Hi all, I was able to acquire my first of hopefully many Stipula Etruria FPs yesterday - the Volterra LE in red celluloid with scattered green flecking*. Leigh did a great job on her review here and since mine is essentially the same, though a "regular" medium nib instead of italic, I'll defer to hers and also appreciate jkrewalk's review and everybody else's comments, too. VERY helpful.

It's difficult for me to believe that this pen writes so incredibly well right out of the box. Given other comments here (Leigh, jkrewalk, etc.) I was a bit concerned about it skipping and writing in fits and starts, but so far so good with some Waterman Blue-Black (my priming ink). The big problem is what color of ink I should use. It's a terracotta-colored celluloid with dark green flecks. I'd like to use a reasonably conservative ink in the thing. And Noodler's red-black is at the ready, too.

The pen reminds me of a low aerial photo I once saw of terracotta rooftops of an Italian villa all running together with treetops here and there. So I was thinking of a tropical blue to signify the sea that surrounded the villa, or the sky next to the terracotta. Otherwise, it's Waterman Havana Brown or maybe some form for dark green...? Or?

Any thoughts would be appreciated and no stretch will be frowned upon!

*From Barry's collection at Ink, my local fountain pen gallery. No affiliation, etc., just a satisfied customer and supporter of all businesses local whenever possible, practical, and reasonable.

I've always struggled to understand if this color is "orange with blue and green" or more of a brick red with blue and green. It always looks orange and I don't care for orange, so I shy away. So, the question is "what color is it REALLY?"

On the ink, I'd recommend one of the Stipula inks -- the blue or the sepia. The blue is more of a subdued purple/blue. Very nice. Not the color of the water around that part of the world, but pretty. The sepia is nice too!

Consider Noodler's Ottoman Azure. A great, dynamic blue.

-- Jeff

Thanks Jeff - I love Ottoman Azure and have a bottle gathering dust.

It IS a weird color. Sometimes I see pink, sometimes brown, sometimes red, sometimes an amber/orange. That's why it reminds me so much of terracotta roof tiles...

I call the color Campbell's Tomato Soup red. Looks like Tomato soup with some parsley thrown in...

Yes! I remember that thread. It seemed like that wasn't your favorite color combo? Or maybe I misinterpreted. It's an exceedingly accurate description. Hmm, does that open up the entire Warhol palette for ink choices?!

It's a great color for Diamine Monaco Red, I think.

Congrats!

(I don't have one yet, so this is my bit of envy: ---> <---)

I was going to suggest Monaco Red, too. I use it in my Bexley Terra Cotta Goldline which I think has the same red/orange/pink tones as the Volterra - a beautiful pen. A dark green (PR Sherwood?) would also be nice.

mehitabel

Sometimes the colours of my Stipula Brunelleschi LE of the same celluloid reminds me of brick, sometimes of meat - yes, meat.

I tried to grab a bottle of Sherwood last night at a Paradise Pen shop but they were out - apparently a run on the stuff lately? I realized that I have a bottle of PR Avacado and will try that.

Thanks to you and Deidre for the Monaco Red suggestion. I actually sampled that from Pear Tree Pens awhile back and didn't love it. My red is Waterman, and my off-reds are Noodler's Habanero and Noodler's Cactus Fruit. Those are about all I need for red, but I agree that the Diamine would match rather well.

I have also never been able to qualify the Volterra color, though I admit I kind of like the "Campbell's Tomato Soup red." It remains a really great color in my mind. I use J. Herbin Vert Olive in mine, and it goes so well (in my mind) that I have not experimented with another color.

Thanks - I need to get some Herbin ink. I tried their red (rouge carbine?) and found that it dried looking like colored pencil. Way too faint. Are the darker colors a bit more saturated?

The volterra seems to be enjoying Noodler's blue-black right now but I'd like to bring it around to something that matches a little more. Maybe olive is the ticket.

The usefulness of Herbin ink will depend on the broadness of your nib point. My Volterra has a B italic nib that allows the Vert Olive to be all it can be - a natural grass stain green with wonderful shading. With finer nibs, the Vert Olive can turn out pale like a faded green colored pencil, to use your analogy.

With your M nib, I would at least try the Vert Olive, though the Herbin Lierre Sauvage or, maybe better, Vert Empire might be better greens for you.

Good luck.