Stipula Pens Scoop :)

[wimg]

Hi all Italian pen lovers, and Stipula fans in particular,

 

From Saturday, 26, to Tuesday 29, Paperworld was on again, at Frankfurt. I was one of the visitors, and apart from the usual browsing around and discovering interesting new things, I had a meeting with Luca Viti, MD of Etruria S.r.l., the company that makes Stipula pens.

 

Luca showed me some new pens for 2013, and I reckon, since these designs were only finished completely last Friday, just in time for Paperworld, this is a real scoop .

 

He allowed me to take a few pictures, and they'll follow here (apologies in advance for the less than usual quality - it was rather dim, and flash didn't work too well).

 

First of all, there are the new Vedos. They are available now with T-flex nibs, and they are called the "Ti Vedo", or as it translates from Italian: See You . I like the word play here .

 

 

They really look very nice in real life. The clip has been redesigned, and overall the new design looks very classy.The large titanium nib is the same size nib as the one used in the Modello-Ts and the Etruria line! Due to the titanium nib, they are likely to be more expensive than the older model Vedos however.

 

Next there are a few new OS C/C Etrurias, called Etruria Magnifica, in resin, with steel nib:

 

 

These all have bicolor cap rings and barrel rings, and are c/c pens, with the black being available with rose gold accents in addition to the normal gold accents. Very nice, big and light, and the steel nibs feel rather like the gold nibs when writing, which is quite an accomplishment! Nib types available are F, M and 1.1 italic. Of course, they could be upgraded to Ti or gold nibs, but that would add substantially to the cost. With steel nibs, pricing is going to be extremely good, less than most people would expect for such a classy pen I would think..

 

Etruria S.r.l. would of course not be Etruria S.r.l. if they didn't have any new Etruria models in celluloid, and of course there are a few in this beautiful material as well:

 

 

These are both OS Etrurias again, Etruria Magnifica, but these are piston fillers, with titanium nib. The green-black celluloid hasn't been used for an Etruria before, the other celluloid is the well-known Alter Ego celluloid. The cap and barrel rings are bicolor again, but in a slightly different pattern as you may be able to discern. The titanium nib is gold plated for the one, and rhodium plated for the other. Of course these pens will be more expensive than the resin ones, due to the use of celluloid, piston fillers and titanium nibs, and in addition they can be had with gold nibs as well, at added cost.

 

Furthermore, Etruria S.r.l. is playing with 2 materials to see if it is possible to create a pen or series of pens attractive for young people. Luca showed me a pen from his personal collection, based on carbon fibre, and another material, aluminium fibre, of which he only had a sample of the material.

 

 

As you can see the Carbon Fibre pen, designed by our own Bryant Greer, and available through PenTime, has an orange translucent section, which overlays a metal part. Very tastefully done, and really looks good. The carbon fibre is quite rough, deliberately, with a very natural feeling, which is actually quite attractive, something I didn't expect when this was explained to me.

 

This pen shown is a personal prototype, and no pen in aluminium fibre exists, but who knows, they may be of inspiration for some great collection in different materials, including carbon and aluminium fibre, and possibly titanium in the near future.

 

Last, but not least, is a completely new, LE pen, available in three types of celluloid, namely Amber, Black-green and Black-grey. These are retractible snake pens:

 

As you can see, two of these have a silver clip, and one a gold clip. These are truly stunning pens, quite heavy, with a further improved retractible mechanism as we know from the Da Vincis already. These close even better, and now also have a barrel with haptic feedback for the reinsertion point.

 

 

The details in the clip are really stunning, and they are made according the lost wax or cire perdue method, so no clip is exactly the same. IMO, a true masterpiece. It will come standard with a titanium nib (which can be upgraded to gold). There will be 193 of each, so if you'd want one you have to be fast .

 

They are actually quite short pens, but due to the shape, they fit perfect in the hand. I wanted to take these home straight away, but unfortunately I wasn't allowed to . When I mentioned to Luca I'd like to keep them, this was his reaction:

 

In short: no go .

 

These pens will be available towards the end of February, but at least you now have an idea as what to expect .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[TMLee]

Last, but not least, is a completely new, LE pen, available in three types of celluloid, namely Amber, Black-green and Black-grey. These are retractible snake pens:

 

As you can see, two of these have a silver clip, and one a gold clip. These are truly stunning pens, quite heavy, with a further improved retractible mechanism as we know from the Da Vincis already. These close even better, and now also have a barrel with haptic feedback for the reinsertion point.

 

 

The details in the clip are really stunning, and they are made according the lost wax or cire perdue method, so no clip is exactly the same. IMO, a true masterpiece. It will come standard with a titanium nib (which can be upgraded to gold). There will be 193 of each, so if you'd want one you have to be fast .

 

These pens will be available towards the end of February, but at least you now have an idea as what to expect .

 

Warm regards, Wim

 

Beautiful ....

