This my friends, is brilliant. A bit insane, (I can’t imagine how much time this took!) but completely brilliant. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received e-mails from people asking how to choose the nib on a fountain pen. Since all nibs widths are not created equal, Goulet Pens is now offering the ability to compare the nibs of 4 different fountain pens in their new Nib Nook interactive feature on their website. Goulet notes that the writing samples are all standardized using Noodler’s Black ink on 80g white Rhodia dotPad paper which is an excellent way to compare and contrast.

Being a notorious product reviewer myself, I must add my two cents to this process. What you must count on in this comparison, is all things being equal and IMHO, there are inevitably going to be variables in the equation.

I myself own 6 Lamy Safari fountain pens and because the Safari nibs are machine made, have experienced variances between same sized nibs. If you are using a paper other than Rhodia/Clairefontaine, you may experience thicker nib widths due to the ink soaking into the paper. The inks you choose can also play a factor in how they write – some are more free-flowing than another and can make a stingy feed bleed ink while others can make a nib feel scratchy. Note that Goulet does include the following disclaimer: “Your results may vary with various combinations of ink, paper, and writing position. These writing samples are representative, and standardized upon Noodler’s Black ink on 80g white Rhodia dotPad paper, all written and edited by Brian Goulet.”

But having said all that, Nib Nook is an amazing tool to get you started and I would absolutely recommend using it.

Fahrney’s Pens retail store hosts a different vendor the first Wednesday of the month.  This month, Rhodia & Clairefontaine will be the featured vendors.  I will be on hand with the area sales rep to meet customers and answer questions.  I’m bringing some products from Exaclair for people to test with their pens, including a bottle of Herbin’s new 1670 ink. 

Fahrney’s Vendor Day & Sale is scheduled for Wednesday, August 4th (tomorrow) from 10 AM to 5 PM.  They are offering an extra 10% off Rhodia and Clairefontaine’s everyday prices. Fahrney’s offers a wide selection of Rhodia and Clairefontaine pads and notebooks.

The store is located at 1317 F Street, N.W., Washington, DC 2002.  Tel. – 202-628-9525. They are located two blocks from the Metro Center.

Farhney’s is a storied name for fountain pens.  In 1929 Earl Fahrney founded Fahrney’s Pens as a fountain pen repair shop.  The business thrived. He slowly expanded and decided to sell new writing intruments, including the “revolutionary” ballpoint pen.  The tagline “The Write Place” was acquired when Mr. Fahrney moved the business in 1950 to the historic Willard Hotel on F Street.

In 1961 Mr. Fahrney hired Odell Chappell who was the store’s first female employee. “The Pen Lady” as she became known, is now retired but remembered for her tireless dedication to Fahrney’s and her customers.

In 1972 Mr. Fahrney sold Fahrney’s Pens to Jon and Corinne Sullivan. The Sullivans shared his passion for fountain pens, and deep commitment to customers and employees. Their son, Chris, has taken over day-to-day operations. 80 years after its founding Fahrney’s remains a family-owned business.

Visit the website here.  I hope to see you tomorrow!

NoteMaker has a love of stationery at the core of what we do. We are a small, young company of people who established our online store as a result of our passion for design, and how it can influence and enhance every day home and office essentials.  Our range is unique because we only choose items that really impress and excite us and hope that others feel the same. Rhodia is therefore a definite match! We love to travel, and have sourced labels from Korea, the UK, Japan and of course, France. Many of our labels are not available in Australia from anywhere else.

Three years on, Notemaker is now Australia’s biggest online designer stationery retailer, with an abundance of original, high-end paper goods, writing tools, diaries, notebooks and gift ideas, including most of the Rhodia range.

In our little old warehouse we process thousands of orders a year. Rhodia is one of our most popular brands, and we receive endless orders from people ordering multiple pads, pens and accessories.

As we are an online store, we merchandise our range in house – creating beautiful in-situ shots of Rhodia product, often enhanced with useful accessories from other labels we love, such as Japanese designers Delfonics.

