Visconti Metropolis LE Closeouts

[Bryant]

Here we go more closeouts...

Shipping with in the CONUS is 7.55, everywhere else is priority at cost.

 

Up for sale are Viscontis Metropolis Limited Edition fountain pens (I also have access to the roller balls)

I have both the silver version and gun metal. They have the Gordian knot, and are Limited to 288. I have fine, medium and one broad right now, and am trying to get more broads. I only have a limited supply of these, and when they are gone they are gone. MSRP on them are $895. My price is $350, email me if you want both styles or just two, for a better deal.

I also have one of each roller balls in stock also with retractable nibs, that I am selling at my cost to help Visconti USA/ Fine writing out for $199.

So if you have wanted to buy a Metropolis, but never wanted to pay retail, you like the Metropolis, but dont like getting fingerprints all over you pen (Its not as bad with Knot design), you like retractable nibs and you like piston fillers. Then these are for you.

 

Now the pics

 

Gun Metal

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0407-1.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0408-1.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0409-1.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0410-1.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0413-1.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0414-1.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0417-2.jpg

 

 

 

Sterling silver

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0418-2.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0420-2.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0421-2.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0422-2.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0428.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0427-1.jpg

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0425-2.jpg

[Tony the Tiger]

What a cool pen. Never seen one before. I'm sure it's not as covenient as a Pilot VP, but how does it compare to a MB Boheme or a Stipula DaVinci?

[Bryant]

What a cool pen. Never seen one before. I'm sure it's not as covenient as a Pilot VP, but how does it compare to a MB Boheme or a Stipula DaVinci?

I have never used a DaVinci, so I cant compare there, but I am pretty sure its thinner.

Its thinner than an MB, but longer, and it is a piston filler unlike a MB, which only takes Cartridges... And of course price wise, I am pretty sure, its smokes both of them, on new prices...

[Deirdre]

Significantly thinner than a Stipula Davinci or Boheme. It's thinner than the VP as well. If you've seen a Visconti Opera-series pen, it's very similar to those.

[Tony the Tiger]

OK, thanks for the update. Retractable nibs intrigue me. I think it would be cool to have an LA91, but I'm not so sure about the practicality of it. My VP is SO convenient. It has kinda spoiled me to other type retractable mechanisms, I'm sure.

[Yogi4point2]

PM sent on the RB version.

[Imp Boy]

Oh my, that is tempting. How large are these pens, relative to say a Visconti Van Gogh or Parker 51? And how does the cap stay on, a clutch ring?

 

Muchas Gracias,

Evan

[Deirdre]

The cap is screw-on. I don't currently have a Van Gogh, and I've never had a Parker 51, so someone else would have to post a picture.

 

My recollection is that it's about as long as a Maxi, but thinner. Similar to an Opera; it's essentially an overlay on a variant of an Opera body.

[Doug C]

How heavy?

 

Can you use it unposted?

 

[Bryant]

Oh my, that is tempting. How large are these pens, relative to say a Visconti Van Gogh or Parker 51? And how does the cap stay on, a clutch ring?

 

Muchas Gracias,

Evan

Its longer than a Van gogh Midi and about the same as a maxi, but posted its much longer than both. The cap fits perfectly on the end with a clutch ring.

 

The cap is screw-on. I don't currently have a Van Gogh, and I've never had a Parker 51, so someone else would have to post a picture.

 

My recollection is that it's about as long as a Maxi, but thinner. Similar to an Opera; it's essentially an overlay on a variant of an Opera body.

Thanks D!

 

How heavy?

 

Can you use it unposted?

I will weigh it when I get home, but yes it can be used unposted.

Cheers!

Bry

[MDI]

The Metropolis LE is a very striking pen. I've seen both the silver and gunmetal versions and either of them is quite remarkable in its own way in person. Large and heavy pens, they are perhaps some of the most elaborately engineered contemporary writing instruments. The design looks modern due to the shape and is conceptually based on the New York City skyline. The Gordian knot engraving of Alexander the Great fame is an interesting twist (heh...) on top of the NYC theme.

 

A couple of things you should know about the Metropolis:

 

1. It's a safety pen. Yes, the cap has a flush rubber seal that touches the top of the pen's section when you close the cap and seals the nib inside, so it cannot leak onto your shirt. You can see that the cap is not fully hollow inside just by looking into it. The rubber seal is as deep inside as the section advances into the cap. And, yes, the threads are on the very end of the section, just like in the old safeties.

