My Collection Of Italian Pens

[fabbale]

  On 12/19/2011 at 6:29 PM, Ken W said:

Great collection! I particularly like the celluloid pattern on the Italstilo.

 

Quote

Great Italstilo

 

[MarcShiman]

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6113/6338730016_695cbf5261_b.jpg

 

1) Tibaldi

2) Tabo Tranparante

3) Contessa

4) Columbus

5) Columbus

6) Minerva

7) Simpa (SAFIS)

8) Radius

9) Tabo

10) Omas Lucens

11) Columbus

12) Montegrappa Extra

13) Omas

14) Radius

15) Aurora Novum

16) Looks like an Ancora

17) Zemax

18) Minerva

19) Erclossei

20) Radius

21) Radius

22) Radius

 

If it seems like I'm a big Radius fan - I am. Their extra pens are direct ripoffs of Dorics and Equipoise, but their quality is excellent, their nibs fantastic, and the celluloids just never ending range of colors. I'm a big fan of faceted pens, and SAFIS did some excellent ones. The prices of Radius are also very reasonable when compared with Aurora and Omas (given the quality of the Radius pens).

[daynix]

  On 12/21/2011 at 12:34 PM, MarcShiman said:

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6113/6338730016_695cbf5261_b.jpg

 

1) Tibaldi

2) Tabo Tranparante

3) Contessa

4) Columbus

5) Columbus

6) Minerva

7) Simpa (SAFIS)

8) Radius

9) Tabo

10) Omas Lucens

11) Columbus

12) Montegrappa Extra

13) Omas

14) Radius

15) Aurora Novum

16) Looks like an Ancora

17) Zemax

18) Minerva

19) Erclossei

20) Radius

21) Radius

22) Radius

 

If it seems like I'm a big Radius fan - I am. Their extra pens are direct ripoffs of Dorics and Equipoise, but their quality is excellent, their nibs fantastic, and the celluloids just never ending range of colors. I'm a big fan of faceted pens, and SAFIS did some excellent ones. The prices of Radius are also very reasonable when compared with Aurora and Omas (given the quality of the Radius pens).

Wonderful collection - I appreciate your commentary on Radius.

[dcpritch]

  On 12/21/2011 at 12:34 PM, MarcShiman said:

If it seems like I'm a big Radius fan - I am. ...

 

Marc, that's a beautiful collection of Italian pens - great colors and variety, and beautiful celluloid!

[markiv]

@MarcShiman - Wow \o/

The more I see these incredible and increasingly rare pens the more I think that these should be documented/profiled in a repository. Maybe somebody already does it here in the US and I have been living under a rock.

I am a big fan of Estilograficas.net where the admin does photographic reviews of such wonderful pens. If I recall the admin is also a FPN'er.

[MarcShiman]

  On 12/21/2011 at 5:36 PM, markiv said:

@MarcShiman - Wow \o/

 

The more I see these incredible and increasingly rare pens the more I think that these should be documented/profiled in a repository. Maybe somebody already does it here in the US and I have been living under a rock.

I am a big fan of Estilograficas.net where the admin does photographic reviews of such wonderful pens. If I recall the admin is also a FPN'er.

 

Your wish is Monica's demand. I paid $100 for the set, which was reasonable at the time.

 

Also, you can check out www.fountainpen.it if you have google translator or something.

 

Marc

 

 

 

[eric47]

  On 12/21/2011 at 6:07 PM, MarcShiman said:

  On 12/21/2011 at 5:36 PM, markiv said:

@MarcShiman - Wow \o/

 

The more I see these incredible and increasingly rare pens the more I think that these should be documented/profiled in a repository. Maybe somebody already does it here in the US and I have been living under a rock.

I am a big fan of Estilograficas.net where the admin does photographic reviews of such wonderful pens. If I recall the admin is also a FPN'er.

 

Your wish is Monica's demand. I paid $100 for the set, which was reasonable at the time.

 

Also, you can check out www.fountainpen.it if you have google translator or something.

