Italix Churchman's Prescriptor

[bobje]

Peter Ford deserves an award for inventing the most evocative, magnetically Anglophile names in the entire category of stationery products. As a fountain pen user, being able to deliver the words Parson's Essential, Churchman's Prescriptor, and Imperium State is worth at least $5. "Wow, that's a shiny pen you're using today. What is that?" "Oh, this? It's called a Churchman's Prescriptor. Comes from a guy in Northwest London." Staples and Office Depot should hire Ford to re-label entire rows full of products. Those notebooks bound from paper made from sugar cane waste, sometimes called "bagasse"? The Staples name for them is "Eco-Easy," which is about as lame, non-descriptive, uninspired, and unimaginative as you can get.

 

Your thought experiment for the next three minutes, while you're otherwise occupied with the reading of a review of a pen you've probably seen reviewed a dozen times previously? Come up with a Peter Ford-like, Anglophile name replacement for those sugar cane paper notebooks. I don't know -- Plantation Journals. Jamaican Logbooks. The Harbormaster's Log. Anything will be better than "Eco-Easy."

 

I've learned that my aesthetic taste in pens is almost identical to a prolific contributor to the Fountain Pen Network named "Ian the Jock" -- a guy who sounds so Scottish that you can imagine him sitting there in a kilt with a dagger tucked into his kneesock. He'll correct this post shortly, provide the proper Gaelic name for daggers, and use some classic Scottish vocabulary like "wee," "belter," and "stoater." Ian's recent review of an Italix Churchman's Prescriptor inspired me to order the pen, and after using it, I must say that the community's enthusiasm about Italix products is warranted. The Churchman's Prescriptor is beautifully crafted, the black lacquer finish is prettier than pictures give it justice, and the nibs are smooth indeed.

 

Ian suggests that the Churchman's Prescriptor has a solid, churchy appearance, and it warrants an Episcopal purple ink. I agree, and I've written this review in Sailor Jentle shigure, an ink that may have been, but probably was not, used by Episcopalian missionaries in Japan. For all I know, and I'm too lazy to look it up on Wikipedia or whatever, Episcopalian missionaries inspired the development of the ink color "shigure."

 

I do have one objection to the Churchman's Prescriptor that I haven't seen in other reviews. There is a brass fitting between the section and the barrel that protrudes more extensively that I expected. It is not painful, and your grip can get used to it, but, well, it's there.

 

Please list your Peter Ford-like suggestions for sugar-cane-paper notebooks in the comments below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sannidh]

Thank you for this entertaining review

Btw, what's the nib width? Nib seems pretty smooth & fluent.

[bobje]

This nib is a plain medium.

[pjford]

What a stupendous review, thank you.

[Ian the Jock]

Bob

The ink you've chosen suits the pen perfectly, and your pics show off the pen far better than mine did.

I find that the brass protrusion you mentioned, actually makes gripping the pen more comfortable for me, I don't know why, but the pen seems to just suit my hand and fingers perfectly.

I'm glad you are pleased with your pen, though. I'd have been gutted if you'd said that it was too big, too heavy, or just plain didn't like it, and I'm sure that through use you'll find the brass bit is comforting more than annoying.

It's odd, I used my Waterman Laureat yesterday for the 1st time in ages, and it felt really strange holding the ribbed section when I first wrote, but within seconds the pen once again became an extension of my hand and I felt as though I had never put it down.

 

It's a strange business, this fountain pen caper.

 

 

The "dagger" of which you speak is a sgian-dubh (skian du) pronounced "skee an doo" which is a wee single edged knife worn in the sock, used for preparing meat, and veg etc. but to be honest, I only use mine to cut up the odd apple.

Cheers

Ian

[Ian the Jock]

Oh

And my Peter Ford notebook.

 

The Magistrates' canefile.

 

Ok, a poor effort, but he's used all the best names...

