World No Tobacco Day

Did you know? 

- Every second one person dies from a tobacco-related disease.
- In the United States, over 20% of all deaths are from tobacco.
- Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical.
- In the 20th century 100 million deaths were caused by tobacco. In the 21st century tobacco-related death has reached an estimated 1 billion.

Despite all the death by tobacco consumption, the tobacco industry is flourishing every single day. In 2010 alone the revenue earned by the tobacco industry was $664 billion. This is more than the GDP of all but 18 nations in the world. But what is worst that trade of tobacco products is the illicit trading that doesn’t only raise concern on health, but also economy, legislations, governance and corruption. According to various studies, the illicit tobacco trade market accounts for around one in every 10 cigarettes consumed globally. And it is not just the economic threat such trade possess that should concern us. The reason why we should be fighting illicit trade of tobacco product has to do with the fact that such products hook young people into tobacco use because they are cheaper. The illegal tobacco trade robs the government from the tax revenue that could have been used in public service and education. So, while there is a lot of wrong in consumption and production of tobacco itself, we should also be worried about the harms that illegal trade of tobacco causes.

Hence, this World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2015 WHO (World Health Organization) and partners are “calling on countries to work together to end the illicit trade of tobacco products.” Join in the fight and make a difference.

Ink Trivia

You have more choices than you think. Blue writing ink is the most popular color used for pens. To simply say you want to use blue ink does not narrow it down as to your choice. As with many colors, blue ink is available in many shades such as Sapphire, Regency, Blue Velvet, Royal, Midnight, Imperial, Cobalt, Cerulean, Electric, Blue Suede and Mediterranean. Pen Boutique also carries many brands that offer blue including Waterman, Parker, Noodler’s Ink, Pilot-Namiki, Cross, Lamy, Diamine, Faber-Castell, Sheaffer, Montblanc and Sailor.

Question: What color helps you to remember?



























Answer: You are more likely to remember something if you write it down in blue ink.

Pen Trivia

Translations can be a tricky thing. One needs to be mindful of all the idiosyncrasies of the language. Jolly Green Giant translated into Arabic, for example, means "Intimidating Green Ogre."

When the Parker Pen Company marketed a ballpoint pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to say "It won't leak in your pocket and embarrass you." However, the company mistakenly thought the Spanish word "embarazar" meant embarrass. Instead the ad said that "It won’t leak in your pocket and make you pregnant."

Question: What pen company was retained by the British Royal household as the sole proprietor of inks and pens?



























Answer: The Parker Pen Company was awarded the Royal warrant as sole supplier of pens and inks to the British Royal Household in 1962. This is an honor to which it retains to this day.

Writing Corner

Far Eastern calligraphy is an art within art, a way of life, and a path to immortality. Just like love fills the heart, calligraphy fills our souls, nourishing a new sense of life born out of selflessness, absence of pride in the fertile soil of a pure mind. It can intrigue you by stimulating the deepest layers of sensitivity accessible to a human being. Life experience adds a lot of flavor to one’s work. In this capacity, it cannot be learned, and it ought to be experienced, it cannot be rushed, but it must be earned.

The importance of choosing the ink, whether using a calligraphy brush, calligraphy pen or an everyday fine instrument, is also held in high regard as a critical element in Far Eastern calligraphy and writing. Two of the most popular ink bottle brands that are mainstays in today’s eastern and western cultures are Sailor and Pilot Namiki Iroshizuku, both originating from Japan.
You too can embrace the Eastern way of mindful thoughtfulness is by choosing these captivating inks.

http://www.penboutique.com/search?q=+Pilot+Namiki+Iroshizuku%2C

Writer Quotes

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does, a fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane.” -
Graham Greene, English playwright and novelist

“The pen is the tongue of the mind.” -  Horace, leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus

“Steadily my pen filled the sheet and those long-thought-out words came nearer and nearer.” -
C. S. Forester, British historical novelist

“In a mood of faith and hope my work goes on. A ream of fresh paper lies on my desk waiting for the next book. I am a writer and I take up my pen to write.” -  Pearl S. Buck, Pulitzer Prize winning American author

"Every writing career starts as a personal quest for sainthood, for self-betterment. Sooner or later, and as a rule quite soon, a man discovers that his pen accomplishes a lot more than his soul." - Joseph Brodsky, Russian born American poet

Porsche Design

In an age when most of its competitors have been absorbed into larger manufacturers, Porsche remains a staunchly — and profitably — independent maker of high-performance sports cars. The Porsche name has become synonymous with sports cars and racecars because that is what company founders Ferdinand Porsche and his son Ferdinand ("Ferry") set out to build when they first set up shop with 200 workers in 1948. This established well-respected name lives on with its branding of Porsche Design fine writing instruments.