 

Marc

 

You can also try contacting the author to see if she still has copies left to sell. They'll even be signed too. Letizia goes by LetiziaJac her at fpn. She's been busy these days so she may be a bit slow to respond especially during the holiday season.

 

Susanna at pens.it has copies still of letizia's books.

 

There are other books on Italian pens, but many are out of print. There are also some Italian language pen forums.

 

And something interesting is coming soon.

Edited December 21, 2011 by eric47

[sumgaikid]

  On 12/21/2011 at 7:11 PM, eric47 said:

  On 12/21/2011 at 6:07 PM, MarcShiman said:

  On 12/21/2011 at 5:36 PM, markiv said:

@MarcShiman - Wow \o/

 

The more I see these incredible and increasingly rare pens the more I think that these should be documented/profiled in a repository. Maybe somebody already does it here in the US and I have been living under a rock.

I am a big fan of Estilograficas.net where the admin does photographic reviews of such wonderful pens. If I recall the admin is also a FPN'er.

 

Your wish is Monica's demand. I paid $100 for the set, which was reasonable at the time.

 

Also, you can check out www.fountainpen.it if you have google translator or something.

 

Marc

 

You can also try contacting the author to see if she still has copies left to sell. They'll even be signed too. Letizia goes by LetiziaJac her at fpn. She's been busy these days so she may be a bit slow to respond especially during the holiday season.

 

Susanna at pens.it has copies still of letizia's books.

 

There are other books on Italian pens, but many are out of print. There are also some Italian language pen forums.

 

And something interesting is coming soon.

 

 

Do we get a hint,Eric,or are we going to have to suffer?

 

 

 

John

[eric47]

  On 12/21/2011 at 9:02 PM, sumgaikid said:

  On 12/21/2011 at 7:11 PM, eric47 said:

And something interesting is coming soon.

 

Do we get a hint,Eric,or are we going to have to suffer?

 

John

 

It's been announced. See the banner, top right at Penna magazine. The banner is only in Italian, but it's right there.

Edited December 21, 2011 by eric47

[SHK]

  On 12/17/2011 at 6:36 PM, Ken W said:

Beautiful pens!

 

Here are my Italians:

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q247/wagnerkl_2006/ItalianPens.jpg

 

From left to right:

 

1. Ideale (vintage)

2. Delta Dolce Vita Piston Filler

3. Tibaldi Iride

4. Omas Extra (vintage)

5. Omas Arco Green Celluloid

6. Omas Pearl Gray Celluloid

7. Omas Saft Green Celluloid

8. Omas Blue Royale Celluloid

9. Omas Scarlet Celluloid

10. Aurora Optima Sole LE

11. Aurora Optima 75th Anniversary LE

12. Aurora Optima Primavera LE

13. Aurora Optima Mare LE

14. Aurora Optima

 

All are piston fillers, with the exception of the Ideale which is a lever filler. There are a variety of nib sizes ranging from F to OBB, and two of them (1 and 4) have wonderful flex nibs.

 

The rich color of the Aurora Optimas is a reason to have multiples of the same pen.

They are really nice

 

Sascha

Edited December 22, 2011 by SHK

[fabbale]

  On 12/21/2011 at 12:34 PM, MarcShiman said:

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6113/6338730016_695cbf5261_b.jpg

 

1) Tibaldi

2) Tabo Tranparante

3) Contessa

4) Columbus

5) Columbus

6) Minerva

7) Simpa (SAFIS)

8) Radius

9) Tabo

10) Omas Lucens

11) Columbus

12) Montegrappa Extra

13) Omas

14) Radius

15) Aurora Novum

16) Looks like an Ancora

17) Zemax

18) Minerva

19) Erclossei

20) Radius

21) Radius

22) Radius

 

If it seems like I'm a big Radius fan - I am. Their extra pens are direct ripoffs of Dorics and Equipoise, but their quality is excellent, their nibs fantastic, and the celluloids just never ending range of colors. I'm a big fan of faceted pens, and SAFIS did some excellent ones. The prices of Radius are also very reasonable when compared with Aurora and Omas (given the quality of the Radius pens).

 

Woooooooooow Marc

Graet collection with some pens very beautiful and rare.