 

For the Chinese Lunar year of the Snake ?

[RMN]

Mmmmm, Nice

 

I like the retractable, but even more the black green Etruria Piston.

 

I am very much not into the Titanium nibs. You write they are to be had in gold at a plus price. Do they also come in a minus price with steel nibs? Judging from several steel nibs I have had from different brands in the recent past (including Stipula) these are quite good quality.

 

 

D.ick

[peterpen53]

Like D.ick I am not convinced by Stipula's fascination for the Ti nibs (I know! ... cost), but those new Etrurias look great, especially the dark green piston filler is stunning. And I'm pleased they will continue to offer their 1.1 italic, although I also would not mind if it were a steel one.

 

I'm just not into retractable nibs and snake clips. And on top of that, these pens look a bit clunky to me. Colours are quite nice, though.

 

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Thornton]

Oh my. Well, the Cleopatra will go on the "dream pen" list, but I really like the new Vedos. I've been disappointed with Stipula's designs lately, but these all look like winners. I foresee a black or purple (or both) Ti Vedo in my future.

[wimg]

Beautiful ....

 

For the Chinese Lunar year of the Snake ?

Good question, I'll ask .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi D.ick,

Mmmmm, Nice

 

I like the retractable, but even more the black green Etruria Piston.

 

I am very much not into the Titanium nibs. You write they are to be had in gold at a plus price. Do they also come in a minus price with steel nibs? Judging from several steel nibs I have had from different brands in the recent past (including Stipula) these are quite good quality.

 

 

D.ick

Very nice indeed. I was quite impressed.

 

I am pretty sure you could have them at a slightly lower price with a steel #6 nib. The titanium nibs do grow on one, I must admit. I use one as a signature pen a lot these days . And the steel Stipula nibs are really good indeed.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi Peter,

Like D.ick I am not convinced by Stipula's fascination for the Ti nibs (I know! ... cost), but those new Etrurias look great, especially the dark green piston filler is stunning. And I'm pleased they will continue to offer their 1.1 italic, although I also would not mind if it were a steel one.

 

I'm just not into retractable nibs and snake clips. And on top of that, these pens look a bit clunky to me. Colours are quite nice, though.

 

 

Cheers,

Peter

I wasn't convinced in the beginning either, but I really like the Ti-nibs a lot now I have discovered what it actually does to my writing . They have really grown on me .

 

There is a steel 1.1 italic available; the three types of steel nibs Etruria carries are F, M and 1.1 italic .

 

You actually have to see and feel these snake pens to appreciate what they are and how they feel. In real life they are truly stunning, the photographs don't do them justice at all . IMO it is the best design I have seen in a long time. Elegant, shapely, comfortable and completely "there".

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi Thornton,

Oh my. Well, the Cleopatra will go on the "dream pen" list, but I really like the new Vedos. I've been disappointed with Stipula's designs lately, but these all look like winners. I foresee a black or purple (or both) Ti Vedo in my future.

 

These all do look like winners indeed. Just a minor comment: unfortunately the colour is not purple, but red - the difficult and dim light was playing tricks here. You can see a similar effect in one of the snake pen photographs, where the amber celluloid snake pen goes towards purple.

 

But hey, I could always ask if there is a purple version in the future, why not?

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Thornton]

Hi Thornton,

Oh my. Well, the Cleopatra will go on the "dream pen" list, but I really like the new Vedos. I've been disappointed with Stipula's designs lately, but these all look like winners. I foresee a black or purple (or both) Ti Vedo in my future.

 

These all do look like winners indeed. Just a minor comment: unfortunately the colour is not purple, but red - the difficult and dim light was playing tricks here. You can see a similar effect in one of the snake pen photographs, where the amber celluloid snake pen goes towards purple.

 

But hey, I could always ask if there is a purple version in the future, why not?

 

Warm regards, Wim

 

Thanks for the clarification, Wim. I like red too, especially deep rich reds. Regardless of color, I can't wait to get my hands on one of these. My old Vedo has been a champ, but a Ti nib would be a welcome addition to my collection.

[da vinci]

Some interesting pens here Wim, thanks for posting.

[TomJKT]

Duh, I wish I could be on such a fair someday!

Thank you for the preview!

[Chrissy]

I like the look of the Ti Vedo and might be tempted

[TMLee]

 

You actually have to see and feel these snake pens to appreciate what they are and how they feel. In real life they are truly stunning, the photographs don't do them justice at all . IMO it is the best design I have seen in a long time. Elegant, shapely, comfortable and completely "there".

 

Warm regards, Wim

 

I can imagine the ergonomics to be above average , judging by the tapering tail end of the barrel, and the concave nib section grip at the finger grip area.

 

A little harder to imagine is its heft or weight.

But I suppose I can safely assume its quite well-balanced too becos of the materials used and its innards.

Good looking pen.

 

Yet to own one retractable FP yet ....