Exudes a style and feel I think
Is better than a ballpoint pen
Which has its uses but again
I much prefer the flow and flex
That celluloid and nib reflects
Friday, 30 August 2013
Pen Poem
A fountain pen that's filled with ink
Exudes a style and feel I think
Is better than a ballpoint pen
Which has its uses but again
I much prefer the flow and flex
That celluloid and nib reflects
Exudes a style and feel I think
Is better than a ballpoint pen
Which has its uses but again
I much prefer the flow and flex
That celluloid and nib reflects
Sunday, 25 August 2013
The Desk (Part 8) - The Last Drawer (sort of)
Here we come to the last of the "Main" drawers on my desk: the ominously titled 'Miscellaneous' drawer.
This is the drawer where I place the bits and piecey pens that don't really fit anywhere else.
From top:
This is the drawer where I place the bits and piecey pens that don't really fit anywhere else.
From top:
- Stipula Passporto (Ebonite) (LE #99/220)
- Fine Omas nib and feed (in container)
- Stipula Passporto (Blue)
- Stipula Passporto (Black)
- Columbus Extra Mechanical pencil (part of a set) in green celluloid
- Tswibi 530
- Pelikan Twist
- Tswibi 540 (with Pendleton fab nib)
- Noodlers Flex pens (blue and red)
- Rotering Skynn
- Another Twsibi nib
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Pen Poem
Who is that woman with the fountain pen?
I can see she has style, it's a piston and when
She puts nib onto paper I can see how it flows
Should I speak or just wonder at ink, pen and prose
Who is that woman with the fountain pen?
When she writes I smell violets, so subtle and then
When she smiles I see clearly she knows how to flex
Line on line, curve on curve, she knows how to perplex.
I can see she has style, it's a piston and when
She puts nib onto paper I can see how it flows
Should I speak or just wonder at ink, pen and prose
Who is that woman with the fountain pen?
When she writes I smell violets, so subtle and then
When she smiles I see clearly she knows how to flex
Line on line, curve on curve, she knows how to perplex.
Monday, 19 August 2013
A Short tale of contrasts: Visconti Pinifarina & Platinum Cool
Today was a very exciting day. Two pens arrived. One from Bryant at Chatterley Pens, the other from Goulet Pens (who also sent me some ink). One pen was in carbon graphite, boasting a disappearing nib; the other in plastic not boasting at all (other than in name).
The Visconti Pininfarina is one of 930 pens made (a reference to Pininfarina's founding in 1930). This one is number 196.
The feel of the carbon graphite in your hand is just fantastic!
The Pininfarina is a well weighted pen too with a great functioning retracting nib (although I can see people complaining about the placement of the clip - why don't they do what Stipula has done with its retracting nib pens and allow the clip to be rotated?)
I know the carbon graphite in these pics look a little silver, but the pen is much darker (not dissimilar to a Lamy 2000).
But enough of the looks, what about the nib? Out of the box, a real problem - this is a stub nib but it just wouldn't write! (and I was so excited filling the Cartridge converter with the mosquito filler - although i'm not sure where to put it when it's not in use).
On advice from a friend, I gave the nib and converter a good wash with soap and water and tried again. Sort of victory. It writes, but not my Diamine Sapphire Blue looks like Omo blue!
Home again, and she writes; and I like the line (a bit bigger than my usual), but for a pen with racing heritage, it certainly doesn't come burning rubber at the starting flag! A lot of stop/start before it flows.
I'll keep you in the loop.
The Platinum Cool however, is another beast altogether.
This little plastic wonder wrote straight out of the box with ease! And for a steel nib - great performance! Even a little flex! (and you have to love Noodler's Apache Sunset - what a fabulous ink!
This unpretentious pen, comes with both cartridge and converter, and just delivers.
Sure the Platinum doesn't have an 18k nib; but the steel it does have seems to deliver even better. The Platinum doesn't have an interesting trash can container to hold it (I'm sure it's meant to mean something else but the Pininfarina comes with a phallic black metal cylinder with a silver lid that seems more designed to justify the price than hold the pen); but a pocket does just as well. Of course, in the end, the Platinum doesn't have the weight of the Visconti (which is perfect) or the brilliant carbon graphite feel (which is pretty fantastic), nor is it's design as cool as the Pininfarina; but the Platinum Cool light weight, writes well and makes you smile in its own "cool" way!
Until next tine...
The Visconti Pininfarina is one of 930 pens made (a reference to Pininfarina's founding in 1930). This one is number 196.
