Let's get the politics out of the way This review has a little backstory. Some time ago I reviewed the Venvstas Magna, an unusual carbon fiber fountain pen from Italy. I felt my review was thorough and balanced, and I quite liked the pen, but I had some problems with the nib and flow and … Continue reading Progress over perfection: the Venvstas Magna CC
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The Gioia Alleria: a new Italian piston-filler with panache
I am here today to tell you about the Gioia Pens Alleria, but first I want to say this: wow, aren’t there a lot of exciting pens coming out of Italy recently? Leonardo, Maiora and Nettuno, Tibaldi, Tesori, ASC’s Studio, plus the stream of new releases from Visconti, Aurora, Santini and Scribo, and the recent … Continue reading The Gioia Alleria: a new Italian piston-filler with panache
An affordable ASC?! Introducing the ASC Studio Collection
An ASC for under $200 When I saw The Pen Family announcing the ASC Studio Collection on social media, I was a little shocked. ASC sells high-end pens, mainly from celluloids like Arco, with gold nibs and price tags hovering around £1k. I have one, the Gladiatore Medio Arco. By contrast, the Studio Collection has … Continue reading An affordable ASC?! Introducing the ASC Studio Collection
Visconti Lava Color: a new era for Homo Sapiens?
My relationship to the Visconti Homo Sapiens has always felt quite... personal. It was a grail pen for a long time, and arguably my first high-end purchase: when I bought a Steel Age for £350 from the London pen show I remember feeling sick and giddy from spending so much money, and just incredibly excited … Continue reading Visconti Lava Color: a new era for Homo Sapiens?
Tesori Venezia: fresh and vibrant
Tesori is a small maker based in Italy, recently rebranded from Hello Tello. The Tesori rebrand was more than just a new name and logo: it included new models and a stronger social mission. The company gives 25% of sales to organisations that help victims of sex trafficking and exploitation, a huge commitment to a … Continue reading Tesori Venezia: fresh and vibrant
Scribo’s still got it: Write Here Tropea
The TL;DR of this review: this is the same pen as the marvellous Scribo 3 I reviewed almost a year ago to the day, but in a gorgeous wine-red purple, the colour of plums or red onions. It’s brilliant, an edition of 50, and £100 cheaper than a Scribo Feel. If you’re on the fence … Continue reading Scribo’s still got it: Write Here Tropea
The beautiful Bononia from Tibaldi
The Bononia is a new release for Tibaldi, and as of time of writing this is the first published review. When I’ve posted photos of the pen on Instagram, folks have got rather excited, and it’s easy to see why: the ‘Seashell Mist’ resin on this review sample is stunning. But what’s it like as … Continue reading The beautiful Bononia from Tibaldi
Plenty of passion in the Leonardo Furore Grande
It's easy to see why Leonardo is one of the modern darlings of the fountain pen scene. From the first Momento Zero, which I reviewed back in 2018, the Italian company has kept up a breakneck pace of releases, with dozens of pretty resins, ebonite, arco, Grande models, music nibs, and the release of an … Continue reading Plenty of passion in the Leonardo Furore Grande
Tibaldi’s Perfecta takes heritage to a modern audience
Remember I said that 'heritage' was a trend to watch? Well, alongside last week's Esterbrook JR, here's another example of that trend in action: the Perfecta, by a reborn Tibaldi. Tibaldi, like many Italian brands, has bounced around ownership and rebooted its portfolio numerous times over the decades. But the important thing is that the … Continue reading Tibaldi’s Perfecta takes heritage to a modern audience
Two thumbs up for the Maiora Impronte and Oversize
I'll come out and say this first: I was really surprised by just how much I liked these Maiora pens. I am always wary about new brands, especially those promising good specs for a competitive price. Where do they compromise? I expected them to be a bit rough and ready, maybe a little cheap feeling. … Continue reading Two thumbs up for the Maiora Impronte and Oversize
