under my personal radar than it otherwise may have, so I was excited to finally get the chance to get one of these pens in hand to test out. Both brands are resurrections of the Delta pen brand, and there’s no denying their similarities. However, there are also a few meaningful differences.

The first difference that is immediately noticeable is the packaging. The Maiora packaging is unlike any other pen packaging I have personally seen. The outside box covering opens to reveal a plastic cover attached with elastic bands to a layer of protective foam. It seems a little unnecessarily large (to be fair I feel this way about most pen packaging), but at least it’s a diversion from the dozens of other typical black pen boxes I have sitting in my office closet.

The pen section and the clip are the other two differences I immediately noticed. The section is wider than the Leonardo section and has a more distinct shape. Unlike other shaped sections (I’m thinking of the Lamy Safari or TWSBI Eco), this section seems to be one that would likely be almost universally comfortable. Visually, I prefer the section of the Leonardo pens. But I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the feel of this section in actual writing. Honestly, if there’s one feature that would have me reaching for this pen over one of my Leonardo pens it may be the added comfort of this section shape.

The clip is also a major diversion from the Leonardo brand and also the original Delta brand. It is multi layered and square. It’s a solid clip, and for me it is really just a matter of personal taste as to which type of clip you prefer between the two brands.

Comparing the Maiora directly to two of the Leonardo (one regular and one oversize) pens in my collection, the similarities in overall shape and styling become apparent as well as the similarities in materials. Just like Leonardo, the initial material offerings in the Maiora line are excellent.

The Posillipo material of this specific pen not only incorporates several shades of blue but also has areas of transparency that give the material depth and texture. Looking across the Maiora line, one thing that catches my interest is that they not only have a solid black matte pen, but they also have several pens that have matte black caps and ends mixed with the other resins utilized for the pen barrels.

The Maiora Impronte line is fitted with steel Jowo nibs, and the M nib of my specific pen was a smooth, wet writer and overall a joy to use. One area where I feel Maiora lags behind Leonardo however, is that the nibs are not completely customized, but are the standard line Jowo nibs with added laser engraving in the middle of the nib with the company logo and name.

Unfortunately, the laser engraving on my specific pen was decently off center. While this type of detail certainly doesn’t impact the use of the pen, it detracts from the overall look of the pen especially when you compare it to something like the recent ACS pen release that Ana covered last week in a similar price range.

The initial Maiora pens share the same “captured converter” filling system of the Leonardo pen line. The converters are long enough to stick out of the end of the pen, so that when you unscrew the endcap you have immediate access to the end of the converter and can fill the pen without taking it completely apart. The Maiora converter is a little longer than the Leonardo version with a slightly different shape at the end of the converter and added branding.

Overall, I’m impressed with the initial Maiora offerings and think the Impronte line is yet another strong contender in the $175-$200 price range. As of right now, the Impronte comes in two sizes with the Oversize being priced at the exact same price as its smaller counterpart. The Impronte only comes with steel nibs options, but I did notice that Appleboom now has a limited edition Maiora with a gold nib. I will definitely be keeping a close eye on the Maiora brand to see how it continues to evolve and how their path stays similar or diverts from their fellow Italian maker Leonardo.


DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were loaned by Appelboom for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Eye Candy: Papier Plume Desire (New Orleans Collection Fountain Pen Ink)

This week, Papier Plume released a new ink in their “New Orleans Collection” fountain pen ink line: Desire ($10 for 30ml bottle). Inspired by the legendary Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the passion and desire of the characters, this ink captures their interpretation of a New Orleans Desire.

Papier Plume Desire

The ink is a red violet which reminds me of a wine or delectable fruit jam. It’s the color of velveteen curtains or a satin gown.

Papier Plume Desire

There is lots of shading and a range of hues in the shading from lavender to deep purple.

Papier Plume Desire

This ink is not a sheener but the shading is delicious.

Papier Plume Desire

Tools:


Papier Plume Desire


DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by Papier Plume for the purpose of review. This review also includes affiliate links. The Well-Appointed Desk is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Please see the About page for more details.

Link Love: Hello, Atelier!

Link Love: Hello, Atelier!

Last year, I was interviewed for the podcast Hello, Atelier and the episode has finally been released. Enjoy listening to me wax poetic about fountain pens and ink. This podcast is super well-edited and makes me sound like I know what I’m talking about! They have even included a few photos of my studio.

