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Does anyone have experience yet with the reborn Radius1934? Somehow I got the notion that Leonardo is actually making these pens. True? David

Here are mine. Would you show us yours? David

I have a Delta Galleria Blue Moon from right before Delta went out of business. Its resin is mostly red and blue with a bit of white. Recently Giardina Italiana visited Nino Marino and acquired a small number of Delta pens assembled from un-used parts. Notably, these are fitted with JoWo nibs, while Delta used Bock nibs in the "old days." Susanna offered a few Blue Moon models with exceptionally beautiful resins that had quite a lot of yellow in addition to red, blue and white. I was able to buy one with a stub nib. I think it is stunning. It writes very nicely too. This model is the size of a Dolce Vita Medium - The same length as a Pelikan M600, although girthier. The section is significantly thicker on the Deltas and, for me, very ergonomic. David

A vintage Aurora 88 has been on my grail list for a while. This turned out to be the year. I came across an original 88 in good condition from a seller here with lots of positive reviews. The price was right. Not Nikargenta but beggars can’t be choosers. Count me among Aurora 88 fans. The pen lives up to the legend. I love the size of the pen. It’s substantial, both heavier and ever-so-slightly larger-feeling than Parker 51-style pens such as the Wing Sung 601 and 618. The 88 is very comfortable in the hand. The push-on cap means no threads on the barrel and the front clutch ring is ergonomically rounded and serves as a tactile reference when holding the pen. The relatively large diameter of the section also makes the pen comfortable for extended writing. Length: 13.76cmUncapped: 12.5cmPosted: 14.6cmSection diameter: 11.8mmWeight inked: 23.2 g capped / 14.75 uncappedThe Aurora 88 writes equally well posted and unposted, with excellent balance both ways. The cap posts deeply and securely. The rear clutch ring keeps the cap from scratching the barrel so no worries there. Unposted, the pen is nimble and perfect for writing quickly. Posted, writing slows down fractionally but is more flowing. Great for longer writing sessions and signatures. One lingering question I have is how much care I should take in choosing inks for the pen. Are there inks I should definitely stay away from? My pen is labelled as a flexible F nib. In practice, I’ve found the nib harder to flex. It’s still possible to get the tines to spread but it does take a fair bit of pressure. More than I am really comfortable with. I think of the pen as wet, soft, fine writer, similar to a Lamy 2000 F. In fact, the Aurora 88 reminds me greatly of the Lamy 2000. The come from different but adjacent eras. They booth share roots in design: Olivetti for the Aurora 88 vs Braun for the Lamy 2000. They are both piston-filler pens with hooded nibs and pull-off caps. They are similar in size (the Lamy at being a little heavier) and both write well posted and unposted. I wonder if the Lamy 2000 would be here today if the Aurora 88 had not come along. The Lamy 2000 was one of the first higher-end pens I added to my collection. I'm glad to be working backwards toward one of the earlier lights of the world of fountain pens. More photos and comments here.

Back in the mid-to-late 1990s, I was fortunate to be a part-time online U.S. retailer of a few brands, including Cesare Emiliano ("CE") pens, made by Grifos (CEO: Maurizio Sturza) in Milan, Italy. I was, and still am, a fan of this brand, although I understand from other postings at FPN that CE no longer is an active brand, although Grifos is. I wanted to show you what remains in my inventory, even though I'm solely a collector now, I'm not selling anything, and I want to retain these pens in my overall collection. My CE pens are a very small set of the great variety of styles and finishes that CE offered, but my CE collection is representative of what I judged that I could sell. I'll add these photos in different posts, because of upload size limitations per post. First, here are photos of the fronts and backs of the CE catalogues in my possession. In my next posts, I'll provide photos and information/comments about the different "models" that I own.

