Magpie Syndrome: My Favorite Pens of 2017

Over the last two years, I have been trying to 'refine' my pen collection. It's not even a collection. I've been trying to pick and choose my favorites - swapping nibs and bodies and moving things around to create the perfect combination of pens for my taste. Doing summary posts like these also help me to decide what pens can be removed from my collection.

As I said last year, I have different reasons for selecting these, and I'll do my best to include a short snippet about each, and why I love that particular pen (it may be the same as last year, of course). Don't forget, these are MY favorite pens. Not the best pens on a budget, or pens with great value. I enjoy writing, I love practicing my handwriting, and I like shiny things. Here is my selection for this year:

Left to right:
* indicates a pen that was in My Favorite Pens last year.
*Classic Pens LB5 Midorigi + Nagahara Cross Point nib

Large and silly expensive, but I thoroughly enjoy the unique nib. It can be used for hand lettering and the line variation is outstanding! I also appreciate the craftsmanship and creativity of the nib.

*Classic Pens LB5 Kouseki + Nagahara King Eagle nib

It's large and silly expensive. I wouldn't enjoy it as much without such a unique nib, which is great for hand lettering and making ink look really great. I also appreciate the craftsmanship and creativity of the nib.

*Namiki Yukari Nightline Skyline + Medium nib

At this point, I discovered I love pens with raden. It's a solid pen because of a brass liner, it's easy to clean, and it feels great in hand. The medium nib is springy and wet, and I like the shape of the pen a lot. I also spend a lot of time rolling it around, enjoying the glitter. 

*Namiki Yukari Nightline Moonlight + Pilot Custom Heritage 912 FA nib

I acquired this one after the previous, and I was taken in by the deep black and glowing raden. It came with a medium nib, but my Pilot Custom Heritage 912 FA nib fit, and I love it even more - flex and a gorgeous pen all in one.

*Montblanc Meisterstück 146 90th Anniversary + Bespoke Music Nib

This was a gift from Stephen. It's not about the status or anything of the sort - I love the classic shape and the rose gold trim is perfect for me. The double broad oblique nib is stubby and it's so comfortable, which I used a lot last year. I still use it, but it's on a different pen. Now this nib is the Bespoke music nib. A killer combo.

*Omas Paragon Arco Celluloid (Vintage) + Triple broad nib

I acquired a BBB OMAS nib that obviously had to go on this pen. It's an insane, stubby, wide gusher and I absolutely love the writing experience. The material is beautiful, this one being a particularly stunning specimen, and I love the shape and size. 

Ryan Krusac Legend L14 Custom Pet Portrait + 1.1 mm stub nib

This is special to me for many reasons. First, it's a tribute pen to my cat Ellie (aka Dik-Dik). Ryan captured her essence perfectly on this pen. To say I love it is an understatement. This one holds a special place in my heart. I am so grateful to Ryan and Stephen for coming up with this one.

Nakaya Cigar The Milky Way + Soft medium elastic nib

Perhaps a little less practical and a little more pretty - the Nakaya Cigar in The Milky Way finish was one of the first pens I saw many years ago and fell in love with. I am fortunate I was able to acquire the exact model I wanted at Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery, with an elastic nib for springy fun.

*Pelikan Souverän M1005 Clear + Triple broad Masuyama formal cursive italic nib

One of the first pens my dad gave to me - of course, I picked it and he paid for it, but still. It was also one of the first expensive pens I ever got, and I love how it feels, writes, and how ink looks in it. The formal cursive italic nib is perfection, created just for my hand by Mike Masuyama.

Pelikan Souverän M1000 Sunrise + Double-broad nib

Shiny. Juicy broad nib. Enough said. There's just no justifying some things.

Pelikan Souverän M1000 Sunlight + Double-broad nib

Shiny. Juicy broad nib. Enough said. As I said, there's just no justifying some things. 

*Ken Cavers Cigar Green Swirl + Franklin-Christoph Music nib

This is the first custom pen I ever purchased, from a pen maker in the city I grew up in - Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ken Cavers made this gorgeous pen with a matching pen rest (not pictured). It's simple but solid, comfortable, and it takes #6 nibs so I usually eyedropper it. Last year I had it paired up with a fude nib but this year it's been sitting with the FC music nib - a divine, affordable nib!

*Pelikan Souverän M400 White Tortoise + Double broad Mottishaw stub nib

A pen I bought years ago because I loved the tortoise barrel with the creamy white, and I had the nib ground to a stub by John Mottishaw (nibs.com). Great line variation! It's small and comfortable, the nib is interchangeable, and the pen is easy to maintain. It will always be a keeper.

*Waterman 94 Steel Quartz + Ideal #5 music nib

This was a gift from a kindred spirit! My first music nib and the one that started it all. The pen isn't all that outstanding, but the music nib is wet, smooth, and flexible. It has wild line variation!

That's it for this year. I'm trying to only keep pens I'm madly in love with for whatever reason. They may be sentimental reasons, or Magpie Syndrome reasons.

What are your favorites?

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! Thank you for a fine year of your support and readership - here's to many more years together!