First Look: Graf Von Faber-Castell Tamitio Calligraphy Set

[dms525]

I am always on the lookout for new fountain pens with italic/calligraphy nibs. I had recently bought two Graf von Faber-Castell pens and had their nibs ground to cursive italic by Mike Masuyama at the San Francisco Pen Show in August. I was enormously pleased with how these nibs performed. So, when I got an email from La Couronne du Comte in September announcing a new GvF-C Tamitio Calligraphy Fountain Pen set with 3 italic nibs, I didn’t hesitate to order. Actually, it turned out to be a pre-order. The pens had not yet been produced. Then there was a further delay due to production or quality control problems with one of the nibs. I finally received the pen and nib set yesterday. It was worth waiting for.

Faber-Castell has two lines of pens, each with several models. Their more expensive series is called “Graf von Faber-Castell” and ranges from the famous “Pen of the Year” (POTY) luxury pens to the Tamitio at a much lower cost. The Tamitio is the only model in the GvF-C range with a steel nib; the other models have 18Kt gold nibs. It also has a different clip and is a shorter pen, although the “Classic” series pens are more slender.

The Calligraphy set includes a black Tamitio pen and three italic nibs. The pen is also available with a single round nib in several widths. The barrel is enameled brass and feels substantially weighty. The cap and sections are plated - I have read they are plated with rhodium and elsewhere that the plating is platinum. The nibs are 1.1, 1.4 and 1.8 mm wide respectively. The pen and nibs seem to be of the same high quality as the other GvF-C pens I own. The nibs are rather stubbish, but do write with enough line variation for use in italic or gothic calligraphy. Of course, they can't be compared to the GvF-C gold nibs that were custom-ground for me by Michael Masuyama, but the whole set costs much less that either of the other pens.

Most of the Graf von Faber-Castell pens have a form recalling the company’s origin as a maker of lead pencils. They have straight barrels and generally are smaller in diameter than most pens. This concerned me before my first purchases of this make, but I found the Intuition Platino very comfortable and the thinner Snakewood LE in the Classic model quite usable, albeit rather thinner than my personal ideal. The Tamitio’s diameter is between that of the Classic and Platino pens. It is missing the slight flair at the nib end and has a very short metal piece for the section. This makes for a mildly uncomfortable grip. In fact, I am not sure just how I will end up holding this pen.

GvF-C pens for size comparison. L to R: Classic (Snakewood LE); Intuition Platino; Tamitio

All in all, I am happy with this set. I expect I will accommodate to the ergonomics of the barrel. I’m thinking about getting another Tamitio, so I can use two of the italic nibs at once.

David

 

[EH86055]

Wow! Amazing pens. Faber Castell is a quality brand and I think they are a joy to write with and good for daily writing, though the stub nib variants isn't really suitable for that.

Cheers, Eric

[dms525]

  On 12/28/2017 at 6:24 AM, Eric_H said:

Wow! Amazing pens. Faber Castell is a quality brand and I think they are a joy to write with and good for daily writing, though the stub nib variants isn't really suitable for that.

Cheers, Eric

 

Thanks for your comment, Eric.

 

The calligraphy nibs are indeed "good for daily writing," if your everyday handwriting is in chancery cursive.

 

David

[MsRedpen]

dms

thank you for this preview!

 

Nice writing and nice pens (I am biased, big fan of GvFC pen design).

 

Hope you will share after longer use how you got along with Tamitio shape.

 

side note:

Intuition pictured is Terra, not Platino, if I am not wrong?

Platino series is slightly wider and heavier.

[dms525]

  On 12/28/2017 at 6:49 PM, MsRedpen said:

dms

thank you for this preview!

 

Nice writing and nice pens (I am biased, big fan of GvFC pen design).

 

Hope you will share after longer use how you got along with Tamitio shape.

 

side note:

Intuition pictured is Terra, not Platino, if I am not wrong?

Platino series is slightly wider and heavier.

 

Thanks, MsRedpen.

 

I have become a GvF-C fan too, somewhat to my surprise.

 

The Intuition Platino is a thicker pen than the Intuition. "Terracotta" is the GvF-C name for this pen's color. The Intuition Platino was also produced in Grenadilla wood and in Ebony. Maybe other materials as well. I believe the Terracotta has been discontinued. I own one in Ebony. It's currently with Michael Masuyama for nib grinding.

 

Happy writing!

 

David

[MsRedpen]

Yes, seems the Intuition line is being discontinued (Terracotta for sure, I was chasing a new one, but than settled happily with ribbed Ivory instead) while Intuition Platino is still available.

 

Luckily, I have a chance to try Tamitio at local B&M shop, to feel the balance and grip, but always looking forward to users reviews.

[half_inked_one]

  On 12/28/2017 at 1:45 AM, dms525 said:

The Tamitio’s diameter is between that of the Classic and Platino pens. It is missing the slight flair at the nib end and has a very short metal piece for the section. This makes for a mildly uncomfortable grip. In fact, I am not sure just how I will end up holding this pen.

Can't recall where I have heard it - probably SBRE Brown review - but the metal part is not supposed to be a section and the pen is supposed to be held by the barrel, above the metal. For me it means I would have to try such a pen before buy, as I tend to grip the pens low on the section; up till now there is no GvFC pen in my collection.

[farazqamar]

Nice review. Amazing brand that builds quality pens. I had been looking for an intuition platino in the pernambuco wood finish (discontinued 2008 I think) for a long time and found one recently at a great price on a trip to Malaysia. I own a terra-cotta with an om nib as well and absolutely love it.

[ArtProf9]

Nice, David!

 

I know you'll get lots of enjoyment playing with that set.

 

Best,

Steve

[uticarose]

From my review for Appelboom of Graf von Faber-Castell Tamitio Black Calligraphy Fountain pen:

“ This pen set proved to provide a good entry point to the world of calligraphy , at least for someone like me who has only used fountain pens with EF and F nibs. All the standard reference points of a fountain pen are there — the pen itself with barrel and cap, a universal cartridge converter, and two nibs ready to screw into the barrel. You’re not overwhelmed with a handful of nibs to choose from or by some weird stylus that holds them. It’s easy to move from one to the other of the two nibs to choose from. In no time you’ve transitioned from a fountain pen user to a beginning calligrapher. My first trial run was with writing Christmas cards and moving from red to green ink with the two calligraphy nibs. I’ve never moved on to a full/blown calligraphy set and am quite content experiencing it at this level that the F-C Tamitio provides.”