I’ve been desiring a few new pens lately, so I have been snooping around eBay, Amazon, and Aliexpress. Last year, I have made a list of the top 10 bestselling fountain pens on Amazon. Amazon releases a bestsellers list for each product category every hour. As fountain pens are a relatively niche product category, I did not expect the bestseller list to change that frequently, which is why I am only doing a follow-up of it only now. Last year, we saw a number of familiar pens in the top 10 list, such as the Lamy Safari, Jinhao 250, and Pilot Varsity. This year, the top pens still did not change much from the last, so I did a count of the number of times a brand name appeared in the top 100 list of fountain pens on Amazon, to find out which were the bestselling fountain pen brands on Amazon. No. 3 on the list: Jinhao Coming in 3rd on the list is the Jinhao fountain pen brand. Out of 100 bestsellers, Jinhao products take up 21%. Jinhao originates from China and produces a number of good quality fountain pens. Some of their fountain pens, with their low price point, can […]
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As a fellow lefty, Maybelline and I thought it might be appealing to have my perspective on fountain pens for left-handed writers. I’ve written a previous piece for The Cramped about the things left-handed writers should consider when purchasing a fountain pen. But here, I’d like to talk about my favorite fountain pens — all of which are lefty-tested and lefty-approved! 1. Kaweco Classic Sport My absolute favorite is the Guilloch 1930 which adds some finely etched lines onto the cap and barrel of the pen giving it a classy, vintage look but any standard Kaweco Sport is a good option from the humble plastic to the weightier raw aluminum. Its available in a wide array of nib sizes from EF through BB and there is even a calligraphy set available but I’ve been given the impression that the feed system on the calligraphy set is different than the regular pens to allow greater ink flow to support those wider nibs. I wouldn’t recommend more than a 1.1mm stub nib for a lefty just because the flat wide nibs are difficult to make consistent contact with the paper for most lefties. Kaweco nib units are swappable so if you find […]
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2014 has seen the release of many new products which captured the imagination of fountain pen lovers across the globe. As the year finally draws to a close, it would be remiss not to revisit some of the exquisite masterpieces and admire the exceptional craftsmanship and artistry that made them a reality. 1 – Mont Blanc 90 Years Anniversary Skeleton 149 The 149 holds a special place in Mont Blanc history – so much so that its 90th Anniversary is celebrated by nothing less than one of the most exquisite products ever launched – a skeletonised 149. The Skeleton 149 is a reintroduction of the 75th Anniversary Skeleton 149, which was highly-sought-after by collectors. The pen has a skeletonised cap and barrel plated with ruthenium. The pen is adorned by a quartz Mont Blanc emblem and features an 18K rose gold nib with a delicately applied 90th Anniversary commemorative engraving. 2 – Namiki Hina Dolls Maki-e is a traditional Japanese artform which appeals to the most discerning collectors – and the Namiki Hina Dolls is unquestionably one of the most significant releases in 2014 – issued in a matching pair of Yukari Royale fountain pens, the Hina Dolls are […]
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If you’re like me, you probably love online shopping on places like Amazon.com. Have you ever wondered which fountain pens are the bestselling fountain pens on Amazon? Here I put together a list of the top 10, and I’m happy to know that I have already got reviews of some of them! Top 10 bestselling fountain pens on Amazon 10. Lamy AL-Star I have the review of the AL-Star right here, and it’s being compared with the Lamy Vista fountain pen, which is in a similar family as the Lamy Safari and the Lamy Vista. Often a little more expensive than the Lamy Safari, I suppose it’s why it ranks 10th this time. Personally, I like how the aluminium body feels, but probably due to the price, it seems that this is a less preferred option than the Safari. 9. Jinhao X450 I haven’t seen this pen before, but it looks just like a classic cigar-type fountain pen. I am guessing that people like this pen because it looks a little bit like a Mont Blanc or a Sailor pen (but I could be wrong). It seems to be a nice pen, and Jinhaos are rather popular for being well-built […]
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On December 31, 2012, I have done up a list of my top 10 pens of the year which you can read here. I will do a similar list for 2013, except that I did not manage to get it out in time to post it within 2013 itself, so it ended up being posted this year! The 2013 list will take a slightly different angle from the previous one. Pen acquisition has not been superfluous, which is good news for my bank account but bad news for my hobby! I will feature my top ten most used pens for the year. Running from left to right: Pilot Super Gel 0.5mm, Zig Brushables Brush Pen, Pilot Parallel Pen, Noodler’s Konrad Acrylic Forbidden City FP, Danitrio HD-3 Screen Temaki Flowers FP, Platinum Music Nib FP, vintage Nova Pen (Rose), Sailor Lecoule FP, vintage Waterman FP, and vintage Platinum PKA-500 Pocket Pen. Yes, I’ve included 2 non-fountain pens in the list, and a calligraphy (Pilot Parallel) pen, which some argue is not considered a fountain pen. Other than the non-fountain pens, I have arranged them in order of length, so that no pen bias occurs! It is also very difficult to […]
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Hello there, dear readers. Busy as I am, I have managed to squeeze time on the eve of New Year’s to scribble a final blog post of the year. And what could be more fitting than a summary of my best pens of the year! Upon updating my pen list a few days ago, I have realised that 2/3 of my pens have been acquired this year. That is to say, my pen population had seen an increase of about 200% in 2012, as compared to 2011! That is quite an epic number considering I am a fountain pen amateur. Alright, perhaps only amateurs like me buy every pen they see, without considering too much (I want that pen, I just want it). But this is likely a good start for such a hobby, no? I have not hit the 100s for my pen count yet, but already it is not an easy decision to only choose 10 from my entire posse. So, as the list goes on, it’s good to know that I picked these pens based on a variety of justifications: design, feel, nib, and price. The list is also made in no order of preference. I don’t […]
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