Welcome to nibs.com, your premier destination for the world's finest fountain pens and exclusive North American retailers of Nakaya brand hand-crafted urushi pens. Our legacy traces back to 1996 when we began as Classic Fountain Pens, Inc., pioneering the online fountain pen market. Today, we continue to lead the industry with our carefully curated selection of new and pre-owned fountain pens, alongside an extensive range of fountain pen inks, books, and accessories.
At nibs.com, we are more than just pen purveyors; we are artisans of the written word. Our skilled nibmeisters, continuing the legacy of our founder, John Mottishaw, ensures that every pen undergoes meticulous nib customization and optimization. Even after John's retirement, we remain committed to providing exceptional service, upholding our legacy of excellence. Renowned for his Spencerian modification and other specialized services, John's expertise has garnered global recognition, cementing nibs.com as a trusted authority in the pen community.
With our dedication to unparalleled customer service, every pen is tailored to your unique writing style through our meticulous customization and optimization procedures. Our skilled workshop staff meticulously examine and adjust each pen, resolving any potential issues before it reaches your hands.Plus, we offer technical support and pen repair services to ensure your fountain pens receive the care they deserve. At nibs.com, we are committed to elevating your fountain pen experience and preserving the artistry of handwritten communication.
Our Workshop
Our Family
Here at Nibs.com we offer a carefully curated selection of the finest new and pre-owned fountain pens available, and are also exclusive retailers in North America of Nakaya brand hand-crafted urushi pens. We are also known worldwide for the nib customizations and repairs originated by John Mottishaw, the company’s founder. We also offer fountain pen inks, books about pens, and fountain pen accessories.
With a staff of dedicated sales and customer service personnel, we pride ourselves on providing unequalled support and service. Unless otherwise requested by the customer, every new pen receives our special nib set-up and optimization procedure, in which it is carefully examined, tested, and adjusted for the individual writing characteristics and preferences of the end user. With the expertise of the workshop staff, nib defects or ink flow issues that might otherwise require a return for service under warranty are instead diagnosed and repaired prior to shipping to the customer.
A Legacy From John
When I started Classic Fountain Pens as a business in 1994, I was working out of my one-car garage re-tipping nibs and restoring vintage flea market pens while also teaching sculpture at Otis Parsons School of Art. My poet friend Rolly told me that I should have a web site for my new business. I hardly knew what that was, so I consulted my daughter’s then-boyfriend, who said he would make one for me. He put up a few pages and told me how to put up more. That was how the nibs.com website was born. Part of the nibs.com main page as it appeared in 2002...
Soon I had so many little packages arriving in the mail from around the world that the business became too big for my ten foot by twenty foot space. My first employee was an out-of-work actor, hired over the back fence. I started selling new pens as well as the vintage restorations, and soon I was hiring office staff and adding accounting software and all the other accouterments of a bustling small business. And all along, as the business expanded, so did the web site, from those first few pages to a sprawling site with hundreds of pages, thousands of images, and page after page of text devoted to the fountain pens that we all love.
Now, with the technical skill of a web development company located in my native British Columbia, we have just completed a complete top to bottom remake of the nibs.com web site, the first such comprehensive redesign since it was first launched over twenty years ago. But however much the web site may have changed, the principles of the business remain the same as when I first started repairing nibs in my garage all those years ago – to provide the best possible pens, service, and customizations to a smart and discerning community of fountain pen enthusiasts.
A lot has changed over the last twenty-two years. At the same time that e-mail and the internet have woven themselves into every aspect of our daily lives, interest in fountain pens has grown. There is something about the feel of a quality writing instrument in the hand, and the touch of beautifully tipped solid gold nib on fine paper, that makes life a little more enjoyable.
I'm glad that this new web site will allow us to find new ways to make these very best pens available to our community of users, and to make all of you a part of the process as well - I hope, when you have a chance, you'll respond to this post, send us an e-mail, or write a product review to let us know how we're doing. Have fun exploring!