I visited my friendly neighborhood pen gallery (Ink)* yesterday and among the incredible selection of Italian pens (heavy on Visconti, Omas LEs , which is fun to see even if I can't afford them) I spied the Delta Dolcevita (can't miss 'em) and what I believed to be the Soiree. Wow. Nice pens. Any thoughts on these in terms of their nib and materials qualities (outside of the FPN reviews)? They don't seem to command the attention around here that Omas, Visconti, and Stipula do...are these great pens? The Soiree looked awfully nice...difficult to leave without it but there ARE seven days in a week.


* http://www.penstore.biz (no affiliation, just a fan, etc.)

Delta Dolcevita: Excellent quality, very much love their OS and I just got one of the new piston fillers in this line.
Soiree: Good but you will need to test it. I had problems with one.

I love my Delta Dolcevita Oversize. I can't speak to the smaller Delta pens, as I haven't tried them. The company seems eager to please from what I've seen at the DC Penshow.

I have a number of Delta pens and I have been pleased with the quality of all of them.

When my Dolce Vita Soiree arrived from an on line dealer, I was initially disappointed. I have an O/S model, and the Soiree seemed quite small. As I handled the pen, I came to realize that it has dimensions similar to a Pelikan M-800 or a Duofold Centennial (maybe about 1/8 inch shorter). The barrel and section are even a little wider than an M-800. It really is a hand full. The color of the pen is essentially black with small bands of orange-brown But that color combination is paradoxically both quite striking and equally sophistocated.

The nib is size proportionate, and a lovely writer. I have M nibs on most of my Deltas and they write so well I have no intention to mess with them (to have them customized). The initial Soiree M nib was pretty fine, so I did a nib exchange for a B. The new nib writes about like a Japanese B, which suits me nicely. I assume from this experience that the F nib would write more like an EF.

I have found the Soiree's quality to be every bit as good as my older Deltas. Based on my own experience, I would recommend trying one.

I have a Delta Dolce Vita Soiree that has just returned to my Boston home after getting its nib reground to an extra-fine cursive italic. This pen is amazing. It is quite large and substantial in weight, though not too heavy. The nib is enormous, yet very elegant. The sterling silver trim is superbly crafted with a great deal of intricate detail. And the colour scheme is just perfect for me. Instead of the entire barrel being amber, which is a bit too loud for my tastes, the Soiree is mostly black with a delicate ring of amber around the barrel. That hint of amber attracts the eye and lends an air of mystery and uniqueness to the pen. This is truly one of my favourite pens and one that everybody notices when I use it. I can't wait to return to the US and try the altered nib.


EDITED TO ADD:



Mine was a fine and it wrote more like a Medium!..

Although I don't own a Soiree, I have seen and handled them, and I totally agree with your description and assessment of their beauty.

I would be thrilled if Delta would make an oversize version of the Soiree to pair with the Oversize Dolcevita. The two pens would be identical except for the color.

wpblaw - I have the Soiree and its M nib is super-smooth.

I find the materials to be top notch - above all of the brands I own. The resin is super-thick, the parts thread together tightly; it's just a cut above anything else.

If you and I ever schedule that elusive meeting, I'll bring this one a long.

The Dolecevita and Soiree are basically the same pen, with an inverse color scheme. While the Dolcevita is primarily orange with black cap and accents the Soiree is primarily black with orange accents. The shape, dimensions, and nibs are pretty much identical. However, the Soiree is only offered in the Mini and Medium sizes, while the Dolcevita is also available in Stout and the OS fountain pen.

The OS pen is a nice piece, but the medium sized pen is plenty big and should be enough for just about anyone! As FrankB mentioned, it may seem small compared to the OS model, but the medium fountain is still bigger than most...

I recall your assessment of the Omas orange/blue Bologna as "ugly", though I wasn't sure if it was due to your aversion to the UVA or FU associations, merely a matter of taste, or some combination thereof? Are you more fond of the orange material on the dolcevita barrel?

Right! We do have to meet up, and I'd LOVE to see your Delta(s)! I'm available in the afternoons ("Taxation of Income" every morning through mid-July). Let's put something together for lunch and Ink?

I'm glad to hear these opinions. Deltas seem available at a premium, but it sounds like a worthwhile premium because the pens perform.