Welcome to Glenn's Pens...
For years I have been hooked on pens.
I enjoy the experience of writing with a fountain pen. With a fountain pen, your writing has more character, Ball point pens have a place, but the round ball produces a rather boring writing image.
With a fountain pen nib, there is pressure, which gives the stroke of the letters different weight. There is the shape of the nib which gives even more character to the formation of the letters. Finally, there is the ink colour and its the characteristics of fountain pen ink that gives dark and light shades.
So being hooked on fountain pens, through my travels I have always been on the look out for pens stores. Often, it meant looking phone books, or asking at hotels, and usually not finding the store. So I started collecting names and addresses of stores that sell fountain pens and published a directory. The first directory listing of great pen stores when up some ten years ago..
Some of the pen stores I found to be "pen stores of note", or "great pen stores". No single element makes them great, but overall, it is a pleasure to stop by the store, talk about pens and ink and sometimes even buy a pen.
Since I started "Glenn's Pen Page" and publish my reviews of pen stores, others have provided reviews of stores they have also come across in their travels. I greatly appreciate this and it all results in creating a good reference point on pens, pen stores, pen inks and pen companies.
When you come across a "Great Pen Store" or a great bottle of fountain pen ink or other pen accessory, send me an note with your thoughts. If you can provide address information and hints on finding the store that would be very helpful. I will include it with the next update.
Formed in 1982 by Nino Marino, Ciro Matrone, and Mario Muscente, Delta Pen has made its mark in the pen industry. The company designs and create a range of very attract and good quality pens. I hope to be visitng with the company in 2012. A bit more about Delta Pen and their great pen, the Dolvevita.
In September 2008 I visited with Visconti, while in Firenze, Italia. Quite the company and quite the line of quality, attractive pens created.
Visconti, for the past twenty years has been designing and producing pens of beauty and quality. Located in a 15th century villa, the Florentine company established in 1988 is headed by Dante Del Vecchio, deus ex machina of the creative dynamism pervading Visconti creations. Led by his passion for vintage pens, he has been constantly in a quest for new expressions in the art of writing.
In 2007 I had the opportunity to visit the OMAS pen factory which is located in Bologna, Italy. The visit and tour was very interesting and it brought out an appreciate for the amount of craftsmanship and work that goes into making an OMAS pen. Read about the tour.
In 2007 I had the opportunity to visit the Stipula pen factory. Here is a small company that turns out some impressive looking pens. Read about the tour.
In 2006 I was fortunate to take a tour of the Aurora Pen factory located just outside of Turin.