By Jennifer Houghton
After saving up many nickels, I ventured into Atlas Stationers to purchase a Visconti Ember. What I hadn’t counted on was the demand for the limited edition pen. The only one left in the store was a rollerball. So we all know how that landed with this fountain pen nerd.
I found my disappointment to be a verifiable response to my fear of missing out (FOMO) on a pen that I had been admiring from afar for apparently just a tad bit too long.
However, my new crush was there on the counter: the Visconti Homo Sapiens Dual Touch in Camouflage.
My preferences have evolved into pretty solid characteristics as I’ve explored fountain pens. One thing I require is a certain degree of heft. I want a pen that feels like it is made of something substantial without being overly cumbersome. The brass components of this Visconti make it feel exactly like a pen with purpose.
While anyone scanning my collection might notice a tendency towards blues, my favorite color is green. After seeing green leather on the body I was convinced. This pen not only fulfilled my desire to adjust the lopsided nature of the colors I possess, but makes it the most unique one I own. The contrast in materials is unlike anything I’ve encountered. The protective coating on the leather means I don’t have to worry about any oils on my hands when I am writing.
This is the first Visconti I’ve purchased since they began in-house nib production. In the past I have generally gravitated towards Medium nibs. But after testing the Medium, I was surprised to find that I needed a Broad nib to attain the same size of lettering with my handwriting. Something I am glad to have discussed in store prior to my purchase.
And there is nothing more fun than filling a Visconti pen with their power filler mechanism.
While I hope no one runs into a situation where their pen of choice is gone, I think the variety of options is one of the benefits of being a fountain pen enthusiast. Try to avoid FOMO and let us know what you have your eye on.
1 comment
Pictures of pens mentioned in the article to go with the blog post would be great!