Description :

Our sample arrived as part of a set - ballpen and fountain pen in an attractive metal box. The Omas Tokyo reviewed here, has a gold plated steel nib. A rarer 18KT gold nib version was also produced. Both versions are discontinued, however the eager collector can still find these pens for sale throughout the World.

Available in black, blue, green and persimmon pink. The pink pen was the original color of the designer and hence the most collectible. This is a simple pen with a stock Omas piston filler. Of note is the broad flat body of the nib and the unusual clip, both unique to this pen. A screw down plastic cap adds much needed balance when posted to what is, essentially, a standard size pen.

A plastic pen is a plastic pen and no amount of designer kudos can escape the awful feeling of writing with a moulded plastic pen. In it's defence the clean lines work well with the material and all our reviews felt comfortable writing with it.

Performance :

The big surprise came when we went to write with this pen. Sporting a gold plated steel nib, we were as much shocked as surprised by the writing performance of this pen. Our sample was a medium nib which laid down a line that could be best described as 'just right'. An excellent ability to control ink flow further enhanced its performance and their were no splaying, skipping or other artifacts normally associated with a plastic/steel assembly. Of particular note was the flexibility of the nib which was very smooth for all our reviewers without giving out a very wet line. We had to compare it to the Paragon and it fared well. Given that this pen is a fifth of the price of the Paragon, it turned in a remarkable performance. We put this down to the unusual geometry of the nib which angles sharply to the shoulders.

A huge reserve of ink was another nice surprise with this pen and it didn't complain about most inks, although the dreaded Penman ensured it clogged after an overnight rest with a full reservoir. If you're using this pen as a daily writer, the issue of longevity comes to mind; this is a plastic pen and the plastic does seem quite brittle. The clip is a major let-down, not to everyone's taste, it lacks any real flexibility and feels like it may break if stressed too hard.

Conclusion :

The Tokyo is an excellent writer. Originally inspired by Oriental simplicity and functionality (hence the 'Tokyo' moniker) this is a pen that was designed as a once off homage to Sottsass' skills as a designer. Admittedly inexpensive, it is a pity that Omas did not see fit to introduce some commercial realities into the equation and pay more attention to the material and the efficiency of the clip. Had they done so, this would, without doubt, have been a modern classic - a true investment.

As it stands it is an excellent pen, regardless of price. Whether to use it and risk destroying it or to simply collect it is a tough call, although, at the price you could always buy two !

Recommended

The Stipula Baracca.

(ikonZine Winter 99)
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Dimensions :

Height
capped closed : 5.3 inches
cap posted : 6.5 inches
sans cap : 4.8 inches

Barrel Circumference
1.625 inches approx. (widest point. Barrel tapers at both ends)

Production
Limited to 800 pens Worldwide.

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18KT Gold nib.

Decorated with the Stipula design; a graphic imprint of a nib and section.

Nibs widths : EF F M B

Long plastic, conical comb feed of extruded plastic.

Cap manufactured of Ebonite.

The cap features the Baracca Rearing Horse, an emblem used to this day by the Ferrari auto company. This is chased into the ebonite on both sides of the cap.

Clip is a small .925 silver, sprung leaf type in a turn of the (20th) century style.

The cap end features the Italian military medallion below the clip.
(not shown)

The cap is long, over half of the total body size.

Body is manufactured from Ebonite rods.

Segmented in the middle by a brass threaded screw, the barrel can separate into two. Sterling Silver outer ring with the Stipula logo covers the segment assembly.

Sleeve and Cartridge/Convertor fill with plastic cutter mechanism.

Sleeve mechanism is exposed on separation of the body segments.

Sleeve mechanism is sac based with two pressure bars in a steel housing for filling. An authentic turn of the Century Waterman style sleeve filler, it can be removed and replaced with a cartridge or Convertor (both supplied)

The Baracca signature appears on the barrel as does the production number of the pen.

Cap is engaged by screw threads and posted by a clutch mechanism.

Both a turn of the century and military design make this pen a genuinely unique piece. With an unusually fat feed and slim nib, Stipula describe this configuration as an 'In Theatre' design. This free flowing pen would be an asset for someone hoping to write very quickly!

