[Updated] New Arrivals: Nahvalur Nautilus Ruby Koi Fountain Pen, and New Lovina Graphite and Matira Quartz Original Plus Pens!

I’m not sure that we’ve ever had limited run fountain pens sell out quicker than the two Nahvalur “Pen of the Year” models, inspired by the Year of the Rabbit and Year of the Dragon, respectively. Fortunately, Nahvalur appears to be staying at it this year, releasing yet another gorgeous limited run pen in striated red and black German ebonite with red anodized trim that they’ve dubbed “Ruby Koi.” Given my love for anything red and black, but I’m not sure I could pick out a Nautilus color combination that speaks to me personally more than this one, and I hope it sticks around for at least a little while (though probably not since it’s a numbered edition).

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Vintage-style striated German ebonite paired with either a 14k (left) or gold plated (right) nib makes for a gorgeous combination.

As with the Pen of the Year, the Nautilus Ruby Koi is available with both gold-plated stainless steel and 14k gold nib options. These pens are priced at $188 for the steel option and $308 for the gold. As a piston filler, the Nautilus Ruby Koi accepts bottled ink only, and we recently restocked on Nahvalur ink as well.

This material is a gorgeous true red-black ebonite!

Updated: As of 11am Central Time, New Lovina Graphite and Matira Quartz Fountain Pens Are Available!

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This morning, Nahvalur announced the release of two new colors in the “Original Plus” series - Lovina Graphite and Matira Quartz. These are new takes on last year’s limited edition “Lovina Black” and “Matira White” pens - they still have the rose gold trim but the Black and White resins add chatoyance (i.e. some sparkle/shimmer) to the material! It’s a very nice look with lots of depth. These have arrived and are available to ship immediately, priced at $55 each.

Note - for those of you looking for a Lovina Black and Matira White pen (without the chatoyance), we still have a couple left, mostly broad and stub nib sizes.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Nahvalur Pens.

Welcome Kakimori! Including Brass and Stainless Nibs, Nib Holders, and Hardbound Notebooks

We’re thrilled to now be able to offer Kakimori metal nibs, nib holders, and hardbound A5 notebooks in a variety of Japanese fabrics. The Kakimori brass and stainless steel nibs are exceptional tools for ink sampling and swatching, in addition to calligraphy and everyday writing. I reviewed the brass nib back in 2022, and this particular dip nib (along with a Kakimori Sakura nib holder) has made ongoing appearances in my reviews and YouTube videos over the years, including the recent Inkvent video series. While Kakimori metal nibs are more expensive than other dip nibs, these are designed to last for many years, as opposed to inexpensive dip nibs that must be discarded after a month or so of use. As I hate to throw anything away, I find it to be a more sustainable approach, and the nib gains patina (and character) over time.

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The conical shape of the Kakimori nibs and the grooves on each side ensure plenty of line variation and continuous ink flow.

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Kakimori Nib Holders also come in a variety of materials, including raw aluminum, Sakura (Japanese Cherry) wood, and Aizome (Sakura wood that’s been dyed with indigo).

Kakimori Notebooks feature 64 sheets/128 pages of fountain pen friendly OK Fools paper with a light grey 5mm grid, in a Smyth-sewn binding. I’ve been testing this paper since it arrived, not previously having tried OK Fools paper, and really enjoy it. Ok Fools is a softer paper, yet still handles fountain pen ink quite well. The light grey ruling keeps the focus on the ink. Each notebook comes in a Kakimori light-grey slipcover for protection, which you can either recycle or keep for posterity if you use these to protect your used notebooks on a bookcase.

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As mentioned, Kakimori products available as of this morning in both the pen section and notebook section of the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Nibs and holders are sold separately.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized reseller of Kakimori products.

New Arrivals: Lots of New Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters Now Available!

After a week or so of delays due to the weather here in Tennessee, we’ve finally received our latest shipment of Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter organizers in A4, A5, and A6 sizes, along with a full restock of Roterfaden-brand refills! This shipment has a few notable additions, including more of the A4 portfolios which have proven so popular, as well as two new versions of the A5 SO_20 soft cover. One version now features an elastic band, but my personal favorite is a limited edition in white/light cream leather with dark suede interior. You all know how much I love using light leather covers and letting them patina and age!