FB

[Ken W]

Marc, your collection is spectacular. I particularly like number 7 - the color and cap band are outstanding.

 

Any suggestions for sources for vintage Italian pens (other than the sale board at FPN)? Thanks and happy holidays.

[MarcShiman]

  On 12/24/2011 at 5:23 PM, Ken W said:

Marc, your collection is spectacular. I particularly like number 7 - the color and cap band are outstanding.

 

Any suggestions for sources for vintage Italian pens (other than the sale board at FPN)? Thanks and happy holidays.

 

Thanks for the compliment. Not that I need to turn anyone into a competitor for really hard to find pens, but I spend quite a bit of (unsuccessful) time on ebay.it looking for pens. There are a lot of collectors and not many quality pens that come through though. Armandosimoni has a really nice Radius in a green arco that hasn't had a bid yet listed for 80 euro. I'm not a big fan of the Ogiva style pens, so I've left it alone.

 

My real sources is my annual trek to Bologna around Thanksgiving for the pen show. I spent way more money than I should have this year and got a bunch of pens I haven't taken pictures of yet. But you really can't buy these at any American pen shows. Even the problem with the Bologna shows are the 15 dealers that come are often the same every year with a lot of the same merchandise.

 

I've come to know a few vintage Italian dealers and serious collectors that trade and buy and sell. I make deals with them sometimes that don't make it to any board.

 

One of the biggest problems that I've had to go through a learning curve with is that these pens with beautiful celluloid and spectacular long flex nibs are extremely difficult to find in even excellent + condition much less near mint. These celluloids are so fragile and so many craze and crack. Incorrect nibs are next to impossible to replace with the exception of Columbus, Radius, and Omas. Many of these pens have incorrect clips too - or there is very significant brassing as a lot of the plating work was really poor. On the one hand, sometimes you feel compelled to race to send in an "I want it" because there is so much competition for so few pens, but then you don't properly look over the pen. I've been burned repeatedly and for a lot of money. Often those pens just get repaired as best as possible and go into my collection.

 

There's also very little consensus on pricing of these pens. While plenty of Parker Duofolds go through Ebay and establish some sort of market price, a vintage Nettuno Superba are next to impossible to find and jumps wildly in price. Omas pen prices are fairly consistent, but smaller high quality brands like Pecco and Erclossei just don't seem to have any rhyme or reason for their pricing. 200 Euro for an Astura (Wearever quality pen)? Seriously?

 

But all those complaints actually serve to make the hunt all the more rewarding I suppose.

[Ken W]

Thanks for the information. Sounds like finding quality pens can be a challenge.

[sarahfar]

Maybe this will help some of the new people see some of the Italians and serve as a warning of just how much trouble you can get into letting your OCD run wild. I am a very light weight and at one time let my collection of which I view myself as a user get out hand. Up she went to 120 plus pens and my wife said enough is enough, which just happened to coincide with my fascination with watches nice one and bigs too. Now I'm focused primarily on the watches I have and most wear like Panerai and a IWC BP: Anyway she had the good sense to make me sell off around 95 pens but I have snuck back up to whatever this is and I think I might have one or two hidden away. Again keep in mind this is nothing to what a lot of what you've seen and many here have; So I share:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/mikefarha/IMG_0017.jpg

 

1- Omas Blue saffron full size Paragon Old Style B/BB Custom J. Mottishaw Stub

2.-Omas Arco Paragon Old Style Arco fine

3- Omas Arco Paragon New fine full

4-Omas Wild Thing Paragon New full Medium

5-Visconti Romanica well worth every dime, what a pen Medium gorgeous PD bid and silver work

6-Bryant Green Cosmopolitan Visconti BB PD nib, gorgeous pen

7- Black Visconti Ripple from Bryant, gorgeous pen with a Stub Nin

8- Bryant again strikes me with the Incredible Visconti Carbon Dream Carbon Fiber and Titanium with a F Pd nib

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/mikefarha/IMG_0018.jpg

 

1 Stipula Etruria LE with a Ti flex nib by Bryant

2-Almost Vintage GF Omas rb

3- Really nice J Mottishaw Older lamest vintage if not Rosewood Olgiva with an exceptional nib they dare very soft.

