Why Buy Italian At All?

[OneRiotOneRanger]

Like others, I have had difficult experiences with Martmeodena, which I have previously chronicled. When they were just selling Delta pens, I found them to be as attractive as ever, but of less than perfect quality. I am not aware of any involvement by Aurora, and, as to Visconti, their customer issues stand on their own. If Martmodena has compounded their problems, yet another reason to avoid these people.

 

I have long admired the beauty of many Italian pen makers and am certain that most manufacturers and dealers are completely reputable. There are, it seems, some who are not.

 

My reaction has been to avoid Martemodena, Delta and Visconti completely. It is ironic, because, some while back, I wrote a very favorable article about Visconti. Issues with things like getting the desired nib drove me, first, to email Dante del Vecchio - whose reaction was why was I bothering him. Then, I sold off my Viscontis, save one very early ballpoint. BTW, Signor del Vecchio is now designing another line (too?) - see the Fahrney's catalogue. I have also sold all my Deltas, save one ballpoint.

 

My reactions reflect my mistrust, and I would not suggest that anyone copy them. I would strongly suggest, however, that before making any purchases from these people that you are securely backstopped so that you can withdraw easily and quickly.

 

Fultz used to wish us "good hunting." Especially true here, I think.

[jar]

There are many other Italian makers, Aurora, Montegrappa, Grifos, Ferrari da Varese. MarteModena always seemed to be the outlet mall of Italian Pens, the place that bargain hunters frequented.

 

Buy the vendor even before the product.

[Cordovian]

Italian pens...they're like Italian cars. They're beautiful and you love the feel of them but sometimes they're hard to get going. But when they do get going...

[OMASsimo]

This is like condemning all US pens because you had many problems with company XXX, trashing the German pen makers because you were dissatisfied by the products of manufacturer YYY, or claiming general poor QC for all Japanese pens because you encountered several QC issues with the brand ZZZ. Is this the kind of generalization you try to make here?

[Shaggy]

Why buy Italian?

 

Because sexy.

[katanankes]

I am so sorry to hear your negative experience spanning the all supply chain.

[fabri00]

Italian pens...they're like Italian cars. They're beautiful and you love the feel of them but sometimes they're hard to get going. But when they do get going...

 

Same opinion for Chrysler.... ?

I agree with your opinion for the italian cars produced 20 years ago, but not for the a actual production.

[mirosc]

Why Italian?

Because they offer some really unique pens. Sometimes I doubt that they are worth the hassle - one of my OMAS took two years, one trip to the factory, two trips to repairmen and two trips to different nib meisters to work like he was supposed to. But all in all, all of my italian pens are real beauties, without exception.

[Tinjapan]

I held off from buying Italian pens becuase of their prices. They are generally much more expensive than the pens I can get easily in Japan, Japanese pens. Still, they interested me. When word of Omas’s demise reached me, I went on an Omas buying spree that spilled overvto other Italian brands, mainly Delta and Visconti. Pens of these three brands are the pens that I usually reach for now. Each write surperbly.

[ingolf]

Italian pens are the "dolce vita" among my pens (unfortunately the Delta DolceVita is still missing).

My Stipula or my several Delta pens are beautiful and working very well.

To my opinion a pen is a very personal tool. You hold it in your fingers, you feel the surface, you get a haptic feedback and you see the results at once.

Unfortunately some of the Italian manufacturers are gone ... to me a great loss.

 

Regards, Ingolf.

[inkstainedruth]

I had a conversation with a friend of mine a couple of months ago. And she absolutely LOVES her Visconti pens.

I'll admit that the only ones that I like the look of for that brand are the Van Gogh series. But I got to try one a couple of months ago and it was too heavy a pen for me, even being as slim as it was.

Have pretty much zero experience with any of the other brands.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[I like mango cheesecake]

I've had troubles with both of my Delta pens and the worst one was the dolce vita from marten Modena. The ink window developed a leak and then finally cracked an half.

[RocketRyan]

Same reason I've owned an alfa romeo...

[OMASsimo]

Same reason I've owned an alfa romeo...

 

And that would be which one?

 

I simply enjoy the wonderful designs and artisan craftsmanship. If things are not put together by robots on an assembly line but by real craftsmen, some imperfections might be expected. Of course, QC should take care of that...

[praxim]

Same reason I've owned an alfa romeo...

 

and if your Alfa was of a certain vintage, the pens have the advantage of less rust.

 

Nearly all of my Italian pens are Auroras, making up at least a quarter of my collection. So I think them wonderful pens of course, whether vintage, recent or modern.

[mauckcg]

Visconti has some beautiful pens that write wonderfully. When you can get one that works.

I've moved away from them to Omas though they are kinda hard to come by. Beautiful pens and they are great writers.

[RocketRyan]

It was a 156, v6 with a slick 6 speed manual. The fly by wire throttle response was wonderful. The only car I wish I still owned. I was recently toying with the idea of a 159 with the 3.2 v6, not sure when I could actually find the time to drive it though.

[OMASsimo]

Funny, I was curious about the reason rather than the car. I should have put it more precisely.

[Ed_Usinowicz]

 

and if your Alfa was of a certain vintage, the pens have the advantage of less rust.

 

Nearly all of my Italian pens are Auroras, making up at least a quarter of my collection. So I think them wonderful pens of course, whether vintage, recent or modern.

I had a 1975 Alfa Alfetta and it rusted in all the correct places. I believe the car actually hated me. I bought new and still currently own Italian motorcycles, a Ducati and a Moto Guzzi both now considered vintage. These motorcycles were produced when the the bikes were still relatively hand made. They perform flawlessly. If you want a motorcycle for a twisty mountain road, Italian is the only way to go. Now I favor fountain pens and I have a lust for Aurora both new and vintage. Will it never end?

[OneRiotOneRanger]

Getting away from cars - although a neighbor, a long-time car guy, was working on one of his the other evening, explaining that the dealer service department didn't do very good work - if the issue is the beauty of Italian products vs their utility, I repeat that they are beautiful. Ease of operation, not so much. [Reminds me of my first two wives. The current keeper is an example of what happens if you kiss enough frogs].

 

I concur, without reservation, that there are many Italian makers whose products are superb, on all counts. Many Italian sellers are completely reputable and easy to do business with. And there are those to be avoided, regardless of nationality. Very much the minority, but we should pay attention to who they are is all I was trying to say. And Martemodena is among the most egregious. I was going to say arrogant, but that word comes to mind too often there.

 

If my "heads up" generates all kinds of comments about how smart some of us are (and aren't), or how many pen problems equal one car problem, or whether pizza is better than sushi, I'll just give my index fingers a rest ....

 

Paul