I don't have any Italian-made FPs in my collection and am interested in getting one (or more).

I have noticed that Italian pens are generally pricey.

The Aurora Ipsilon looks good, or perhaps a Taccia. I'm more interested in writing ability and feel, rather than fancy appearance.

Any recommendations for a budget-minded user?

You might be able to locate a Visconti Perecles for under $100.Good pen for the price.Or even a Van Gogh.

Jim

Yesterday I bought in a retailer an OMAS EXTRA 620 Blue GT with gilded Omas M nib at the price of EUR 47.00.
But there are also Stipula Vedo under $ 100.00.

What do you think of the Omas Tokyo fountain pen? Can be found below 100 US $ both with plated or 18K nib.

While this is not the "classic" Italian fountain pen I really like it's soft, pastel colors and modern style.






Other colors are orange, turquoise green, dark blue and black.

The pens usually write very well but sometimes nib and feed need resetting (which can be done by yourself most of the times).


Cheers

Michael

Where might said Omas pen be found for that figure???????

Inquiring minds want to know :-)

Jim

I have one of the Omas pens mentioned and it is a very good writer. The Taccias are good, I have about 8 and, while some needed adjustment, the folks a Taccia were great. Aurora has several that are good. Filcao Pens are Italian, interesting and good and Typhon sells them:
> www.filacopens.com/Inglese/Indice_eng.htm
> www.typhon.it
Tryphon Enterprises
P.O.Box 210788
West Palm Beach,
FL 33421-0788
Tel. (561) 7924244
Fax (561) 7924245

Hi,

I you don't mind, I have two Aurora Ideas and they are really good. If you ask Giardino Italiano nicely by email and wait about a month, you can have one or a few of them. The cost was about 20 Eur for the basic model. They are very durable, and I carry them everywhere without fear of breakage.

Dillon

Bittner's inventory sale has a Visconti Van Gogh in the Midi size for $99. Aurora has many offerings below $100. Ebay seller "judperl" has been selling the Marlen Nature series pens at starting bids of $99. I picked up two of them at about $100. I've noticed those auctions (for the same pens) now have starting bids of $9.00, so you may score one for well below $100. The Marlen Nature pens are small, but the nib is 18K and they are excellent writers. The Delta Vintage and Stipula Castoni College are entry level Italian pens, but they are priced slightly over $100 -- so they are really in the under $150 category.

I own a Tryphon Clef and it is a wonderful writer.I only wish i could find another one.They are no longer made.

Jim

This is great, thanks. It certainly gives me some more options. (My wife will be thrilled... )

A friend let me write with his Aurora Ipsilon the other day, and I was most impressed with the smoothness of the nib.

Ditto with handlebar... where can you get this pen? I'm assuming it's a piston-fill, as are most of the Italian pens?

Those pens were made between 1993 and c. 2000 (later models only with a gold plated steel nib); pencils, ballpoints and roller balls were sold, too. And yes, they are piston fillers.

The pens have been designed by Etttore Sottsass (he also designed the Olivetti Valentine typwriter).

The pens sold for a list price of c. 150 Euros (gold nib) and 100 Euros (plated steel nib) during the later 1990's.

To me it seems that those pens are still totally underrated besides the "usual" Paragon and Ogiva pens.

Besides the shown green one (lychee nut green) which I bought in the 1990's when still available in stores I found the other ones on ebay. They don't turn up every day but once or twice a month (you should take a look at ebay Italy as well) if you keep watching. I don't think that there are any stores still stocking those pens.

Usually prices are below US $ 100 which is fair compared to their list price.


Good luck

Michael


PS: I really should try to take some nicer pictures of those soon :-(

I remember that machine well. A very talented designer. I can see the family resemblance in those pens.
No doubt within hours of your post the traffic from all compass points to eBay Italia increased dramatically!

You can always look for sales, or ask on the Marketplace for an Italian pen at or under $100. I agree with Handlebar that the Visconti Perecles is a good pen. I have something like eight Filcaos and I have given another four as gifts. They are very good pens.

Taccias are very good pens. They are supposedly made with Italian resin, but they are made in Taiwan with some assembly in California. Though not meeting your criteria for an Italian pen, they are very good for the price.

I also did not know about the Omas "Tokyo." I guess I will join the herd in the stampede to fleaBay.

Anyone have any thoughts on the Aurora Style? Reviews seemed to be somewhat inconclusive, and I've got one inbound and don't know what to expect from the Aurora steel nibs.

I have to throw my vote behind the Pericles as well. With all the fancy Viscontis I've gotten, I still keep my first Pericles as the nib is incredibly smooth.

I'll be very interested in what you think of it!

Bill

I would be interested to hear your review once you've tried this pen out. Very attractive and reasonable price.

Expect a review as soon as I have some time to play with it!

For the money I was a bit disappointed with the Style, finding it only a slightly jazzed-up version of the Idea, of which I am a great fan. My XF nib was a bit too toothy, even though I like slight tooth of the Aurora nib; I found the chrome ring around the nib-end of the nib section distracting; and there was an unsightly seam-line on the section, which may have gone away with use. Having said that the weight and feel of the pen was very nice, especially since the newer Ideas seem to come with unnecessary brass inserts in the barrel, and the Idea can be hard to get hold of in some places. It's not a bad pen, but a bit overpriced. This probably is no less inconclusive than the reviews you were reading.

Cheers,
Eric

I am enjoying this discussion, but correct me if I am incorrect: Tacia is not an Italian Pen.

No, you're right. Taccia is an American Asian pen. American company, produced in Asia.

Warm regards, Wim

Yes, the Omas Tokyo is a very nice pen! A classic, like the Lamy 2000 and the Pelikan M100 White (undervalued).

Two of my favorite pens are Italian pens for about $100.

First, the Bruno, which you can get from Parkville Pen. This pen has a medium-broad nib and an acrylic barrel. It is a pretty large pen, about the size of an MB146 or Pelikan 800. The nib is very smooth and quite flexible for a steel nib.

Second, the Filcao Leader, which is about the same size and price, available direct from Filcao. The nib will be finer and stiffer but the celluloid patterns are very attractive. About the same size as the Bruno. The quality of the workmanship on both pens is excellent.

Well, just an update. I bought my first Italian pen, a pre-owned Aurora Ipsilon, and it is fantastic. Excellent workmanship. Smooth, wet, fine nib. Great sunny color (yellow), and I can't decide between writing with it or just carrying it around. So I do both. Thanks.

After a couple of weeks to play with the Paprika Style XF, I'm pretty much in agreement with ericthered. Okay, but not great (and not worth the price, in my opinion).

Damn, I really regret not buying that OMAS Ogiva demonstrator Worldlux had on clearance for $100 a while back. And it was new, with all the papers, from an authorized dealer. Unfortunately, I didn't know what an OMAS was at the time. But maybe they'll list something similar sometime soon...

I just got a new Aurora Ipsilon De Luxe with 14k gold nib off the 'Bay for about $60, and it's a fantastic pen! It starts right up, puts down a gorgeous fine line with plenty of ink, its shiny black and gold body components are tastefully rendered. The converter works as it should. I'd say it is similar to a Parker Sonnet in feed design, except the nib is removable. I am very happy with this Ipsilon; it has immediately moved to the front of my everyday rotation.