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
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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
Scribo? “Feel the writing” is spot on
Do you like Italian pens? Do you like flex? Do you like piston fillers? Do you like being a little bit... unconventional? Then boy, do I have a treat for you. Read on as I explore the Scribo 3... Third time's the charm?The Scribo 3 is the third release of Italian brand Scrittura Bolognese's collaboration … Continue reading Scribo? “Feel the writing” is spot on
Italy’s diamond in the rough: Santini
Only two Italian pen makers actually make their own nibs, in house, from start to finish. One of them is Aurora, as you might have guessed. The other is Santini. You'd be forgiven for not having heard of Santini. It has one tenth the followers on Instagram as Aurora, and you'd have to work very … Continue reading Italy’s diamond in the rough: Santini
