The Changing World of Fountain Pens
What a changing world of fountain pens. This year I have been rotating my pens. My goal: pens out of a holding case and into a briefcase! It has been a good experience as some great pens have sat unused for way too long.
As I used some of my old favorites the it reminded me of the change in pen companies that has taken place. A number of great pen companies are no longer operating. New companies have stepped in.
Over the past few years two Italian pen companies, OMAS and Delta closed. The closing of these companies was a great loss to the pen community. Each created a range of pens that truly reflected Italian style of design and craftsmanship.
As is often said in business, as one door closes, sometimes another door opens. With OMAS and Delta, more doors opened than closed.
Leonardo Officina Italiana
As Delta closed the creativity and passion for pens resulted in a new exciting pen company being formed, Leonardo Officina Italiana. I own a fair number of pens made by Delta. I had the pleasure of visiting the Delta factory and headquarters a couple of times when I was in Naples. Also, my local pen club, The Vancouver Pen Club, worked with Delta to create an exclusive Vancouver Pen Club pen. Salvatore Matrone was very helpful with the design and the overall project.
I had met with Salvatore Matrone in 2017 as his new company, Leonardo Officina Italiana took shape. The year following, in 2018, I had the pleasure of visiting with Salvatore Matrone at the Leonardo Officina Italian workshop which is located not far from Naples. I got the same vibe as my previous visits with Delta. A strong sense of dedication to create a well designed, well manufactured pen.
I have been impressed with the workmanship of the Leonardo fountain pens. But I must say, when I had Salvatore fit one of his new pens, the Furore, with a nib, I was taken with the passion and care to attention Salvatore brought to the new company. I watched him fit a new 14 kt gold nib into the pen body. I know by his background, and watching him work, this is a man that will pay attention to design and manufacturing details. The Leonardo line are not just pens, they are his pens.
The pens are impressive. Not only does Leonardo Officina Italian manufactures pens for others but they have created two lines of beautiful pens. I am so pleased to have pens in both lines.
Momento Zero
This is a beautiful pen. It was the first line of the new company. As the name suggests, Momento Zero, this pen started the momentum for the company.
Since the day the pen was was released it has received very positive responses. Pictured above is the Momento Zero Abyss, a celluloid, controlled edition production. The celluloid pens come with an incredibly smooth gold nib. There is also a version of the Momento Zero made with resin fitted with a steel nib. The resin line creates a pen with a price point that makes owning a well designed Italian pen an option for many. The steel nib is one of the smoothest writing nibs I have every used.
Furore
The Furore line is inspired by the colours of the southern Italian coast. Furore is a beautiful small village along the Amalfi Coast.
The Furore pen has smooth curved lines. The pen floats in the hand and the smooth rounded lines simply feel good. The colours are exciting. The vivid colours make having a fountain pen just pure fun. The blue/green of the Grotta di Smeraldo, the dark blue of the night, the colours of the ceramic tiles seen on the buildings - Rosso Passione (red), Giallo Sole (yellow), teal smeraldo (blue/green), blue galassia (blue) and bianco (while).
The pen is made from rods of resin, and is at a price point that makes owning a handcrafted Italian pen within the price point of many. Quite frankly, I am so pleased to see pens that are not over priced.
Scrittura Bolognese - SCRIBO
When the famous OMAS pen closed, some of the employees seized the moment. While the OMAS brand went to the new owners in China, and the factory was closed, there were other valuable assets. In 2016, Elena Bettazzoni and Luca Baglione, founded Scrittura Bolognese, known as SCRIBO. They acquired the equipment that made the legendary OMAS nibs. The focal point of the OMAS pen was now with Scrittura Bolognese.
In the first years, the company manufactured private lines. The next step was to produce their own line of pens. SCRIBO issued impressive Limited Edition pens - the Letteratura and Pittura. Rich in history. Stunning in design. Then in 2018, SCRIBO released its regular line of pens - Feel. Feel the writing. These pens are all about the experience of writing with a well designed and manufactured pen with an incredible nib.
The Feel. Feel the Writing. I had the pleasure of meeting with Luca Baglione when I was in Rome in September 2018. He brought with him pro-type versions of the Feel. I had the opportunity to write with the pens and I was impressed. The Feel is a beautifully balanced fountain pen made from a solid rod of resin and fitted with an incredible nib. The body of the pen is designed to reflect the shape of Doric columns.
The Feel comes in two colours each with its own version of nib. The beautiful rich blue/black pen has a smooth 18 kt gold nib, made on the equipment that SCRIBO purchased for the exclusive production of their nibs. The blue-grey toned pen comes with a 14 kt gold flex nib. The pens have high quality ebonite feeds that deliver a smooth flow of ink to the very responsive nibs. I found both pens a great writing experience. Although I prefer a Broad nib, both the medium and the fine flex nib laid such a beautiful line of link that I enjoyed both.
The packaging of the pen is basic, but the plus is that inside the box, the pen comes with a beautiful carrying case. The case can hold two pens... how handy.
Maiora Pen - Nettuno
In 2018, Nino Marino, with a long history in the pen manufacturing, founded the Maiora Pen Company in Naples. The company introduced the Nettuno 1911 Collection.
The Neptune, Nettuno fountain pen dates back to 1911 and was chosen by Umberto Vecchietti, founder of A.C. Vecchietti in Bologna. There is a long history to this pen. Production ceased in the 1950s. While the brand is owned by the Vecchietti family, production of the pen has recommenced. Nino Marino, and his Maiora Pen Company is producing the new new 1911 Nettuno line. Many of the Nettuno models come in fountain, ballpoint, and roller ball models. The pens are turned by hand from solid bars of resin, with gold or rhodium plated trim. The fountain pens are fitted with a steel nib. Reviews of the pen compliment the smoothness of the steel nibs and the excellent ink flow characteristics.