Description :

Chased Black Ebonite with Sterling Silver trim, this is a turn of the century design using materials from the same period. Limited to a run of 800 fountain pens, the Baracca celebrates an Italian WW1 aviation hero; Franceso Baracca. The pen, box and accessories are imbued with World War one themes. The pen box is a yellow cylinder, draped in an Italian flag, reminiscent of a WW1 dispatch tube. The pen comes wrapped in a copy of an officers tunic pocket complete with attached dog tag. The documentation could pass for a novella, although the more pertinent instructions on how to switch from the sleeve filler to the cart/conv. mechanism are missing. This is a wonderful pen. It is genuinely like holding a 100 year old pen in your hands. Even the overstimulated writing on the barrel cannot detract from the wonderful design and ingenious mechanisms, which are only a foretaste of the good things to come.

Of a size similar to the Cross Townsend (the body is slightly smaller and thinner) discussed last issue, this pen was originally designed for the trench fighting male. However, it must be borne in mind that this was pre- 20's and the large pen had yet to come into common currency and by modern standards this is not a large pen. The pen cap is quite long and makes a difference to the balance of the pen when posted. Those who prefer a smaller pen, can use the Baracca sans cap. Those who prefer a bigger pen can add length and weight by posting the cap. All our reviewers felt comfortable writing with this pen.

Performance :

To start with; getting to grips with swapping in and out the sleeve filler made solving the Rubik's Cube look like child's play, an inadequate manual and a fear of destroying the pen, hindered our initial efforts. The sleeve housing unscrews from the nib end of the barrel, whilst the top end has to be squeezed gently out. We got there eventually and the whole sleeve filler housing comes away from the pen. The convertor slipped in nicely. It seemed an odd size at first, but a Waterman convertor worked just as well. No problems fitting cartridges (2 supplied). Filling via the sleeve is not recommended for the large of hand. The housing itself is quite small and the actual space for squeezing the sac is tiny - don't cut your fingers!

We eventually got down to writing with this pen and everyone commented on its size, and how easy it was to write with. One reviewer claimed it was on the narrow side for him, but perfectly adequate, even still, for letter writing. The weight and balance of the Baracca are superb and this is definitely a pen that crosses the collectible/usable divide with aplomb. No negative comments at all on the pen's weight and balance.

We had little luck with a medium nib version that was supplied and it skipped heartily until fed some MB blue, which gave us enough writing time to find out that the flexibility of the nib coupled with the freeflowing feed ensured a very wet line. One reviewer stated that this was a perfect modern example of a vintage nib reborn. However, we swapped in a fine nib and our skipping problem disappeared and we were in general consensus that this nib and feed combination was the best one yet to pass through iKonZine's hands. A beautiful, flexible, comfortable nib coupled with the excellent weight and balance of the this pen, made sure it made its way into all our reviewers hearts.

We suffered no problems with the fine nib on this sample and were sure that a few adjustments to the medium nib was all that was needed to get it up and running properly. The medium gives a very wet line and the fine is easily the equivalent of most other manufacturers medium, a point the prospective purchaser should bear in mind. Both the downstroke and sidestroke are of equal width on the nib and the physical nib size is in keeping with the rest of the pen.

No problems with drying out or stalling, although a regular cleaning of the pen is recommended. It does dry out quickly and as mentioned, this is a genuine turn of the century design, with all its flaws and foibles. Another point to remember is the facility for ebonite to scratch and break. Careful handling all round is called for here. The Baracca is not a pen to throw in a briefcase, it could look 100 years old in no time with improper handling! Different inks fared well, but in fairness to the reader, because of the problems with the nib we were unable to fully test against the usual round of inks for long term effects, though I suspect that in this case, the ebonite barrel is hardy enough to withstand the modern solutions that go to make up current production ink.

Conclusion :

As limited editions go, this is an inexpensive pen. Great care and attention to its design is obvious and it stands alone as a uniquely designed pen. Its retro looks are complemented by the materials used. It takes some getting used to and collectors who regularly wish they could take apart their pen will relish the Baracca. It is good to know that pens like this are still being manufactured. There were no complaints with its performance whatsoever, once it was up and running. The packing and documentation are also unique, although more attention could have been paid to the instructions on how to use the pen. The accompanying story of Baracca himself was a fun read and adds to the value and life of the pen. The only caveat seems to be the size of the pen; those who prefer a bigger pen for writing with should take care to judge the size of the pen correctly. With the cap posted it is quite long, although over-all it is a slim pen and may not be to some tastes. Stipula's attention to materials and their excellent ability to bring to life some older designs are very evident in this pen. The fact that it writes so well and the use of the dual mechanism, its poise and heritage make this an iKonZine star pen. Highly recommended

The Montegrappa Symphony.