Established in 1972, possessing a Porsche Design accessory has been the dream of many. Porsche Design products have been synonymous with functional, timeless, and puristic design. Porsche has been producing car-related accessories since the 1950s. In the decades that followed, numerous classic men’s accessories such as watches, eyeglasses, and writing utensils were created and marketed worldwide. In the year 2012 Porsche Design celebrated 40 Years of their prestigious company. Pen Boutique has been selling Porsche Design writing tools and leather accessories since the beginning and we are proud to say that it has met all the expectations of our customers in terms of perfection, style and functionality. Their unique style, marvelous design and engineering all make it one of the most favorite brands of all time; no wonder the brand is honored with its “Writing tools that define physics”.” Treat yourself and take a spin at the wheel of an exceptional pen!

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World Day for Cultural Diversity

As popular the notion of virtual reality bringing the world together is there is something more that keeps the world and the people together. That thing is cultural diversity.  In November, 2001 the UN General Assembly recognized the role of culture in enabling sustainable development and saw its potential as a source of new ideas and way of thinking. By the end of the next year, the General Assembly had declared 21 May to be the World Day for Cultural Diversity. The observance is the reminder of the rich hub of cultural diverseness that our world is and its importance.

The day is an opportunity to understand the value of cultural diversity and to learn to live together in peace and harmony. Also, the day magnifies the values we can learn from one culture and teach to other, and in doing so develop together. The day also carries a powerful message about social and cultural inclusion, and to some extent can prove to be a tool to eradicate bullying and discrimination. Pen Boutique is proud to be a team with members from diverse communities, races and cultures. Together with all our differences, uniqueness and ways of thinking, we make the company better.  And if the company can function smoothly despite and because of the diverseness, we believe that the world can too.

Lamy Wild Rubin (ruby) Studio Pens

Lamy Wild Rubin Studio Pens

The Lamy Wild Rubin (ruby) Studio pens have finally arrived!  The pictures I first saw of the Wild Rubin reminded me of the Lamy Royal Red color.  Boy, was I wrong.  The true color of the Wild Rubin does not come through in the pictures.  The Ruby color is shimmery and bright, not a matte color at all.
The Wild Rubin has a stainless steel barrel and polished chrome accents.  It has the iconic propeller clip.  The fountain pen and rollerball are the same style as previous colors, but the ballpoint is now tapered and has a longer front section.  The finish is smooth and lacquered, not the usual satin metal finish.
The fountain pen is available with a stainless steel nib or a 14k nib, both pens come with a converter and ink cartridge to start writing right away.  The 14k fountain pen arrives in a gift box with a bottle of blue ink.
All in all - these are beautiful pens and a great addition to any pen lovers collection.

- Joy (Pen Boutique LTD, Suite 115, Columbia, MD 21044)

Waterman Expert Pen Review

If you are looking for a fountain pen that is an example of simple elegance and masculine grace, the Waterman Expert is an ideal option at an affordable price.

The Waterman Expert has a simple, classic design that is sophisticated by small details.The body is made of a rich black high quality lacquer and has a rounded cigar shape.  The cap has a sleek design with a stylish slanted head and reliable steel clip, with the Waterman logo. The cap also snaps securely when posted. The body has a light to medium weight and when posted has a medium that is substantial without feeling top heavy. The grip is slightly thinner than the rest of the body and shaped to give one’s fingers a firm hold, while the pen rests gently in one’s hand.

The writing experience of the Waterman Expert is a pleasure at a fair price. The pen has a very smooth nib for a steel piece. With the medium nib, some light pressure is needed to get started, yet once it does it flows evenly and with little effort. The gold quality performance is rarely scratchy. Writing curves is exceptionally smooth and easy, while lines take a slight amount of effort.  The pen has the option of taking Waterman cartridges or a Waterman converter.

Made in France, the Waterman Expert is a wonderful choice whether as a gift for any holiday or a gift to oneself as a dependable but smooth everyday writer.


- Babak - Pen Boutique Ltd, Montgomery Mall Store.

Spring with MontBlanc’s Pink Ink

Celebrate spring with Mont Blanc’s Pink Ink. It is the perfect ink to spruce up any diary or journal and get your doodling juices flowing.

The bright pink box that the ink comes in is a departure from Mont Blanc’s typically understated packaging, but that is part of the fun with this ink.