The colour of the pen is really hard to photograph, and this one below is the closest I can get it:
The feel of the carbon graphite in your hand is just fantastic!
The Pininfarina is a well weighted pen too with a great functioning retracting nib (although I can see people complaining about the placement of the clip - why don't they do what Stipula has done with its retracting nib pens and allow the clip to be rotated?)
I know the carbon graphite in these pics look a little silver, but the pen is much darker (not dissimilar to a Lamy 2000).But enough of the looks, what about the nib? Out of the box, a real problem - this is a stub nib but it just wouldn't write! (and I was so excited filling the Cartridge converter with the mosquito filler - although i'm not sure where to put it when it's not in use).
On advice from a friend, I gave the nib and converter a good wash with soap and water and tried again. Sort of victory. It writes, but not my Diamine Sapphire Blue looks like Omo blue!
Home again, and she writes; and I like the line (a bit bigger than my usual), but for a pen with racing heritage, it certainly doesn't come burning rubber at the starting flag! A lot of stop/start before it flows.
I'll keep you in the loop.
The Platinum Cool however, is another beast altogether.
This little plastic wonder wrote straight out of the box with ease! And for a steel nib - great performance! Even a little flex! (and you have to love Noodler's Apache Sunset - what a fabulous ink!
This unpretentious pen, comes with both cartridge and converter, and just delivers.
Sure the Platinum doesn't have an 18k nib; but the steel it does have seems to deliver even better. The Platinum doesn't have an interesting trash can container to hold it (I'm sure it's meant to mean something else but the Pininfarina comes with a phallic black metal cylinder with a silver lid that seems more designed to justify the price than hold the pen); but a pocket does just as well. Of course, in the end, the Platinum doesn't have the weight of the Visconti (which is perfect) or the brilliant carbon graphite feel (which is pretty fantastic), nor is it's design as cool as the Pininfarina; but the Platinum Cool light weight, writes well and makes you smile in its own "cool" way!
Until next tine...
Sunday, 18 August 2013
The Desk (Part 7) The second last drawer - Omas
This is the second last drawer (excluding the draw/shelf in another pen case on the desk). So this drawer is a little eclectic (in keeping with my blog title).
Mild edit to the blog here: a few have asked to see the nib of the Emotica; so here it is:
Right next to the Emotica is an Omas Extra 1996 Limited Edition Goya (#720/1746). Unfortunately, this pen looks a little lost in the red interior of my pen drawer. This pen was produced to commemorate 250 years since the birth of Goya, and includes his signature on one of the facets.
Finally, there are two Omas Tokyo. The Tokyo was designed by Ettore Sottsass, a notable designer and architect who also did work for Olivetti and Alessi. Both nibs are gold plated rather than solid. One has a fine nib, the other Medium. One is called Persimmon Orange and the other colour is Lychee Green.
From left: Omas Arte Italiana Olive Wood. This is a large pen (14.5cm closed) and has a fabulous B nib (not my usual preference but brilliant to write with). The section (under the nib) is silver (which is not something that goes well with the pen in my view), but it's not slippery and the pen remains a joy. The cap also has a strange inscription: WI - 135 - .
Next to the Olive wood is a Special edition 'Bibliotheque Nationale' commissioned by/for the French Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris (1994). Its colour is more Ivory than the white it looks here. It appears to be made of Cassein or something similar. It's one challenge - keeping it from being ink-stained!
Next one along is the Omas T2 (Titanium) with a fine T2 titanium nib. THe size is Milord size (smaller than the Paragon). This pen is one of my favourite writers and a beautifully weighted pen. Omas produced a larger Paragon T2 but for some strange reason, put a gold 75th Anniversary nib on it - WRONG!! My T2 is a brilliant pen - and quite different for Omas.
Next one along is the Omas Emotica with Titanium nib. This titanium nib unfortunately, is not a patch on the T2. However I love that the pocket clip is hinged so that it opens out to provide two legs that make a stand for the pen.
Right next to the Emotica is an Omas Extra 1996 Limited Edition Goya (#720/1746). Unfortunately, this pen looks a little lost in the red interior of my pen drawer. This pen was produced to commemorate 250 years since the birth of Goya, and includes his signature on one of the facets.
Finally, there are two Omas Tokyo. The Tokyo was designed by Ettore Sottsass, a notable designer and architect who also did work for Olivetti and Alessi. Both nibs are gold plated rather than solid. One has a fine nib, the other Medium. One is called Persimmon Orange and the other colour is Lychee Green.