4-Omas Wild Thing Old style 360 fine nib

5-Omas Wild thing BP quite nice

6-Omas 360 Blue demo LLE

7-Montegrappa Extra love the silver work

8-Delta FP Stup Demo has the size and the feel of the Henmingway in a demo and Bryant brings it at a fraction of the cost

9- Delta AR I got for almost nothing from my friend Ed in Chicago

 

Anyway it gives you an idea why my wife always is on the verge of sending me to the streets. And she sees me back in acquisition mode so I maybe coming to a gutter near you soon.

 

But before then I do what to take a couple of picks of my MB's I have slightly more. And I do apologize as I am the equivalent of LD with a camera.

[leod]

  On 12/17/2011 at 6:36 PM, Ken W said:

Beautiful pens!

 

Here are my Italians:

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q247/wagnerkl_2006/ItalianPens.jpg

 

From left to right:

 

1. Ideale (vintage)

2. Delta Dolce Vita Piston Filler

3. Tibaldi Iride

4. Omas Extra (vintage)

5. Omas Arco Green Celluloid

6. Omas Pearl Gray Celluloid

7. Omas Saft Green Celluloid

8. Omas Blue Royale Celluloid

9. Omas Scarlet Celluloid

10. Aurora Optima Sole LE

11. Aurora Optima 75th Anniversary LE

12. Aurora Optima Primavera LE

13. Aurora Optima Mare LE

14. Aurora Optima

 

All are piston fillers, with the exception of the Ideale which is a lever filler. There are a variety of nib sizes ranging from F to OBB, and two of them (1 and 4) have wonderful flex nibs.

 

 

wonderful set or Paragons and Optimas

[daynix]

  On 1/3/2012 at 4:17 PM, leod said:

  On 12/17/2011 at 6:36 PM, Ken W said:

Beautiful pens!

 

Here are my Italians:

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q247/wagnerkl_2006/ItalianPens.jpg

 

From left to right:

 

1. Ideale (vintage)

2. Delta Dolce Vita Piston Filler

3. Tibaldi Iride

4. Omas Extra (vintage)

5. Omas Arco Green Celluloid

6. Omas Pearl Gray Celluloid

7. Omas Saft Green Celluloid

8. Omas Blue Royale Celluloid

9. Omas Scarlet Celluloid

10. Aurora Optima Sole LE

11. Aurora Optima 75th Anniversary LE

12. Aurora Optima Primavera LE

13. Aurora Optima Mare LE

14. Aurora Optima

 

All are piston fillers, with the exception of the Ideale which is a lever filler. There are a variety of nib sizes ranging from F to OBB, and two of them (1 and 4) have wonderful flex nibs.

 

 

wonderful set or Paragons and Optimas

These are nice - I particularly like the Omas pens - beautiful celluloids.

[ArchiMark]

Great collection of Italian pens, everyone.....

 

Only bad thing about this thread is that it makes me want to get some more pens.....

 

 

 

[dcpritch]

  On 1/4/2012 at 6:28 PM, ArchiMark said:

Great collection of Italian pens, everyone.....

 

Only bad thing about this thread is that it makes me want to get some more pens.....

 

Amen to that!

 

Nothing worse for my FPAD (Fountain Pen Acquisition Disorder) than seeing page after page of beautiful Italian celluloid. I'm going to have to re-start my anti-FPAD therapy - right after the LA Pen Show.

[daynix]

  On 1/4/2012 at 7:55 PM, dcpritch said:

  On 1/4/2012 at 6:28 PM, ArchiMark said:

Great collection of Italian pens, everyone.....

 

Only bad thing about this thread is that it makes me want to get some more pens.....

 

Amen to that!

 

Nothing worse for my FPAD (Fountain Pen Acquisition Disorder) than seeing page after page of beautiful Italian celluloid. I'm going to have to re-start my anti-FPAD therapy - right after the LA Pen Show.

 

Me Too!!