After Christmas Sale in Progress

In past years we've done a big close-out sale in January, but it really makes more sense to do this immediately after Christmas. We are doing a Red Dot event right now - any pen with a Red Dot on the tag is 50% off the marked price.

This sale includes items from Aurora, Caran d'Ache, Monteverde, Montegrappa, Pilot, S. T. Dupont, Visconti, Waterman, and more.

Please come in soon for best selection!

Monteverde One-Touch Ballpoint Pens at Scottsdale Pen

Just in time to use as stocking stuffers, the Monteverde One-Touch ballpoint pen has arrived in six delicious colors: Aquamarine, Cobalt Blue, Dove Grey, Graphite Grey, Sunflower Gold, and Sunset Pink. The series features pearlized lacquer finishes, smooth flowing super-broad 1.4mm low viscosity ink refills, and a convenient click-action.

We will be open every day through December 24th for your shopping convenience.

http://www.scottsdalepen.com/monteverde-pens-onetouch-c-52_454.html

Pen Event This Friday, December 10

This Friday, December 10, 2010 we will have a show and sale featuring S. T. Dupont, Faber-Castell, Porsche Design, and Visconti. Manufacturer reps Howard Siegel and Ryan Davidson will be here to show you the latest models and to assist you in your choices from 12 noon to 5pm.

Since we don't have reps available for Cross, Parker, or Waterman we will also include these brands in this one-day event. Save 25% off msrp on all purchases over $100 for all six of these brands.

From 3:30pm to 5:00pm Cindy Zimmermann from Writing in Style will be on hand to discuss how "Business Success Begins with a Fountain Pen." Cindy is a writer for Pen World magazine and a local resident.

The store is packed with merchandise for the holiday season. Please come on in if you can!

Visconti Carbon Dream Limited Edition Fountain Pen at Scottsdale Pen

The Visconti Limited Edition Carbon Dream fountain pen has arrived. It features a ripple pattern carbon fiber shell surrounding a clear resin body, so this is a demonstrator where you can see the operation of the Double Reservoir Power Filler. Titanium fittings keep this large fountain pen surprisingly light in the hand, while the Dream Touch nib is pure pleasure to write with. The pen arrives in a black, piano-lacquered wooden box and includes a carbon fiber inkwell.

The Power Filler is a unique mechanism that makes it safe to fly with a fountain pen. You can actually back off the ink supply in the front reservoir so that no ink will leak during flight.

The Carbon Dream is a limited edition of only 993 pieces worldwide.

http://www.scottsdalepen.com/visconti-pens-carbon-dream-c-38_432.html

THINK Major League Baseball Writing Instruments

We're pleased to announce the arrival of the THINK Major League Baseball writing instruments. Rich team color bands of luminescent Italian resin are carefully arranged and crafted representing a MLB team. A three-dimensional vintage team logo adorns the clip and each team name highlights the band.

So far, these eleven teams have been released: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, California Angels, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, and the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants.

Available in fountain pen ($195.00) and rollerball ($185.00).

Parker Pen Write Big Contest

The new Parker Premier Black Edition is the center of attention for their advertising with the slogan, "Write Your Own Story". Not only that, Parker is doing a national contest called "Write Big" which you can learn more about at www.parkerpen.com. If you enter you might win a trip to New York and a Parker Premier Black Edition pen. Contest ends November 30, 2010, so hurry!

Delta Italiana now in stock

We're pleased to announce the arrival of the Delta Italiana collection. What really caught our eye was the old-time matte finish on the Brown Swirl series. Highlighted with gold-plated trim, these rich looking pens are easy on the budget at $175, $155, and $145 msrp for the fountain pen, rollerball, and ballpoint respectively.

If you're in the area, please join me on Wednesday, November 10th at Eddie's House at the corner of Indian School and Marshall Way from 12pm to 2pm for a discussion on The Power in Your Pen. I'll lead the way with some relevant stories, but if you have a favorite pen and/or writing story please bring that along with you!

