The Aurora 88 is one of the best Italian fountain pens ever produced and is, without question, the most commercially successful Italian fountain pen of all time.
The 88 was designed by architect Marcello Nizzoli in the late 1940s and features a streamlined style with a hooded nib and a metal slip cap much like the Parker 51.
Because of its commercial success the Aurora 88 is not a rare pen and as such prices are reasonable (unlike most vintage Italian pens). Nice examples of the original 88 model can be had for $100-$200. I particularly like the Nikargenta capped version as this silver material was only available on the original model unlike the rolled gold, chrome and solid gold versions.
The Aurora 88 is a true workhorse and makes an excellent everyday pen. Compared to the standard-size Parker 51, the 88 is slightly fatter and heavier. The added weight and girth make the 88 feel more expensive than the 51.
The 88’s 14kt hooded nib is more exposed than the Parker 51s allowing more flexibility and line variation. The 88 also features a piston filler with an ink view window.
I had a hard time coming up with negatives for the 88…it’s a really good pen all around. It’s (relatively) affordable, it’s hard working, it writes well, it looks and feels good…
I suspect that the (aerometric) Parker 51 is a slightly tougher pen with it’s ultra durable filling system and more protected nib but the Aurora is more fun to write with.
I highly recommend the Aurora 88, it is excellent.
About a year or so ago I saw the Pilot Super Ultra 500 on the Fountain Pen Network and I was blown away by its beautiful design. The hunt began and in September I was able to locate one in Italy.
The filling system needed a new sac so I sent it over to John Mottishaw for refurbishment. Now that I have had it in my hands for a few months I thought I would share my thoughts on this awesome pen.
Side note: It has occurred to me on a number of occasions that it is a bit silly to use a point rating system in my reviews as they are arbitrary despite my efforts to be objective as possible. I have found reviews of vintage pens to be the most problematic as the qualities of the same make and model can vary dramatically from one pen to the other and as such, it would be a mistake to fully extrapolate my experience (of one example) to another
Appearance
The black plastic version is the most beautiful (and luckily the most common) 500. The ones with gold filled caps lose the wonderful mirrored design that make this pen so fantastic.
The inlaid gold nib is gorgeous and despite all of this beauty that I keep harping on about the pen is a reserved and understated elegance that I find very appealing.
Gold tassie at the end of the barrel.
This pen ticks all of the design boxes for me.
Score: 5/5
Build Quality
The majority of products that come out of Japan today are of a very high quality and I am certainly happy to pay a premium for a “made in Japan” product but in 1958 the sentiment was different; Japan was considered an emerging market that produced more affordable products. Does this have an affect on the quality of pens coming out of Japan in the late 50? I don’t know BUT I can confidently say that the 500 is of a high quality. Would consider it superior to a Montblanc or OMAS from the same time period? No, not really.
The black plastic body has held up quite well and the rolled 14kt gold trim is well done, though there is wear on the bottom of the cap ring.
From reading Bruno Taut’s wonderful articles on the 500 (please see the links to his site, Crónicas Estilográficas, at the bottom of this review) I learned that the 500 was considered to costly to manufacture and as a result was only produced for a couple of years.
Score: 3/5
Size & Weight
The 500 measures 14.1cm long capped and 12.7cm uncapped and 1.2cm at its widest point. The 500 weighs a comfortable 18.3 grams. This is a very nicely sized pen that I have had no problem writing with for extended periods of time.
Score: 4/5
Performance
The nib writes with an extra fine line by western standards but find the nib to be quite smooth despite it’s point size.
With a bit of pressure the solid 14kt gold nib does offer some line variation, though I am cautious not to push too hard as any damage to this nib would be a small tragedy.
I have not had any issues with hard starting or skipping. It is by all accounts a great nib.
Score: 4/5
Filling System
The 500 has what is known as a “switch” or “quarter turn” filling system. To fill you insert the nib into a bottle of ink and move the notch 90 degrees, this makes the pressure bar squeeze the sac just like on a regular lever filler.
