Pen Review: Maiora Impronte Oversize Fountain Pen

Of all the new brands that have emerged from the collapse of the former Italian pen company Delta, Leonardo Officina Italiana has received the most attention. A second penmaker, however, has emerged whose products also deserve a close look: Maiora, the maker of the superbly comfortable “Impronte” and “Impronte Oversize.”

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The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande, left, alongside the Maiora Impronte Oversize, right.

Maiora and Leonardo both trace their roots to Delta. While Leonardo was founded by one of the founders of Delta, Ciro Matrone and his family, Maiora is owned by Nino Marino, the other founder. Since neither company has an official website, most of my knowledge of the respective company histories comes secondhand, and I would refer you to Glenn Marcus’s excellent website for additional background information.

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Maiora’s flagship model is the “Impronte,” which comes in standard and oversized models. Here, Vanness Pens kindly sent me an oversized pen to review, in the dark blue “Capri” acrylic. From first glance, the Maiora Impronte has a lot to offer. The section features a pronounced hourglass shape that’s exceedingly comfortable to write with, and the tapered barrel allows for deep posting of the cap. This gives the Maiora Impronte Oversize a marked advantage over other larger pens, especially for those with small hands who love to post and might find a pen like the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande a touch unwieldy.

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The Impronte features what is honestly one of the more comfortable sections that I’ve used. It almost feels like it cradles your fingers as you write.

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Design-wise, you can certainly see the shared Delta heritage in both Maiora and Leonardo pens, from the general silhouettes, to the peaked caps, to the Delta-style converter filling system that allows you to unscrew the blind cap to access the converter to fill as you would with a traditional piston, without disassembling the pen entirely. Maiora Pens use standard JoWo No. 6 stainless steel nibs.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

I remained a huge fan of Delta Pens until the end, despite their inconsistent design aesthetic and quality control issues. Based on my experience with Leonardo Pens, and now, the Maiora Impronte, I’m happy to say that both of these new companies have taken the best of Delta and appear to be moving forward with two lines of high-quality pens that are built for writing, with a focus on comfort and sturdy build quality.

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Despite the shared heritage, the Leonardo and Maiora pens have distinct differences. For example, Maiora did not continue with Delta’s “roller clip” design, and the Impronte is shorter and more tapered than the Momento Zero Grande (shown right). Maiora also uses JoWo nibs, while Leonardo uses Bock. Currently, Maiora Impronte fountain pens are only available with steel nibs.

It’s taken me a while to get my hands on a Maiora Impronte for review, as the pens were available in limited stock until recently. Our friends and sponsors at Vanness Pens were kind enough to send me the Maiora Impronte Oversize featured here, and they currently offer a range of different colors and finishes. The Maiora Impronte Oversize has a MSRP of $245, and typically retails for $196. For a quality handmade pen with this degree of fit and finish, the price is fair, though over the long term I would hope to see them come down to match the Leonardo Momento Zero, which has some models priced as low as $169, depending on the materials used.

Disclaimer: I received the pen featured in this post free of charge from site sponsor Vanness Pens, for review purposes. Many thanks to Vanness Pens for making this review possible.

Worth the Hype? A Close Look at a Montblanc Writers Edition (Virginia Woolf)

Though the difference in price and hype is perhaps less pronounced than when the series was first introduced, few limited edition fountain pens attract the same level of attention as Montblanc’s annual “Writers Edition” releases. Typically, Montblanc releases a pen design inspired by the life and work of a particular novelist or poet. For example, this year’s “Homage to Victor Hugo” limited edition features a cap “decorated with gothic arches in relief, and the end of the clip, which is shaped like the clapper of a bell, recall[ing] the the bell ringer Quasimodo and the Bells of Notre-Dame.” Montblanc also engraves the writer’s signature somewhere on the pen, usually on the barrel.

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The designs themselves either appeal to you or they don’t. Personally, I find most of the Montblanc Writers Edition pens either (1) too large, or (2) too gaudy, especially those released in recent years. My personal favorites are the older editions, and I have two in my collection: Virginia Woolf (2006), which I review here, and Charles Dickens (2001), which I plan to address in a separate post.

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The snowcap on my pen has an off-white patina, and I don’t know whether this is by design or whether it has developed as the pen ages.