Friday and Saturday Pen Events

This Friday, October 29th we will host Skip Sklanowsky from Filofax whose brands include Caran d'Ache, Lamy, and Yard-O-Led. We'll be offering 25% off msrp on purchases over $100 for any of these brands or combination thereof. Skip will have a drawing for a free Caran d'Ache Shiny Dunas ballpoint pen for those who attend. Hours 10pm to 6pm.

On Saturday, October 30th we will present Ken Jones from Yafa whose brands include Conklin, Delta, and Monteverde. We'll be offering 25% off msrp on purchases over $100 for any of these brands or combination thereof. Ken is flying in that day, so we expect him on-hand from about 11am to 6pm.

For all of you who are not able to attend we will still honor the discounts if you phone, fax, or e-mail your requests.

Pelikan Souveran 800 Limited Blue o' Blue at Scottsdale Pen

Azure, Cerulean, Indigo, Lazuline or Sapphire....every time you look at the Pelikan Souveran 800 Limited Production Blue o' Blue fountain pen, you'll see a different hue. With a translucency which shines, this brand new fine writing instrument from Pelikan is destined to be a future classic.

The 'o' is short for 'over' because the barrel looks as if several broad strokes of blue in different shades are put one over another. Both barrel and cap are made of this slightly translucent material.

The technical production process goes through several steps. First, the acrylic material is cast into thick slabs, then cut into rectangular pieces. These pieces are next turned into a round shape and hollowed. Then the ready blue o’ blue sleeves are put into a mould where the filling reservoir (or inner material of the cap) is added. In the last step, the final pieces are cut into their spherical shape and polished to a bright sheen.

The clip and the rings are 24K gold-plated. The nib is made of 18K gold with a rhodium trim and an iridium grain. This model is available in the nib sizes F, M, B (please specify when ordering) and features the Patented Pelikan Differential Piston Refill System.

Saturday Pen Show and more...

This Saturday, October 23rd, we will host Ryan Davidson representing Faber-Castell, Michel Perchin, Porsche Design, and Visconti. We will offer 25% off msrp on all orders over $100 for any purchase of these brands or any combination thereof.

There will be special savings of 40% off msrp on the following items from Visconti: Homo Sapiens Mazzi, Venetia Silver, Venetia Vermeil, Van Gogh, and Wall Street. All discounts apply to orders in-store, phone-in, fax-in, or e-mailed.

We are also offering 40% off msrp on all S.T. Dupont Orpheo ballpoints and fountain pens in stock. This is a great time to save on those holiday gifts!

We look forward to seeing or hearing from you. Our hours are 10am to 6pm.

Sailor Limited Edition Summer Collection Ink

We have just received the Sailor Limited Edition Summer Collection Jentle Fountain Pen Ink in four colors; Fuji-Musume, Souten, Doyou, and Rikyu-Cha. We have only five 50ml bottles of each, and when they're gone, they're gone. You can mix these to create your own custom colors, too. $12.50 per bottle

Faber-Castell, Porsche Design, Visconti Show This Saturday

Greetings!

This coming Saturday, October 23rd we will host Ryan Davidson who will represent Faber-Castell, Michel Perchin, Porsche Design, and Visconti for this one day event. We will be offering 25% off msrp on orders over $100 for any of these brands or combination thereof. There may be a couple of super-specials from Visconti, too!

This Wednesday, October 20th, I'll be at Eddie's House for lunch from 12pm to 2pm to hear Larry Siegel speak. Larry is the Community Relations Manager for Barnes and Noble. At the same time Larry will present Tanya Lemani George, author of "Have Belly Will Travel" which showcases "one girl's journey unveiling provocative Hollywood mysteries from Elvis to Star Trek to Ambassadors and Kings!" Please come over and join me there on the patio for good food and good conversation with people who are dedicated to the power and the magic of the written word. Corner of Indian School and Marshall Way, 480-946-1622 for reservations.

Namiki/PIlot Pen Event This Saturday

This Saturday, October 16th, Scottsdale Pen will host John Lane, the National Sales Manager for Namiki/Pilot. We will be offering 25% of msrp on all orders over $100 for Namiki/Pilot products, including ink and refills.

