Fountain Pen Shops In London

[rdrum]

I will be taking a trip to the UK this summer and will be spending about a week in London. I've found a couple of pen stores (The Pen Shop, Mont Blanc), but would like to know of any other shops that may be worth a visit (smaller, independent, etc.). Any tips?

[Karmachanic]

Nothing worth the effort in my view. Closet/best would be The Writing Desk about an hours drive. Or train via Cambridge.

[Fermata]

London had a goodish pen place called Penfriend, now closed down. Harrods - a department store - has a specialist area called the Writing Room, Fortnum and Mason, Selfridges, also department stores, have a pen department.

 

The Pen Shop and MB are nothing to write home about but if you want to go to MB then I suggest you go to the Royal Exchange in the City, near to St Pauls and down the road from Fleet Street.

 

http://www.theroyalexchange.co.uk/

 

From there walk down to the City, see Lloyds and other great city buildings.

 

 

Sorry to say that I cannot think of any smaller or independant shops.

 

Edit, just found this walking tour round some great places in London, which includes taking in the Royal Exchange

 

 

https://www.londontoolkit.com/walks/pool_london_walk_tower_london.htm

 

 

This thread is also quite useful

 

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/306297-best-pen-shops-in-london/?hl=%2Bpret+%2Bmanger&do=findComment&comment=3595583

Edited February 7, 2019 by Parkette

[northlodge]

Nothing worth the effort in my view.

 

I agree, you will only find the MB type offering found everywhere else on the planet.

 

Your best option is to visit the antique markets, there are a few big markets / malls that are worthwhile hunting grounds. You will find quality vintage items (pricey) as well as "requiring refurbishment" offerings that are possible bargains.

Finally, check out (with someone like Peterg on here) if the London based pen collectors are meeting whilst you are visiting. With a bit of notice they may well turn up with some tasty offerings for your consideration.

[mulrich]

I thought Europe would be full of pen stores and writing accessories (i.e., quality FP paper) but in my few trips across the Atlantic over the past year (London, Scotland/northern England, and Paris) I never found any great stores. The best I found was a small shop in Paris but even that was so badly overpriced I didn't buy anything.

 

The Pen Shops I visited in London had very limited brands and few fountain pens. If you have any interest in visiting Harrod's (it's a fun tourist spot), their pen room was interesting to look through--they have quite a few brands and some interesting LE pens. Just know that they mainly carry high-end pens sold at full MSRP. So if you're looking for entry- to mid-level pens, sales, or anything second hand you won't find much if anything.

[dapprman]

The Pen Shops at Leddenhall Market (not sure when it was renamed to The Royal Exchange) and Liverpool St Station are both closed at the weekends and both small. Penfriend apparently can be contacted directly, but before closing shop(s) had a mixed reputation for the way they treated their customers (if you looked like you were going to spend a lot and looked like you could afford it they were best buddies ..).

 

Nearest two pen shops are The Writing Desk in Bury St Edmunds (an hour beyond Cambridge) and Write Here in Shrewsbury.

 

There is the Harrods Writing Room, but it is limited in range and generally (but not always) over priced.

 

If you're there on the first Saturday of the month then there's the London Fountain Pen Club (details in my signature )

[Fermata]

The Pen Shops at Leddenhall Market (not sure when it was renamed to The Royal Exchange) and Liverpool St Station are both closed at the weekends and both small. Penfriend apparently can be contacted directly, but before closing shop(s) had a mixed reputation for the way they treated their customers (if you looked like you were going to spend a lot and looked like you could afford it they were best buddies ..).

 

Nearest two pen shops are The Writing Desk in Bury St Edmunds (an hour beyond Cambridge) and Write Here in Shrewsbury.

 

There is the Harrods Writing Room, but it is limited in range and generally (but not always) over priced.

 

If you're there on the first Saturday of the month then there's the London Fountain Pen Club (details in my signature )

 

 

Leadenhall Market and the Royal Exchange are two seperate places, approximately 1/4 mile apart but both worth a visit if you are interested in history. The Royal Exchange has a MB boutique, Leadenhall Market has a Pen Shop, although very small.

