Misfill, One-Page Notebook Edition

Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:

Read:

— PTPL 171 · The Surprisingly Powerful One-Page Notebook That’s Always With Me (Ellane W)

— The Liliput and The Black Cat (Dime Novel Raven)

— Starter Pens: Pilot Metro Recap & Thoughts (The Well-Appointed Desk)

— Zebra Tect 2way RO (Lexikaliker)

— Mixed notes and Kuretake marker pen (José Naranja)

— Ink Review: Callifolio Orange Inks (Mountain of Ink)

— Ceramics and tattoo imagery come together in Adam Shrewsbury’s exercise in fragility (It’s Nice That)

— Meet the Artist Creating Humorous, Nihonga-Style Images of Daily Life with Their Rescue Cat (Spoon & Tamago)

— Five Mind-Expanding Moments from Brian Eno (Take Note)

— Yotsuba Mitsuba (Inkcredible Colours)

— Weirdoforest Travels 2025 – Banff (Weirdoforest Pens)

— Rupert answers the #12PenPersonQuestions List (Fountain pen blog)

— Blackwing at 15: Why Analog Still Matters to Me (Scription Studio)

— Coles of London Takes Over Pelikan Distribution (The Pelikan's Perch)

— Two binders? (Stationery🍕)

— Moleskine - Coming Soon (Battersea Power Station)

— Inside a Canadian professor's 43-year-old Dungeons & Dragons campaign (Guinness World Records)

Watch:

— Papa J Studio (Figboot on Pens)

— Check Out Enigma Stationery's Inkvent 2025! (SPOILERS AT THE END!) (Inkdependence Mike)

— Watercolour Painting Abstract Flowers feat. Beam Paints | Oct 8 Livestream Replay From Carola)

Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!

The Pen Addict X Retro 51 2025 “PEN” Artist Proof Giveaway Winner

One of the fun surprises when you work with Retro 51 on a pen design is getting a few extra Artist Proof models to test with. I have an unopened “P” model of my latest release, the The Pen Addict X Retro 51 2025 “PEN”, to give away this week, which is a fun addition to any collection. And the winner is:

Congrats Peter! I’ve sent you an email to collect your shipping address.

A Visit to Retro 51

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

Before I headed home after the 2025 Dallas Pen Show, I asked Jeff Velker of Retro 51 if I could pop by for a short visit, and he said yes, so here goes!

Situated in an office complex, the Retro 51 headquarters is located in Richardson, Texas, about 15 minutes from the Dallas Pen Show hotel, the Doubletree Hotel Dallas Galleria.

Behind this unassuming door is all the hard work that goes into creating and shipping Retro 51 pens out to their fans.

Just inside the entrance, this etched glass reminds us all that “Life is too short to carry an Ugly Pen!”

On the other side of the glass are the Retro 51 archives. Jeff Velker is standing in front of drawers filled with most of the Retro 51s ever made!

One of the archive drawers. See those empty slots? Those are some of the ones they don’t have in their archive yet.

Opposite the window is a display of awards, pens, and various Retro 51 products/memorabilia.

A big Retro nib and airplane displays.

Rudy, the Tiki Tissue Box Holder, is one of my favorite Retro 51 products.

Jeff is working hard to keep everything running smoothly.

That’s one nice display of Retro 51 pens sitting on Jeff’s desk!

Retro 51 is part of the Writeside Holdings portfolio of brands, which also includes Fahney’s Pens, and Write USA, which is now the distributor for Waterman, Parker, Rotring, and more. Along with business partners Adam Finer and Joe Corona, Jeff oversees operations for Retro 51, Fahrney’s and Write USA.

Jeff (left), Adam Finer (center), and Joe Corona (right) - the three partners behind Retro 51 and Writeside Holdings.

In addition to the offices for accounting, marketing, sales, etc., they have space filled with Retro 51s (and other products) ready to be shipped out to customers or to their authorized retailers.

There was something in this room that I was not allowed to photograph – you’ll have to ask Jeff about it when you visit! (Hint: it’s not in this picture so don’t bother zooming, lol.)

This room is packed with tools and engraving machines to personalize your Retro 51, or for adding special designs/logos for events.

Earlier this year, Retro 51 added some more space next door so they can expand the warehouse, as well as provide more room for the creative team, and a small space for retail sales and possibly meetups. Maybe it’ll be ready by next year’s Dallas show?

The creative team has a lot of space to come up with and design future releases.

After a quick tour of the Retro 51 HQ, we headed out to lunch where I asked both Jeff and Richard Koehler ((long time employee and Creative Director for Retro 51) a few Rapid Fire Questions:

What are your favorite Retro 51s?

Jeff: With so many new pens being released, it’s hard to pick a favorite because favorites rotate all the time. Right now, probably Dr. Jekyll and an exclusive that was made for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival VIP attendees.

Jeff’s current faves - Dr. Jekyll (left) and Kentucky Bourbon Festival (right.)

Richard: Lift Off and Flying Tiger

Richard’s faves: Lift Off (left) and Flying Tiger (right.)

Favorite color?

Jeff: Blue/Cyan

Richard: Bright Green

Most used non-Retro 51 pens?

Jeff: Pilot Vanishing Point

Richard: Kaweco Sport, Pigma Micron, and Fineliners

Coffee or Tea?

Jeff: Coffee, black with a little Stevia

Richard: Coffee, little cream and sugar

Favorite place to visit/travel?

Jeff: I’d love to go to Germany, Italy, and Japan

Richard: Kauai

Here are some of my favorite Retro 51s:

I own several of the Fahrney’s Cherry Blossom exclusives, but this 2025 one marked a new chapter for Retro 51, Fahrney’s, and Drew Brown, whom I affectionately refer to as “Mr. President”.

The first 10 on the left are various “drinks” exclusives from Goldspot, then NYC Skyline, The System, Ice-O-Metric, and Sprinkle Ops, Zodiac, Ombre Blue fountain pens. And the two on top are “PEN” and “2025 PEN”. (I swear I’m not kissing up to the Bossman!)

A huge Thank You to Jeff Velker, who accommodated my visit on short notice, and also to Richard Koehler who spent some extra time showing me the archives. I had a great time!

(Disclaimer: Retro 51 isn’t open to the public, so please don’t just show up. You can contact them by phone, email, or chat.)

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