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Yes. I went with white leather. No, I don’t care that it will collect stains/patina/etc. It’s a feature, not a bug!

You can check out the full range of Roterfaden products in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Please note that the rubber “Print Blanket” covers are now available with different interior felt options. All pre-orders have now shipped - if you haven’t received UPS tracking information, please let me know!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Roterfaden products.

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The SO_20 Soft-Cover A5 Taschenbegleiter is slightly oversized. Here is a white one shown with a Hobonichi Cousin AND a Midori MD Light A5 notebook.

New Arrivals: Clairefontaine Looseleaf Sheets Are Back, in both Individual Sheets and Booklets

Two years ago we brought in an old favorite: Clairefontaine French-ruled paper in looseleaf individual sheets and booklets. This particular product holds a special place in my heart - especially the double booklets - because it was the first fountain pen-friendly stationery product from my time abroad that I “smuggled” back into the country and hoarded because you could rarely find it in the U.S. These days, “Seyes” paper is somewhat more widely available but still unusual, so I’ve tried to keep it in stock when I can. We recently procured another large supply in both A4 and A5 formats, with A4 available in both formats and A5 (17 x 22cm) available in the single sheets.

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You can read more on why I love this particular ruling here, but needless to say I rotate it through most of my notebooks and use it for a variety of notetaking, drafting, and letter-writing projects. I’ve tried to curate the shop in a way that we can offer French-ruled paper in all available formats. A few notes on the individual sheets:

• A4 paper comes in packs of 50, 100, and 200-count sheets. Individual sheets are hole-punched for various three-ring binder layouts. The double-sheet booklets are not pre-punched.

• A5 paper comes in packs of 50 and 100 sheets. As those familiar with Clairefontaine French-ruled notebooks know, the “Seyes” ruling is slightly larger than traditional A5, at 17 x 22cm. That said, it’s fairly easy to trim to fit A5 binders from Plotter, William Hannah, Levenger Circa, Staples Arc, etc., if that’s what you’re looking for.

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Clairefontaine “A5” has odd dimensions. You can find double-punched notebooks that fit the paper as-is, if that’s your thing, but they are uncommon in the U.S. Most people I know use the A5 paper for letter-writing or notetaking, or they trim down the margins, which is easy to do. (See below.)

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I used the Plotter blue sheet as a guide and trimmed these by hand with scissors because I’m snowed in and don’t have access to my office paper cutter. Trimming the top and left margins leaves a perfectly proportionate A5-sized Plotter refill!

Clairefontaine looseleaf paper is priced anywhere from $6.50 to $21.50 per pack, depending on size and quantity. The T.G.S. Curated Shop has additional formats available, including spiral, staple, and clothbound notebooks. Feel free to reach out with any questions!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized reseller of Clairefontaine products.

New Arrivals: Workhorse Pens from Pilot! Vanishing Points and Explorers are Here!

The idea of a “workhorse pen” - a reliable, often unassuming daily driver that can offer years of reliable service - is one of the key ideas around which I’ve built both the site and our Curated Shop. As we’ve expanded our retail selection over the years, we continue to introduce new pens from brands both new and established that fall into this category, including a growing number of pens from Japanese company Pilot. Last week we received our initial shipment of select models of the Pilot Vanishing Point (Pilot’s classic retractable capless fountain pen), as well as the lower-priced ($25) Pilot Explorer fountain pen. We also stock additional Vanishing Point nib units, which are easily interchangeable.

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As someone who was initially skeptical of the Explorer when it was first announced, I’ve come to love this lightweight, well-balanced fountain pen that also fits fairly well into planner and notebook loops, making it a good “planner pen”.

Pilot fountain pens feature some of the best-writing nibs out there, and while Pilot refuses to play the special and limited edition release game to the same extent as some other companies, what they do put out is highly reliable. I’m headed into a heavy month of two-job work that includes a lot of travel, and my personal carry for the new year includes not just a Vanishing Point and Explorer but also a Custom 74 and Custom 823.

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Don’t sleep on the Custom 74 - it’s one of my favorite nibs.

In addition to our lineup of Pilot Pens, be sure to check out our selection of Pilot ink, including a refreshed Iroshizuku lineup. Many thanks for your support, and if you’re going to be attending the Philadelphia Pen Show this weekend, I’ll be visiting as well so look for me with our friends at Hinze Pens!

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