The Montblanc Virginia Woolf Writers Edition fountain pen is, to me, a perfect example of a Writers Edition pen that one can easily use for, well, actual writing. At roughly the size of a Montblanc 146, the pen itself is not too large. The Virginia Woolf edition also features a contoured barrel comfortable to use posted or unposted. When I’ve shown pictures of this pen in the past, readers have asked whether it’s a Bonheur, the so-called “pen for women,” and while it’s not, there is a resemblance, particularly with the cap. Due to the similarities, some regard this as a “gendered pen” unsuitable for a man to use, which is of course absurd.

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Finally, I appreciate the understated manner in which Montblanc incorporated references to Woolf’s life and work into the pen’s design. The black barrel is engraved with a guilloche pattern, a reference to her novel “The Waves,” and the nib features an engraving of the two elm trees under which she is buried. Her signature appears subtly engraved on the gold piston knob.

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The gold blind cap with signature.

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Each Writer’s Edition features a custom engraved nib.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Virginia Woolf Writers Edition is not just one of my favorite Montblanc Writers Editions, it’s one of my favorite Montblancs in my current collection. I have a hard time leaving this one un-inked. I’ve previously written multiple times about how Montblanc stock broad nibs tend to be stubbish, and this one is no exception. It’s also tuned perfectly, which either shows how Montblanc pays closer attention to the Writers Edition nibs before they go out the door, or that older Montblanc pens in general were subject to better quality control practices. This particular pen wrote exceptionally well out of the box, without any skipping or “baby’s bottom” issues you sometimes see with stock Montblanc nibs.

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One of the more polarizing design choices on this pen is the ruby on the clip. I like it, and find that it adds a touch of color to an otherwise very traditional black-with-gold-trim design scheme.

Unfortunately, the Virginia Woolf Writers Edition dates to 2006, so if you’re looking to pick one up you likely need to search the secondary market for used or N.O.S. (new old stock) items. I found this one during a Black Friday sale last year, where a European retailer (I believe La Couronne du Comte) had several older N.O.S. Writers Edition pens available for purchase. Today, many different options exist, but in the U.S. the retailers who typically have the largest selection at any given time are Chatterly Luxuries and The Pen Show. You can always take your chances on eBay, but be aware that Montblanc pens are heavily counterfeited and you should only purchase from a reputable seller. Personally, for pens in this price range (anywhere from $600 to $1500), I would only purchase online from known pen dealers with a reputation for standing behind their products, or else wait until pen shows resume and you can inspect potential acquisitions in person.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection. I did not receive a discount on this purchase other than coupon codes available to the public. This post does not contain affiliate links.

Sailor 1911 Compass: A True Entry Level Contender?

As bad as 2020 has been, it’s actually been a very good year for pen releases, and I’ve managed to go for a while without a “disappointing” review. Well, here we go. I’ll start off by saying that the Sailor 1911 Compass isn’t a bad pen. It’s fine - comfortable size, decent nib, and attractive colors - but it doesn’t meet the standard of what I personally have come to expect from Sailor, especially at the $40-50 price point.

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For my review, I chose the transparent Amber acrylic. From a pure aesthetic standpoint, the 1911 Compass is an attractive pen, and comes available in a wide range of color options, which also include olive green, yellow, green, purple, blue, red, and pink.

Sailor bills the 1911 Compass as an “entry level” pen, with a MSRP of $49 and an actual retail price around $39. For that, you get a colorful transparent acrylic fountain pen with what Sailor describes as a “proprietary” steel nib and clear plastic feed. To their credit, Sailor has opted to include one of their converters with the 1911 Compass, so that you don’t have to eat an additional $8 on top of the price of the pen. However, I’m still not sure that it saves the 1911 Compass as a value proposition.

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I get hung up on the nib. Unfortunately for Sailor, much better stainless steel nibs exist at lower price points, and this one simply doesn’t live up to Sailor’s reputation. Platinum has the most experience with pens in this market segment, and the Platinum Plaisir, which retails for as low as $17.50, is in my experience a smoother writer. While the nib on my 1911 Compass isn’t bad, it does sit on the border between toothy and scratchy, and would lose in a head-to-head contest with the Plaisir. On the Compass, as others have noted, you definitely have to rotate the pen a bit to find a sweet spot. I did not notice any ink flow issues, however, even with relatively dry Sailor Rikyu-Cha.