 

Ian

[bobje]

Ian, perhaps Mr. Ford will weigh in on whether names like "Magistrate's Canefile" warrant a new line of Italix notebooks. Good to know about the brass connection point between barrel and section. It does provide a ledge for my thumb to prop against.

 

A question, if you tuck a sgian-dubh into one kneesock, do you tuck a Churchman's Prescriptor into the other? War on one side, peace on the other?

[Venemo]

What a pretty pen! And I like the style of your review!

[Shubhranshu Das]

Lovely review.. Sentiments are the same... The Prescriptor or the Essential are my regular daily use pens... I have a medium cursive italic and a fine cursive ... Smooth delightful pens... Currently waiting for the Captain'S Commission to arrive...

[catbert]

I enjoyed your thoughts on the Churchman’s Prescriptor. If I were to buy a pen based on the magnificence of the name alone, that would be the one.

More practically, considering other factors such as size, weight, that protruding brass ring, and my preference for small, light, vintage pens with boring number designations, maybe the Parson’s Essential (also a fantastic name) would be a better fit for me.

Either way, the fact that I am contemplating Italix again is all your fault.

Possible notebook names in a similar vein:

- The Scrivener’s Factotum

- The Calligrapher’s Palimpsest

- The Cleric’s Commonplace Book

- The Ink-sampler’s Miscellany

- The Biographer’s Amanuensis

[bobje]

Catbert, your names of notebooks display precisely the kind of picaresque piety -- prudent, proper, not yet pretentious -- required for a new line of English-branded notebooks. Brilliant! Peter Ford undoubtedly will take note!

 

Venemo, thank you for the compliment! The photos were shot with a vintage lens, a Pentax Takumar 50mm f1.4.

 

Shubhranshu, thank you, from one former British subject to another. I look forward to hearing your views about English stationery products, written with a Captain's Commission.

[cobalt]

First, the paper. The assistant to a commissioned officer was/is called a Batman / Batwoman. Hmmm, seems a two-for here: Bat paper, Officer's Paper? The word in French is: ordonnance, hence "papier ordonnance"; should sell well in countries that like the aura of other-worldliness.

 

Bat-people would carry a small metal box of things that might be needed by their officer, presumably this would include an Italix pen and suitable ink.

 

Now, as for the pen, the ridge around the pen bothered my fingers, a lot, and returned it for the Parson's Essential (stub nib) which is more sympathetic to fingers. Mr Ford was most gracious and helpful.

[Tas]

 

 

More, more, more like this !!

 

[mmg122]

Excellent review, Bob! I'm also an ardent Italix/Peter Ford fan. I have three of the Parson's Essentials with different nibs. They are the smoothest writing pens I own. I also love the style and finish of his pens...just beautiful to hold. When I first received my black Parson's Essential, I couldn't put it down. I kept wanting to hold it and touch it...sick, I know. I'm seriously considering the Churchman's Prescriptor. My only hesitation is that I have small hands and think it may be too big for me...but I admire the style of it.

 

Love the names Catbert came up with. Don't think I can do better.

[bobje]

Cobalt, love your Batman historical note. Brilliant! Would you buy an English fountain pen friendly notebook called "The Batman's Book"? I would. (I've gotten used to the brass ridge. It slides between my thumb and forefinger.)

 

Mary and Tas, thank you for the compliment. It isn't often that people from London, Detroit, Hungary, Mumbai, and Charlotte can converse on the same day, especially on a subject as crazy as English fountain pens.

 

Wow, Mary, three Parson's Essentials!

[catbert]

The Batman’s Bagasse (referring back to that sugarcane paper) - perhaps bundled with a Captain's Commission?

[mmg122]

Bobjpage

"Wow, Mary, three Parson's Essentials"

 

I know...extravagant at best. I liked the black so much that I picked up the burgundy and green ones...all with different nibs. In my opinion, Peter Ford gives great value for the money spent. Surprising to obtain such a fine pen for so little money in today's current economy. I think it's the best deal around.