Mont Blanc Pink is probably not going to be an everyday carry for most folks, but if you like pink you will like this shade. It is a fun ink to doodle with as it shades well and dries fairly quickly. I inked up my Hot Pink Safari so I could test different nib sizes. The larger the nib, the darker the ink appears.

I also compared it to another popular pink ink, Iroshizuku  Kosumosu (Pink). The Mont Blanc Pink is a tad brighter and a slightly deeper shade of pink than the Kosumosu.

Pen used for the Mont Blanc Pink Ink is a Pilot Prera Pink, with a Calligraphy (CM) nib. Pen used for Iroshizuku Kusomosu is a Pilot demonstrator with a Calligraphy (CM) nib.

-Linda, Pen Boutique Ltd, Columbia Store.

Caran d"Ache 849 Ballpoint Pen

I have had a Caran d"Ache 849 Ballpoint pen for over a year and it has never let me down. The hexagonal shape, the unique click forwarding device, the finely engineered push button mechanism and its compact, but not too small, pen size makes this one of my favorite pens that is always ready to go. In fact, I liked it so much that when my nephew started college I gave him one as a gift. I enjoy color options with my ink refills. Monterverde Parker Style gel refills fit snuggly in this pen. This allows me some of my favorite options with Turquoise, Blue/Black and Purple readily available.

The Caran d'Ache 849 Ballpoint pen now comes in a Goldbar design. It is coated in a gold-toned satin finish barrel and its fittings are plated with sparkling gold that easily pick-up the light. The outer box is almost as impressive, being made of the very same materials and resembling a gold bar. The box also sports a handy magnetic closing, so you can be assured that your writing instrument is secure. This beauty also has a gold plated clip which adds to its overall effect. No I do not NEED a new Caran d'Ache pen, but the ownership of this one is so inviting. I already know of the brand's reliability, so there is no trepidation in purchasing another. The time maybe now to treat myself to a gift!

 - Vicki (Pen Boutique, Ltd, 5560 Sterrett Place, Suite 101, Columbia, Maryland 21044)

Ink Trivia - Bottles vs. cartridges/Instructions for use

Ink Trivia

Ink Bottles: Bottles vs. cartridges/Instructions for use

Although it is a personal preference, there is a cost benefit factor in choosing ink bottles over ink cartridges for your fountain pen. According to research done by Noodler’s a 4.5 oz bottle of their ink has the amount of ink equal to $72.94 worth of the least costly retail ink cartridges in the world. In addition, Noodler’s Ink has a reputation for being good quality, is safe for all fountain pens and comes in a wide range of colors. Using bottled ink when you can makes sense – it is easier on the environment and it is by far a much better deal than ink cartridges.

Bottled fountain pen inks can be used in any fountain pen having a converter, piston-fill, or other reservoir system. Start by lowering your fountain pen nib into the ink bottle. Depending on the model you have, you can either draw up ink by screwing or pulling the converter. Remove the nib and don't forget to wipe it with a lint-free cloth.

Question: What are the advantages of using Noodler’s Polar Black and Polar Blue ink?

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Answer: “Freeze Resistant Inks” include Polar Blue and Polar Black, which will resist forming a solid mass of ice within a glass ink bottle during most cold weather conditions (though they will form some harmless ice “slush” when very cold). The first “Polar” ink was “freeze proof” to -114° F, but the reformulated Polar inks made from 2006 and later have a faster dry time, better flow rate, and are basic “freeze resisting” inks to avoid expansion. 

Pen Trivia - What date did man first land on the moon?

Pen Trivia

Of course a pen’s primary use is to write. Sometimes, however, they become magical instruments.

A Fisher Space pen earned its astronaut wings most famously during the Apollo 11 flight. An arming switch that allowed Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong to lift off from the moon’s surface broke and they used a Fisher Space pen as a substitute lever earning a place in the official mission log and space flight history.

Questions: What date did man first land on the moon?

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Answer: July 20, 1969

Writing Corner - Wild Bill Hickok Last Letter to his Wife

Wild Bill Hickok

Last Letter to his Wife

One of the beauties of a hand written letter is that they can live on long after the writer is gone. Be the reason sentimental or historical, reading a hand written letter from long ago packs an emotional response like nothing else.