We know there is a loyal fanbase in Australia too… When we ran out of stock of Rhodia pencils, people asked us daily on Twitter (@NoteMakerTweets) when the new stock was arriving. No other product line has generated such enthusiasm as Rhodia.

We also ship across the globe and would love to see Rhodia Drive readers come and visit us at http://www.notemaker.com.au

Tell me Ryan, how did The Pear Tree get started?

The answer is almost so comical that you’ll think I made it up…but I swear that it’s the truth.  James Partridge, the company’s founder, was on a mission to find “the perfect blue ink” for his personal collection of fountain pens. After messing around with as many different blues as he could get his hands on, it dawned on him that perhaps he could help other people who were on the same mission…and thus, The Pear Tree was planted!

At first, the venture was (more or less) devoted to simply selling ink, but it wasn’t long before we realized that the search for the perfect ink is often accompanied by the search for the perfect paper.  We added some of our favorite products from Rhodia, Clairefontaine, and Exacompta, and we haven’t looked back.  Fountain pens, roller balls, ballpoints, and pencils came along shortly thereafter.

What’s different about your company?

The main thing that makes us different from a lot of other retailers out there is that we really appreciate (and enjoy) the quest to find the ink(s) that are “perfect” ink for each individual customer.  We hear from customers all the time that are really frustrated that they can’t find just the “right” (insert color of choice) for them.  It’s a lot of fun for us to help them find those elusive shades that they’re looking for.   With 16 brands in stock (and 6 or 7 more that we’re working on for the future), we’ve got a huge selection that our customers really love.

We also understand that while bottles of ink aren’t nearly as expensive as purchasing a nice fountain pen, they can tend to add up over time, especially if a customer can’t find exactly what they’re looking for.  I’m sure that lots of fountain pen users have multiple bottles of ink that are about 97% full, and for one reason or another (it’s not quite right for what they’re looking for, it doesn’t dry fast enough, the color is too vivid, it’s not waterproof…etc.) those bottles will essentially gather dust on the shelf.

That’s the main reason that we introduced the “Ink Sampler” concept.  It’s simple; pay one price, pick four inks that you want to try, and we’ll send you a sample of each one  (usually around 2mL of ink).  The sample is big enough that you can normally try the ink out in at least one or two pens so you can get a general idea of whether or not it’s what you’re looking for.  For $5, it’s a great way to try a few inks without buying full bottles.  It’s been enormously popular, and based on the feedback we’ve heard, it’s really been helpful to our customers!

Why did you choose to carry Rhodia?

We have a policy at The Pear Tree; offer the best products available that’ll meet the customer’s needs.  James and I try to be our toughest customers, so if it doesn’t work for us, we won’t carry it.

In a nutshell, it’s our opinion that Rhodia is the best.  We’ve tried a lot of different papers, notebooks, scratch pads, and journals, and we haven’t found anything that works better for use with a fountain pen.  The quality is excellent.

Furthermore, we love the way that Rhodia continually pushes themselves to create new products like the Webbies, those little orange & black cahiers (personally, those are one of my favorite products EVER!), and dotPads.  New products that offer customers more flexibility and more options are a big win in our book, and you guys have continually challenged yourselves to create better products for your customers.  We really love that!

What’s in the works for 2010?

Lots of things. We’re still working on bringing a few more brands of ink, new products from a variety of manufacturers, and some cool new products that you won’t be able to find anywhere else!  We’re really excited for what the future holds for The Pear Tree, and we think our customers will be, too!

So, did James ever find “the perfect blue”?

Not yet…  :o)

– Editor’s note: if you’d like to hear about how Ryan “Brassing Adds Character” Roossinck joined the Pear Tree team, you can read about it here.

In our retailer spotlight position for the month of March, is Fahrney’s Pens of Washington, DC. Fahrney’s carries Exaclair products from Clairefontaine, G Lalo, Rhodia, and Exacompta.