This Friday, October 15th, marks the beginning of the valleywide Care Card event. Care Cards can be purchased at select participating stores for $50 and entitle you to 20% off regular priced items. All proceeds benefit Ryan House and other community projects. The Care Card is good from October 15-24, 2010.

New Fall Arrivals

It was another long, hot summer, but as today is October 1st there is hope that cooler weather is on the way in the not too distant future.

The early fall season also brings new designs from various pen manufacturers. We have most recently received the Conklin Herringbones, the Libelle Chromatic Speed series, and the Retro 51 Monochromes. Other recent additions include the Waterman Expert Deluxe and the Carene Contemporary.

Sailor Pens are back in stock now after several months of waiting for them to set up their new U.S. distributor. We're still waiting for the Graf von Faber-Castell Titanium Anello, the Parker Premier Black, and the Pilot Custom 74 in smoke or blue. Cross has a couple of new ideas coming soon in the Torero and the Edge.

The Lamy Dialog 3 is in stock and still generating lots of interest. And we've been very pleased with the reception for the Visconti Homo Sapiens collection.

Pilot 2010 Limited Edition Ice Green Fountain Pen

This just in from Namiki-Pilot...the 2010 Limited Edition Vanishing Point will be cool Ice Green with rhodium trim, a rhodanized 18K gold medium nib, and a matching Ice Green leatherette storage box . Only 1000 serial numbered pieces are coming into the U.S., so please book your order now as this series tends to sell out quickly. Delivery expected in mid-September.

Late May Update

During the past few weeks we've had a good stretch of new arrivals including the following:

Delta Dolcevita Oro in fabulous marbled orange resins
Delta Via Veneto Torsion, the last three available
Franklin-Covey by Cross (not shown on our site yet)
Giuliano Mazzouli Officina Museo Ducati
Monteverde Prima in Brown Swirl, Green Swirl, and Tiger Eye
Omas Bologna Purple Swirl and Turquoise Swirl
Pilot Fermo retractable fountain pens
Pilot Axiom ballpoints
Pilot Iroshizuku bottled inks
Pilot Parallel calligraphy pens
Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pen sets
Rhodia Webnotebooks

If you're in the area please stop in, otherwise keep checking the website for updates. Graduation season is upon us and Father's Day is coming.

Pen Event May 5th and New Arrivals

On Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 from noon to 7pm we will host four manufacturer reps representing Delta, Dupont, Monteverde, Namiki/Pilot and Visconti. There will be special discounts offered and new models introduced.

We have just received our first shipment of the Pilot Fermo retractable fountain pens in black, blue, and silver. These operate with a twist of the tail rather than with a clicker like on the sister model Vanishing Point. The Fermo is also just a bit slimmer than the Vanishing Point, but features the same excellent nib/feed/converter.

Coming this week are the first samples of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Tiffany Pine Bough series as seen in Pen World, April 2010, page 32.

We're also expecting a number of new items from Cross including the Advantage Chrome/Mosaic, the Masquerade, the Sauvage Smoke/Stingray, and a variety of leather goods. Also, under the Franklin-Covey name, we'll have examples of the Melbourne, Nantucket, Harrisburg, Bristol, and Freemont, all priced between $7.99 and $14.99 and perfect for corporate gift giving and engraving.

We'll also be receiving some fabulous Iroshizuku bottled ink from Pilot in nine different colors.

Visconti Homo Sapiens Lava Pens Arrived

Yesterday the first of the Visconti Homo Sapiens collection arrived. The look is unlike any other pen on the market with their dense but porous basaltic lava bodies from Mt. Etna in Sicily, Italy. This material is virtually unbreakable, flameproof, and absorbs sweat during use. It is dense to the touch and wonderfully highlighted by bronze fittings, which lean towards a pale rose gold color. The name Homo Sapiens was chosen "to symbolize how two uniquely human activities, writing and metallurgy, form the basis of all writing instruments."