When I received the 500 I tested the mechanism and the sac had dried out. I asked a couple of well known restorers/nib meisters and to my surprise the first three said they wouldn’t work on the pen, not having worked on one before. John Mottishaw agreed to do the work and upon return the pen functioned beautifully.
When the pen ran out of ink I flushed it a few times and RATS! the pressure bar detached from the switch and back to Mottishaw again it went. This time he beefed up the internals a bit and it seems to be working.
This pen holds a good amount of ink but I wish the mechanism was more robust.
Score: 2/5
Value
I picked up this pen for right around $600 and that is quite a lot of money for an old black pen. I have consulted with a few collectors and I was told that I got a decent deal.
The pen is beautiful but you really have to appreciate the design to justify spending the money. I want to use and enjoy this pen but if it breaks on me again I may have to let it go because what good is a pen that you can’t use?
Score: 2/5
Bottom Line
The beautiful and rare 500 is a great writer that’s only hitch seems to be it’s fragile filling system.
Final Score 20/30
I would like to thank Mr. Bruno Taut for his excellent articles on the Pilot Super Ultra 500. Here are links to those articles (including disassembly instructions Ultra (III)).
The 900 is the only Rotring fountain pen I have ever owned. I have not been a fan of Rotring’s tool-like design nor their (generally) scratchy nibs but my 900 is an exception. The 900 is an excellent industrial design that is more in tune with Lamy’s Dialog line than drafting-pencil-look that Rotring is famous for.
The 900, like the better-known Rotring 600 fountain pen has long been discontinued. They both share the same undecorated nib and were both designed as pencils first. The Rotring 900 pencil had a very interesting “side knock” mechanism that required you to bend the pencil in the middle to advance the lead…the fountain pen’s mechanism is decidedly less interesting, with a standard cartridge/converter filling system.
The Rotring 900 has a beautiful grooved barrel and section with an unusual black clip that sort of looks like a paper clip. The grooves are deepest at the section and get shallower as they make their way down the barrel. The cap meets the section at the red ring. I believe this pen is made entirely out of machined aluminum based on its color and the way it scratches.
Capped this pen measures 15cm and weighs a hefty 37.8 grams (with converter and ink). The pen is surprising well balanced while posted and makes for a comfortable writing experience.
I am not normally a fan of metal pens as they make my fingers sweat but the combination of the grooved section and matte finish work very nicely for me.
The broad nib is a nail but it is smooth and does offer some minimal line variation. This is the first broad nib Rotring I have used but in my experience the fine and medium nibs on the half dozen or so Rotring 600s I have tried were a bit too scratchy.
I have found that the pen left uncapped for a couple of minutes will dry out, though it is easy to get flowing again. The matte finish does scratch as you can see in the picture below and I have also noticed that the cap requires a good bit of force to uncap.
The Rotring 900 isn’t really a good fountain pen (like most Rotring fountain pens) but it’s attractive design and good balance are justifiable reasons to keep it in my collection.
In 1988 Pelikan introduced the M600, a M400 sized pen with the upgraded trim of the larger M800.The M600 was sold with a monotone 18kt gold nib for it’s first year only, switching to a bi-tone 14kt gold nib in 1989.
In my opinion, the 1988 Pelikan M600 is the most desirable model as its nib is softer than any other post 1960s fountain pen I have used.
Appearance
Pelikan M600 with Pelikan M400
The M600 features a classic design that Pelikan has been using since the 1950s with the introduction of the 400.The M600 differs from the modern M400 in that it has an extra gold cap band, a gold band on the piston knob and a gold band on the end of the section.
Pelikan M600 and Pelikan M400 with rare 12C HEF nib .
In solid black with gold trim this pen’s classic styling wont be garnering much attention but it is elegant and understated.
Score: 3/5
Build Quality
Is this a good quality pen?I spent a lot of time thinking about this and my honest answer is no, not really.
