Visit To Pw Akkerman Pen Shop In The Hague, Netherlands

[PatientType]

PW Akkerman Pen shop in The Hague, Netherlands is located in The Passage. The Passage is a street made into a mall and covered with a high glass roof. The Passage was created in 1885 and PW Akkerman opened his pen shop in 1910. Another PW Akkerman shop located in Amsterdam was sold off and is not connected with the original shop.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PW%20Akkerman%20The%20Passage_zpscfvl3eek.jpg

 

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PW%20Akkerman%20Storefront_zpswd3p71qf.jpg

The front windows at PW Akkerman would fascinate anyone with an interest in fountain pens.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PW%20Akkerman%20display%202_zpsbmynyfah.jpg

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PW%20Akkerman%20display%201_zpstibnej8s.jpg

Inside, the shop offers fountain pens, a variety of inks, and a small collection of notepads, note books and quality paper.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PK%20Akkerman%20Shop%20scene%202_zpsos1tcdnf.jpg

There is a display of old fountain pen inks and bottles.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PKA%20Ink%20Shelves_zpszskg5v5c.jpg

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PKA%20Vintage%20Ink%20Display_zpsc2fh32mg.jpg

Of special interest are the proprietary PW Akkerman inks. The inks come in a special bottle with two chambers and a glass ball stopper. One can invert the bottle to pour ink into the upper chamber then return the bottle to an upright position. The glass marble drops into place and retains ink in the small upper chamber of the bottle to facilitate drawing the ink into a fountain pen. The inks come in a variety of colors. Purchasers are cautioned that the house brand ink is well saturated and inclined to dry if stored in a fountain pen for long. So, use of the ink in an easily rinsed pen, such as a fountain pen with a removable converter, is recommended. The Akkerman ink costs 15 Euros (currently $16.71 USD). Purchased from the store in quantities of 5 bottles, the per bottle cost with shipping is a bit over $21. The same ink is available from US Internet pen shops for $30.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PK%20Akkerman%20Ink%20Display_zpstysde4cd.jpg

The shop deals exclusively in new pens and offers a wide variety of Monte Blanc, Pelikan, Waterman, Cross, and Visconte pens including specimens from current and some past special editions. There are smaller collections of other fountain pen brands.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PW%20Akkerman%20sales%20counter_zpsmdch9wdy.jpg

Photos of the store owners 1910 to 2010 hang over the Monte Blanc Display.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PK%20Akkerman%20Shop%20scene%201_zpssabl9ddx.jpg

There are also some beautiful lacquered pens on display.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PKW%20Painted%20Pens_zps8ptgw0an.jpg

My favorite among the lacquered pens were these Romanov pens.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PKA%20Rominoffs%201_zpsx5rowgcd.jpg

The most interesting pen I saw was this Dupont “Shoot the Moon” fountain pen that looks like a cannon. With the available pen stand it would be impressive on one’s desk.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PKA%20Cannon%20Pen_zpsez5m4c7r.jpg

One needs souvenirs from a vacation. Mine from this trip are a special edition Vibrant Blue Pelikan M805 with silver trim and bottles of PW Akkerman ink in Shocking Blue and Bekakt Haags, a dark brown.

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m326/PatientType/Pen%20Shops/PKA%20What%20I%20Bought_zpszcggaccz.jpg

Edited May 30, 2016 by PatientType

[OCArt]

Amazing, what a fabulous store! Thank you for posting these photos. If a shop like that was near me all of my money would be gone!

[bobje]

Thank you for the detailed photographic tour, PatientType!

[da vinci]

Thanks for sharing your pictures of the trip - very interesting!

[inkstainedruth]

Totally jealous. Pittsburgh has a few stationery stores that sells pens, but that's about it.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[luckduck369]

Excellent photos! Thanks for sharing. Now it's a must-visit place while in the Hague:)

[GardenWeasel]

What a grand experience! Thank you for sharing!

[mmg122]

Would love to visit this shop some day! Thanks for these excellent photos.

[DrDebG]

Great photos! It sounds like a fascinating store!

