)I do not consider myself an expert or an authority on fountain pens, but I am an avid, enthusiastic collector and user of these exquisite, historical implements of correspondence. Over the years, I have proudly owned Pelikan, Kaweco, Pilot, Sailor, Conway Stuart, Parker, Lamy, and Waterman in all price ranges, and now the HPLHS Peaslee Edition and The Armitage. I know something about fountain pens, and I know what I like. I like these two pens that HPLHS have to offer HPL enthusiasts who may want to capture the essence of what it must have felt like to write like HPL: if the adage of walking a mile in someone's shoes holds, then here is your chance to wear those shoes and see what it must have felt like all the while enjoy writing with a quality pen. You may or may not contribute to the vast body of works that originated from the pen of HPL and his contemporaries, but you will have fun doing it with a Peaslee pen.
Let's look at the Peaslee Edition fountain pen. The pen arrives in an attractive dark black pullout drawer presentation box with a reproduction of the Miskatonic University Pin on the label; the label also states the pen's specs, including its edition. Pull out the drawer, and your pen is revealed. I would be remiss if I did not say that, at first glance, the pen is eye-catching, wrapped in rich gold-coloured appointments, imparting a profound level of style enhanced by the midnight back of the pen's barrel and cap. Embossed onto the pen's barrel is the Miskatonic University logo: nice touch! The cap supports a sturdy pocket clip that doubles as an anti-roll device, a leftover from when pens were made from lacquer or bakelite that would roll, hit the floor and shatter. Today, fountain pen manufacturing includes more resilient, robust material; however, you still do not want your pen to submit to gravity and possibly damage the integrity of the pen or the nib. The gift box includes a small leaflet imparting sound wisdom concerning converter use.
Once you receive your pen and before you charge the converter chamber or apply the supplied ink cartridge, I suggest that you take a few minutes and separate the nib housing from the pen's body and gently wash the nib and housing in warm, soapy water to remove any residual industrial oil or minute metal fragments that may still be present from manufacturing; this will improve your ink flow. Your ink is personal; I have been using Sheaffer black with good results. If you wish to use an alternative colour other than the one you have been using, thoroughly rinse the nib before applying your next colour choice. Never mix ink brands (even of the same colour); inks may be proprietary, and mixing could prove deleterious to your pen. Water-based inks have the best flow; I often use Pilot brand, but beware, they are a bit more expensive. Never use India ink, inks made for artistic use or inks laced with alcohol. Their use in a fountain pen could be disastrous, gumming up the ink flow and the nib; their harshness may even clog your nib.
How does the pen write? After enjoying the elegant esthetics of the pen, inspecting the pen inside and out, adjusting my hand to find my level of comfort, and priming the pen for use, came the moment of truth. The Peaslee afforded writing pleasure from the start. I was very comfortable with its size, and I have many pens within the same size bracket, which made acclimation easy. I experienced little writing fatigue with prolonged use and appreciated the pen's cold start. If you inspect the nib with a magnifying glass, you will notice the attention to detail in the nib's design. Again, it is a nice touch. The nib is "genius iriduim." What does this mean? Iridium is an extremely strong, rare metal used in many jewelry applications. It is also known for its anti-corrosive resistance. The nib tip on this pen is an alloy of iridium, considering that gold was the standard obvious choice for fountain nibs; however, although durable, they require more maintenance over time, iridium less so. As a point of interest, iridium is more expensive than gold, silver, or platinum, selling for $4375 oz as of January 10, 2025! During installation, the nib may feel scratchy, so use a lighter touch, and with use, the nib surrenders to smoothness.
The Peaslee fountain pen will enhance your writing experience. If you are already a fountain pen enthusiast, this would be a welcomed addition to your rotation. If you are a novice, this is an excellent pen to begin your effort to try something new: you might discover that you like it! Either way, it's a worthy pen that has its roots in the past with a modern slant. After all, you are here on this site because of a man whose entire body of work was generated from such a pen!
