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Eslite In Hong Kong: Fountain Pen Shopping


requiescat

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I was in Hong Kong for the first time last week for a science/technology/business/science fiction conference (I had been invited to speak as a sf writer) and I took the opportunity to nip off to a bookstore recommended to me by a friend whose wife is from Hong Kong. This is ESlite, which occupies the top floors of the Hysan Place department store at Causeway Bay; a short hop from the JW Marriott where I was staying for the conference, which is at Admiralty just two train stops away.

 

ESlite had a great selection of nonfiction and fiction books in both Chinese and English, but of course you want to hear about the fountain pens. :) These occupied a section of their own with numerous well-lit glass display cases. I spotted Caran d'Ache; a lot of modern Parkers; some Pilot Vanishing Points in different colors; a rainbow Lamy Safaris, Al-Stars, and LX pens; a couple of Kaweco sports; and a selection of Platinum pens, from 3776 to several of the lower-end screen-printed maki-e pens. I ended up purchasing a Kanazawa Changing Autumn Leaves maki-e [Goulet Pens, for the photos] because I have coveted one for years and it was going to be less expensive in Hong Kong than from a US retailer.

 

They also had a full rainbow of Pilot Iroshizuku inks, some Caran d'Ache inks, Kyo-iro inks (I bought two bottles, one for myself and one for a friend), and probably some others--I wasn't keeping track closely as I had about hit my budget limit.

 

There was one gentleman at the counter and he was very friendly and helpful in letting me look at the fountain pen I was interested in (I didn't ask to ink it; call me foolhardy but I've had good luck with Platinum/Nakaya nibs in the past) and ringing up not just the pen and inks but the books I had selected. I'd gladly go back again, but I think the chances of my being invited to Hong Kong again are probably rather slim. Definitely recommended, though. :)

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Sounds like a great find! My HK purchases have been watches rather than fountain pens. How do HK pen prices compare to the US or Internet sellers?

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The Platinum pen I bought cost about US$40-50 less than the asking price from Goulet Pens ($192). I didn't check the prices of other pens, sorry! (Mostly because I knew I would be tempted but my husband would probably object if I brought home more than one pen...)

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