Visconti, Waterman, Wearever

Visconti Pens

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Visconti Opera Club

Color: Red & Black
Material: Resin
Filler: Cartridge/Converter
Date c. 2008
Nib: M 18K
Working? Yes

Ah, Visconti, how I love thee! The fact that I am a bit of an Italian history buff just adds to my love for these pens. (Sidenote: in the Middle Ages, the Visconti coat of arms was a basilisk devouring a child. (see it here) Ghastly, right? But even today, you can see that greedy serpent on the front of any Alfa Romeo. True thing, go look up the Alfa Romeo logo if you don’t believe me!) But back to the pen: This pen is pen lust embodied. Crimson marbled with gleaming gold, a big, engraved nib that writes like silk… It’s love! I think the Club series was a limited edition, and I have only ever seen one other like it for sale. I keep this one inked up with my other Italian love, Dante Alighieri, the ruby red ink from De Atramentis, although I have found that with the Noodler’s Eel ‘Rattler Red,’ I get even more expressive writing from it.

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Visconti Opera Elements 'Fire'

Color: Red & White marble
Material: Resin
Filler: Cartridge/Converter
Date c. 2010
Nib: M 18K
Working? Yes

Do I need two Visconti Operas? Well, sure! These are just such stunningly luxurious pens, they seem almost decadent to own, never mind use! Still, I use them often, because they just feel so darned good in the hand. This is from the “Elements” collection, and is much like its cousin below. However, this one features a nifty ‘twist-click’ cap mechanism that I really like. And naturally, a dream to write with!

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Visconti Rembrandt

Color: Orange
Material: Resin
Filler: Cartridge/Converter
Date c. 2015
Nib: Steel Flex / Steel Italic
Working? Yes

Have I mentioned I love orange pens? So when the Rembrandt calligraphy kit showed up in my inbox in one of FPH’s ‘special sales,’ I leapt. Boy, am I glad I did! I know Viscontis get a lot of flak, but I adore them, and this is no exception. I will say the flex nib isn’t all that flexy, especially in contrast to a genuine vintage flex nib, but it’s a nice nib for practicing. And the italic is fantastic! Much better flow than any calligraphy italic I’ve used. Nice solid piece, with a nifty magnetic click-lock cap.

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Visconti Van Gogh Maxi

Color: Evergreen
Material: Enalem over brass
Filler: Cartridge/Converter
Date c. 2008
Nib: M Steel, custom ground to stub
Working? Yes

This is one of the first set of VanGogh pens, before they were based on specific paintings, and personally, I liked that series better than the newer ones. It’s a solid, hefty pen, with a shimmering finish. Plated nib, but still an excellent writer, especially now that it has been given the famed Pendleton Point ‘Butter-line Stub’ treatment. Shimmering green with golds and browns – no photo will do it justice. Nice weighty feel in the hand, and holds loads of ink. Fantastic spring-loaded clip, too.


Waterman Pens

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Waterman Ideal Nº 0552½ V

Color: Gold chased
Material: Gold fill over BHR
Filler: Lever
Date c. 1930
Nib: 14K F #2 flex
Working? No

I had to put a quarter in the nib shot, so you can get an idea how impossibly dainty it is! The nib is fairly flexible (though falling well short of what I’d call ‘wet-noodle’) and writes a gorgeous copperplate script, and puts down a nice smooth line without variance as well. Pencil still has lead, and these darlings are in such beautiful shape! With the original blue velvet box, with vintage Waterman’s instructions!

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Waterman 3V

Color: Steel quarts (grey with rust streaks)
Material: Celluloid
Filler: Lever
Date c. 1935
Nib: 14K F flex
Working? Yes

This may be one of those great writers that’s not as showy as some other pens. It’s a nice steel-grey marble shot with russet, with silvertone appointments. But the nib is a smooth, flexy champion. Does gorgeous copperplate style script, or it will with practice….

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Waterman Kultur

Color: Reflectis Green
Material: Resin?
Filler: Cartridge/Converter
Date c. 2000
Nib: Steel F
Working? No

Same exact pen as the Orange, but with a green, blue, purple shimmer. (Yes, there was a nail polish like this, too! LOL) These are both stunning pens, and generally solid writers.

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Waterman Kultur

Color: Reflectis Orange
Material: Resin?
Filler: Cartridge/Converter
Date c. 2000
Nib: Steel F
Working? Yes

his is essentially a simplified (in other words ‘cheaper’), version of the Phileas. Solid reliable, no muss no fuss pen. What gets me it the colors in the Reflectis series! It says Orange, but really, it’s orange, red, pink, gold, even hints of green in certain lights. (This may be a crazy way to describe it, but Sally Hansen made a nail polish called Amber Ruby that had the same multi-color, iridescent shimmer, and I loved that, too. Very eye-catching finish! Clear section and feed.

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Waterman Lady Patricia

Color: Red
Material: Celluloid
Filler: Lever
Date c. 1932
Nib: 14K F, slight flex
Working? Yes

Another tiny jewel from Waterman. This one has the ‘Ink-Vue’ barrel, and a modified double-action lever/bulb fill mechanism. In superb shape, with great clarity, no discoloration.

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Waterman Phileas

Color: Black
Material: Plastic?
Filler: Cartridge/Converter
Date c. 1990
Nib: M Steel
Working? Yes

After finally realizing the virtues of my blue Phileas, I leapt at the chance to grab another one when a member of FPN was selling the kit for around $30. Oddly, it doesn’t *quite* behave as well as the blue, but it’s still a great little pen.

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Waterman Phileas

Color: Blue Marble
Material: Plastic?
Filler: Cartridge/Converter
Date c. 1990
Nib: M Steel
Working? Yes

I bought this pen for a relative over 15 years ago. She gave it back, so I gave it to my mom, and SHE gave it back! Now that I’ve messed with it again, I’m not sure why I kept giving it away. It’s a nice solid little pen. Granted, it’s fairly lightweight plastic, and the marbling isn’t exactly subtle (I think it’s a printed design, but I can’t be sure), and the nib is steel, which is generally not my preference. Still, it’s a smooth and reliable writer, fairly wet, not skippy or scratchy. A good pen to take along when I’m just out and about, and would be afraid to take some of my treasures.


Wearever Pens

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Wearever 'Tiger'

Color: Tiger striped tan & black
Material: Resin?
Filler: Lever
Date c. 1940s
Nib: M Steel
Working? Yes

I just love the finish on this pen. I’ve seen this ‘tiger stripe’ in green and grey, but the bronze really works. A lovely little writer, too!

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Wearever Pen/Pencil

Color: Black
Material: Celluloid or plastic?
Filler: Lever
Date c. 1940s
Nib: M/F Steel
Working? Yes

The pen/pencil duos absolutely fascinate me! This is a lovely example, with a stunningly smooth nib for a third tier pen, and a pencil that advances perfectly. A smart, and very ‘deco’ looking combo! This one ends up getting used a lot, and never fails to get comments.

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Wearever Pioneer

Color: Jade
Material: Celluloid
Filler: Lever
Date c. 1920
Nib: M 14K
Working? Yes

This pen may have some of the best coloring for 1920s jade celluloid I have ever seen. It’s absolutely brilliant. Some brassing to the cap band and lever, but minimal wear. Has a good sac and the nib is a smooth writer, now that I’ve managed to sweet talk the tines into proper alignment.