[tmenyc]

Great trip report! I was there last August, when I accompanied my wife to Amsterdam for a conference. I also had to get a souvenir...so got a bottle of their Royal Akkerman Blauw.

 

Tim

[Gloucesterman]

Totally jealous. Pittsburgh has a few stationery stores that sells pens, but that's about it.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Ruth, just want to let you (and anyone else) know that xfountainpens.com is opening a B&M store in Pittsburgh in the next few weeks. Although I have only purchase low end items from them I have been very happy with their service. They will have other pens and inks. Not sure about other stuff like paper though.

 

Check them out when you have a chance... and report back, of course.

 

BTW, no affiliation just a very happy customer over the years.

[Fabienne]

I am so sorry that when I went there I was not a fountain pen lover per se. Missed my golden opportunity for sure.

[mulrich]

If I ever have a long layover in Amsterdam I'll make a point to visit the shop. I really just want to buy a couple of those bottles.

[The Good Captain]

It truly is a wonderful and marvellous emporium! I was luck enough to visit in 2014 and had a fabulous time with Paul and the other members of his staff. So friendly and helpful.

Just wish I could get there more easily and more often - if funds permitted...!

[FrankB]

I have not been inside a pen shop in nearly 13-years. Thank you for this vicarious experience.

[tmenyc]

If I ever have a long layover in Amsterdam I'll make a point to visit the shop. I really just want to buy a couple of those bottles.

plan an eight hour layover. Easy train straight from airport to den Haag, walk to the store, walk to the Mauritshuis museum with a stop for lunch, have a leisurely trip through the museum, take the local bus to the beach, take a nice long nap on the beach, bus back to the train station. My wife and I did exactly that from Amsterdam, were back in time for an early supper.

 

Tim

[Leeuwenhoek]

Brilliant photo tour, Akkerman ink has been added to my ever expanding wish list. Thanks for sharing.

[inkstainedruth]

Ruth, just want to let you (and anyone else) know that xfountainpens.com is opening a B&M store in Pittsburgh in the next few weeks. Although I have only purchase low end items from them I have been very happy with their service. They will have other pens and inks. Not sure about other stuff like paper though.

 

Check them out when you have a chance... and report back, of course.

 

BTW, no affiliation just a very happy customer over the years.

 

That was one of the topics of conversation at the Steel City Nibs meeting a couple of weeks ago -- or was it last month's meeting? Someone said what street it's supposed to be on, but where they said is *mostly* residential, except right at the end where it hits Walnut Street, so I either have the street wrong or it's going to be in one of the buildings right on the corner but on the side street. It's an upscale neighborhood, and that's one of their main shopping districts for that neighborhood: some higher end clothing chains, an Apple Store, some cool restaurants. Ironically, it will be just about 4 to 4-1/2 blocks from where two of the city's stationery stores which carry pen stuff are: Scribe Fine Paper (which carries Kaweco pens, and Kaweco and some colors of Herbin ink, as well as stuff like Rhodia notebooks); they're half a block from Kards Unlimited (which has some Sheaffer and Aurora pens and inks, and (now) a couple of colors of Pilot Metropolitans, and which also carries greeting cards -- including the absolutely hilarious Achelaus brand cards, Paperblank books, goofy novelty items and some really awesome t shirts). And just a block or two further down Walnut a Dick Blick art supply just went in (no FPs, but a good selection of Rapidographs, and stuff like sumi ink).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mwduffy]

Thank you for sharing the pictures, even if it was a tad cruel of you to do so. Just kidding (about the "cruel" bit). Being a virtual tourist for even a few minutes was worth it. Come to think of it, I need a souvenir. I'm going to go online and treat myself to a bottle of Akkerman ink (#08 Diep Duinwaterblauw or #18 Garuda Red, or both - it was a really memorable trip).

 

Michael

[lilliandil]

Wow - thanks so much for sharing these photos and describing your trip! I hope someday I'll be able to visit the store in person. That "shoot the moon" pen with the stand is really cool!