Seeking Visconti Advice

[ProfessorB]

Background:

Thinking about adding my first Visconti to a small (medium?) sized collection of five or six dozen higher-end Parkers, Pilots, Montblancs, Lamys, and Pelikans. Mostly post-WWII, but a few older classics.

I write with virtually all of my pens. Imagine that! WRITING with good fountain pens. I'm just odd that way. I also make telephone calls with my iPhone.

This isn't a good time for me to purchase an Opera, or any gold nabbed Visconti, unless I run into a "can't walk away" bargain, so I'm thinking about beginning with a van Gough. I like the looks of the red and blue resins in the Rembrandt lineup, but I'm a big fan of the look and feel of the van Goghs' facets.

Question:

So, finally, my question, which is about prices. I know the MRSPs, but not what one really ought to pay for a new (NOS or minty) van Gough.

How good a price is, say, $175 for a new van Gogh? Is it:

1. Meh.

3. Solid.

4. Very solid. It's somewhat unusual to find new ones at that price, but you can if you wait. Look around a month or so and you can do this well or better.

5. A bona fide bargain. Grab it.

Being a Visconti neophyte, and I'd really appreciate any input on this, or other, related, issues, such as comparisons to Rembrandts with regard to writing, look and feel, etc.

If you find this a stupid question, I'd be curious why. Would also like to know if there might be a better place than this forum to post this. Thanks in advance for your assistance and tutelage.

Professor B

Edited July 23, 2016 by ProfessorB

[s_t_e_v_e]

The current Van Gogh and the Rembrandt use the same section and nib unit. So the writing experience is going to be the same. The resin and the design of the Van Gogh is quite stunning.

 

I'd say $175 is a great price for the Van Gogh. The Rembrandt can be obtained for about $135. I haven't been able to find these pens at better prices than this unless it is an auction or something.

[abstract49]

I agree with s_t_e_v_e; it will be difficult to find a better price on a new or NOS Van Gogh.

 

Having said that, I must add that the Van Gogh has been my only disappointment from Visconti. Hard starter, finicky, and when it does write well for a while, it uses ink like a '56 Buick uses gasoline. Also, the cap cracked a while back; Coles responded quickly, but the replacement cap and barrel seem just a tad smaller than the original, and I'm not too keen on the closing mechanism. I always feel like I'm going to break it when I twist hard enough for it to stay closed.