The fit and finish of the gold furniture is pretty good and the threaded nib assemblies are a great design that allows the user to easily swap nibs.The finish of the black plastic (or “resin”) barrel and cap is excellent but the plastic section has big nasty seams.
As big and nasty as those seems are they were not easy to photograph.
The M600 does not have the screw in piston assembly of the modern M800 and M1000 fountain pens; instead it snap fits into the barrel.This makes the pen much less serviceable and more prone to breakage.
When I received my M600 I noticed the piston knob was not sitting flush with the barrel and after some research I discovered that this was a side effect of the “snap-fit” design of the piston assembly.
With the palm of my hand I was able to knock the knob back into place (thank you to Francis Goossens for the tip) but there is no guarantee that it wont pop back out again with use.
I know this is an old pen (as old as I am in fact) but I have not had this problem on any of the dozens of piston fillers I have owned produced from the 1940s to present day.
Score: 2/5
Size & Weight
The pre-1997 M600 is the same size as the M200, M400 and classic 400.This was considered a standard size pen back in the 1950s but today it seems a bit small.The post-1997 M600 is larger and, as you would expect, sits in between the M400 and M800 sizes.
I find the M600 to be very comfortable.It measures 12.5 cm capped, and 12.2cm uncapped.It weighs a mere 15 grams with half a tank of ink.People with larger hands will probably want to post this pen but for me it is comfortable posted and unposted.
Score: 4/5
Performance
As mentioned above, in it’s first year of production the M600 was fitted with a single tone 18kt gold nib that was also used on the M700 Toledo at the time.This is one of the softest post 1960s nibs I have ever used.The BB point is stubbish and offers line variation without pressure.
The nib is ultra smooth and quite wet.By comparison, my Pilot music nib puts down a thinner line.
The nib sings a bit, which some people may find annoying but it has no affect on the performance of the nib.I have started looking for more of these 1988 M600s and their related nibs as I find them to be quite wonderful.
Score: 4/5
Filling System
The piston filling system holds a decent amount of ink and is very easy to clean and lubricate thanks to the user removable nib units.With the juicy nib though it doesn’t take long for the ink to run out.
You can see that the blue ink window is full of ink and that the nib has blue ink on it’s tines (the fountain pen equivalent a baby’s face after a bowl of heavily sauced spaghetti).
As I mentioned in the build quality section, the piston assembly is a weak point on these pens and as such it is wise to use the piston gently and make certain that it is properly lubricated.
Score: 3/5
Value
I paid $165 for this M600 and to me that price is certainly worth it for the fantastic nib.I think if you can get a 1988 model for $200 or less you will have a hard time finding anything that comes close with an ultra soft nib, piston filling mechanism, and threaded nib units.
Score: 4/5
Bottom Line
The great nib and design make this pen a winner despite mediocre build quality.
During my recent move I uncovered some fountain pens that I have not used in over 10 years. One of these was a large Récife fountain pen. Many of you may be unfamiliar with this French brand as it is not regularly discussed on pen blogs and pen forums but the brand does still exist and the pens they produce today seem to be largely the same.
The red swirled acrylic body is big and beautiful. The pen measures 6 inches long capped and with brass threading weighs 35.2 grams. For such a large pen it is well balanced and I am able to use it comfortably both posted and unposted.
The silver metal trim doesn’t seem to be fitted with much care as the words “Modele Recife Depose” are badly off center from the clip. I have to say I am also not a fan of the Art Deco style clip; it looks cheap.
The large steel two-tone Jowo nib isn’t a stunner but it is surprisingly springy and I was able to get a decent amount of line variation out of the nib.
The nib isn’t the smoothest and it writes rather fine for a medium point.
Today these pens go for $125+ and there are a lot of great pens for the same money. You could get a pen with a piston filling mechanism like a Pelikan M200 or a pen with a solid gold nib like a Pilot Custom 74 but if you want a big brightly colored body with a springy nib the Recife may not be such a bad option.
