Visconti?

[Larry Barrieau]

This was advertised as a Visconti Solaris. The word Visconti is not on the pen,the only writing on the pen is on the nib that says "M irridium point", and on the barrel an engraved "Italica".

 

Is anyone familiar with this pen? Date of Manufacture?

 

It's nice looking and writes well.

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

[Barnaby Bumble]

I'm not, but that's certainly an interesting clip.

[Larry Barrieau]

bump

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

If it does not say Visconti on the pen I doubt it is a Visconti Pen, at least the Visconti Italy pen company that was founded in 1988.

[Algester]

it could be one of their earliest pens just when they were starting out before they went Bock Palladium nibs

[kestrel]

I found this listing on eBay. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the description but the pen matches yours except for color. It says the Solaris dates from 1991-92, very early in Visconti's history.

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Visconti-Solaris-Rosso-Fountain-Pen-/281520561164?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item418beedc0c&nma=true&si=yAFFnL8m2lFtIUTyLDOIYQtNbx0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[Ghost Plane]

Hmm. I thought I'd seen most of the early Visconti but that's the first I've seen. I got into collecting them a few years after that.

[DonLeone]

Their site has a museum page that lists all the old designs but it's been "coming soon" the past few years.

 

Wayback has the page from before https://web.archive.org/web/20090422165746/http://www.visconti.it/museum/?lingue_id=2

 

I don't see any pens like that.

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

It seems to me if that eBay auction was truly for a hard to find early Visconti it would bring more than $42.99.

 

I know Visconti is not a Montblanc but surely a hard to find early pen should be worth more than that!

 

But if you can pick one up for that kind of money then I say it would be worth the risk. Who knows, could be worth 1000's one day.

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

Larry,

 

If you do not mind me asking, how much are they asking for it?

[Larry Barrieau]

Thanks everyone for your input. Zaphod, That is the price I paid for it. I have my doubts about it being a Visconti but maybe someone will chime in with some better information.

[Cordovian]

I saw those listing too but ended up focusing my attention elsewhere. They included a copy of what they imply is an old advertisement for the pen (See below). I noticed that some of the pens listed had Schmidt nibs. Perhaps it was a pen line produced for another company who, in turn, tagged their ad with Visconti?

 

Ad:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODcxWDYxNg==/z/7PkAAOSwj0NUcpSB/$_57.JPG?rt=nc

 

Nib:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA2NlgxNjAw/z/OJcAAOSwkNZUcpRl/$_57.JPG?rt=nc

[ceac]

The ad states: ITALICA 'Prodotto e Distribuito da VISCONTI FIRENZE' ... i.e. 'Product distributed by Visconti Firenze' and the make of the pen is 'ITALICA'

[Larry Barrieau]

Thanks for the information. That makes it clear. At any rate, I'm happy with the looks and the way it writes.

Larry

[rwilsonedn]

The ad states: ITALICA 'Prodotto e Distribuito da VISCONTI FIRENZE' ... i.e. 'Product distributed by Visconti Firenze' and the make of the pen is 'ITALICA'

 

I believe that would translate as "Produced and distributed by ..."

So Italica may have been a sub-brand at one time.

ron

[fabri00]

The ad states: ITALICA 'Prodotto e Distribuito da VISCONTI FIRENZE' ... i.e. 'Product distributed by Visconti Firenze' and the make of the pen is 'ITALICA'

Your translation is not correct.

 

"Prodotto e Distribuito da" mean "Manufactured and Distributed from"

 

So, the meaning is the opposite of what you wrote.

Visconti has manufactured and distributed this pen, basing on that sentence.

 

(I'm italian)

[DonLeone]

Cool, this means their museum page was incomplete or there were pens being made on the side for another brand but actually were made by Visconti.

 

Doesn't mean Visconti quality though, or it *being* a visconti (I don't have any Viscontis yet)

 

Maybe it's like candy and knock-off candy being made by the same manufacturer but with less chocolate or cheaper ingredients.

[SockAddict]

They're lovely, whatever they are. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a blue one.

[ceac]

Your translation is not correct.

 

"Prodotto e Distribuito da" mean "Manufactured and Distributed from"

 

So, the meaning is the opposite of what you wrote.

Visconti has manufactured and distributed this pen, basing on that sentence.

 

(I'm italian)

 

I stand corrected

[Larry Barrieau]

They should have named it the Visconti "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree" pen. It's a little less glitzy than the others.