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
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Cutting the collection in half: January 2021
My last SotC post was in early November — and what a lot of change there has been since! A number of review samples have crossed my desk, and more than a few personal purchases too, but it’s overall been a period of tremendous consolidation for me. In short: more out than in The last … Continue reading Cutting the collection in half: January 2021
Three mini-reviews in one: Fine Writing Fenestro Kuroshio, Montegrappa Monte Grappa, Cross Sauvage
Sometimes I don't see myself writing a full review of a pen, but I have some things I want to say about it. So here you go: three reviews in one. Fine Writing Fenestro Kuroshio I bought this pen from Write Here. You can get it here, for a hair under £95. What's good about … Continue reading Three mini-reviews in one: Fine Writing Fenestro Kuroshio, Montegrappa Monte Grappa, Cross Sauvage
Staedtler’s weighty Premium Lignum fountain pen
So Staedtler makes fountain pens? When I think of Staedtler, I think of distinctive black-and-yellow wooden pencils, Mars erasers and chunky highlighter pens. Probably every household in the UK has a Staedtler product in a drawer somewhere — I know mine does. I'm rather fond of this historic German brand. But I never thought of … Continue reading Staedtler’s weighty Premium Lignum fountain pen
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?
Onoto’s Mammoth Magna #8: masterpiece or mistake?
I've dragged my feet about writing this review for a couple of reasons. First, I've published quite a few Onoto reviews this year: the Pinstripes, British Museum, Sequoyah, Spitfire... with this, I'll have covered Onoto more than any other brand. Second, this Blue Stripe Magna #8 is not a standard production pen. I bought it … Continue reading Onoto’s Mammoth Magna #8: masterpiece or mistake?
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
Flying high with the Onoto Spitfire
A 'tribute' pen is a dangerous thing. Look at something like Montegrappa's Apollo 11 moon landing pens: I confess that I quite want one, but nevertheless they come across like cheap toys, even when the top-tier edition costs an eye-watering £6,000. Image credit: Iguanasell It's not just Montegrappa's usual over-the-top style, either. Platinum and Cross … Continue reading Flying high with the Onoto Spitfire
The super-slim tm2 from Gazing Far
It's amazing how different the Gazing Far tm2 feels from its pocket-pen cousin, the tmX (previously reviewed here). While the tmX feels wooden and soft and chunky, the tm2 feels like a metal scalpel, thin and light and precise. Compare it to a bigger pen like the Penlux Masterpiece and the difference is even more … Continue reading The super-slim tm2 from Gazing Far