When I heard that Richard Binder was winding down his retail business I knew it was finally time to give one of his “ItaliFine” nibs a go. For those of you who do not know, an ItaliFine nib is a combination nib that offers an italic point on one side and a fine point on the other.
As you can see from the pictures this nib started life as a standard 18kt gold broad nib which Mr. Binder customized into an ItaliFine.
With the nib right side up the nib writes with an italic point. This nib is a true 0.9mm italic and as such is quite sharp and offers a good deal of line variation.
With the nib upside down the nib writes with a fine point. I have found the fine side to be a bit more tricky than the italic. The fine side does not like pressure and will skip with anything but the lightest pressure.
Also the fine side of this nib is position sensitive as its opposite side is fatter and straight cut. For me there was a short learning curve with this nib and now that I have it down, it is a wonderful nib that has transformed my Pilot Vanishing Point into a pen that is now a joy to use. The cost of this nib while still available is $125 and that is expensive for a VP nib but it really works as two nibs that you can use in the same pen on the fly…it’s worth it.
Side Note: Some of you may have noticed that I have been gone for a little while. I have been in the process of moving and I am still working on getting my office (The Unroyal Warrant HQ) set up but as of today I am mostly operational, a new computer and some new furniture is on its way but I will be able to provide regular content 1-3 times a week going forward.
I have been collecting fountain pens for a little while now and have made a few poor purchases. My most expensive blunder has been this pen, a Montblanc 149 Meisterstück. (If you want just want to hear about the 149 as a pen skip down to the “Appearance” section.)
There is a well-regarded pen catalog (whose name I will not mention) and the best pens are purchased almost instantly upon release of the catalog so you don’t have much time to think.
The 1960s 149 that I had wanted sold before I had a chance so I jumped on the still available 1972 model and paid a hefty premium as it was new-old-stock.
The pen arrived in the original box with the original guarantee and with the sticker still on the pen. When I took off the cap and found that the nib was tarnished and the rhodium plate had disappeared in spots. The pen must have been dipped at one point and then put away uncleaned.
This is how I received the pen. With some light polishing with a jewelers cloth I was able to get rid of most of the orange tarnish.
I contacted the catalog owner and to his credit he offered a few fair options: 1) lower the price, 2) re-plate the nib, or 3) refund my money. I foolishly became attached to the pen and decided to go for the lower price when I should have simply returned the pen. Oh well…
Appearance
When I first saw a 149 in person years ago I thought it looked like a ridiculous cartoon pen; it is just so large. I have come around to liking the looks of it’s imposing size but if I am honest I would be embarrassed to use this pen at work…or around people in general.
The streamlined shape with black resin and gold furniture is a classic and this pen really is the archetype for a luxury fountain pen. The 149 is an icon much like a Rolex Submariner and as such there are many lookalikes.
The 149 has the best shape of any pen in the Meisterstück line. It is more cigar-like than the other Meisterstücks, which tend to have a longer and thinner profiles. There isn’t too much to say other than it’s a classic and a very attractive shape.
Score: 4/5
Build Quality
Montblanc has been producing the 149 since the late 1940s/early 1950s and there have been numerous iterations. The first models were the best quality and as such are the most valuable. So what about my early 1970s model? In my opinion, the Meisterstück line has gotten worse over time.
My 149 is made from plastic (“precious resin”) and has a plastic piston mechanism (not the metal telescopic one from the 50s and early 60s nor the metal one in the current 149). The barrel is a single piece of plastic compared to the modern two-piece barrel, which is cheaper to manufacture. The plastic is soft and scratches easily. Montblanc finishes the plastic with a very high shine so it is possible to polish out scratches if they are not too deep.
The tri-color nib is made of a soft 14ct gold with a solid ebonite feed instead of the plastic feed and stiffer 18kt tri-color nib on the modern 149. Montblanc produces all of their nibs in house and hand grinds and hand finishes each nib. If you look closely you will see that the slit between the tines doesn’t quite line up with the design.
