Review: Stipula Etruria facetted OS Celluloid LE

This review comes one and half years AFTER I received this pen. I know, I'm a little slow. Nevertheless, 18 months later this pen remains one of my favourites and therefore definitely in line for a proper review.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
It's BIG. It's beautiful, it's different. Chatterley Pens has done it again!
 9/10

APPEARANCE AND DESIGN
It's BIG. It's beautiful, it's different!
A limited edition pen, (mine is #12 of 18) that was produced in collaboration between Stipula and Chatterley Pens, this pen delivers the level of individuality and quality you don't always see in so-called limited edition fountain pens.

The green shimmering flecks on the black celluloid base are just wonderful.

Always a fan of facetted pens (no rolling on the desk), the 8 facets on body and lid help the light to create all sort of fun as it refracts on each angle.

The piston Knob is invisible (well, relatively) at the base of the body which allows for the seamlessness of the colour.
But the most unique aspect of this pen lies in the screw-on cap. For a start, the threads for the cap are at the base of the nib rather than at half way down or at the base of the section. This works well, and helps the sustain the fluidity of the design. The next unique feature is the rings ... all 6 of them! Six sterling silver rings wrap around the base of the facetted cap in counterpoint to the silver, Stipula, clip. While there is potential here for garishness or overkill, this really works well - just beautiful.

9/10


WEIGHT AND DIMENSION
This is a big and heavy pen. Both things that I love. If you don't like heavy pens or long pens, l suggest you leave this one alone.
I don't have scales for this, but just trust me, it's a well-balanced, but weighty pen.
Capped, the pen is 15cm long and around 1.5cm wide in the body (marginally wider in the cap). Uncapped, I measure 13cm from nib tip to base.
While the pen can be used posted (and I am generally a poster).
Posted the pen measures 17cm in length (bloody long!) and although not hugely unbalanced, not as comfortable as unposted.


9/10

NIB AND PERFORMANCE

The nib is a good size, 14k Stipula; which, in itself, is a good beginning. When you add to this that this nib was tuned (prior to my receiving it) to Cursive Italic by Mike Matsuyama, then really, nothing more need be said. This nib is a joy and a delight to write with. Smooth, fabulous line variation, that starts first time every time (and has done so for 1 and a half years).

10/10

FILLING SYSTEM
Piston. Works well, holds a good ink supply (which you would expect for a pen this size). My only criticism is that the piston knob is a tiny bit loose (ie. it can move a tiny fraction before it engages) which means that sometimes the facets do not exactly align.

9/10

COST AND VALUE
At time of purchase, this pen was around US$500. So it's not a cheap pen. But on value for money, the fact that I am singing it's praises one and a half years later, suggests that this pen well and truly stands up to the competition. A marvellous pen.

9/10

CONCLUSION
The Stipula Etruria - facetted, oversize, celluloid limited edition fountain pen (whew! what a mouthful) is a fabulous pen!!

92/100
 Click here for original FPGeeks report: fpgeeks.com/2012/10/stipula-and-chatterly-pens-introduce-the-faceted-etruria-oversize-fountain-pen/

0-50 = to be avoided at all costs
51-60 = if it’s cheap and you don’t really care….
61-70 = a nice pen with the makings of something better (just don’t spend too much)
71-80 = A better than average pen with just a few flaws that stop it from being really good
81-90 = A good pen, a keeper only a few minor places off being great
91-95 = Now THIS is a pen! If you can get it: keep it, love it, cherish it, and keep it away from the dog
96-100 = Grail 
 
 
 
 

Mont Blanc in Kuala Lumpur

I'm not a Montblanc man, but I visited the MB boutiques in KL and couldn't help but be impressed!  Here are a few pics:

146 in the new Rose Gold Livery - love it!

And here is my beautiful Visconti Pininfarina back from the nib man - don't you just love it?

Conway Stewart Churchill Fountain Pen Review

This review from my friends at Fountainpen Geeks (FPGeeks) is of a pen I sent Dan for a nib tweak. He did a fabulous job; and it's great to see my pen highlighted so generously!