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

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Eye Candy: Pen Queue from Penquisition

Evan of Penquisition generously sent us a prototype of his Pen Queue to test out and we thought we’d share a sneak peek here! The version we received was in Well-Appointed approved green! The Pen Queue features two holes for holding pens upright, plus a groove in the middle to hold a pen horizontally.

Would something like this find a home on your desk?

 


DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by Penquisition for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Fountain Pen Review: Armando Simoni Club ASC Studio (Set of 5)

Fountain Pen Review: Armando Simoni Club ASC Studio (Set of 5)

ASC Studio Pens

When I received the Armando Simoni Club (ASC) Studio fountain pens, they were wrapped in bright blue tissue paper with a sticker from the parent company, The Pen Family, that distributes ASC as well as Conway Stewart, Bexley, Wahl-Eversharp and Oldwin Paris pens. Many of these brands produce high end (read: pretty expensive) fountain pens so when news hit that ASC was trying its hand at more medium priced pens, the pen community was chomping at the bit to see these in person.

ASC Studio Pens

Each of the ASC Studio fountain pens retail for $195 each (Members receive 10% automatic discount at check out) and are currently available in five unique celluloid/resin colors. Nib options are F, M, B and each pen is available with gold or rhodium trim options. The web site lists that the pens are “Made in Miami Florida USA.”

ASC Studio Pens

ASC Studio Pens

The packaging is a durable paperboard box with a paperboard pen rest inside. This packaging feel durable but easily recyclable or even reusable. The pen was wrapped in a plastic mesh sleeve (similar to the mesh that often covers produce at the grocery store) to protect it from any scratches in transport. An ASC logo tag is attached to each pen.

ASC Studio Pens Yellow Pinnacle

Each Studio pen is fitted with a #6 steel nib (made in Germany) and features a clear ink view window and brass piston-filling mechanism. Since the pen has a built-in piston filling system, no additional cartridges or converters are included with the pen.

ASC Studio Pens Yellow Pinnacle

The pen colors are, from front to back: Green Guatemala, Arlecchino, Yellow Pinnacle, Blue Pinnacle and Blue Coral. I’m not sure, if I was building an initial pen offering (IPO), I would have chosen this assortment of colors. I’m more inclined to have done a five-color assortment of the Pinnacle colors (red, yellow, blue, green and purple maybe?) and then offered some of the more unusual colors as limited offerings.

ASC Studio Pens Green Guatemala

That’s not to say I don’t like some of the more decorative materials. The Green Guatemala is a translucent smoky grey with slivers of black and white material suspended in the resin. I most areas on the pen, the inclusions look like bits of seashells but there are spots where it looks like fingernail clippings. Once I “saw” that, I have had trouble un-seeing it.

ASC Studio Pens Blue Coral

The Blue Coral is a candy colored confection of red and blue chunks of color with an occasional peek of white. Because of the small white flecks, I think this pen would be most appealing with the Rhodium trim rather than the gold.

The image above shows a close-up of the Greek key pattern around the cap band and the rolling disk on the end of the clip making it easy to slide the pen in and out of pockets. The clip is deep enough to slide over the cover of a notebook as well.

ASC Studio Pens Arlecchino

The Arlecchino shows off the clear ink window really well. This particular color combination always makes me scratch my head. If your goal was to find a resin pattern that was reminiscent of camouflage, this is probably it. However, the orange color is very Creamsicle to me and the green is more of an avocado green. The addition of the pops of bright orange and dark grey make me think of what would happen is a martini met an Orange Julius. I’m thinking that’s not going to be tasty.

ASC Studio Pens Blue Pinnacle

The cap cap (?) is stamped with the brand name and is ever-so-slightly conical. It’s a nice, subtle approach to branding that I highly approve.

ASC Studio Pens Blue Pinnacle

The Blue Pinnacle is a beautiful striated material with a range of bright, brilliant blue hues.

ASC Studio Pens Yellow Pinnacle

The nibs on all the pens are engraved with a beautiful Deco diamond pattern and the ASC logo. The Yellow Pinnacle is a cool golden yellow color with bands of grey slashed through the material.