(ikonZine Winter 99)
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Dimensions :

Height
capped closed : 5.5 inches.
cap posted : 6.75 inches.
sans cap : 4.63 inches.

Barrel Circumference
1.625 inches approx.

Production
Although still available; current production has ceased due to a scarcity of celluloid.

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18kt TT Gold nib.

Available in EF F M B BB OB

Large plastic comb feed of extruded plastic.

Greek keyband imprint on the nib.

Distinctive heart shaped vent hole.

Pearlized celluloid cap.Sterling silver clip and trim.

Clip is sprung leaf type Montegrappa clip with rollerball. A clip for monogramming is also available on request.

Cap end is Sterling Silver with the '1912' logo engraving.

Cap is screw thread with plastic inner screw threads.

Cap top has silver disc embedded for clip mechanism.

Cartridge/Convertor fill.

Pearlized celluloid barrel.

Faceted (Octagonal) untapered Barrel.

Section and barrel end are sterling silver.

Barrel end is threaded for cap.

Introduced as a new series in 1997, the company suffered a fire which destroyed the celluloid necessary for production. A medium priced pen, the sterling silver trim makes this a good buy in its price category.

Description :

A number of colors are available; Red, Blue, Charcoal, Parchment, Yellow and Green.

Beautifully packaged in a proper spring loaded, vinyl covered box, the Montegrappa came with a handsome catalog and cleaning cloth. The packaging added to the luxury feel of the pen. In an instant the owner knows they are handling a well made product. Close tolerance engineering with threaded Silver trim offset against the beautiful pearlized celluloid make this a very lovely pen to hold. The celluloid's tactile feel is as good as it looks; a great pen to handle. The one glaring caveat to the excellent build of this pen is the plastic screw threads on the inner barrel. Firstly, they tend to destroy the impression of a well made pen, more worryingly we had to pass through three pens before we found one where the cap posted with the clip facing down on the nib, a major design oversight. Everyone commented on the looks of this pen. An esoteric power pen which understates by lack of ornamentation, the nib design is expertly done and very, very lovely. The color of the review pen (blue as shown) sits well against the white tones of the Silver and gives the pen a more contemporary look than some of the other colors, which don't work so well.

Performance :

The Silver trim adds weight to the pen and with the cap posted the pen is ever so slightly top heavy. Given the overall weight of the pen, this helps for prolonged writing. Montegrappa state that the weight of the pen is balanced toward the nib, we found no evidence of that, and found the balance just to the top of centre on the pen. This is quite a heavy pen, heavier than a Duofold Centennial. Whilst the heft also adds to the luxury of the pen, it was not to everyone's tastes.

A cartridge/Convertor fill, the Montegrappa convertor holds more ink than most by virtue of its longer column. The convertor worked well in this pen and better, in some instances, than other brand piston fillers. Again, this is a quality pen and the flow of ink only added to this impression. Our sample had a Medium nib which was well controlled and is, without doubt, one of the best contemporary nibs on the market in terms of both performance and design. Very smooth, though not exceptionally flexible, (it is not as flexible as an M800 nib), it was a delight to write with for all our reviewers. There was no variation in line width from the nib. The pen never flinched from giving a good account from itself when writing. You could pay a lot more money for a lot less performance.

Different inks caused little problem and Penman's Sapphire worked well. Drying out did not occur after a weeks storage and there were no drying out, stalling or skipping with this pen whilst writing.

The weight and balance of the Symphony was not to everyone's taste with one reviewer claiming it was simply too heavy and top balanced for him to write with, he had better luck with the cap unposted, but then complained the pen was too 'stubby'. If you prefer a lighter pen, this one may take some getting used to. Apart from that there were no problems. Although little in the way of facts, the Pelikan M800 and Parker Duofold were mentioned a lot during the review of this pen and it is firmly in the contemporary pen stable with a smooth, slightly stiff nib and a slightly top heavy, hefty body. The Symphony is, without doubt, one of the best convertor fill pens on the market.

Conclusion :

The wonderful feel of the celluloid, its vibrant understated looks and its inexpensive price make this a very attractive pen. The quality is first rate, let down only by the plastic inner cap threads. For a contemporary pen it is a very good writer. The M800 was the only nib we could find to better it, in terms of performance and build. However, this fact is more than compensated for the Symphony's superior styling and design.

This is a very modern pen, that doesn't pretend to be anything else. Unadorned, it stands as a homage to understated elegance and as for performance, in the M800 v Duofold v Paragon debate, it certainly should not be overlooked. Highly recommended