[dapprman]

 

 

Leadenhall Market and the Royal Exchange are two seperate places, approximately 1/4 mile apart but both worth a visit if you are interested in history. The Royal Exchange has a MB boutique, Leadenhall Market has a Pen Shop, although very small.

Ah - I thought that was the case but when I looked at the map on the Royal Exchange website it looked like it was where Leadenhall is (I only used to work near by for 5.5 years ... doh)

[soapytwist]

If you want an interesting place to visit, you could go to Cornelissen's in Great Russell Street. It's an art supplies shop, so no fountain pens to speak of, but if you're interested in calligraphy and penmanship nibs, this is the place to go. They were previously home (in the 1980s) to Philip Poole who was a nibmeister in the true sense of the word - he supplied many famous artists with drawing nibs.

 

Some Google Maps photos of the interior HERE.

Edited February 7, 2019 by soapytwist

[eciton]

I was in the Royal Exchange MB boutique today — small, but very friendly service!

 

I agree generally though... I travel a lot for work and pretty much always find an amazing pen shop in any city I go to. Madrid has Iguanasell, NYC has FPH, etc. But London is surprisingly spare.

[peterg]

I'm afraid that London is now a bit of a desert pen shop wise, particularly now Henry Simpole has stopped trading.

 

You didn't say what type of pen are you looking for. A number of dealers come along to the London Pen Club and my local stationer has a number of early (1990 onward) Parker Duolfolds

[CS388]

Nothing! Unless you are looking to spend thousands on a high-end pen, in which case, the above posters have mentioned the prestigious stores which still have pen rooms.

 

It's a shame, but inevitable, that these stores have disappeared. The last independent I knew of was in Flask Walk, (Hampstead NW3) - and it closed a few years ago.

As dapprman says, if you coincide with the pen show dates, that would be your best bet.

 

We are something of a niche market and the internet caters for us better than B&M shops, on the whole.

 

That said, it can still be a wonderful city - I hope you enjoy your visit.

[Wardok]

If you have seen the Harry Potter films, Leadenhall Market is Diagon Alley.

 

Ray Walters of http://www.vintageandmodernpens.co.uk/ is generally at Spitalfields Market, less than 10 minutes walk from the Royal Exchange, on a Thursday unless he is at / on his way to a Pen Show (so i think he was in Los Angeles this week). I would suggest you check he is coming and perhaps warn him what you are looking for so he can bring them along

[dapprman]

If you have seen the Harry Potter films, Leadenhall Market is Diagon Alley.

 

Ray Walters of http://www.vintageandmodernpens.co.uk/ is generally at Spitalfields Market, less than 10 minutes walk from the Royal Exchange, on a Thursday unless he is at / on his way to a Pen Show (so i think he was in Los Angeles this week). I would suggest you check he is coming and perhaps warn him what you are looking for so he can bring them along

You can see Ray's prices online - which will give you some indication of how he compares to others.

[gmax]

Choosing Keeping near Covent Garden keep a small selection of fountain pens. They had some very nice Japanese pens when I visited, and lovely paper

[Matlock]

A chap called Ray Walters has a pen stall at Spitalfields Market every Thursday, I bought a stunning Pelikan 400 from him a couple of years ago and he seems to have a good range of pens for sale, second hand of course.

[ture]

So the fountain pen situation in London looks... bleak. What about pens, pencils, stationery and drawing/drafting/graphic design kit in general? I know of the London Graphic Centre in Covent Garden. Any others?

[Karmachanic]

Fabriano also has a shop in Covent Garden. And the above mentioned Choosing Keeping.

[ture]

Oh, I had missed Choosing Keeping. Thanks!

[Inkysloth]

Fabriano also has a shop in Covent Garden. And the above mentioned Choosing Keeping.

The Covent Garden shop closed down, the one in Marylebone is now their only shop in the UK.