Tibaldi- The Collection

[Vicary]

To go along with the post of all of the colors of modern Omas celluloid, here's another of my key collections. It's all of the colors of Tibaldi celluloid. These are the Tibaldis made in the 90s, not the current Aquila brand models. I believe these were actually produced by Stipula. Some of the celluloid stock has worked its way to other manufacturers, with Bexley also doing some nice things with them.

 

The LE colors came in one size/shape, but the regular three colors were available as FP, BP, or MP in the larger Modello 60 or smaller Modello 50 sizes. The pens pictured are Modello 60 FPs.

 

 

Regular production, from left to right:

Gold with Blue Veins- I've heard this called Havana Brown. I don't believe that was what it was called. This is the best color from the regular range IMO, and the hardest to find of the Tibaldis. The brown/gold has real depth and the blue is a deep ultramarine. I have a Bexley Owner's Club pen and a Submariner Grand in this color, as well as a Stipula WES pen.

Red/Green- I call this Campbell's Tomato Soup red. Sort of an orangey red with green flecks. Cool color, but probably my least favorite. I have it in a Bexley Owner's Club pen, but skipped on the Submariner. Kind of wish I hadn't now. Stipula used it for one of their WES pens and the Etruria Volterra LE. Also used by Molteni.

Cream with Blue Veins- Probably the most common color. The cream can look fairly green in some examples. I have the FPH Etruria LE in this material, and have seen a Bexley America the Beautiful pen in this color as well.

 

LEs, from left to right:

Transparente- Blue and black marbled with a yellowish clear element in the barrel. I actually think the barrel and cap are different materials. The cap appears to be blue and black marbled, and the barrel is blue and clear, but appears to be painted black in part from the inside, hiding the piston filling mechanism and only allowing the ink reservoir to be seen. I've not seen this material used anywhere else.

Iride- Similar to the Transparente, but with a rust-red instead of blue. Also features a different filling system- a sort of pump/vac system instead of the piston filler all the other Tibaldis used. I've not seen this material used elsewhere.

Impero- My other favorite. Cool, sparkling greys with veins of brilliant electric blue. I have the Bexley Owner's Club and Submariner Grande Pens in this material. Also used by Molteni. I believe Stipula used it for their WES LEs as well.

Bononia- Green pearl, a very vintage looking material on a vintage looking pen. The green's a little flat though, lacking the depth the other celluloids have. Not used again.

 

Hope you enjoyed!

 

-Doug

 

[PaulK]

Truly beautiful pens. About that red & green one, I like the coloration as well. If I was calling it my "least favorite", it would still be in my daily rotation.

 

 

-P

[errantmarginalia]

Thanks for the post, Doug. The Impero and Trasparente are without a doubt amongst my favorites, and the gold and blue is still on my "to acquire soon" list. Regards,

David

[lex]

the correct names for the red and the brown 60's

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2260/2451421491_5921304057.jpg

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2403/2451421497_2f0069dbaa.jpg

 

[Vicary]

Lex-

 

Thanks for that. Makes me think I should go up and dig out the boxes! I guess Havana Blue it is...

 

-Doug

[Tom L]

I have a Pens Plus Etruria Amalfi LE in (what I now know is called) the Rosso-Verde. No picture, but great pen. Also have a Watley and Father of Watley in the material.

Edited April 30, 2008 by Tom L

[omasfan]

Incredible collection! These are amongst the most beautiful celluloids produced in the nineties.

[saintsimon]

While the only Tibaldi I own is the beautiful Impero (white nib, no serial numbers), I also own a Stipula LE, where they reused the red/green celluloid with a quite appropriate naming: on the Stipula Brunelleschi LE it was called/engraved "Terra di Siena" (there were a blue/green celluloid a version of the Brunelleschi LE and two Sterling Silver versions as well), as the red parts resemble terrakotta colours.

 

 

(left to right: Visconti Moonlight Voyager pink gold vermeil, Stipula Brunelleschi "Terra di Siena", Omas "The Cinema" LE)

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6295/bruncinemoon2ka9.jpg

 

Edited April 30, 2008 by saintsimon

[Vicary]

Here the other pens I have in my collection that are made from the Tibaldi celluloid. Again, they're Stipulas or Bexleys. There are some Moltenis also made from these materials, but they're made by Bexley so I'm counting them as Bexleys.

 

From left to right:

Stipula Etruria FPH LE. Called the Columbia maybe?

Bexley Owner's Club Pen (not regular production)

Bexley Al Mayman Poseidon LE

Bexley Owner's Club LE

Bexley Submariner Grande (not regular production)

Stipula WES LE

Bexley Owner's Club LE

Bexley Submariner Grande (not regular production)

 

Again, to the best of my knoweldge, the Transparente, Iride, and Bononia celluloids have not been used again. I'd be interested to see if anyone has anything in one of those materials...