The Holiday Season is almost upon us! While the full 2024 T.G.S. Holiday Gift Guide will drop this weekend, this week’s Thursday Drops post features a preview of our standard gift recommendations as well as some new arrivals. (Thank goodness Book Darts made it back in time!) The past couple of weeks have seen the arrival of new items from Anterique Stationers, Lamy, Kaweco, and Caran d’Ache, among others, all ready to ship immediately.

This past year we’ve also worked to expand our shop selection beyond your typical pen and stationery store to include a range of high quality desk and reading accessories that make excellent gifts, including for the pen and paper enthusiasts in your life who might be particular about their pen and ink preferences and “challenging” to shop for. :) Finally, for those who can’t decide, we do have a digital gift card option!

Caran d'Ache Keith Haring 849 (White) — Anyone recognize artwork similar to a classic 1990s Christmas Album?

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

T.G.S. Signature Book Darts. One of our first shop items is back in stock! Book Darts are one of my favorite all-time desk accessories, useful for anything from marking passages in favorite books to dividing notebooks into multiple sections.
Anterique Brass Ballpoint Pens. Looking for a pen-related gift for someone who enjoys a quality pen but may not be as “particular” as you? Anterique takes an instantly recognizable classic format and upgrades it with a brass barrel and high-quality refill.
Caran d’Ache Keith Haring Limited Edition Sets and Rylsee Limited Edition Fixpencil. The rest of the 2023 Caran d’Ache Limited Editions are here, with two new 849 Ballpoints featuring the work of pop artist Keith Haring, along with a signature colored pencil set and a limited edition Fixpencil set designed in collaboration with Swiss lettering artist Rylsee.
Diamine Inkvent Calendars. We still have a few of these hanging around! I’m planning my “Inkvent” sampling strategy because I plan to start playing along as of December 1!
TWSBI Kai Fountain Pens. Yesterday I reviewed TWSBI’s latest (third) release in their acrylic limited edition series, the Kai. As I mentioned in the review, I wish TWSBI would make this particular shape part of the regular lineup.
TWSBI ECO-T “Rosso” Fountain Pens. As a fan of red pens, I’m thrilled to see a red TWSBI ECO! I’m still trying to match an ink to this particular color.
Kaweco Collection Fountain Pens. We brought in additional colors of Kaweco Sport fountain pens from the “Kaweco Collection” series! There are some fun offbeat colors in this line, including some muted blues, blue-greys, and light greens.
Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Organizers. Looking for an upgraded leather (or vegan leather) cover to house your notebooks or planner(s) for 2024? TGS is now an authorized retailer of Roterfaden, and we have both A5 and A6 sized covers in stock and ready to ship.
Traveler’s Notebooks and 2024 Refills. The Traveler’s Notebook is one of the more versatile, customizable notebook systems on the market, with its wide range of accessories and refills.
Lochby Notebooks and Cases. Whether you’re looking for a pen case, a travel carry-all, or a versatile notebook cover that handles most A5 sizes, Lochby makes durable waxed canvas goods that pair well together.

HMM Project Multi-Purpose Eraser Balls, arranged on a desk — Don’t rule out fun desk accessories such as these combination eraser balls, pencil holders, and picture stands (?!?) from HMM Project!

As we enter not only the 2022 holiday shopping season but the final month of the year, I’ve been pulling together my plans for both the annual gift guides and the 2022 year-end recaps. Today’s post, on the Saturday after “Black Friday”, is going to be a bit of both. I’ve been encouraged by a much greater focus this Thanksgiving on supporting small and independent businesses, both inside and outside the pen community, and honestly, that’s how it should be, because independent makers and retailers are what make this hobby great. When you’re considering how to spend your hard-earned dollars on gifts for yourself or others, consider setting aside a portion for smaller retailers and makers who can offer truly exclusive products and a more personalized shopping experience.

The format for this “guide” might strike some as unusual. I’m not going to simply list all of the different independent makers out there - there are too many to do that in any coherent fashion - but rather will spend today’s post discussing my own acquisitions from the past year, the makers from whom I’ve personally purchased, and why I enjoy their pens and the reasons you might enjoy them too.

Schon DSGN

Ranked purely in terms of number of pens acquired this year, Schon DSGN tops the list, as I picked up two of the Full-Size fountain pens and a hammered copper Pocket Six with added patina, to join the three pens from the Engineered Plastics collection that I purchased towards the end of 2021. Known not just for original, ergonomic designs but dedication to quality, Schon DSGN pens are among my favorite everyday writers.