The History of Fahrney’s Pens

“The year was 1929, the stock market had crashed and America had fallen into the Great Depression. But one man, determined to beat the odds, decided to start a business despite the lackluster economy of the time. This was the year Earl Fahrney founded Fahrney’s Pens as a fountain pen repair shop in Washington, DC. With discretionary spending in a lull, Mr. Fahrney’s repair business thrived. He slowly expanded and ultimately decided to sell new writing instruments, including the “revolutionary” ballpoint pen.

In 1950, Mr. Fahrney relocated the business to the historic Willard Hotel on F Street. With the move he added the store’s tagline “The Write Place” which remains the motto to this day. For the next 21 years the Willard served as Fahrney’s home.

In 1961, Mr. Fahrney hired Odell Chappell who was the store’s first female employee. “The Pen Lady” as she became known, is now retired, though her tireless dedication to Fahrney’s, her customers, and the pen industry has been an inspiration to all who know her.”

“Mr. Fahrney retired after relocating the store to New York Avenue in 1971. He subsequently sold Fahrney’s Pens to Jon and Corinne Sullivan in 1972. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan upheld Mr. Fahrney’s unique passion for writing instruments. They also shared his commitment to customers and employees, which is one of the reasons that Fahrney’s Pens has retained such loyalty on both fronts for so many years. Eventually, Jon Sullivan stepped back and handed the day-to-day operations to his son, Chris, who demonstrates the same passion and tradition that have been a hallmark of Fahrney’s Pens for over 80 years.

In early May 2000, Fahrney’s moved to it s current location at 1317 F Street, NW. The store is the largest to date for Fahrney’s, with nearly twice the space for pens and accessories as the previous store. Customers have an even larger selection from which to choose. From pens to ink, fine desk accessories, quality leather goods and journals, as well as a wide variety of stationery, both classic and modern, Fahrney’s selection and expertise simply cannot be matched. In their continued quest for ever-improving customer service, thy have included desks where customers can sit and “test write” their instruments until they find the perfect match.

Additionally, Fahrney’s offers unique services like The Pen Doctor. For more than 20 years, he has been responsible for the repair and adjustment of Fahrney’s customers’ writing instruments, including fountain pens, rollerballs, ballpoints and pencils. His workbench is a fascinating amalgam of the old-fashioned and modern where he works his magic on sick pens.”

Fahrney’s
1317 F Street, NW – across from the National Press Building.
Washington, DC  20004

(202) 628-9525
Open weekdays 9:30 to 6:00
Saturday 10:00 to 5:00

Or visit Fahrney’s online.

Image of Fahrney’s store above, courtesy of Brian from the blog Office Supply Geek. Additional information about Fahrney’s history can be found on their website.

For this month’s retailer spotlight position, I’d like to welcome Goulet Pens – a relative newcomer to the Exaclair family who not only sells his own hand crafted pens, but also a splendid selection of Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Quo Vadis, G Lalo & J. Herbin products. And speaking of family newcomers, I’d also like to welcome Brian & Rachel’s new baby, Joseph Brian Goulet, born 8:08pm Monday January 25th. A strong, healthy boy at 8lb 2oz, 21″! Congratulations guys!

The Goulet Pen Company began as a hobby in 2007, when Brian Goulet’s lifelong interest in woodworking led him to purchase a small lathe and try pen turning on a whim. From the very first day, his wife Rachel saw the passion and the ability that Brian possessed for these humble instruments and Goulet Pens quickly became a hit with friends and family. Despite the fact they were living in an apartment and working on a covered balcony, they picked up their first corporate order and thus the hobby turned into a business in a matter of weeks. Brian made his pens on nights and weekends until August of 2008, when he decided to devote his career to pen turning.

The Goulet Pen Company was founded on passion, fine craftsmanship, and unique and customizable products.

To further express his passion for ink, pens and paper, Brian has started a video blog called Ink Nouveau where he has been doing various on camera reviews and comparisons on products such as Clairefontaine Triomphe paper, Quo Vadis Habanas & more.  Be sure to check it out!

Click here to see a Step by Step photo essay on  how a pen is made.

Watch the video below to  get a view of Brian’s shop.