 

2. It's also a piston, not a plunger mechanism. You turn the piston knob and the piston seal moves up and down inside the ink chamber.

 

3. In order to expose the piston knob, you click (push on) the piston knob and it pops out, sort of like the tip in a click ball point pen. When you push it again, it goes deeper inside and stays dormant so that it is not accidentally turned during the retractable nib operation.

 

4. In order to expose the nib, you turn the end part of the pen, there is a knob which operates similarly to a Montblanc Boheme retractable. You can do it with a cap attached, or without posting. If you post the pen, it's easy to retract the nib back and forth for writing pauses. It's a well designed system that works.

 

5. To fill the pen, you turn to expose the nib, click the piston, turn it to empty out air, then dunk into the bottle and twist the knob to draw ink. Then you click the tip again to hide the piston knob. In order to clear the underside of the nib from excess ink, you retract the nib and expose it again, and wait for excess ink to drop back into the inkwell (or wipe it with a napkin). Now the pen is ready to be used normally.

 

6. I am not sure what the piston capacity is, but I would guess it to be around 1.5 ml, or about 30 drops of ink. This is my subjective estimate and I could be completely wrong about ink capacity. There is no ink window.

 

7. Everything is designed to align and there are rubber gaskets in place to ensure that each part fits just right without "play." It's easy to learn the mechanism and use the pen quickly once you do it a couple of times. This pen is fun to use both posted and un-posted.

 

So... it's a "safety, retractable nib, push-button retractable twist piston filler," or simply one of the most fascinating modern mechanisms ever built for a pen. In fact, Visconti literature is proud of itself and says that you can demonstrate the pen and impress your mates. The pen feels solid and operates with precision. I recommend this to Visconti silver overlay and metal pen collectors, and also to those who are interested in peculiar pen mechanisms.

Edited March 18, 2009 by MDI

[youstruckgold]

The Metropolis LE is a very striking pen. I've seen both the silver and gunmetal versions and either of them is quite remarkable in its own way in person. Large and heavy pens, they are perhaps some of the most elaborately engineered contemporary writing instruments. The design looks modern due to the shape and is conceptually based on the New York City skyline. The Gordian knot engraving of Alexander the Great fame is an interesting twist (heh...) on top of the NYC theme.

 

A couple of things you should know about the Metropolis:

 

1. It's a safety pen. Yes, the cap has a flush rubber seal that touches the top of the pen's section when you close the cap and seals the nib inside, so it cannot leak onto your shirt. You can see that the cap is not fully hollow inside just by looking into it. The rubber seal is as deep inside as the section advances into the cap. And, yes, the threads are on the very end of the section, just like in the old safeties.

 

2. It's also a piston, not a plunger mechanism. You turn the piston knob and the piston seal moves up and down inside the ink chamber.

 

3. In order to expose the piston knob, you click (push on) the piston knob and it pops out, sort of like the tip in a click ball point pen. When you push it again, it goes deeper inside and stays dormant so that it is not accidentally turned during the retractable nib operation.

 

4. In order to expose the nib, you turn the end part of the pen, there is a knob which operates similarly to a Montblanc Boheme retractable. You can do it with a cap attached, or without posting. If you post the pen, it's easy to retract the nib back and forth for writing pauses. It's a well designed system that works.

 

5. To fill the pen, you turn to expose the nib, click the piston, turn it to empty out air, then dunk into the bottle and twist the knob to draw ink. Then you click the tip again to hide the piston knob. In order to clear the underside of the nib from excess ink, you retract the nib and expose it again, and wait for excess ink to drop back into the inkwell (or wipe it with a napkin). Now the pen is ready to be used normally.

 

6. I am not sure what the piston capacity is, but I would guess it to be around 1.5 ml, or about 30 drops of ink. This is my subjective estimate and I could be completely wrong about ink capacity. There is no ink window.

 

7. Everything is designed to align and there are rubber gaskets in place to ensure that each part fits just right without "play." It's easy to learn the mechanism and use the pen quickly once you do it a couple of times. This pen is fun to use both posted and un-posted.

