Glenn's Pens

Pens of Note

Visconti

In 1988, two friends created a business from their common passion for pens. Visconti is focused to be a niche manufacturer of pens and time pieces. Neither one is with the company anymore, but the mark of Dante Del Vecchio is still very present. (See Visconti Visit)

 

Visconti Medici

The Medici uses a new material Visconti calls "Acrosilk Resin". Visconti describes acrosilk as a compound of acrylic resin and silk fibers. This combination results in a material that hold a high gloss. Looking at my Medici, I say they were successful. The pen has a rich glossy, luminescent wood colour look. Visconti says they were wanting the pen to reflect the luxury materials that were used in the ancient Medici mansions found around Italy. (Yes, there is more than one!) The Medici collection is dedicated to one of the most important and powerful Italian dynasties that led the Florentine golden age.

 

I acquired my Visconti Medici while in Rome in September 2017. Of course, being in Rome means a visit to Novelli Pen. It is good to have traditions. Marco and I followed what is almost a ritual: I walk through the store viewing the showcases, Marco tells me about the individuals pens, and for those that I show an interest, he places the pen in a felt tray he carries.

We then go to the main counter, out comes a bottle of ink, and I try each of the individual pens. This is all very enjoyable. Then comes the hard part. I have to start the process of elimination. We talk more, I dip and wrote. Karen, my wife, then dips and tries thne pen. For the purchase, I need her endorsement. On this visit, one of the pens that remained was the Visconti Medici.

On a previous trip to Italy I had the opportunity to mee Dante Del Vecchio, one of the founders of Visconti, at his factory. We talked about his design process, toured the workshop and even had a great lunch. He was the force behind the company. He left Visconti at the beginning of 2017.

This pen, named the Medici, honours the Medici Family. Any history book on Italy provides information on this Italian family. It was a banking and political dynasty. Verry suitable that Dante would create the Medici pen as in the 15th Century the family held a wide influence and shaped shaped the artistic evolution of Florence. The pen’s shape was designed following the principles of the golden ratio. Its material, a combination of resin and silk fibre, is reminiscent of the exquisite Florentine stone mosaics visitors can admire in most Medici villas.

The rich brown tones of the pen immediately caught my eye. When I picked up the pen, and held it in my hand, it immediately went into the tray! The pen comees in two sizes and I selected the Oversized model. The pen sat in my hand comfortably. The Palladium plated ring, chiseled with the a lily which is the symbol of Florence, also caught the light in the room. This pen sparkled.

The Pen Body

The Golden Ratio, as codified by Leonardo da Vinci., is defines the relationship between the length of the pen and the cap. This mathematical proportion, often used in nature, symbolises the ideal of perfection and harmony. This is pure Dante Del Veccho. I like the facet shape of the body and cap. There are eight sides. As my hand moved the pen catches light from various angles and pen did seem to have a life of its own. I liked the faceted body as it meant I would not have to worry about the pen rolling off my desk onto the floor. The is stability and security with the body shape. Visconti ties the faceted body back to the history of Florence saying the body has the eight sides similar to the baptistery in Florence.

The cap posts on the end of the pen, and uses the hook-safe locking cap mechanism Visconti is famous for.

The Nib

In testing the pen it lived up to my first very positive impression. The pen is fitted with one of Visconti's wonderful Palladium plated 23 kt nibs. Viscounti calls these "Dreamtouch" nibs. Well described. This is an incredibly fine writing nib. Of course it write very smoothly with the sample paper found in pen stores. But I also wrote in my small notebook that is in my camera bag. Wonderful.

Visconti provides a range of nib widths. The oversized fountain pen come in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad and 1.3 mm stub widths. The regular sized pen also has the 23 kt nib, but is only available in Medium, Fine and Broad widths.

Ink Filling Method

The ink fill mechanism for the oversized model is the Visconti power filler. Screw the cap at the end of body, pull up the plunger, with the nib in the ink press the plunber down and the vaccum fills the ink chamber. The the Regular Size fountain pen, a cartridge or converter is used to hold the ink.

The Writing Experience

On returning to our apartment I loaded the pen with ink and immediately started using the pen to write in my travel journal.

The Dreamtouch nib just floated acreoss the smooth ClaireFountain paper of my Travel Journals. I had regular paper with me also, and the writing experience was just as good. Now that I am back, I am using the pen the variety of paper typically found in offices and I really like the writing experience with this pen.

The pen is large. I usually post the cap on the pen, but when I don't there is enough length in the body to comfortably sit in my hand.

I selected a Broad nib and the Visconti Broad is a true broad, and the pen lays a thick, rich line of ink as I write.

I have another Visconti pen in my collection. My experience with this brand has been very good.

Visconti Medici

Visconti Medici

 

OMAS 360

Visconti Medici