We are proud to welcome Dan’s Camera City of Allentown, PA as a new Exaclair retailer. An iconic specialty store in Northeast Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, Dan’s has been serving the Valley’s photographic needs for over 30 years.

Earlier this fall I had visited Dan’s to talk to Mike Woodland, one of the store’s  co-owners about their in-house capabilities for reproducing my artwork. I’ve known Mike for over 20 years, (he was once my boss at a different local camera shop) and it pleases me to no end that he has been involved with the success of a local business that receives community awards year after year for excellence in service.

The day I went to visit Mike, I had taken him a few of the new Paul Smith Rhodia Pads as a gift and he told me that Dan’s offers a Digital Journaling Class where  journals are provided to their students for use as part of the class. He asked me if Rhodia offered any kind of hardback journal and I was happy to tell him about the Webbie- which they now stock and are provided to participants in the 6 week general photography class. The class covers topics like close ups, portraits, and street photography. Ryan Hulvat, the course instructor, tells me that the students are encouraged to keep their photos in a journal both for personal reflection and as a great way to keep track of their progress.

Image courtesy of Ryan Hulvat ©All Rights Reserved.

For now, Dan’s Camera City is the ONLY Lehigh Valley retailer selling the Rhodia Webnotebook. To my local friends & family that have been wanting to see them in person, here’s your chance.

Image courtesy of Becky Stone ©All Rights Reserved.

If you happen to be in or around the Valley, support our local business community and shop at Dan’s, where a friendly staff of trained experts are on hand to help you with all of your photographic needs.

Dan’s Camera City
1439 W. Fairmont St., Allentown PA 18102
Telephone: (610) 434-2313
Toll-free: (877) TAKE-PIX (825-3749)

JournalingArts is a small family business literally run from several computers and dozens of cabinets in a two-room office. The online shop offers a wide range of notebooks, pens and office supplies from a variety of makers.

I wanted to know more about Cynthia, and so I  asked her to tell me about what inspired her to start JournalingArts.com.

“To put it simply, I started www.journalingarts.com to make my customers happy. I had been selling planners through an online auction site and quickly learned that my customers wanted more. I’ve had some interesting conversations with my customers and learned a lot about why they like certain journals more than others. By listening to their requests, this helped me identify products that would fit their needs as well as the needs of artists, writers and others who use journals as tools. Most of my products are difficult to find in US stores, and some are limited even online- I wanted to open up these products to everyone, and by creating the store I found that I could offer many different kinds of hard-to-find notebooks all in one convenient place.”

What is unique about your business?

“JournalingArts is a small business run by me with occasional help from my family. That means that when you place an order, email or call with a question, you’re dealing with a real person who knows the products that is capable of answering your questions. My customers get personal attention which enables me to help them find the notebook, sketchbook or planner that is right for them. I respond personally to emails and calls, and am happy to answer questions about any items offered in the store or about notebooks and planners in general. And if I don’t have the answer, I do my best to get it for you.”

What made you decide to start carrying  Rhodia products?

“As with many of my other products, I brought the Webnotebooks and Paul Smith Limited Edition Notepads into the store due to customer’s requests and because of the reputation of Rhodia’s paper. I was so impressed by the quality of these items that I have plans to add more Rhodia notepads in the future.”

Cynthia also runs a blog dedicated to exploring journals as creative tools,  which  includes some extremely thorough product reviews to which I give a mighty “Thumbs Up!”

JetPens founders: Adrian Mak, Lily Kim, and Shu Yao, in front of Stanford University’s main quad arch.

I’d like to take a moment to welcome JetPens into the Rhodia Drive Retailer Spotlight. JetPens specializes in hard to find Japanese pens and stationery supplies. (They also carry products from Exacompta, J. Herbin and Rhodia- including the new Webnotebook.) I, like many of my friends, have spent plenty of drool time (and cash!) poring over their glorious selections of brush pens, fountain pens, and gel pens- oh my!

When we selected JetPens for the latest Retailer Spotlight, I had a few questions for Shu Yao, one of the founders of JetPens:

How did JetPens get their start, and what was the inspiration behind it?