One sore point on my pen is the plating on the nib. The rhodium (white metal) plating seems to have come off a bit. Which is something that shouldn’t really happen on a pen this expensive. I have confirmed through accounts of members of the Fountain Pen Network that this is not that uncommon for Montblanc pens.
Overall I would consider the build good but not great for a pen this expensive.
Score: 2/5
Size & Weight
One of the benefits of the plastic piston mechanism is that it keeps the weight down to 29.3 grams (empty). The 149 is the fattest pen I own and for me it is too fat to use comfortably for a longer period of time. See the picture below…
Left to right: Aurora Afrika, Nakaya Naka-ai Negoro Shiro-tamenuri, Romillo Essential No. 9, Montblanc 149, Soennecken 1 Extra
Even though this pen doesn’t have the biggest nib it clearly has the fattest section by a big margin.
The pen measures just under 15cm long and 1.6cm at it’s widest point. The grip section is about 1.3cm in diameter which is the most oversized measurement of the entire pen. You can post this pen but there really is no need to do so as it is a hair over 13cm long uncapped.
There are people with small hands and people large hands that love this pen so don’t assume that it wont work for you. If you want a 149 I highly suggest to you try before you buy. One of the major perks of owning a Montblanc is that there are many boutiques all over the world so they are easy to purchase and service. It is worth mentioning that pens serviced by Montblanc may be repaired with modern (often less desirable) parts.
Score: 2/5
Performance
The big OB nib is a great performer. The nib has long tines that make the nib soft and springy. The OB point is more round than the points on the older 1950s nibs. The rounder the nib the less line variation but the tradeoff is that nib is less position sensitive. Given the choice I much prefer the flatter nib.
The nib does allow for some line variation with pressure; it is much better than most modern pens in this regard.
Score: 4/5
Filling System
One of the benefits of the 149 is the massive 2.7ml ink capacity. By comparison the average converter holds about 0.5ml of ink and the average piston filler holds about 1.0ml.
The piston is very smooth and the striped ink window is ultra clear and has remained easy to clean. One thing that I don’t care for is the amount of play in the piston knob once loosened; it hasn’t caused any problems but it doesn’t instill confidence.
If ink capacity is your top priority this may be the pen for you.
Score: 4/5
Value
Used, these pens can be had for around $300-$400. The 1960s versions go for a bit more and the 1950s models are usually over $1,000. For $300 you get an impressive looking iconic pen that non-pen people will notice and appreciate; if that sort of thing is important to you, I can assure you wont do better for the money.
New, the 149 costs around $900 and for me there many other pens that I prefer in terms of quality and comfort but none can really match the imposing presence of the 149. If you want something with true snob appeal the $900 might be justifiable.
Score: 3/5
Bottom Line
The 149 is fat….fat price, fat size, fat snob appeal.
Final Score 17/30
Here are some great reviews of the Montblanc 149:
(I have no affiliation with the sites linked below)
The Aurora Afrika is the first in Aurora’s Continents series of limited edition pens. Each pen is based on Aurora’s top-of-the-line Optima, which is one of my favorite modern fountain pens. Aurora produced 7,500 Afrika fountain pens and I have acquired No. 2486.
Appearance
The Afrika looks like an Optima but with some key improvements. The shiny black resin section and end caps have been replaced with matte black resin. The cap ring has been improved with a deeper and more intricate engraving that provides much more contrast.
The clip is engraved with the shape of Africa and the finial is engraved with the pen’s number and features a “precious deep-black Onyx”.
The body is made out of a marbled “Land of Afrika” resin that is a gorgeous orangish gold color with black swirls. This resin has a lot of depth, much more than an “Auroloide” Optima.
The large and beautiful 18kt gold nib shares the same design as the Optima and other high-end Auroras.
