Limited editions or not, you have got to make these pens by Visconti a part of your collection. Or even better, get writing with them!
By: Karishma Parkash
Posted on: October 10, 2011
Limited editions or not, you have got to make these pens by Visconti a part of your collection. Or even better, get writing with them!
“Yes, perfect, your interaction at the Pen World 2011 is scheduled for 16th September at 2 pm,” said a representative and I thought to myself what could possibly be so exciting about a bunch of mechanical instruments that millions of people all over the world use everyday? Turns out, a lot. If you had attended the exhibition, you would know what I am talking about. If not, make an entry in your little black diaries for next year. For those who aren’t aware, Visconti is an Italian manufacturer of fine fountain pens, ball pens and rollerball pens, and Emonte Pens have brought this brand to India.
After taking a quick look around the eye catching and interesting pens, my curiosity got the better of me. An enthusiastic and knowledgeable sales assistant offered to give me a personalised tour. The stall displayed the full range of Visconti pens, including the most interesting limited editions as well. No attempt at describing these pens would do them justice. My advice? See them to believe it. After a thorough examination of all the pens displayed, I picked out five that intrigued me and I hope they do the same to you. Yes, the prices are of essence here, but trust me, the pen does all the talking necessary!
The two faces of style
Again, to try putting my thoughts into words here will be a task, but I will attempt and hope that the image will give you a fair enough idea. My first pick, the Alchemy Silver, is a pen divided in two with two nibs, which symbolises the dualistic thought proclaimed by CG Jung (Swiss psychiatrist, an influential thinker), which says that we cannot speak of Good without Evil, of Light without Darkness, and of Above without Below.
The pen is magnetically suspended inside a display with two dragons forming a circle, which represents the life cycle. Alchemy is one of the forgotten finds that Mr Jung had brought to light from the darkness of our past and Visconti’s Alchemy Silver pays homage to Mr Jung. Being a limited edition, only 1038 pieces are available!
Oh, the Gold!
Visconti’s intention was to create a wonderful pen inspired by the myth of the Golden Man. Visconti used the same motifs of the Scythian art in its collection of fountain pens where skilled goldsmiths have artistically reproduced the magic of the mysterious warrior. The red and gold on the pen immediately manages to catch your attention. Again, a limited edition with a count of 388 pens worldwide, the nib is made from 23kt Palladium Dream Touch Two Tones.
Religion comes first
Visconti is said to produce limited editions with themes that impact, change or describe our lives. One of its collections is dedicated to the religions of the world. The first in the series focuses on the Bible, the most read and printed book in the world, and the religions linked to it – Christianity and Judaism. Intricate drawings on the pen depict scenes from the Old Testament on the barrel: Adam & Eve, Noah’s Ark, David & Goliath and the Ten Commandments.
The Jewish version intended to have a classical, ancient look in natural, unadorned ivory, with the cap representing a spiritual moment of prayer at the Wailing Wall. Also, notice that hidden in the cap is an engraving of a Temple. Intriguing, isn’t it? The Christian version is painted in subtle colours through a difficult technique never before used on a pen. The cap features the story of Jesus: his birth, baptism, the Last Supper and his ascent into heaven. An image of the Holy Grail is also hidden inside the cap.
Both pens have a decagonal crown and end cap, the latter engraved with the Ten Commandments in Hebrew. The fountain pen is fitted with Visconti’s two-tone, 18K gold nib and features a power piston-filler. Needless to say, a limited edition with 999 pens worldwide.
Opera Elements
At origin, the word “Opera” meant ‘product of human mind’ – from both an intellectual and a material point of view. For this reason, Opera Elements means that human activities have to be in harmony with nature and the elements surrounding our existence. The sales assistant very strongly explained that Visconti pens are influenced by the world around us, with each piece stating a love affair with the elements that influence and direct our lives. Not surprisingly, this collection comes in four colours: yellow for air, red for fire, blue for water and black for earth. As obvious, Opera Elements have been designed to represent the four elements of nature. Which element are you?
Wall Street
Visconti’s Wall Street pens embody the spirit of the fast paced life of Wall Street. It’s unique four-sided design symbolises the tall skyscrapers that surround the busy Wall Street. (It actually does! It took me a few seconds to figure it out, but I did.)
Fans and practitioners of ergonomics will be amazed by this pen. Visconti states that it is not round as any other pen, but it is not square as well which would make it not ergonomic. The perfect proportion of the volumes of the cap and the body, and the elegant shape of the clip and its perfect mechanism complete this tri-dimensional masterpiece.
The pen is highly symbolic, not only in its shape (circle/square), or in the number four (depicting the four elements), but also in its material which recalls the wall and the skyline of Manhattan by night and Wall Street - the centre of finance for the globalized world. It is made of celluloid, the ‘queen of materials’, as Visconti claims. Got you thinking yet?
With these beautiful pens in front of you, your dreams no longer seem farfetched. A perfect pen has been told to bring out your innermost dreams and aspirations so you can pen them down and action them at the earliest! Maybe one of these will do that for you?
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