“My friends Adrian Mak, Lily Kim, and I were in our last quarter of study at Stanford University when we decided to start a company together.  We thought it would be fun to work for ourselves on something cool and challenging.  We searched for different business ideas, but chose Japanese pens and stationery products in the end, because there was a pretty big market need (our friends kept bugging us to bring back pens and pencils from Asia when we traveled there) while the products themselves seemed perfectly suitable for an e-commerce shop (they were compact and relatively light to ship).  Thereafter, we invested our savings into the mother corporation of JetPens, PCOW, Inc.; the name was inspired by Seth Godin’s book Purple Cow, which advises businesses to be remarkable in the same way a purple cow would stand out from the herd.”

What was the reasoning behind carrying predominately Japanese stationary supplies?

“In order to stand out from the herd of stationery companies here in the US, we needed to merchandise hard-to-find and yet highly sought-after products.  From our cultural background and previous visits in Asia, we learned that Japanese writing instruments, art supplies, and other stationery products were much more advanced in both form and function than their US counterparts.  Because of long history of writing and paper production, many Japanese manufacturers not only have perfected the science of making top-notch products but also continue to innovate year after year.  Some die-hard fans of these products didn’t have access to these products in the US, while others were just beginning to discover the best kept secrets of Japanese office supplies.  It was a no-brainer to primarily focus on imported Japanese pens and stationery supplies.”

At what point did you decide to start carrying paper products, and what made you choose to sell Rhodia?

“We started to carry paper product in the late summer of 2009, because our customers had been earnestly asking us to venture into this market for years.  Given that they already purchased their favorite pens from us, they would like to shop here for their favorite notebooks as well.  We brought in Rhodia products largely because, again, we listened to our customers’ requests.  Rhodia’s signature cover design and Clairfontaine’s paper quality have won many lovers of these notepads.  Before we started selling Rhodia products, I had already tried out a 3” X 4” orange color Rhodia notepad for myself.  I loved two facts about the notepad: 1. it was very easy to tear off each paper along the perforation; and 2. my fountain pen ink didn’t bleed on the paper.  I definitely understood why there was such a cult following of Rhodia products in the US.  We had to bring Rhodia in!”

Thank you Shu for sharing the JetPens story with our readers!

JetPens Penefit Program Mission
JetPens has a heart for people and education. Every year, JetPens takes on one special community project through our Penefit Program. Past initiatives have included donating fountain pens to inspire interest in writing for students in low-income schools, sending thousands of gently used pens to orphanages in Africa, assisting local church youth groups in acquiring stationery products wholesale, and more.

For me, Art Brown’s retail store located at 2 West 45th Street in New York City is a paper, pen, and ink lover’s dream come true.  “One of America’s leading Fine Writing Instrument Dealers. In business more than 83 years.”

The most Rhodia I have ever seen in one place – and there was yet another free standing rack filled with the new planners and smaller tablets.

Clairefontaine journals in every size, shape and color.

Miquelrius and Moleskine journals as well as several brands that I wasn’t familiar with. (I spy a Quo Vadis red Habana in the upper left of this picture…)

Every color of J. Herbin ink right at your fingertips!

Noodler’s inks….

Diamine inks….  and there were loads of other ink brands as well- some not as familiar to me as these three. I purchased a bottle of the hard to find Sailor Nano Black ink.

And my oh my, does Art Brown sell pens! We were in the store the day the new Sailor Realo was introduced in America- and were also quite fortunate to have our Sailor pen nibs tweaked by Mr. Nagahara from the Sailor Pen Company.

I regret not having spent more time in the store, but  I was actually afraid to look at the pens because I would have been there for days and I needed to get back to Port Authority to catch my bus.  I can’t WAIT to go back. Next time, I’m buying a pen for sure!

Retail store located at 2 West 45th Street, New York NY 10036.
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:15pm Sat 10:am-6:00pm

You can also visit Art Brown on the web at http://www.artbrown.com