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The big black pen, the essential pen!

Welcome to Glenn's Pens

I have been using a fountain pen for now too many years to count. I enjoy the writing experience of a nib and great ink.

Pen Stores

My pen website started as a source of information on Great Pen Stores. Through my travels I started collecting names and addresses of stores selling fountain pens. Some of the stores that I visited I found to be great places to visit.

Since starting "Glenn's Pen Page", others have provided reviews of stores they have visited. This has all created a reference point on pen stores. The information has expanded to fountain pen ink and the pen companies themselves.

Fountain Pen Ink

Ink is an important part of writing with a fountain pen, and I have developed a specific preference in what I link or dislike in an ink. Ink reviews were added to the site.

When you come across a "Great Pen Store" or a great bottle of fountain pen ink or other pen accessory, send me an e-mail with your thoughts. If you can provide address information that would be very helpful. I will include it with the next update.

Great Pen Manufacturers

I have assembled information on a number of the pen manufacturers and listed that under Companies. Over the past years I have had the opportunity to meet and tour some of the great manufacturers of fountain pens.

• Visit with Mongtegrappa Pen
• Visit to Visconti Pen Factory
• Visit to OMAS Pen Factory
• Visit to Stipula Pen Factory
• Visit to Aurora Pen Factory
• Visit to Waterman Pen Factory

A visit with a Great Italian Pen Company ...

In September I visited with Montegrappa, a company that has been making Italian pens since 1912. The company has a long history, and was a supplier of pens for soldiers under the brand name "Elmo". The company has a good solid history of designing and making a range of writing instruments. In 2000, Montegrappa was acquired by the Richemont Group, a company that also owns Montblanc. Now, in 2009 the company has left Richemont and will be distributed in North America by Kenro. I had a very good visit with CEO Giuseppe Aquila to talk about Montegrappa pens and the future vision of Montegrappa.

• Read about the Montegrappa Visit.

What's New

Your first pen, what a memory
At a recent meeting of the Vancovuer Pen Club individuals spoke of their first pens.

The Price of Ink
I looked at the price of ink by the ounce or milliliter. Boy it is expensive. I won't be complaining about the price of wine!

Take the poll - what is your preference in pen nibs?

Diamine Majestic Blue
A new colour to come out in 2009. This is the ultimate blue for me!

Revisiting Novelli Pen in Rome

Penart in Florence

Trieste

Pen Cards

Cards with a big pen image