Can anyone point me to a good online source to buy an amber Suprema? Seems like some online dealers are dropping Stipula, and the ones that haven't don't carry this model. Thanks much!

I guess this is moot now. Gave up and ordered an amber Etruria/vermeil from FPH. Just a little wary of the "convertable" piston system, i.e., seal integrity; I just don't see the point of being able to open the barrel and remove the piston to put a converter in, but I guess we'll see.

http://www.pengallery.com

The seal is not a problem, I can assure you. Been using one for years now, daily, without a single problem.

Actually, there are two types of true piston pens, namely thoses that have the piston system as an integral part of the pen, where the barrel doubles directly as ink reservoir, and those that have a separate system internal to the pen, which is a piston filling unit, operated by the piston turning knob on the barrel.

The Amber is a pen from the latter category. However, Stipula have gone a step further with this one and the Ocean Blue, in that the piston mechanism is relatively easily removable, and may be replaced with either a cartridge or a converter. With the large piston converter fitted, it works like a true piston filler (which it is), with a cartridge or converter fitted it works like a c/c pen. Best of both worlds.

BTW, you often find celluloid pens to contain such a system, or at least some plastic sleeve on the inside of the barrel, or a celluloid sleeve ("binde") on the outside of the plastic main body, because celluloid stains relatively easily by ink. Separating the piston mechanism and the actual celluloid barrel by means of sleeving the celluloid, or inserting a sleeve of plastic, or fitting a special piston filler mechanism are three strategies to prevent this. With their celluloid Etruria pens, Stipula employs the latter. And as mentioned, with the Amber and Ocean Blue this has been perfected even further, in that it can even be removed.

HTH, warm regards, Wim

Thank you for this information. Learned something new about pistons.