The design of the Optima is uniquely Aurora and while it looks like no other pen, I do have to admit that its stocky appearance has not always been my favorite. With some key enhancements the Afrika has more than just a great personality, it has a beautiful face as well.
Score: 4.5/5
Build Quality
Let’s start with a confession; I recently broke my Aurora Optima. The piston knob came off. I set the pen down with the piston unscrewed to attend to something else and when I came back to it I suspect that I turned it the wrong way without thinking and off it came. This is the first pen I have broken in very long time, ten years maybe. It is now on holiday in Italy for the time being.
It is possible that the glue failed but I am waiting to hear Aurora’s assessment before I make any judgements.
For all intents and purposes the Afrika is of the same build quality as the Optima. The engraving on the cap ring is the only thing that stands out to me as an improvement…the other differences I sighted in the appearance section are merely a more tasteful selection of materials and design choices.
Note the different African tribal shields.
Even though I broke my Optima I still believe that it is one of the highest quality fountain pens money can buy. Like the Optima, the Afrika has the smoothest piston mechanism I have used and the fit and finish are flawless. Aurora makes their own nibs in-house and uses solid ebonite feeds…I don’t think there is more that I can ask for.
Score: 5/5
Size & Weight
The Aurora Optima first appeared in the late 1930s as a competitor to my favorite vintage pen, the OMAS Extra Lucens.
One of the things that Aurora got right that almost all vintage Italian makers missed was girth. Aurora made fat pens. Anything other than the senior and oversized models from OMAS, Ancora, Montegrappa, Columbus and so on are too skinny for me to use comfortably but the medium and small Auroras are comfortable because they are fat.
The Afrika takes after the vintage Optima’s 1930s proportions. Measuring just 5.1” with a section diameter of 0.4”; that’s the same size my Nakaya Naka-ai and my OMAS Paragon which each measure almost 6” long.
Notice how much of the body is the section compared to the OMAS above.
The section is fat but unlike my Nakaya and OMAS the grip section is also very long which makes the Afrika (and Optima) one of the most comfortable pens on the market. The section is big enough to accommodate almost any grip style.
The Afrika is ever so slightly heavier than the Optima weighing in at 22.2 grams which still makes the Afrika a lightweight pen by any measure.
When it comes to size and weight the Optima is appropriately named….it gets everything right (as does its African sibling).
Score: 5/5
Performance
As I mentioned earlier, Aurora makes all of their nibs in-house and as such their nibs feel different than any other manufacturers. Aurora’s obliques, stubs and italics are sharper than any other big brands I have come across.
Aurora’s round pointed nibs have more feedback than most other quality brands as well. They are more or the less the opposite of the buttery smooth nibs Visconti is known for and as such Aurora’s nibs can be polarizing.
People love them or hate them. I for one like the feedback because it helps me slow down my cursive and really focus on properly forming my letters (don’t look at my writing sample)….if a Visconti nib is a rollerball (which slides all over the place) the Aurora is like a pencil…you feel in control.
My Optima has a 14kt gold nib and the Afrika has an 18kt gold nib and while the design and shape are all the same I have noticed some differences using a small sampling of each. Both nibs are nails…one isn’t more flexible than the other but the 18kt nibs seem to have a finer line width than the 14kt gold ones that I have tested.
The ebonite feed holds a lot of ink thanks to it’s many fins.
Another great thing about these nibs is that they can be easily swapped. The nib units unscrew out of the sections just like Pelikans do and with Aurora’s wide range of exotic nibs there is a lot to chose from. I should warn you though that their nibs are expensive. Street price for the 18kt gold nibs are $420 ($440 for italics, stubs and obliques). The 14kt gold nibs are $300 ($320 for italics, stubs and obliques).
All of my Aurora pens have been flawless performers out of the box and the Afrika is no exception.
Score: 5/5
Filling System
The Afrika is a piston filler that holds 1.1ml of ink which is more than most converters but less than many full sized piston fountain pens. The Afrika also features Aurora’s “reserve tank” technology. When the pen runs out of ink you twist the piston knob all the way and the “reserve tank” is activated, allowing you to write for a couple more pages.
