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Stipula Etruria Amber Piston-Fill


Lothianjavert

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This my first Stipula pen, and my first pen review! I've been drooling over the Etrurias for a long time, but they have been out of my price range. I was lucky enough to snag a used one recently (Thank you!!). It arrived the other day and I am in heaven!

 

Size: The Etruria is an oversize pen. It isn't as thick as my Ancora Perla, but it is a bit longer. It dwarfs most of my vintage pens. However, the size is not too long or too thick. I have an average-sized woman's hand and the Etruria is comfortable for me to hold and write with. It is also comfortable for my husband to use. The shape is very rounded and as another member stated "ergonomic". It is very nice feeling in the hand.

 

Here's a comparison of the Etruria (left) with the Perla, a Parker Vac Major and a Carmine Sheaffer Triumph.

 

http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/1813/stipulaetruriasizecompawtq.jpg

 

Weight: This is the piston fill version, and one of the older ones. It is a heavy pen, and quite a bit heavier than the Perla. Still, it is comfortable to hold and well balanced. I prefer it unposted- it feels a bit better to me that way, and it is large enough to use easily without posting. However, the weight isn't bad with it posted either, though it is a good bit heavier.

 

Appearance: This is a stunning pen! Photos can't really do it justice. For this particular pen, I am at least owner #3, and though it has been used, it is in great shape. The color is a rich deep amber that glows and glitters in the sunlight. It is formal and subdued- until it is in direct light and then the patterns and depth of colors in the celluloid are mesmerizing. It is easy to simply gaze at it for long periods of time, lost in the billowing gold and burnt umber swirls. It reminds me of vintage tortoiseshell, just with even more depth and a touch of sparkle. I tried to capture it below, but it still doesn't do it justice.

 

Other than the incredible celluloid, the Etruria is adorned by a lost-wax cast cap band of leaves. Each Etruria I've seen has slightly different leaves-some more deeply carved, some less, some more angled,etc. The clip is also adorned with one simple leaf. On this pen, the clip is different than that of some of the older and newer Etrurias in that it has more of a teardrop shape with a single leaf at the bottom instead of a cluster of leaves.

 

 

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/528/stipulaetruriaambercolo.jpg

 

 

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7062/stipulaetruriacap.jpg

 

Nib: This pen has a bicolor 18K M nib. It is buttery smooth and wet and a delight to write with. There is a bit of spring to it, but I wouldn't call it "flexible" by any means. It is not however, a nail. I've heard others talk about how nice Stipula nibs are, and this pen confirms that. I'm dying to try one of their stubs now!

 

Fill system: This version is a piston fill system that has an internal metal sleeve. It's rather like an extra large internal metal converter with a large ink capacity. It holds a lot of ink! The end of the pen is turned to fill or empty the chamber. It operates smoothly and easily.

 

Overall construction: This pen feels very well made and of high quality, from the finish on the celluloid to the smooth piston to the silver work and the lovely nib, this pen just makes me want to buy another stipula... and another!

 

A couple more shots:

 

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/9563/stipulaetrurianame.jpg

 

 

A last shot- a full shot of the pen including nib, with a little writing at the top in Burma Road Brown (done with the Etruria of course). My handwriting is awful and really doesn't need to be seen in any larger quantity! :embarrassed_smile:

 

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/299/stipulaetruriaamberwhol.jpg

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Interesting review. I don't own a Stipula but your review makes me wonder why not? This Eturia is a very attractive pen and in a piston! I especially like your color choice. Thanks for taking the time and for including such enticing pictures. Now I'll be keeping my eye out for these.

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Beautiful pen indeed, the Etruria is definitely one pen that is on my ever-increasing wanted list. I have a more modest Stipula I Castoni that is used as an everyday writer but is nice enough to have given me a taste for the brand. Thanks for a nice review.

"The cultured man is the man whose interior consciousness is forever obstinately writing down, in the immaterial diary of his psyche's sense of life, every chance aspect of every new day that he is lucky enough to live to behold!" - John Cowper Powys

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I have the same pen than you and I love it. Congrats on a great pen :thumbup:

Pens are like watches , once you start a collection, you can hardly go back. And pens like all fine luxury items do improve with time

 

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That's such a dreamy looking pen. Thanks for the review =)

 

Yuki

http://i54.tinypic.com/16jj9fb.jpg

Follow me on twitter! @crypticjunky

 

~And the words, they're everything and nothing. I want to search for her in the offhand remarks.~

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Weight: This is the piston fill version, and one of the older ones. It is a heavy pen, and quite a bit heavier than the Perla. Still, it is comfortable to hold and well balanced.

 

Fill system: This version is a piston fill system that has an internal metal sleeve. It's rather like an extra large internal metal converter with a large ink capacity. It holds a lot of ink! The end of the pen is turned to fill or empty the chamber. It operates smoothly and easily.

 

First, nice review.

 

I'm pretty sure that the Etruria you have, based on furniture and description, is a convertible Etruria. Those have an internal big Stipula "converter" that fits into the piston knob, so you can fill like any other piston filler. That big "converter" was designed to be removed so you could you a standard converter or cartridges -- they are "convertible" to these other systems.

 

The Etruria convertibles got replaced by the current piston-filling systems that aren't removable. The current Eturiras with the new system are also heavier compared to the convertibles. In my hand causes the pen to much more unbalanced compared to the convertibles and the early pre-convertible piston Etrurias.

Anyone becomes mannered if you think too much about what other people think. (Kim Gordon)

 

Avatar photography by Kate

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Nice review. This is one Italian I am yet to try. Maybe one day...

http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i420/Fahad_Mahmood/adf85b8e-ac76-49f5-94e8-b5173443175d_zpsdb9c20d3.jpg

"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life,

the whole aim and end of human existence" Aristotle

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Yes, this one should be the convertible, though I don't know why anyone would want to

remove the large converter and replace it with something smaller in capacity.

 

I'm really enjoying this pen. It is a delight to use!

 

I need to try one with the 1.1 or .9 nib now!

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  • 2 months later...

One of these with a fine nib just sold today (9-13-2011) on eBay for $355.00, which is more than I paid for my new one in 2005, but seems like a good price when I checked for current new price.

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Great review of a beautiful pen even if it does make the wait for my FPN Etruria even harder!

Nice picture of the 4 pens together, an enviable lot indeed!

This post contains 100% recycled electrons

http://i952.photobucket.com/albums/ae8/Catriker/Pen%20Pics/SmallCzarNikolai.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/299/stipulaetruriaamberwhol.jpg

 

Nice review, my grail pen. Your writing is better than you acknowledge.

Michael

 

 

 

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