Stipula Tuscan Dreams Has Arrived!

[ianmedium]

One of the limited edition Stipula Tuscan dreams that I ordered has arrived today! It is the Piston version with 14k rose gold 1.1 italic nib.

 

Firstly. Eric of fountain pen geeks is absolutely correct, this particular model is not as has been advertised everywhere limited to 193. It is in fact as the others, 351, mine is #36!

 

I will do a full review later but brief first impressions. Having never seen one of Stipula's Etruria models on which this is based I was shocked at the size. It is big! Bigger than my 149 though the 149's nib is still the biggest I own but not by much in comparison with this one!

 

The ebonite is stunning. Beautifully figured, deep and rich with warm black and red hues. The clip, cap band and band around the piston knob are Bronze, rose tinted in this case.

 

This is one of those pens that has to be seen in real life. The workmanship and quality of sculpting is stunning. Maestro Baggiani who's work this is truly lives up to the high standards of the Florentine artisans I feel.

 

What looks bulky and slightly awkward in pictures is simply not the case in real life. There is a delicacy to his work which is astonishing in how it has translated from the larger masters to the miniaturizations as found on the pen.

 

The pen has heft to it, no doubt from the bronze lost wax castings. This pen feels far more expensive than the $600 it cost me. It is, a bargain considering the workmanship and the artisans skills and limited number. It is going to make the T-flex nib version I have on order seem even more of a bargain!

 

The nib is the smoothest 1.1 italic I have used to date. I included a writing sample but will give more thoughts on the nib in my review, suffice to say this pen is going to get a great deal of use.

 

I truly feel I am back in Florence with this pen. Stipula tried to embody the Medici family and the artists that they were patrons of. Complete success I would say!

 

On the cap band we have Dante, Michelangelo and da Vinci.

 

Not a lot of sun here today so I apologize in advance for the poor quality. I will try to get better shots for my review!

Oh yes, one other thing. The clip is functional. From pictures I have seen it did not look to be the case but it is sprung and can be used!

 

I have included shots with my 149 for comparison purposes.

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010097.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010114.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010117.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010100.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010121.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010124.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010102.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010127.jpg

Edited June 7, 2012 by ianmedium

[gregamckinney]

Beautiful pen!

I can't work with those wasp-waisted sections though.

 

Regards, greg

[georges zaslavsky]

outstanding

[ianmedium]

Thanks for your kind thoughts folks. I just mailed off the free upgrade to lifetime warranty which I thought is very generous of Stipula.

[ianmedium]

Just adding some more pictures, lighting is not great and handwriting leaves a lot to be desired but I hope it gives you an idea of the flexibility and line variation of this wonderful nib.

Also managed to catch the lovely patterning of the ebonite!

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010136.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010107.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010134.jpg

 

[Ghost Plane]

Gorgeous!

 

I have to concur with Greg about those sections. Even tho' I usually hold things at the threads, it totally throws me off balance, both figuratively and literally.

[ianmedium]

Thanks GP, the section is deceiving in the pictures as it is not that slim in real life. Holding both the Stipula and 149 is a very similar feeling I am finding.

[Ghost Plane]

This is one I wouldn't mind test writing.

 

The grain in that picture is fabulous!

[RMN]

That nib looks rather crisp. I have a 1.1 italic on my Etruria, but that is more cursive.

 

D.ick

[ianmedium]

it certainly gives a lot of variation but it write more like my parker stubbed Duofold in that it does not catch the paper, very smooth.

 

Here are some more pictures, really trying to catch the grain of the ebonite in these.

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010150.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010146.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010145.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010142.jpg

 

[georges zaslavsky]

it certainly gives a lot of variation but it write more like my parker stubbed Duofold in that it does not catch the paper, very smooth.

 

Here are some more pictures, really trying to catch the grain of the ebonite in these.

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010150.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010146.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010145.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010142.jpg

superb pen congrats thanks for sharing the pics

[ianmedium]

Thanks so Much Georges. For reference as well the pen has roughly the same girth of the 149 though the section is longer and slightly more slender but appliances deceive as it is not by much at the section.

[Inked]

Fantastic pen and what a great nib to get directly from the manufacturer.

 

Thank you and use it in good health.

 

Inked

[ianmedium]

Thank you Inked, I will certainly. It is lovely to be able to get such a nib as stock. I just wish I could get a decent shot of the colour, it is rose gold with a sort of antique finish to it which I find really appealing.

[myn]

What a gorgeous pen. Thanks for the mini review about it as well as the pictures. Congratulations.

[Inked]

Thank you Inked, I will certainly. It is lovely to be able to get such a nib as stock. I just wish I could get a decent shot of the colour, it is rose gold with a sort of antique finish to it which I find really appealing.

 

 

 

It is actually quite visible in the shots where you have it compared to the 149.

 

Inked

[ianmedium]

Excellent, thank you! Just changed the ink to some Diamine brown. I was not that impressed with the ink before but in this pen there turns out to be some really lovely shading!

[ianmedium]

Just to update this thread! At long last the Ti version I ordered at the same time as the piston has arrived. To be fair it arrived last month but I had to send it back as there were numerous defects to the pen. This one is perfect though.

 

What surprised me the most was the difference in colour of the metal castings, the gold nib version has a more bronze colour where as the Ti a more copper colour. Some would find this annoying but I find it charming and shows how hand made these pens truly are.

 

The Ti nib has a good amount of flex but I would not call it a flex nib of the old school as it requires a good amount of pressure to achieve the flex variations. I could not imagine where it would be of practical use in everyday cursive writing. The 14k Nib though is much softer and requires virtually no pressure to attain flex variation, much more like the stub nib on my vintage duofold.

 

I love both, the Ti is going to be a much more practical everyday journal writer due to it's finer nib but having said that the 14k is not going to be gathering dust!

 

If you don't care about filling systems or nib materials and only wanted one pen then I would say save a great deal of money and go for the Ti nib. However, this is an Italian limited production pen so really, logic should be thrown out of the window and passions should prevail..Which is why I got both, romantic Firenz lover that I am !

 

Here are some very quick and bad shots showing the two together, better ones to follow once the sun comes out more!

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010282.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010283.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010284.jpg

 

 

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010285.jpg

 

 

Ink is Diamine ASA blue.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm225/ianmedium/L1010286.jpg

Edited August 11, 2012 by ianmedium

[JohnEbach]

Very nice pens for sure. I do love the piston version. The nib seems to be more flexible than the T1. My Etrurua Casa Mila with the Titanium nib just doesn;t appear to have tht much flex in it, but then again it could be my ability to use it as well. Probably lack of ability would better be said. I do love the engravings. So nice.

 

John

[Silvermink]

Very nice. Wish I were going to be at the club meeting this month to see it but I'm going to be on my way to Seattle. Hopefully next month!