The Homo Sapiens fountain pen has numerous unique features, not the least of which is the just-developed two-tone 23K palladium Dreamtouch nib. It has a moderate amount of flex and is extremely corrosion resistant due to its purity. The piston rod in the High Vacuum Power Filler is titanium, known for its strength, light weight, and non-corrosive properties. The system itself does not leak on airplanes and holds the equivalent of ten ink cartridges.

Overall, the Visconti Homo Sapiens collection represents a significant step forward in the use of unusual materials, both ancient and space-aged at the same time, in the creation of understated, elegant writing instruments.

Pen Event April 17th, New Arrivals

Our first pen show of the year will be April 17th featuring Acme, Faber-Castell, and Michel Perchin pens and accessories. There will be special pricing and new items to view.

Speaking of new items, we're constantly on the hunt for new additions to the store.

The Delta Dolcevita Oro has arrived in all of its orange glory with a gorgeous orange leather pen case, too.

From Noodler's Ink we've added in several new bulletproof inks including #41 Brown, Bad Belted King Fisher, Bad Black Moccasin, and Bad Blue Heron.

The Sherpa line has continued to perform well and we've added Flower Child, Short Circuit, and Mr. Pinstripe II to the assortment.

We're also pleased to announce the arrival of The Metropolitan Museum of Art ballpoint pen collection. At only $30.00 each these are sure winners for the ladies in your life.

Scottsdale Pen was recently awarded a Four Star rating by Talk of The Town for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction. While we are pleased to have earned this unexpected honor, we will strive to improve since we'd like to have all five stars next to our name!

Until next time...

And Winter fades into Spring...

Yes, it looks like the Arizona winter has yielded to spring as the skies have cleared and the temperatures have jumped. The storms of the El Nino have most likely neared the end of their strong run for the first quarter of 2010 leaving hefty rain and snow totals behind, and we thank Mother Nature for that gift!

Along the way there has been significant pen activity, too.

On the heels of the overly popular and difficult to find Lamy Dialog 3 retractable, twist action fountain pen, Pilot has announced the pending arrival in May of the same in their Fermo. The Stipula Da Vinci Carbon T, although much higher end, is well worth considering, too.

Speaking of Stipula, they have hit it big this year with both the Passaporto and the Model T fountain pens.

In our store, Visconti has a surprise monster in their Opera Master amber demonstrator. We can't seem to keep those in stock! On the other end of the spectrum, the Rembrandt series is catching on quickly.

THINK has just sent out the first of the Dr. Seuss limited edition fountain pens and rollerballs, limited to only 888 1/2 of each worldwide. These are wonderfully presented in Seussian red and white striped bodies!

Retro 51 has released new colors in their Tornado line, including purple and ice blue.

Monteverde is running fast with the new Invincia Titanium and Invincia Stealth. Their value-priced Prima line is looking very good, too.

We've been very pleased with the Parker Premier series, released in the last quarter of 2009. This collection is a solid value with all-metal construction and impressive lines that say "Parker", but in an updated manner. I'd compare these in quality and popularity with the Waterman Exception line, a sister company to Parker. Both are manufactured in France.

Well, that's enough for today, but there will be more news soon!

Lamy Dialog 3

Where does the time go? I can't believe its been so long since my last post. Anyway, Happy New Year. Hope your holidays were merry and bright. Scottsdale Pen did very well, thank you.

We were disappointed that the Lamy Dialog 3 didn't arrive until the week after Christmas since there had been so much excited anticipation beginning in mid-October. However, regardless of the timing of their arrival, I must say that the execution of the design is amazing enough and that the Lamy Dialog 3 does not dissappoint in any regard.

The operation of the mechanism is flawless. The clip retracts slightly, the ball valve throws flawlessy, and the nib is a tried and true model already in use on other successful Lamy models. In the limited world of retractable fountain pens, Lamy has most firmly established itself as a player. While it may not unseat the Pilot Vanishing Point in this field, I expect it will perform very well in the years ahead.

While a bit on the thick side, you'll find this is very comfortable to hold. And you're going to love the twist mechanism itself- its just too cool- almost like playing with a switchblade knife according to one avid pen and knife collector.