Personally I find the reserve tank annoying. It makes it difficult to clean the pen and change ink colors because with the piston fully depressed there is still water or ink left in the pen by design.
Score: 1.5/5
Value
Aurora recently raised their prices and the Afrika now retails for $1,075 but these pens can be found new in box on that auction site for around $350-$400. I picked up mine used for about $250 which is oddly less than you can get a used Optima for (these pens seem to be under the radar for the time being).
The authorized dealer street price is about $860 which when compared to a Montblanc 149 doesn’t seem crazy but the 149’s $935 price is only justified by people who view it as a status symbol and that’s something the Aurora cannot offer.
Also I should point out that the Afrika is a limited edition of 7,500 pieces and even though this pen has been out for more than 5 years Aurora dealers still have brand new inventory to sell. It seems as though Aurora made too many and is asking too much.
Score: 3/5
Bottom Line
The Afrika is truly sublime and presents a tremendous value on the secondhand market.
The Visconti Van Gogh was one of the very first gold nib fountain pens I owned. I purchased this pen new from World Lux in 2002 for just under $200. I should note that this is the original Visconti Van Gogh and it differs from the newer versions in a variety of ways. First off it only came in the “Maxi” size at a 14.5 cm capped and was simply called the “Van Gogh”. Other differences include a solid 14kt two-tone nib (instead of steel) and a “3 K” locking mechanism on the cap (instead of being magnetic) and a round (instead of faceted) body.
Appearance
The Visconti Van Gogh is a stunning pen, especially in the vanilla resin; it works beautifully with the two-tone nib and the silver trim. This is a large and shapely pen that attracts attention.
The pen is somewhat translucent allowing you to see into the barrel and the cap. I picked this one over a couple of other vanillas because this had an unusual “crystalized” part on the top of the cap.
One of the things I dislike about this pen’s design is the screw on the back of the cap…I cannot think of any other pen in this price range with an exposed screw. To me it’s a bit of an odd choice.
Score: 3/5
Build Quality
The Van Gogh is not a cheaply made pen; the fit and finish on the pen (including that exposed screw) are very well done. Visconti built the Van Gogh with high quality materials and used a large highly modified ( read expensive) Bock nib. In the last 12 years the silver trim has aged a bit and is in need of a good cleaning.
The “3K” locking system was developed by the automotive industry and it allows you to secure the cap with a short twist. You can take off the cap with one hand; something you wouldn’t be able to do on a normal threaded cap. To my knowledge Visconti discontinued the use of this locking system because it put too much stress resin causing the caps to crack. This is an oversight that Visconti rightly corrected though I am sure proper testing would have avoided this whole debacle.
Score: 3/5
Size & Weight
The Van Gogh is what I would consider an oversize pen, measuring a whopping 14.5 cm capped and 13.75 cm uncapped. At it’s widest point it is 1.5cm and it weighs 31.5 grams. This pen has a heavy cap and for me it is most comfortable to use uncapped. Uncapped the pen is a bit nose heavy but I have found it comfortable to use for long writing sessions.
Score: 2/5
Performance
The 14kt gold nib has been a strong and reliable performer for me. The nib has been prone to “singing” which some people will find annoying. The medium point is quite fat, even for a European pen. The ink flow is wet and definitely not suited to cheap papers.
Score: 3/5
Filling System
The Van Gogh uses a standard size cartridges and converters, though the converter does need to be threaded. Somewhere along the way I lost the Visconti one and have replaced it with a threaded Waterman converter.
Score: 3/5
Value
When I bought this pen in 2002 for under $200 it was an excellent value as you got a beautiful large Italian fountain pen with excellent fit and finish in addition to a large 14kt gold nib. I am not sure I could recommend anyone buy one of the original Van Goghs because of the cracking issue…mine has lasted but other’s have not.