My two most recent Kanilea Acquisitions: a Lewa Lani and a Kai Huli.

Kanilea Pen Company

The second-most represented independent maker in my personal collection is Kanilea Pen Company. For more than six years now, Kanilea has been producing pens themed around places and locations in Hawaii. You can read more about the background of this brand in my prior reviews, but I love their clean design and ergonomics (particularly the “Classic Flush” shape), in addition to the unique materials chosen to match a specific image. I recently acquired the Lewa Lani fountain pen, as well as a pen show-exclusive “Kai Huli” in a coral and yellow-veined material, pictured below.

Three “Navigator” Models from Penzbydesign.

Stacy Robinson (Penzbydesign)

A long-time penmaker, Stacy Robinson brought ebonite and Conway Stewart acrylic versions of his “Navigator” fountain pen to this year’s Atlanta Pen Show. I ended up purchasing three: one in striated beige ebonite and two in relatively uncommon Conway Stewart acrylics that I had been looking to add to my collection for years. The workmanship on these pens is excellent, and the size nearly perfect for my hand, as with the Schon DSGN Engineered Plastics and Full-Size fountain pens. While Penszbydesign has a storefront, it may be easier to inquire via e-mail or social media, since some photos were posted recently of new Navigator pens similar to the ones I purchased, and they don’t currently appear on the website.

Kasama Pens

Currently sold only directly via Instagram and social media, Kasama is based in the Philippines and, to my knowledge, makes two models of pens: the larger “Una” and the more streamlined “Tala”. I’ve acquired two Una fountain pens, one in Ultem and another in a combination of Peek and anodized titanium. While not inexpensive, Kasama fountain pens are unique - there’s nothing quite like them on the market, in terms of design or material combinations.

My Hinze Pen in “Five O’Clock Somewhere” Acrylic

Hinze Pens

Hinze Pens made perhaps my favorite - and most unpredictable - acquisition of the year, my “Five O’Clock Somewhere” pen in this wild acrylic from Starry Night Resins. Like the Kanilea Classic Flush, this is a well-balanced pen with a comfortable section, and what makes Hinze Pens particularly unique is their anodized nibs, available in a range of colors.

Newton Pens

Ryan Krusac Studios

Pens by Pasquale in Primary Manipulation

Other Makers to Consider

As I mentioned above, I can’t list everyone (nor can I buy from everyone, because, well, $$$), but I do want to mentions several makers who do excellent work, some of which are on my “short list” of pens to acquire in 2023, for review or otherwise. Also, while some of the makers listed here do custom/bespoke work, many also have inventory currently available for purchase, which you can purchase, and which they will likely be wanting to sell, heading into the holiday season.

Newton Pens (Shawn Newton). A fixture on the pen show circuit and the creator of some truly unique designs (such as the Prospector shown here), Shawn Newton usually has a healthy stock of pens ready to go.
Pens by Pasquale (Nicholas Pasquale). A relative newcomer to the bespoke pen scene, Nic is local to me and I acquired a pen in dark “Primary Manipulation” at this year’s Nashville-area Pelikan Hub. I love supporting new makers! Check out his Instagram (linked here).
Edison Pens (Brian Gray). Like Shawn Newton, Brian Gray is a longtime penmaker whose production-line Edison designs are now widely available at many major pen retailers. I have my eye on the new Collier Grande featuring a No. 8 nib.
Ryan Krusac Pens. One of the few penmakers whose work with wood truly appeals to me, Ryan Krusac combines wood with other materials such a stone and antler. His scrimshaw work is incredibly detailed.
Mayfair Pens. Pens with a “Lord of the Rings” theme? Count me in. Lately I’ve been more interested in penmakers who are exploring different shapes and contours, and I had the opportunity to handle these at the 2022 D.C. Pen Show.

Please Consider Supporting T.G.S. This Holiday Season

We’re also a small business, and entirely supported by purchases from our shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Last week, we launched our own 2022 Holiday Gift Guide, focused on products from our own shop, which makes an effort to focus on and carry products that might necessarily be overlooked by larger stores. We appreciate your support, as it allows us to remain independent and advertiser/affiliate free! Through Monday at 11:59pm, take 10% off all TGS Shop orders with the coupon code “GIVETHANKS”!