Maiora has released a new fountain pen model, the Alpha. It comes in three italian resins, all of which I find attractive.They come in both a C/C/Eye dropper and piston editions. I ordered two of the "Alpha K" piston pens. These are limited editions of 388 pens in each color. One of my pens has arrived, and it is (as expected) even more beautiful in person than in the photos. This model is the "Ercolano." I ordered it with a 14Kt gold 1.1mm nib. The pen is essentially identical in size and configuration to the Delta Stantuffo pens. It is a bit shorter than the Maiora Libertà pens but has the same piston type. The nib writes beautifully right out of the box with the ink that came with the pen. I am looking forward to receiving the other pen I ordered and may have difficulty depriving myself of one in the third color. Enjoy! David

“First look” Review: Radius1934 Superior Primissima Monterosso Introduction Radius pens were made in Italy from 1934 until sometime in the 1950’s. Very little is known about the history of the brand, even by such authorities on Italian fountain pen history as Letizia Jacopini. Here is a link to her brief article: Radius - FountainPenwww.fountainpen.it › Radius. Apparently, Radius was the top of the line brand of its parent company, S.A.F.I.S. And the Superior was Radius' top of the line model. It was made in Turin, as is the Radius1934. The Radius1934 company was established quite recently, and has just issued their first product, named “Radius1934 Superior Primissima” after the founding date of the original company and their best-known model. I believe the founder of the new company is a collector of Radius pens. I do not know if he has any connection with the historical company. This pen was released in 5 resins, each named after a different one of the Cinque Terre villages on the Ligurian coast of Italy. Each color was limited to only 12 pieces. I was fortunate to be able to secure one in the Monterosso (marbled red) color. I ordered mine with a broad nib which I had custom ground to cursive italic. First Impression, Appearance and Design The Radius1934 Superior is a standard tapered cylinder with conical ends. It is about the same size as a Pelikan M800. I was impressed with both the look and feel of the pen. The materials and fit and finish exude quality. The section is tapered with a flare at the end. It is very comfortable for me. The cap unscrews in about two turns. The clip is the same design as the vintage Radius Superior. It goes into a shirt pocket easily and holds securely. Size comparison: Left to right - Pelikan M800. Leonardo Momento Zero Grande. Aurora 88 (with custom binde). Radius1934 Superior. Nib and Performance The 14 Kt nib is reported to be made by Bock, but the feed appears to be a custom ebonite feed. The feed appears identical to that made by Leonardo for their Momento Zero Grande pens. The nib has rather long tines and is just a little flexible and springy. My nib was custom ground by the “nib whisperer” (his self-designation) who works for the vendor. It is moderately smooth and very crisp, loaded with the Radius-branded ink that came with the pen. With this ink, the nib seems on the dry side but with consistent flow and quick starting after an overnight rest. Feed comparison (All with Bock #6 14Kt nibs): Top to bottom - Standard Bock Feed. nib. Radius1934 Superior Feed. Leonardo MS Grande Feed. Writing Sample Filling system The Radius1934 Superior is a piston filler. The pen fills in 10 turns of the piston. The piston appears to be stainless steel and feels very solid. It turns smoothly. It seems to hold just about 1 ml of liquid. Cost and value This pen is priced at around USD500. It is at the high end for a resin pen, yet less than many pens of similar quality with gold nibs and piston filling. I judge it to be fairly priced. Conclusion Radius1934 is a new pen company producing pens modeled after those of the historic Radius pen company. Their first release is a very limited edition of 60 pens in 5 resins - black, amber, red, green and blue - each named after one of the Cinque Terre villages. On first encounter, this seems to be a top quality pen. It is well made with attractive materials and high-end features. I am happy to find another new Italian pen maker of fine writing instruments, and I am looking forward to what other pens they will release. I will update this first look after I have used the pen for a while, if further experience dictates a need. David

Hello ! We would like to share a review by David Parker on our Venvstas Italy 2020 Magna, the pen in the review is the version with the Titanium nib, which is the standard version, there's also a 14k version available. Everything you need to know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNoYZFxueWM&t=17s For any questions, just reply. I'm here to answer! V

Dear writers ! We have re-designed and made a lot of work on the carbon collection........ This includes a new Magna version, the first in this new chapter that is Venvstas Italy.... Linear Carbon fiber body, 2.0ml ink chamber, carbon fiber plunger, Titanium nibs, 7 different hand made 14k gold nibs.......made in Italy and what else? The picture & the review by our friend David Parker... https://www.venvstas.com/collections https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNoYZFxueWM&t=13s

