Visconti Pontevecchio 1995 LE

[sunnerd]

Hi, in the Visconti museum description of this model of pens, they said the filling system is a piston filler. (see http://www.visconti.it/museum/scheda.php?idelemento=75 )

 

Today I received a 1995 xxxx/1345 LE set of Pontevecchio and they all have cartridge/convertor filler. Just wondering if the web site is correct, or I got something "non-original"?

 

Also, there is a distinctive line from the top to bottom of the barrel and the cap. Is this what one would expect? Looks to me a bad matchup of the celluloids.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/4079218631_26c2be2eb6_b.jpg

[Deirdre]

Mine's a CC. The line is the celluloid fold -- this is made from wrapped celluloid (much as modern Pelikan MX00 series pens are) rather than rods. Other pens made with this celluloid method include the celluloid pens from Platinum and Nakaya.

[eric47]

Mine's a CC. The line is the celluloid fold -- this is made from wrapped celluloid (much as modern Pelikan MX00 series pens are) rather than rods. Other pens made with this celluloid method include the celluloid pens from Platinum and Nakaya.

 

Following up on Deirdre's remark, the early Viscontis like the Pontevecchios are made from vintage celluloid, celluloid that they found/acquired from sources that still had some. The supply of some patterns were no doubt quite limited compared to others, of this already scarce resource. Wrapping maximizes the material while leaving a visible line depending on the pattern. The veritical stripes on the Pelikan M-series for instance hide/mask the line much better. Use of vintage celluloid also explains why the "feel" and odor of the early Viscontis are quite different from later pens made from modern celluloid.

 

The Visconti Ragtime I and IIs, the Federico II set (based on the Ragtime II) are also made from wrapped celluloid. Visconti did turn some of the early pens from single rods of vintage celluloid like the numbered LE D'Essais and Caravels. I can't remember whether some of the very first pens like the Classic and Replica were turned or wrapped, I suspect the latter however.

 

It would take some time until production of modern celluloid started up again. I believe the Voyager and Uffizi are the first Viscontis to use modern celluloid.

 

BTW, some info in the Visconti Museum is notoriously incorrect, as you found out. The LE and non-LE Pontevecchios are C/C.

Edited November 6, 2009 by eric47

[jde]

Also, there is a distinctive line from the top to bottom of the barrel and the cap. Is this what one would expect? Looks to me a bad matchup of the celluloids.

 

I, too, was surprised to see the line appear so visibly. When I first received them I wondered if I had gotten "seconds." *ahem* The Pompeii Blue and the Adriatic Stone stand out more on mine than the Silver Granite. As others have explained the celluloid is wrapped. As one Visconti lover once wrote to me, the line is a reminder that a human being made the pens. (BTW: On my Ragtimes I have to look hard to find the lines.)

 

What you get in the LE version is the wonderful celluloid section. I love these pens, esp. the Silver Granite.

 

Best,

Julie

[sunnerd]

Thanks guys! I learned something new today - do not trust Visconti's web site 100%.

Time to splash some ink with the pens!

[Deirdre]

I think it's less visible on the Ragtime because the celluloid is more muted. Maybe I should take some photos of some other wrapped pens I have.

[FrankB]

I like big pens, but somehow the Pontevecchio model, though small, fits my hand well. I was really attracted to this model and I got all three colors - Pompeii Blue, Adriatic Stone and Silver Granite. They are all great writers and fun to use. The folds in the celluloid do not bother me at all. And, yes, all of mine are c/c fillers. I hope you enjoy your new pen, sunnerd.

[sansenri]

old thread but still I have a question, if any owner of the Pontevecchio would care to answer

what nibs did the Pontevecchio mount?

were they gold 18k, 14k, or gold plated?

I am glad sunnerd's picture is still up on first post, but too small to figure out

thanks!

[Ghost Plane]

I think they were 14kt but can't swear to it.

[WilsonCQB1911]

I can add nothing to this thread other than to marvel at this pen's beauty. It's too bad Visconti does not make it anymore. I find many of their later designs a bit gaudy. This one is beautiful however.

[DrDebG]

What a beautiful pen! Even with the "problems", it is still lovely.

[Bogon07]

http://www.pensinasia.com/new/collection/visconti/visconti_pontevecchio_pens_312

 

I think the Pontevecchios here look to be 18K nibs as I can just make out "750" on some of them.

But dealers and owners often swap 18K & 14K nibs between pens.

 

 

http://www.airlineinternational.net/visponlimedf.html

This site says "Features a 18kt nib."

[sansenri]

These pens are really beautiful, they were made with wrapped celluloid.

Dante del Vecchio the founder of Visconti explained that this is an ancient technique that was tought to Visconti by an old penmaker artisan in Firenze. A cellulod sheet is wrapped around the pen, this allows to use less celluloide, but especially allows to show the celuloid colours over the whole pen. This avoids the polarization effect you get on pens like the Omas arco. The drawback is you have a seam where the celuloid joins. Dante said they managed to reproduce the cilindrical applicazioni of celluloid, however the old artisans in Firenze were also capable of applying the celuloid in spirals. Visconti admittedly never coud reproduce this industrially!

I own a Pontevecchio adriatic stone. Bought very cheap some time ago but with 2 problems, it is fitted with a steel, silver colour nib... (Arghh!) and the internal threading is ruined by some Mad head forcing it with pliers... I am looking for a replacement nib but would like to understand which nib was originally mounted. I read somewhere it was an 18k nib monotone gold but have never seen a pictured of the original pen large enough to confirm. Eventually I will probably ask Visconti if they can repair it.

Edited May 9, 2016 by sansenri

[setriode]

Just pulled mine out of its box after several years. Mine has a 14k nib which is soft or cushioned in feel. It is marked as an F but writes like an M. The section on mine is black but the celluloid fold is much less visible and overall is a deeper blue.

 

I may even bring it into circulation.

[sansenri]

Thank you Setrione for answering this

Is it a full gold or two tone 14k?

Thanks

Enrico

[sansenri]

PS sorry, Setriode

[setriode]

Enrico, the nib is in a single tone gold with the scroll work like the picture above. However, my nib has a heart shaped breathing hole.

 

My pen is not the limited edition and does not have the broad gold ring at the top of the cap or the celluloid section.

 

As to the nib, apart from the soft cushion effect and the completely inaccurate 'F' inscription (it is a wide M) which I have already mentioned, the nib wings are quite wide a little like the Platinum 3776. The material on the nib is comparatively thin which is why I think it is soft in feel.

Edited June 21, 2016 by setriode

[sansenri]

Very long time passed since my question, but thanks to setriode, if only very late.

Only recently I seem to have found a substitute nib for my Pontevecchio Adriatic stone... it's gold plated but better than the current chrome one...

Search for the gold nib continues...

[whichwatch]

This old thread made me pull out my set of the LE's which I keep on display in my bookcase because of their sheer beauty. As you can see in the pictures, the nibs are 18K gold. These are so great looking! I think my favorite part is the inlay of celluloid material on the top end of the finial.

 

 

 

 

 

[Michael R.]

Very nice! From the beginning of LE pens :-)

 

I habe the regular edition pen and unfortunately the celluloid starts to show some slight discoloration and shrinkage. I sincerely hope this is not the case with your pens as well.

 

Cheers

 

Michael