James Butler Hickok, also known as Wild Bill Hickok, was a skilled gunfighter and lawman from the American old west. He was also a professional gambler between his law-enforcement duties. On August 2, 1876, Hickok was playing poker at Deadwood, in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory. He had a premonition Deadwood would be his last camp, and expressed this belief to his friends who were traveling with him at the time. Shortly before his death, he wrote a letter to his new wife, which read: “Agnes Darling, if such should be we never meet again, while firing my last shot, I will gently breathe the name of my wife — Agnes — and with wishes even for my enemies I will make the plunge and try to swim to the other shore.” J.B. Hickok Wild Bill

Interesting Fact: Legend has it that before Hickok was shot he had lost all his money and had to borrow $50 from the house to continue playing. When shot, he was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, all black. The fifth card had been discarded and its replacement had not yet been dealt. In poker, a two-pair of aces and eights is known as the dead man’s hand. 

Featured Story - Fisher Space Pens

Fisher Space Pen

Fisher Space Pen has been an innovative American writing company since the early 1950s. In 1953, Paul Fisher invented the first “universal refill” which could be used in most ball point pens. However, always eager to discover the next great pen invention, Fisher went on to invent the first pressurized ballpoint refill. The refill was an overnight sensation. Made of a special semisolid ink and then pressurized with nitrogen, Fisher’s pressurized refill was guaranteed to write upside-down, underwater and was dependable in extreme temperatures of hot and cold. However, with the dawn of the NASA space age, the Fisher Space Pen was about to make history alongside American astronauts and space shuttles. Beginning with the Apollo 7 mission in 1968, Fisher Pen has become the standard writing instruments used by American astronauts in space. NASA originally purchased 400 of the pens at $6 each. The Soviets followed as well.

Some fans of Fisher Space pens like the line for the various vibrant colors offered, some are keen on the space exploration association, and others prefer the functional stylus. A group of fans request the clip, where others are clip-less disciples.

Whatever your preference, Fisher’s bullet pens are the perfect size to carry in your wallet, pocket, purse, car glove box, organizer or toolbox. With the cap posted it's a full sized, evenly balanced writing instrument.

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Parker Ingenuity 5th Technology Pens

I know what you’re thinking: How can you innovate pens? They write in ink, they’ve always written in ink, and they always will write in ink. End of story. A few weeks ago I would have grudgingly agreed with this assessment. It has been a long time since pen manufacturers, even our most trusted and reliable ones, have created a truly groundbreaking design that has taken the pen community by storm.

Until now, that is.
This year, Parker has unveiled a modern wonder in the world of luxury design. Their new Ingenuity line is the pinnacle of innovation, inspiration and, as it is so aptly named, ingenuity. Never one for cutting corners, Parker had dozens of agents do extensive work to discover what exactly pen collector’s felt about their treasures. They were sent to find out what they liked, what they did not like; what they hated, and what they could tolerate. What was, for lack of better words, really cool and what simply wasn’t. Their findings brought them to the conclusion that there were universal positives and negatives concerning fountain pens, rollerball pens and ballpoint pens, however, none seemed to be universally superior to the other two. Once this was evaluated, the most obvious question came to light: Why settle for good enough? Why take the best characteristics of each pen type, when you could just take the best characteristics of all three and create one superior pen? The question was posed, and the Parker Pen Company decided that no, you don’t have to settle. Of course, the nonbelievers shouted, “Preposterous! It can’t be done!” No good idea has ever gone unchallenged, and it’s safe to say that this is Parker’s most brilliant idea yet.

The new Ingenuity series encompasses all of the beneficial designs of a ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen all in one cleverly designed model. Each member of the collection is made with Parker’s unique 5^th generation technology that gives a stunning performance every time. Each member of the collection offers an effortless flow of ink that glides smoothly over any surface. Thanks to this technology, each pen’s tip is designed to adjust itself to your individual writing style after only a few uses. The flexible tip is covered by a finely engraved, metallic hood which work together to imitate the feel of a fountain pen nib. Though there are dozens of color combinations, each Ingenuity pen has a classic and elegant finish. They are lacquered in deep gloss and adorned with Parker’s emblematic ciselé pattern on both the grip section and the metallic ring on the cap.

(Ingenuity pens only cater to exclusive Ingenuity 5th technology refills that are made of water-resistant blue and black ink.)

Whether you buy the S-Class (slim version) or the L-Class (large version); whether you buy it in black, gold, brown, peach, tan, pearl and every other customizable color option available, there is no denying that you will be a part of the dawning of a new age in pen modernization.
The Ingenuity series has flawlessly combined the ink flow of a fountain pen, the feel of a rollerball pen and the convenience of a ballpoint pen into an unstoppable triple-threat. In this display of design dominance, Parker has brought to life the best of not only two, but three worlds. This new generation is a force to be reckoned with, and their era of trendsetting has only just begun. The Ingenuity: a new age in pen innovation has arrived. Recognize.