Joe Cali Fountain Pen

[Dan Carmell]

I have had wildly mixed opinions about the Joe Cali pens I've seen. No question that they are interesting and well made, but Mr. Cali definitely pushes the envelope on pen design. But when Sam Fiorella of Pendemonium recently offered several Cali pens, I could not resist the one in a mottled red/black pattern. Here it is:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali21.jpg

 

After I took this series of photos, I realized that it is hard to gauge the size of this chunky pen, so I took another photo, this time with a Parker Sonnet next to the Cali:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali21a.jpg

 

Here's the cap. I am not sure the material is actually hard rubber, although it looks like MHR, as I cannot get the "burnt rubber" smell up by rubbing it. The clip is sterling and there is a band of black material seamlessly integrated with the cap material:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali22.jpg

 

Here's the top of the cap. I like the two red streaks, acting as a somewhat abstract evocation of the MHR pattern. Again, the transition between materials is seamless, my finger cannot feel any transition at all:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali3.jpg

 

Here is a closeup of the blind cap. I am pretty sure the red material is casein, it certainly has that look and feel. I like the embellishment of the pattern on the end of the cap:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali23.jpg

However, I am having a hard time visually integrating that angular stepped cap with the otherwise softly rounded pen. This is an aspect of Mr. Cali's modernism that I struggle with!

 

On the other hand, I like the flowing organic shape of the section (again, red casein, as far as I can tell):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali1.jpg

and again:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali24.jpg

 

A few closing shots of the pen posted and open (but please note I could no more write with this pen posted than I could use a Redwood tree for a pencil!):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali26a.jpg

 

Just to fill in a few details, this pen is a button filler and has a large Bexley nib. It's very comfortable to hold and a pleasure to write with, but it will be even more so once my friend Vivek makes the broad nib into an oblique!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/dcarmell/cali27.jpg

 

Thanks for looking, Dan

[kazoolaw]

Thanks for a great series of photos, and commentary, on a fascinating pen.

 

Yours has a section which is more in proportion to the barrel, something which I haven't seen in other Cali pens. The contrast between a great huge barrel and cap, and a skinny straight section is jarring to me.

 

Please share a writing sample when the nib work is done.

gary

[Doug C]

I know this is a 4 year old post, but I have to say after owning 2 Cali's, they are love it or hate it pens.

 

I happen to love them and plan to acquire more (assuming Joe is in the mood), and need to be sure that if, along with his journey through life, Joe doesn't change his design philosophy,He will probably produce a pen that is to your liking.

In my case, I love both of mine: one of them was an 'off the shelf w/a super wide vintage Waterman stub (very specialized), and the other was a vague 'do what you want to do'. model. I gave him some general direction. He supplied me with a number of nibs, and the end result was some that continued to grow on me, month after month...

 

 

His Bauhaus models are amazing.

 

 

Trust him...

[jimhughes]

10+ on what Doug said. I only have one Cali, but it is a remarkable pen. It could easily take over an only pen status. Tremendous writer, excellent use of material and a design that anyone would be overwhelmed by. Check out his web site, I know you won't be able to resist. Jim