This blog marks the end of my major drawers. Next drawer will be what used to be my box for a Tibaldi (another Italian pen brand) Impero; but now houses a few miscellaneous pens.
Until next tine....
Friday, 16 August 2013
The Desk - again! (part vi) - More Omas, but older
OK, you've found me out. Yes; I have a tiny bit of an Omas obsession.
Drawer 6 is another drawer of Omas.
From left:
Omas 556/S Ogiva 1960 in silver grey marbled celluloid (the 556 is the middle size for this style). Omas Extra (facetted); Omas Extra paragon 1994 (this was a cheap buy on ebay as it had been left outside near a swimming pool (so blue celluloid fades to purple on cap and near base of barrel as well as tarnishing on clip and on gold around piston. - even so, great nib and great writer). Omas Milord (mid size pen) with F sticker still on barrel. Next a modern pen (2013): the Omas M-091 LE from Fountainpen.It (this pen has a fine, titanium nib with a little flex). Back to vintage again: a 1950s Extra 556/F (f is for facetted) in pearlised celluloid and with an Extra Lucens nib. Next one along: Omas 555/S (the smallest size) again in pearlised celluloid (although not quite as stunning as the 556). A Black Omas 556/S ogiva; and finally, one I know very little about; it's a black Omas I'm guessing is 196-+. It doesn't have the original nib but a ERC number 1. If you can help me with this one, I'd appreciate it.
Until next tine...
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
The Desk (part v) - Visconti
Will it ever end? I hear you ask. Today is drawer 4. There are 8 drawers of pens: 6 Omas, one Visconti and 1 miscellaneous. So yes, it WILL end... promise!
Today, just to break things up, it's Visconti's turn.
I have had an interesting history with Visconti. One of my happiest experiences with fountain pens happened at the home of Visconti in Florence. There's a short story about that here (FPN) and here (Visconti blog).
Visconti have a range of spectacular pens.
I find however, that the quality can vary significantly. The innovation is certainly there; and sometimes they are just wonderful works of art.
I am particularly fond of the colours of the now discontinued Van Goghs
But I have found the nibs to vary considerably; and their filling system (especially the vacuum filling system in the LEs) can be frustrating at times. The nibs in my experience tend towards stiffness; (although my Wall Street has a fabulous wet medium nib); while my preference is a nib with more flex. Nevertheless, here I am with a not inconsiderable number of them suggesting that in the end, the innovation, presentation and variation of the Visconti brand, still sucks me in :-)
So here comes Drawer 4:
From Left: Opera Demonstrator; Millenium One; blue (#107/4000) and Green (#81/4000) Wall Street LEs; Homo Sapiens (power filler; great system for keeping cap on); Moonlight Voyager, Metropolis (Gaudian Knot); Rinascimento Stardust; Travelling ink pot (the best portable ink pot on earth!); Van Gogh (Starry Night).
Today, just to break things up, it's Visconti's turn.
I have had an interesting history with Visconti. One of my happiest experiences with fountain pens happened at the home of Visconti in Florence. There's a short story about that here (FPN) and here (Visconti blog).
Visconti have a range of spectacular pens.
 |
| From Left: Visconti Mazzi Dragon case (pen inside); travelling ink pot; Metropolis with Gaudian Knot design; Voyager; Opera Demonstrator; Wall Street LE, Copernicus. |
Their packaging also is very often innovative, and full of style and fun.
 |
| Visconti Ragtime collection |
I find however, that the quality can vary significantly. The innovation is certainly there; and sometimes they are just wonderful works of art.
I am particularly fond of the colours of the now discontinued Van Goghs
But I have found the nibs to vary considerably; and their filling system (especially the vacuum filling system in the LEs) can be frustrating at times. The nibs in my experience tend towards stiffness; (although my Wall Street has a fabulous wet medium nib); while my preference is a nib with more flex. Nevertheless, here I am with a not inconsiderable number of them suggesting that in the end, the innovation, presentation and variation of the Visconti brand, still sucks me in :-)
So here comes Drawer 4:
From Left: Opera Demonstrator; Millenium One; blue (#107/4000) and Green (#81/4000) Wall Street LEs; Homo Sapiens (power filler; great system for keeping cap on); Moonlight Voyager, Metropolis (Gaudian Knot); Rinascimento Stardust; Travelling ink pot (the best portable ink pot on earth!); Van Gogh (Starry Night).
Until another tine...
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