Score: 2/5
Bottom Line
The Van Gogh is a big an beautiful Italian pen but a design flaw in the cap’s locking system makes it hard to recommend.
On specifications alone the Platinum 3776 fountain pen is a winner; it’s affordably priced and it features a full-sized body and solid gold nib…what’s not to love?
Appearance
There are a lot of Japanese Montblanc look-alikes but the Platinum 3776 takes the cake with its mountain theme. The streamlined design and gold furniture are all very similar to a Montblanc Meisterstück. If you look at the nib of a Montblanc Meisterstück you will see the number “4810”; this number represents the height (in meters) of Mont Blanc in the Graian Alps. What do you suppose “3776” refers to? It’s the height (in meters) of Mount Fuji.
The nib features a mountain design with “#3776” right in the middle.
When you put the Montblanc similarities aside the 3776 is a pretty plain looking fountain pen.
The Chartres Blue body is translucent but not clear enough for this pen to truly be considered a demonstrator. I quite like the Chartres Blue body because it allows you to see the innovative “Slip & Seal” cap mechanism that prevents the pen from drying out. Supposedly you can leave this pen inked for 24 months without problem…I don’t want to test that, so I will take Platinum’s word for it.
You can see the spring portion of the “Slip & Seal” mechanism through the cap.
The 14kt gold nib is large and shapely; it’s a much more agreeable size than similarly priced Pilot Custom 74.
While the 3776 has a well proportioned, modest and understated design, it isn’t going to win any style awards. At the end of the day this pen has a boring unoriginal appearance.
Score: 2/5
Build Quality
The build quality of the 3776 isn’t bad. There are seams in the plastic but everything fits together as it should and the use of the “Slip & Seal” mechanism shows that Platinum isn’t just pushing out cheap Montblanc lookalikes.
The gold plated trim matches the color of the solid 14kt nib.
I compared the 3776 to the similarly priced Pilot Custom 74 and to my eye the engraving and the overall fit and finish of the gold furniture is better on the Pilot BUT the gold trim on the Pilot is much more yellow than its 14kt gold nib…so you kind of have to pick your poison: mismatched nib and trim or cheaper looking engraving?
Score: 3.5/5
Size & Weight
The 3776 measures 5.5” capped and 4.7” uncapped. The pen weighs a comfortable 24.3 grams. It is an agreeable size that most people will find comfortable. The pen posts well and has a good balance posted or unposted.
Score: 4/5
Performance
The fine nib on the 3776 is a phenomenal performer and in my opinion it is the reason to buy this pen. Being Japanese the fine point is an extra or extra extra fine by western standards but despite this the nib is smooth and a real pleasure to use. I haven’t noticed a single skip or hard start since I began using this pen four months ago.
The nib is pretty stiff so you wont be seeing much in the way of line variation.
Left to right: Pilot Custom 74 Music Nib, Nakaya Naka-ai Negoro nib, Platinum 3776 nib. Notice that the similarly priced Pilot has a much smaller nib.
This is the same nib that is used on $500+ Nakayas. In the sub $100 range I don’t believe you can find a better performer.
Score: 5/5
Filling System
The Platinum uses a proprietary cartridge converter filling system but for $1 you can buy an adaptor that will allow you to use international cartridges.
Platinum cartridge installed.
In Japan, the 3776 is sold without converter but in the US it is sold with the same Platinum converter you get with a Nakaya and I have to say its one of the nicest converters out there.
Score: 2.5/5
Value
I bought my 3776 new in Japan for about $80, which is an awesome deal for a pen with a phenomenal 14kt gold nib. The US street price is about $175 ($220 retail). I am not sure why it is so much more money in the US but you can buy a new one on eBay from Japanese sellers for $90 (I haven’t tried this but it’s what I would do if I were to buy one again).
Score: 4/5
Bottom Line
This is a sleeper pen, boring looks but with a monster performer under the cap.
