Welcome to Glenn's Pens
Glenn's Pens
A web site about pens, ink, stores, companies and the enjoyment of owning and writing with a pen of choice.
I enjoy the personal experience of writing with a fountain pen. When writing with a fountain pen I feel feel of the craftsmanship of the pen in my hand, the nib as it slides across the paper and the look and character of the ink as I write. There are all very personal experiences and they are influenced by the pen, ink or paper you use.
I provide information on pen stores as they are an important part of pen ownership. Real one-on-one communication and trying out of pens. Sometimes on-line ordering is the only option, or it is right for replacement items, but the pen store provides a real human experience.
Of course after the pen, ink is such a defining part of pen use. Each ink seems to have its own relationship with each pen and nib. There are colour choices like never before.
I provide information about the companies that create and manufacture fountain pens. I have been fortunate enough to have visited a number of the factories or workshops.
And, of course I like to talk about pens. I have a section of my Pens of Note, the pens that standout out for me.
Recording my travels in my Journal are and important part of our travels. The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Blue Mosaioco is a great pen to write with.
Pen Stores
I started the site many years ago to provide information on pen stores and to note those I thought were Great Pen Stores. I would arrive in a city, and in those days there were telphone books with yellow pages and I would look to see if there was a pen store. The web just changed all of that. I created a directory of pen stores as well as reviews on those stores that I found to be Great Pen Stores.
Karen and I travel to Rome just about every year. A trip to Rome means a visit with Marco and the staff of Novelli Pen & Pipe. Over the years I have visited many pen stores and I rank Novelli Pen as a leading store when it comes to selection and service.
Another store In Rome is Corsani Pen. I first visited this store many years ago. More recently, we have been renting an apartment in the general area, and I have enjoyed being able to "opo over" and talk with Stefano Senatore. Stefano has a good selection of pens, and is very knowledgeable. Ask to see some of the specific pens he has commissed to be created for his store. I have one, the Visconti 90, and I love it.
A trip to Paris pretty well takes place every year, and when in Paris, my go-to pen store is Plume et Bille where I always enjoy the opportunity to visit with owner Brigitte Coursen. This is a store that just seems to get it right when it comes to the pleasure of owning and using a pen.
Here in Vancouver we are lucky to have the Vancouver Pen Shop. It moves from its West Hastings address tp 555 Howe Street near the end of November. Good selection, top notch knowledge of pens, and a staff that stand behind their sales with the service you expect.
In Vancouer we are fortunate to have more than one pen store, and Charals, on Robson Street is another store that offers a solid selection of pens, inks and accessories.
Ink
One of the great things about using a fountain pen is the option to use a variety of writing ink. It is no longer a workd of blue, black or blue black choices. No there is a wide range of vivid and rich colours to choose. Each ink has unique writing characteristics. I have included information and reviews in inks the secion abourt writing inks.
Edelstein Smoky Quartz
This was Pelikan's 2017 Ink of the Year, and it is still a favorite of mine when it comes to writing with a brown ink.
Edelstein Olivine Green
Pelikan 2018 Ink of the Year is a very attractive greenh, Olivine.
Sailor Shikiori
The Shikiori line of inks are beautiful, but they come in a very small bottle.
SCRIBO
SCRIBO, in addition to creating beautiful fountain pens, has a line of ink. The ink comes in a large 90 ml glass bottle that will look very good sitting on your desk.
Leonardo Pens is has created such a solid reputation for the design anf manufacturing of quality foutains pens. The company also has a very popular line of writing ink.
Pen Companies
I include information on pen manufacturers under Companies. Over the past years I have had the opportunity to meet and tour some of the great pen manufacturers of fountain pens located in France and Italy.
Leonardo Officina Italiana is a relatively new company that is rocking the pen world! They are producing extremely high quality, well designed pens, at reasonable appropriate price points. Last fall I met my friend Salvatore Matrone in Rome to talk about his new venture. I have acquired a premier run of the stunning pen - Momento Zero, Blu Abyss. This celluloid pen has an extremely smooth gold nib and I truly cherish this pen. You can see the current Momento Zero line on my Pen Companies Page. A good contact to acquire a pen is Marco at Novelli Pen in Rome. He carries both the Limited and Regular edition pens.
It was back in 2018 that I met with Luca Baglione, a Co-Founder of Scrittura Bolognese in Rome. We now know the company as SCRIBO. In 2019 I met with Luca, Elena and Flaminia at the SCRIBO headquarters in Bologna. SCRIBO is an exiciting company dedicated to the importance of writing. They design beautiful pens. In addition to pens, the company has a line of exceptional writing ink. Treat yourself. Get a bottle of SCRIBO ink. I have a number of SCRIBO FEEL fountain pens and I can say, I love the feel of writing with these pens. In 2021 I traveled to Bologna for a visit with Luca and Elena at the SCRIBO studio and workshop. A great visit and had the opportunity to see some of the new concepts they are considering and talk about pens in general..
Pens
Over the years I have built up a number of pens, however, I am not a vintage pen collector. I enjoy the larger pens and nibs found on modern pens. I include photos and write-ups of my Pens of Note. These are pens in my collection that I particularly enjoy how they lookm feel in the hand and write.
Leonardo Momento Magico
In 2021 Leonardo Pen issued the Magico - a pen based on the Momento Zero with with slight size differences and including a piston fill mechanism.
I selected the Miellefiori pen from the line and have instantly enjoyed writing with this pen.
The new Furore, a beautiful pen in resin designed and created by Leonardo Officina Italiana.
Momento Zero Grande Girasole is made from as very beautiful resin.
Some pens just keep on being special, everytime you pick them up. MyMontegrappa Extra Otto, a pen I acquired at Novelli Pen in Rome, is such a pen.
Leonardo has issued three new colours in the Momento Zero line, the Giada, Jade, is a very pleasant colour. It is soft and rich in colours. My Giada is fitted with the new steel Elastic nib. I have having fun playing around with a non-stub nib!
