Visconti's Current Production-Line Fountain Pens Comparison

[frans-utrecht]

Marvelous review in its objective honesty. Dante del Vecchio has designed unique pens and only an Italian could combine opulence and decorative elements with such elegance.

Still, some really are over the top for a European eye, even though I tend to be a bit of a magpie. But it's a global market and if garrish colors and glittering glass sell, that's what a smart marketeer offers. The celluloid Divina to me is unsurpassed in design and finish. The less than perfect execution is the what accompanies Italian workmanship. Pelikan and Lamy compare to Visconti and Ferrari da Varese as BMW and Porsche to Alfa Roméo and Ferrari.

[Doug C]

I have a ton of Viscontis, and for the most part, they have been trouble free. I have a Carbon Dream that is not a great writer (even after the nib was modified by John Mottishaw), and it is not well balanced, but most of the others are great.

 

I also have the first gen Divina Desert Springs (it is a little larger than the one shown and has the power filler instead of the captured converter). I love this pen and it is a fantastic writer.

 

One pen that I am constantly getting requests to sell is the 20th anniversary Joon. Joon was a NY based company that commissioned this pen, and the body, clip and ink window are unique to this pen. I think it was made in 2001.

 

I have a Ponte Vecchio that I got as a roller ball. Everyone makes mistakes.....

[langere]

I have 15 Viscontis, from the Rembrandts and Van Goghs to the Homo Sapiens and the Millionaire. I know this is anecdotal, but I have never had a single problem with any of my Viscontis right out of the box. Perhaps luck?

 

I appreciate this old review of multiple Viscontis - I agree with almost all that the OP asserts. The one thing I would evaluate differently is the balance of the Operas. They always seemed to be poorly balanced in comparison to the other Viscontis and so I only have one of those.

 

I love the (relatively) new Medicis, but right now don't have the resources to purchase one...

 

Erick

[rebcabin]

Heartily concur with this great review. Homo Sapiens Magma (red trim) is my daily carry, inked up with Herbin Rouge Grenat, Medium nib that actually writes like a very wet broad nib. The pen was a hard starter when I first got it, and the tines were definitely misaligned under a loupe. I played (bent i daresay, but not really hard enough to bend) very very gingerly with it and wrote a lot with it, using force of will to get through the starting problems ("I will love this pen; I will love this pen; dear God, I don't want to send it back; I will love this pen, ...")

 

After several fillings (maybe five) and filling a couple of steno books of rough paper, and not having to tweak the nib any more in the last two months, I declare total victory. I really do love this pen! It starts all the time now, I don't even think it won't. I love the size and weight (I have a big, slow, ballistic writing style). I love the wetness so I can play with the wet lines after they go down. Just great.

 

I don't have any other Viscontis. I like plain, minimalist designs, so the more ornate ones don't attract me.

Edited August 15, 2019 by rebcabin

[jchch1950]

 

 

One pen that I am constantly getting requests to sell is the 20th anniversary Joon. Joon was a NY based company that commissioned this pen, and the body, clip and ink window are unique to this pen. I think it was made in 2001.

 

I

The Joon anniversary pen is one of my favorite writing instrument.