Italian Pens Or Japanese Pens

[Tancred]

I have always found Italian pens to be so very beautiful and I have always found Japanese pens to be so very good in terms of writing. What do YOU like? An Italian pen or an Asian pen?

 

(Reminds me of my new FIAT 124 back in the early 70's Wonderful car on the rare days that it started. (Every other Thursday unless it was raining or below 80 degrees. But absolutely beautiful. My Camry of today is is devoid of beauty but it is flawless.)

 

Does this apply to FPs as well?

 

To a certain extent, yes! But I prefer to look at the comparison between a Lexus and a Ferrari or Maserati.

 

Japanese pens are, for the most part, quite plain and not very decorated, unless you can afford a very expensive maki-e, but they are very reliable and write superbly.

 

Italian pens are often very stunning but sometimes also not as reliable as the Japanese. Of course, there are exceptions and when you buy an Aurora or an Omas you know you are getting great writing pens as well as great looking ones. In general, when you buy high end you will get a decent pen, no matter what country it comes from; the differences tend to be sharper the further down you go in price. With German and Japanese pens quality is generally great from high to low end, while with Italian, French or British pens that is not always the case.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Tancred

[Tancred]

My vintage italian pens are quite sweet - second line brands, not top tier, but in imaginative and chatoyant celluloids, and well made. But I find modern Italian pens have, generally, too much bling, and haven't been impressed by the nibs I've tried.

 

For modern pens I prefer Japanese. I find they're reliable, the nibs are usually glorious, and as for beauty - from the Platinum 3776 Chartres with its gorgeous blue, to the Hakase buffalo horn with its austere truth to material and the urushi pens from Nakaya and others, I don't think they have their equal. Plus, Italian pens don't come with Cross Emperor or music nibs AFAIK,

 

I do wish a Japanese pen manufacturer would get hold of some Omas Arco and Tibaldi celluloids though. That would be my best of both worlds!

 

I am not a fan of Visconti and modern Montegrappas - much too gaudy and tawdry for my liking. But when you go for Omas or Aurora you get traditionally styled pens with great quality nibs.

[ash95608]

I personally like Italian and German pens, my favorite Italian pen is Montegrappa they make beautiful pens and great writing.

[Blue_Moon]

Japanese pens. I have to go with my perspective on the purpose of the pen. Its first purpose, in my mind, is to write. Therefore, I want it to write well. I love a good looking pen, but writing quality takes precedence over beauty. I don't carry a pen in my pocket because it looks good (although there are probably many who do).

[FOUR X FOUR]

I just counted

 

124 Italians and 189 Japanese. 90% of both types are vintage.

 

WOW!

[Precise]

Italian pens are my smoothest. This explains why that is so.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/297964-my-italian-nibs-are-my-smoothest/

 

This below has some improved pics of Italian (and other nibs)

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/298062-where-the-metal-meets-the-paper/

 

But I have more Japanese pens than Italian. I love them too.

 

My evaluation of pens is purely on how well they write.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Precise

[Buzz_130]

My Nakaya, Platinum, Pilot, and Sailor pens are exceptional. I'm comfortable using pigment inks in them, and I find the craftsmanship, especially in their nibs, to be excellent. If I went back and stated over again, I would have to carefully consider having a Nakaya-only collection of beautiful pens with amazing writing characteristics.

 

My only Italian pen is a Visconti HS Bronze, and it's my least-used pen. The material is exotic, and I like the cap retention system. But the pen is thick, heavy, fills unreliably, and struggles to live up to the cost.

 

I may have to relook at some of the Italian pens, but when I save up for a modern pen, I keep looking at the Japanese pens.

 

Buzz

[rudyhou]

aside from the difference in nib sizes, i think the most significant differences between italian and japanese fountain pens are the aesthetic and the fact that most japanese pens are much less heavy in comparison to most italian pens. so depending on your preferences, either one could be better than the other.