ASC Studio Pens nibs

ASC Studio Pens

The barrel end caps also end in a conical point but there is no metal hardware covering the end allowing another view of the material.

ASC Studio Pens nibs

I was given the opportunity to test out all the nib sizes, pictured above from left to right, F, M and B.

ASC Studio Pens Writing Samples

The German nibs are wet at all the sizes. If you are accustomed to Japanese nibs, these may need some tuning to meet your requirements. However, I did find that all the nibs were smooth and easy to write with at any angle. The nibs are firm steel nibs with no flex or bounce.

ASC Studio Pens Yellow Pinnacle

Of the three pens I tested for writing, I thought I’d show the inks I would fill them with if I hadn’t wanted an accurate side-by-side comparison. The Yellow Pinnacle would be a perfect match for the Colorverse x Opus 88 Adobe. Vinta Hansa Sunrise is a little brighter and would be best with a B nib.

ASC Studio Pens Green Guatemala

The Green Guatemala coordinates with ink that is slightly green in color. The Tono & Lims E=MC2 best but some of the deeper green hues would look great with this pen as well: Sailor Jentle Tokiwa-Matsu, Straits Pens Storm Warning (Ohio Pen Club Limited Edition) and Pen BBS No. 224: Tolstoy.

ASC Studio Pens Arlecchino

Deciding what color to match with the Arlecchino pen will be the biggest challenge. Montblanc Golden Yellow is probably closest to the predominate creamy orange color. J. Herbin Orange Indien and Diamine 150th Golden Honey are close to the bright orange pops. Pen BBS No. 342 Matcha Ice Cream and Robert Oster Australis Tea are good matches for the green and Colorverse #29 Matter is a good match for the dark grey spots.

ASC Studio pens - size Comparison-

From left to right, Pelikan M205, Pelikan M600, TWSBI ECO, ASC Studio, Sailor ProColor (same size as a 1911) and Aurora Optima, capped.

ASC Studio pens - size Comparison-

The same pens from the previous photo, posted.

In terms of size, the ASC Studio pens are 5.625″ capped,  5.125″ uncapped and 6.6875″ posted. In terms of width, the Studio pens are similar in size to a TWSBI Eco but weightier, closer to the 580 in terms of weight. The Studio, capped, weighs 29gms and uncapped 19gms. I would describe the Studio as a full-sized pen. It’s not diminutive but its also not a large or oversized pen. The ASC Studio has the larger nib like an Aurora Optima but it is a longer pen. The Studio is closer in width to the ECO and Optima. The other pens are narrower.

Pen Weights

ASC Studio Pens

In terms of color, I think the Blue Pinnacle and Blue Coral will sell themselves. The blues are stunning and the Blue Coral with Rhodium Trim is a beautiful look. I was surprised to discover that the Yellow Pinnacle ended up being my favorite color with the Green Guatemala a close second. The Arlecchino is a color combination that you either love or hate. I am in the latter category on this one. It’s just Jell-o Salad meets pimento loaf to me.

I think the ASC Studio pen is pretty competitive at the $200 price point. The materials are unique and the ASC brand has a reputation for quality that means the pens they make are often priced at $800 or more. This entry into lower priced pens with The Studio series put ASC pens within the reach of a wider audience. Hopefully, this will the first of many options available for younger (or just with more limited means) pen enthusiasts from ASC.

Tools:


DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by The Pen Family for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

Giveaway Winner: Lamy AL-Star Vibrant Pink

Just in case you think we don’t read the comments, we do! I wish I had multiple pens so I could send many of you something special this week.

First there are the poets in the house who get honorable mentions: Adam and Steve.

Then there’s Kit who says she’s spending this year writing letters to older folks who are stuck at home during the pandemic. I’m terribly sorry for the recent loss of your mother-in-law, and I think the idea of writing notes to her care givers is so thoughtful. They are working under such difficult circumstances, and I’m sure your note would be well-received.

Many of you said that you would give the pen as a gift to your dearest ones, either to introduce them to the hobby or to give them something they’d love to write with.

Really I wish I could send everyone a pen, but sadly I have only one Vibrant Pink Lamy AL-Star from Appelboom for this giveaway. So without further ado, the random comment picker has picked:

Congratulations Louie and I wish you all a lovely Valentine’s Day!