IF you don't already know about Fountainpen Geeks; find your way there; you won't be disappointed. FPGeeks

Pen-Ultimate: a pen shop in Sydney (and a colourful side trip)

I had to travel to Sydney for work, so popped down at lunch time to see what the retail world had to offer and stumbled onto this:

Pen-Ultimate is a fabulous pen shop in the beautiful Queen Victoria (QV) Building in George Street in Sydney (level 3). The window immediately tells you its owners are discerning; and certainly the fellows I spoke to all knew   their stuff!

Here are a few of their window wonders:

Krone Le Mans (lovely hand-painting on Mother of Pearl)

Pelikan Maki-e Fantasia

Krone again - Duke Ellington LE (and a couple of others behind it)

Mont Blanc Da Vinci

Not so long ago, I reviewed a Campo Marzio design pen (with a USB in the end). It was a great colour and a good idea; but not such a good pen. Even so, I started to follow Campo Marzio on Instagram and love some of the pics and colours that come up. So imagine my surprise when I should find the Campo Marzio shop also at QV!

Again I was impressed with the colours. And just look at this pen display:

All manner of pencils, rollerballs and various size and colour pens up to around $AU145 and even one that used an acrylic (I assume) very similar to Brian Gray's Edison pens Persimmon Collier.

But Brian has nothing to fear. The quality of the pen was way off the mark! Even the brand on the base of the cap is just a little tacky. Such a shame. The colours are great, the presentation fabulous, the product? Not so hot. As for the ink...

A little hard to tell.

So I popped back to Pen-Ultimate and bought some Iroshizuku :D

But more on that, another tine!

Transehe Design, Scrivere - a heavy pen in Copper, brass or steel (but no steal!)

Here is a brand I know nothing about but had my interest peaked at the Melbourne Pen show. Transehe.

Transehe Design "Scrivere" call themselves a premium range of pens from the studios of d.Von Transehe - Transehe Design. These pens are the result of a co-operative effort between Transehe, Schmidt and Lufthansa to create a pocket sized pen, that has a perfect ink flow and won't leak, even on an airplane. Like the Kaweco, The "Scrivere" are designed to be pocket size when capped, however, they use the exposed thread to cap and post the lid so that when posted the pen becomes more of a standard size and is perfectly balanced for writing. Very much like a Kaweco. The pens are 11cm when capped and 12.5cm when posted.

PURE METAL:
A key point of difference that really sets the Scrivere apart is the use of pure metals. Stainless steel, pure brass and pure copper make up the range. These are solid pens, and being solid metal are pocket safe (won't crack if sat on). All three are over 50g with copper being the heaviest at 56g. The metals are pure and will behave as such. Both the brass and copper pens will develop a patina as the metals react with the air and the oils of your hands and fingers. 

And here is a pic:

They are quite an attractive pen (especially the copper - although I'd have a gold nib). I like heavy pens so that's a plus. But the price! A brief web search has them at 215 Euros (about AU$329 or US$295).

Here is a link to their website: 

transehe

A poem for InCoWriMo

Hello again.

In the spirit of International Correspondence Writing Month (InCoWriMo), I recently penned this poem to one correspondent, fine-tuned it with another, and now a few of you are going to find this in your mail - hope you enjoy it :)

In case you need a translation, here it is:

Here is just a brief writ note
I write to you to keep a-float
The idea that a letter can
Deliver more than email, and
Provide a chance for me to think
That as I smile, and draw my ink
That maybe there's a chance that you
Will grab your fountain pen and through
The art of nib and ink and flex
Elucidate on matters text*
On silly little phones can't do
You'll take your time, your words will prove
That fountain pens provide a start
To personality and heart
They help us take the time to be 
The better that we want to be

*the handwritten one was slightly wrong (**embarrassed grin)

Friday and a touch of Chianti to end the day

Here are a few pics from my good friend Tiffany Garvie of my Visconti Chianti Rosso. Isn't she clever?