2026 Stationery Intentions
Happy New Year! As usual, I’m starting the year with an Intentions post. You can see my 2025 Stationery Intentions here, and my 2024 Stationery Intentions here (follow the Year Planning tag for more).
I started drafting this post around Thanksgiving 2025. I usually pre-draft parts of my intentions in late December, but I started early this time, because I’ve been trying to figure out the “what now” question of a mature collection. While 2024 had been a very full year in terms of acquisitions, 2025 had been a year of contemplation. It was not a perfect year. I made some mistakes, some of those were scratching long-term itches (hi, Onoto Sequoyah!) But on the other hand, if I didn’t scratch this itch, I would be grumpy.
New year, new daily journal - this is a Life Noble Note A6 in grid, same journal I used in the second half of 2025. I think I would like my word for 2026 to be “Sanguine.”
I am not sure if 2026 will be a low-acquisitions year, a year of refinement, or a year of expansion again. I just don’t know. I am entering the year with curiosity, but no particular desire to either limit myself or to expand. Here are my goals right now:
No FOMO. Something I covet now will either come around again or it won’t. There will always be another pen.
I had this goal last year, but I only partially succeeded. The FOMO I had in the first four months of 2025 was fueled by the tariffs and the economic uncertainty - I wasn’t sure if I would ever afford the pens again I wanted if I did not buy them then. Well, no surprise, pen prices went up, inflation kept climbing, wages stagnated, and I am still fundamentally opposed to tariffs. It’s really not all that important, considering the state of my collection. I have amazing pens. I enjoy them daily. There is nothing FOMO can do for me.
Take care of my things. I’ve been getting more into the maintenance side of things with my collection, and at this point it means focusing on tending to the things I already have, be it through improvements, repairs, nib grinds, or cleaning (I do love cleaning pens). It’s something I’ve been emphasizing throughout, but I want this to be more of a focus in 2026.
Pen acquisition: I let go of five pens at the very end of 2025, and I would like to buy one pen in 2026 which represents something missing from the collection. I think right now it’s probably a Montblanc. Still not convinced about it. (more on this in Pens and Stationery of Interest). Beyond that, I am putting no pen guardrails. I’m curious about how many pens I'll want to add in 2026, now that I’ve become very selective. I have never done this experiment, and I want to see what happens. (I do hope it’s not 50 pens added, but I guess we’ll see!)
Ink: I plan to continue with my usual guardrail of up to 10 bottles of ink for the year. I think it is a nice number to try new things and to splurge on, without going overboard.
Do one interesting hobby-related project which is not this blog - it can be a piece of art, a collaboration, a design, etc. It does not have to be big or successful.
I think I am going to stop here with these goals. Less is more in 2026.
I’m starting the year with four pens inked as of this morning - only one pairing migrated from last year, and that’s the Homo Sapiens Bronze Age inked with Ainezu. Years of acquisition on these pens top to bottom: 2021, 2022, 2022, 2024. Beadbird friend observes.
Pens and Stationery of Interest 2026
Some of this list has become migratory from years past, which is interesting to me - what motivates me to buy some things, and not others from my list? Likely saturation and serendipity. I don’t urgently want anything, but refreshing the collection a bit is still exciting.
A special Montblanc. I’ve had a few over the years and let them all go (technically, the Gentleman nib continues to be loved in the Conid). I’ve always felt that my collection would not be complete without a single perfect Montblanc. But I don’t love them when I have them. So: the search continues. Criteria: One. Older. Some kind of cool LE. Not an M nib, I want either an EF or a B/BB. #6 nib is fine, might want a #8. Used so it won’t completely break the bank. Does not feel too plasticky (forgive me, precious resin-y). Not cigar shape. Surprisingly, there are many great options that meet these criteria, but most are way too expensive. Maybe I will get lucky.
Aurora. Still interested in some Optimas, the Dante, and Ancient Maps/Oceani/Ambienti series, but absolutely no rush. I have 3 Auroras in rotation and I’m not in such a hurry to get more (I hear some of my friends gasping in horror - sorry all!)
Scribo. I have four. Should be plenty, but they always tempt me. Can’t get one of these amazing urushi editions due to urushi allergy. Hm-mmhm.
Montegrappa oh my. Ridiculous pens. I am down to two special Montegrappas (from five), and the Mermaid needs a bit of piston TLC, so should be traveling soon. I don’t want to be tempted to randomly get another one, but who knows. We shall see.
Pelikan. I have never owned one, and am beginning to develop an inkling of an interest. I might try one and see what I think.
Atelier Lusso - still mildly interested, but not enough to spend $$$, not even second-hand. Still, never say never,.
A Harmonic nib. This is one of my long time grail purchases -I’ve been dreaming about one of those nibs for years. I’d love to get one, but not sure how to go about it, both budget wise and access wise.
Ink - I want to see what Herbin comes up with for shimmer of the year in 2026. I am interested to see if Montblanc will release something I find appealing next year, but prices keep climbing, and they keep churning out reds which are not all that different from each other, so maybe and maybe not. What colors I would like to see from MB next year: a brown (it’s been forever since their last true brown LE, brown is in fashion), and a deep blue-black with no gray undertones. Maybe a burgundy and/or a teal. What I don’t want to see from MB: yet another middle of the road red.
A pen box. I still really really want a pen box. I’ve wanted one for years. I need it. Beautiful things should have their right containers. I want one for 30 pens, I think, or a Toyooka for 40 if I can’t do a 30.
An antique stationery box. I’ve wanted this for years at this point, I still want it, and I have no place to put it — but if I find a perfect one for a good price, I will be tempted.
Above all, I just want to write/finish a new book in 2026. That’s something I want more than a new pen, and I have excellent tools to write with. Let’s see what happens.
My currently inked four pens with bolo bear friend. I’m trying to use my yellow Montegrappa Miya more this year.
PS: changes to my newsletter format. I made some changes to the format of my newsletter at the end of 2025. I’ll be sending a newsletter at the end of each month, dedicated to three things: a longer form pen thoughts which are not available on my blog; tidbits - my thoughts about various industry news; and links to essays I posted that month. If that sounds interesting, you can subscribe below.
Wishing everyone a hopeful and healthy 2026!