 

So... it's a "safety, retractable nib, push-button retractable twist piston filler," or simply one of the most fascinating modern mechanisms ever built for a pen. In fact, Visconti literature is proud of itself and says that you can demonstrate the pen and impress your mates. The pen feels solid and operates with precision. I recommend this to Visconti silver overlay and metal pen collectors, and also to those who are interested in peculiar pen mechanisms.

Wow!

 

I was a buyer BEFORE I read your description! (you had me at "a couple of things")

[esquire]

Nice looking pen indeed. If I wasn't so taken by the Visconti Civilization Roma FP on your website (hint: sell it to me), I could maybe consider this beauty.

 

Good luck!

[Dave_g]

PM sent

 

[Bryant]

So they weigh 49 grams capped...

All silver versions are gone or on hold, as well as fine nibs...

[Bryant]

The Metropolis LE is a very striking pen. I've seen both the silver and gunmetal versions and either of them is quite remarkable in its own way in person. Large and heavy pens, they are perhaps some of the most elaborately engineered contemporary writing instruments. The design looks modern due to the shape and is conceptually based on the New York City skyline. The Gordian knot engraving of Alexander the Great fame is an interesting twist (heh...) on top of the NYC theme.

 

A couple of things you should know about the Metropolis:

 

1. It's a safety pen. Yes, the cap has a flush rubber seal that touches the top of the pen's section when you close the cap and seals the nib inside, so it cannot leak onto your shirt. You can see that the cap is not fully hollow inside just by looking into it. The rubber seal is as deep inside as the section advances into the cap. And, yes, the threads are on the very end of the section, just like in the old safeties.

 

2. It's also a piston, not a plunger mechanism. You turn the piston knob and the piston seal moves up and down inside the ink chamber.

 

3. In order to expose the piston knob, you click (push on) the piston knob and it pops out, sort of like the tip in a click ball point pen. When you push it again, it goes deeper inside and stays dormant so that it is not accidentally turned during the retractable nib operation.

 

4. In order to expose the nib, you turn the end part of the pen, there is a knob which operates similarly to a Montblanc Boheme retractable. You can do it with a cap attached, or without posting. If you post the pen, it's easy to retract the nib back and forth for writing pauses. It's a well designed system that works.

 

5. To fill the pen, you turn to expose the nib, click the piston, turn it to empty out air, then dunk into the bottle and twist the knob to draw ink. Then you click the tip again to hide the piston knob. In order to clear the underside of the nib from excess ink, you retract the nib and expose it again, and wait for excess ink to drop back into the inkwell (or wipe it with a napkin). Now the pen is ready to be used normally.

 

6. I am not sure what the piston capacity is, but I would guess it to be around 1.5 ml, or about 30 drops of ink. This is my subjective estimate and I could be completely wrong about ink capacity. There is no ink window.

 

7. Everything is designed to align and there are rubber gaskets in place to ensure that each part fits just right without "play." It's easy to learn the mechanism and use the pen quickly once you do it a couple of times. This pen is fun to use both posted and un-posted.

 

So... it's a "safety, retractable nib, push-button retractable twist piston filler," or simply one of the most fascinating modern mechanisms ever built for a pen. In fact, Visconti literature is proud of itself and says that you can demonstrate the pen and impress your mates. The pen feels solid and operates with precision. I recommend this to Visconti silver overlay and metal pen collectors, and also to those who are interested in peculiar pen mechanisms.

Wow! You are hired!

 

What he said

[Deirdre]

I've also gotta say: Visconti produced a video for the Metropolis. It's a hoot. I don't know how I wound up with one with my order, but I loved it.

[Dave_g]

I've also gotta say: Visconti produced a video for the Metropolis. It's a hoot. I don't know how I wound up with one with my order, but I loved it.

 

Hi, Can you post the video on youtube? Dave

[Deirdre]

I've also gotta say: Visconti produced a video for the Metropolis. It's a hoot. I don't know how I wound up with one with my order, but I loved it.

 

Hi, Can you post the video on youtube? Dave

Aside from the conversion issue, I don't have permission to, and it's also longer than YouTube permits.

[Bryant]

A shameless bump :embarrassed_smile:

Only Medium nibs left, but I did get one more Silver version and have a few Gun Metal left...