Sarah, Duchess of York has released 1 fountain pen model in 3 colours (blue, yellow, orange) with Montegrappa. It's a limited edition and only 100 pens are available of each colour. From the website: "Duchess of York - Visions of Nature Brilliant colours and joyous detailing evoke the natural kingdoms of Ocean, Forest and Garden. In these places of solace and inspiration, beauty lies idly… awaiting discovery. Writer and humanitarian, Sarah, Duchess of York, reflects on nature’s wonders in a rare collaboration. Pretty, sterling silver friezes fuse with effervescent celluloid in a silhouette abundant with lively, feminine charm." Costs 1,995€. Nib sizes: EF F M B BB STI 18k nib, 925 sterling silver trim, celluloid, piston filler, fairly heavy at 66g. Looks actually nice, especially for Montegrappa (some of the pens they've released are not very... pretty...). https://www.montegrappa.com/en/collections/edizionilimitate/duchessofyork-1191.html https://www.instagram.com/p/B9OsA4AFGM8/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8066261/Sarah-Fergie-Ferguson-announces-designed-fountain-pens-cost-1-742.html

I have tried to get some pens repair. Most of them are Italian: Omas celluloid deteriorating, a crack of a of an Stipula barrel, Etc. But now some companies, like Delta or Omas are gone and others, like Stipula, don,t answer any inquiries. Does anyone have information about Stipula?

hi to all latley im eying this nice set, its a ball point and a fountain pen, Italian made, "Borghini" brand, but i dont know nothing about them, do anyone know them?, any coments will be very apreciated. mnany thxs in advance for your responses Saludos desde Mexico amigos

Hi FPN! So my parents just got back from vacation in Italy and while they were there they had a chance to stop by the Visconti store in Florence and get me a Rembrandt as a belated birthday present. The pen looks very nice, but I as I took a closer look at the nib under a loupe I noticed that the right tine has just a little bit more tipping material than the left. The results are a mildly scratchy writing experience and depending on how I rotate the pen, different ink flow. The nib is broad, but doesn't always write like a broad should. Is this normal with Visconti steel nibs? And what would be the best way I could a adjust it without having to ship my new pen off to a nibmeister right away? Thanks so much!

Hey guys. I have been given money from my father to purchase a pen for my 18th birthday last September; I have a budget of £500 (but I want to save some money so that I can purchase a few inks along with the pen). I have narrowed it down to two pens: Montegrappa Nerouno Linea - Rose GoldOmas Milord I am fond of the black/gold look; I have a watch and ring that are these colours, and I like how my EDC items all complement each other. I love the design of both the Montegrappa and the Omas. One is more exciting, while the other is more conservative. I like that on both pens. With the Montegrappa, however, I don't know how I feel about the 1912 or the aesthetics of the nib. But I love everything else about the pen, so it's making my decision so so so so so very difficult. I am looking for a C/C pen. I know most people would be looking for a piston filling mechanism in this price range, but for some reason, as an 18th, I feel drawn towards a C/C pen. So.. Could anyone give me some pointers on what direction I should go?

Hello everyone, I am a new FPN member so please excuse me for any FPN faux pas I may commit . I stumbled across the site yamadapen.com today while looking for a Visconti Wall Street. I have been looking for a decently priced Wall Street for ages now and I came across this site but their prices seem much too good to be true ( ex. on the Wall Street it's around $160 USD). I was wondering if anyone had used or even heard of the site before or if you believe these pens are Chinese fakes. The site is in Japanese however if you put the link into Google Translate and select Japanese to English that will do the trick. Any information would help! The reason I am partially inclined to believe that this is legit is that I have seen Pelikan pens sell on Rakuten for a fraction of street price so I was just curious. Thanks everyone. PS I'm not sure if this is the right area to post this so please excuse me again.

