I have German, English, and American pens (and a Canadian nib!) in my small-but-growing collection.

I am drawn to the beauty and reputation for smoothness of many Italian pens but the choice is mind-boggling.

Two which have caught my eye are the Etruria and the Paragon (by appearance and reputation).... would one of these be a good schoice?

Basically I buy pens primarily to write with, and I need a smooth wet, Medium nib (maybe to be ground, in due course, to cursive italic)....rather than to be put in a case and looked-at!

Let's say I were to make a shortlist of 3, what else should I have on the list? Preferably they could be purchased in the EU, as it seems silly to buy an Italian pen, to be used in Span, from the USA!

I'm sure this is a tough one to call, but would appreciate advice....thanks

Well, in that case, check out Susanna at:
http://www.pens.it

Warm regards, Wim

Visconti. 'nuff said.

I saw the title and totally unworthy thoughts went through my head.

No problem now, they continued right on and out the other side...

Either the Etruria or the Paragon are delightful choices.
But i feel the Etruria is better made,writes better and is a better "bang for the buck" to use a horridly overused cliche.

But i also agree with Ghost.The Visconti is a wonderful instrument and also worth every penny.

Solution: Buy all three!!!!

Jim

Hi,

I'd highly recommend pens.it It's a fantastic shop.

Dillon

Your initial choices of an Etruria or a Paragon are both very good. I personally prefer an Etruria for its size, shape and the writing chacteristics of the nib. I have some older Viscontis that I am very happy with. The more recent Viscontis seem to have metal sections which I do not like, or they are so high priced that I can't afford them.

If you want to stay in the EU, Suzanna at pens.it is the best choice I can think of. I would buy much more from her than I do, but the USD to Euro exchange rate is just too poor of late.

Both are good. Right now the Etruria is my favorite pen. I've had a few Omas, and always wind up selling them; they feel oddly flimsy. Another I might suggest is the Tibaldi Iride, or possibly a Visconti. I have to admit that after using celluloid the others simply don't feel the same. Good luck, I don't think you can go wrong here.

Both the Etruria and Paragon are very nice choices, particularly if we're talking about an old-style Paragon, but I would also add Aurora to your list. The Optima, in particular, is one of my favorite pens.
I would also add novelli.it to the list of reputable EU sellers (no affiliation, just a satisfied customer).
Best,
David

Get one with a piston filler, such as the Omas Paragon or Milord in Arco Brown, the Aurora Optima, or the piston version of the Stipula Etruria. Visconti and Delta make nice pens, but they use rather boring cartridge/converter filling systems.

Others in this group have more experience with different brands of Italian pens than I do, but I do have experience with several Aurora pens. I second the suggestion that you consider Aurora in your list. Their pens are extremely well designed and durable, which would be important for your objective of having a pen for actual writing as opposed to showcasing. They are also great values. http://www.aurorapen.it/index_home.php?lang=english

One more point, so to speak, about Auroras: the tips of their nibs. I don't know if my experience has been very lucky or this is typical of their nibs (or of other Italian brands, too), but the tips have a somewhat unique shape for nibs that are not customized. They are very slightly stubbed, so that writing with them produces a line with a little more character than most other round points. (In addition to different widths of round points, their nibs are also available with several widths of oblique points.)

[Edited to add the second paragraph.]

Thanks, folks...most helpful

I did hope that my slightly eye-catching heading would get some attention

So Susanna qualifies, does she, wim ?

It seems the Etruria is only available in Nuda form.

If Aurora's pens are as good as their black ink, they are worth some attention!

Try this source, associated with the company. No discounts, but they seem to have the full line:
http://www.penemporium.com/cat_famiglia.ph...famiglia=610190

Yep, Susanna does. Just mail her and ask her what is available. I would think she could get you any current Etruria model.

Alternatively, you could order from the Stipula site, stipula.com, but that is more expensive I would think . Regina Martini is another option.

Warm regards, Wim

Yes, this is Stipula's own direct selling site. You do pay full retail price here, though.

Warm regards, Wim

I will add my vote to the Aurora-not just because they are fantastic pens but because you can purchase one with an italic nib straight off.
I would go for the Optima or the 88 if piston fillers are your thing, or if you go c/c then the talentum in black with rhodium furniture is one of the best looking modern pens out there, all three use the same nibs, which are 14 k gold.
Some people claim aurora nibs have tooth... however many people also say the nibs are wonderful straight from the box, mine admittably was modified when it came to me into a cursive italic and is wonderful to use.
Enjoy your hunt.

Hi All

Hey, I would say, if budget is not a concern, go for a nice OMAS, in celluloid. Just have in mind that OMAS nibs write a little broader that most of pens, e.g. a fine OMAS will write more like a medium modern Duofold, but with a good amount of flex in the nib, specially for the F and M size.
If you can find it, get an old style Paragon or a new style Milord, both are great writers with classic design, and can be found with beautiful celluloid patterns all along the pen (without the metal section of the new Paragon)

I think novelli.it can find some nice celluloid OMAS, specially some hard-to-find like the Ogiva in celluloid (another classic design) and several other hard-to-find OMAS pens, but you have to pay for it, I never have bought something from that store, but as soon as I get a lot of money I will try

Another great option is Stipula, you can t go wrong with it. I am the very happy owner of three celluloid Etrurias (one with retractable nib), one Cromo and one Saturno (both in hard rubber), and I am really happy with all! Nibs are from Bock in Germany, but tuning is made in their Florence factory (some details about this company can be found in [url=http://www.marcuslink.com/pens/stipula.html)], all my Stipulas write great, with very good amount of flexibility and nice juicy strokes, also this company offer factory stub nibs, that are a pleasure to write with.

And also there are the always reliable Auroras, with very nice design, and great nibs. The regular nibs (F.M and B ) are a little bit scratchy along the first pages, but later (when they break) are really smooth and reliable (fast starters etc), and the factory special nibs (oblique and italics) are smooth out of the box, not very flexible (not as much as OMAS or Stipula) but very good writers.

So your three options list will be (in my 2 cents):

OMAS: old style Paragon or new Milord, in celluloid, the Arco is my favorite.
Stipula: any celluloid Etruria, with stub nib (you won t regret)
Aurora: Optima in celluloid, if you can, go for a oblique.

If budget is a concern,

OMAS: Paragon or Milord in vegetal resin (also called cotton resin) the OMAS resin is a close relative of celluloid, with a very pleasant touch.
Stipula: a Novecento in hard rubber, also with stub nib, you can find it in the Regina Martin auction page, ask for the stub nib, she will get it for you.
Aurora: modern 88 or Talentum, the first one with piston feeder and the last one with c/c.

So, please let us know what you got once you make your mind, and (if possible) share some picts!

Very best

Ricardo

Well, I snagged an Aurora 88P from France on eBay, ar a very good price.... I will report on the condition when it arrives.

Thanks to all...I think between you you recommnede practically all the 'quality Itallian brands', so I'm not a geat deal wiser, except that there seems little real consensus, especially when I 'factor-in' my 'nibmeister's advice!........apart from some agreement on the Aurora 88.

In such circumstances, I tend to go with my gut-feeling and live with the consequences

Because of the exchange rate it may not be so silly.

Harv.

When I saw this title, I just had to comment. I fancy a nice italian too! Preferably 6'2, muscular, with a nice northern (but non-Florentine) accent....

Who cares about the accent? I'm willing to put up with Veneziano if he has a broad nib.