Hello Fountain Pen lovers! We are very glad to announce that Omas is going to launch its Arte Italiana Line and that we will have it soon at IGUANA SELL. We will keep you updated, but until then here you have some information about it: Omas Arte Italiana ART Fountain Pen http://www.iguanasell-pics.com/photos/promo/Omas/AI.jpg http://www.iguanasell-pics.com/photos/promo/Omas/AI2.jpg http://www.iguanasell-pics.com/photos/promo/Omas/AI3.jpg

We want to let you know about some of the new Visconti pens for this year. Some of them highly anticipated like the new Van Gogh pens or the New Homo Sapiens. http://pensiguana.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/van-gogh-pollard-willows-eu-8.png?w=637&h=407 http://pensiguana.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/van-gogh-pollard-willows-eu-7.png The new first Van Gogh pen will be released in May/June and it has been inspired by the 'Landscape with Pollard Willows' picture, painted by Vincent Van Gogh in 1884. http://pensiguana.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/visconti-homo-sapiens-cristal-1.png?w=640&h=480 Another variation for one of the most famous and sold models by the Italian brand, the new Homo Sapiens Crystal. http://pensiguana.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/merry-go-round-eu-1.png?w=600&h=570 And finally the "Merry go Round" Rembrandt pen. Vivid and light colours for a caring pen All these new pens will be available very soon at www.iguanasell.com If you want to know more about these pens, visit our blog about pens

Appearance and Design The bright Mediterranean blue resin body with veins of lighter blue throughout and the contrasting palladium cap, clip and faux blind cap create a fluidity that echoes the natural concept of flow. The end of the screw on cap has an embellishment of blue resin and the Delta logo of a mirror-image nib. The cap is also tri-faceted so that one may choose to get it engraved. Construction and Quality The pen is extremely well-made. It is hand-turned, and upon examination, I can find no seams and there is nothing flimsy about its construction or the materials used. I'd be fine placing it in one of my silk wraps and placing that in my purse to carry around without fearing damage to the pen. Size The pen is 5.25 inches capped, 4.75 inches uncapped and 5.75 inches posted. The circumference of the widest portion of the subtly tapering barrel is 1.625. With the cap posted, there is a significant heft when writing and this could very well lead to fatigue, especially if one has a lot to write. The weight of the posted cap can actually be felt in the way in which it pulls one's hand up and back. Without the cap posted, the pen is significantly lighter and more comfortable with which to write. The width of the pen and its weight when the cap is posted work well for larger hands. Nib and Performance This is a medium steel nib. The Delta site shows a fine nib option. The nib is smooth and firm. The line is medium in terms of wetness but could possibly be wetter as I am using Pelikan's 4001 Violet, which tends to be a dry ink. Even though I wouldn't describe the nib as flex, it can produce a nice variation in ink shading by alternately exerting more pressure as one is writing. The papers I've used to assess the nib's performance were Moleskine's lined Legendary Notebook paper; L. Writing Paper, made in Japan by Life Co.; 60 lb. Fabriano sketch paper; and 100% cotton Crane Monarch sheets with Ecruwhite Kid Finish®. The Crane and Fabriano give nice feedback- a little resistance- as the smooth nib comes into contact with the higher quality paper. The lined sheets (L. Writing Paper and Moleskine) provide a smoother writing experience. Filling System The filling system takes either a Delta or international cartridge and comes with a piston converter. The converter took up the ink fully on the first attempt and I've not noticed any leaks. Cost and Value I paid $95.00 and it's worth it to me. I'm extremely happy with the pen, its appearance, the superb craftsmanship, and the manner in which it writes. The pen was new and unused but belonged to a collector who displayed it. I paid $107.00 for my new Stipula Gladiator, another fine Italian made pen and I believe the cost of both pens is comparable and the cost is commensurate with the quality in both of these cases. Cost and quality do not always correspond but they do here. Conclusion The Delta Mask was a very small run of pens and was only sold in Italy. I initially fell in love with the color of the pen while I was perusing fountain pens online. I loved the cool blue barrel and the idea of the barrel, clip and faux blind cap being made from palladium intrigued me. Upon receiving the pen, I fell in love all over again and this time it wasn't just the infatuation I felt upon first seeing it online. This is a pen I will keep and use daily. I would certainly consider gifting a loved one with a Delta Mask and I would buy it again. I know this pen will be a dependable, beautiful addition to my fountain pen collection as well as to my daily writing repertoire. .