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The nib on the 1911 Compass is very simple, with a stamped Sailor “anchor” logo. The design looks more inexpensive than the pen actually is.

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You don’t see many transparent plastic feeds these days. It’s a neat addition, but again I’m not sure it alone causes the Compass to stand out. (Note that the feed appears darker here due to the Rikyu-Cha ink color.

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The Compass comes in one nib size, Medium-Fine.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Sailor has proven in the past that they can make exceptional steel nib pens, but this isn’t one of them. Again, the Sailor 1911 Compass is a serviceable writer, and it’s even somewhat attractive, but I have a hard time envisioning a scenario where I would recommend this as an “entry level” pen for a budding fountain pen enthusiast. Typically, I try to avoid making categorical statements about whether a pen is “worth it” or not, but here it’s difficult to justify $40-50 for the Compass where there are pens with better nibs available for about half that, particularly in Platinum’s lineup. Personally, I would prefer to see Sailor focus their efforts on the $75-100 segment, with pens like the Reglus that I reviewed a couple years ago which has a completely different, luxury feel for not that much more money.

Many thanks to site sponsor Goldspot for providing this Sailor 1911 Compass for review. Goldspot carries the entire lineup of Sailor pens, including not only the 1911 Compass but also a range of exclusive editions such as the Pro Gear “British Racing Green,” one of the best-looking Sailor store exclusives that I’ve seen.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors, but the links are not affiliate links in that I do not earn money from referrals.

What, More Pocket Pens? Introducing the Penco "Perfection"

One thing I’ve considered as I redefine my current workflows is the extent to which I’ve allowed my personal carry to get a bit out of control. For starters, I feel like I’m carrying too much stuff around with me, and find myself using pens not because they’re necessarily the best tool for the job at hand, but because I want to use them, or feel that I need to carry them at all times to justify having them. I’ll have further thoughts on how my own stationery use is evolving as I figure things out myself, but I wanted to mention it up front because it sheds some light on why I’ve been so obsessed with pocket pens lately.

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The Penco “Perfection” shown here in two finishes: chrome and brass. I believe the “gold” finish is plated, so it will not patina like an unfinished brass pen.

I’ve found pocket pens to be excellent practical tools for the workday, and if you can find one with a versatile refill system that allows you to customize your ink, all the better. One pen that I’ve carried recently is the Penco “Perfection,” a compact bullet-style ballpoint from Japanese Company Hightide/Penco. Capped, the Penco Perfection is about the same size and width as a tube of lipstick/lip balm, and extends to a full-size ballpoint pen that has a fair bit of heft (it’s plated brass) while remaining balanced enough for all-day writing. Yes, it’s a smooth metal pen, but since it’s on the smaller side it’s easy to grip and I haven’t noticed any issues with it becoming overly slippery.

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The Penco Perfection comes equipped with a standard folded metal clip that allows you to carry it clipped to the cover of a pocket notebook.

But the most attractive aspect of this particular pocket pen, in my opinion, is the refill system. The Penco Perfection uses the “universal” D1 sized refill, which is not only inexpensive and easy to source, but quite versatile in that it allows you to transform this from a traditional ballpoint to an ultra-fine gel pen, or even to a highlighter. Check out my review of the Lamy 2000 Multi-Pen, which also takes D1 refills, for a discussion of the various options I’ve tried.

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The D1 refill uses a custom insert that ships with the pen. It’s quite easy to swap in your preferred refill. I would compare the stock Penco refill to a .5mm Uniball Jetstream.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Are you someone who enjoys the compact form factor of the Fisher Space Pen “Bullet Pen” but wishes that it had (1) a bit more heft and (2) more refill versatility? If so, you may want to consider the Penco “Perfection.” Not only does the wider barrel make this a comfortable pocket ballpoint to hold, but the pen accepts D1 refills, which are easy to source and come in a variety of formats.

Penco/Hightide is a Japanese company that unfortunately does not get as much attention in the U.S. as it probably should. I still have a couple of these pens for sale in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, priced at $46, but the distributor has been sold out for a while and it may be some time before I can get more. I’ll keep trying though, as I’ve personally been enjoying this form factor.

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The Penco Perfection, top center, shown here compared against three other favorite pocket pens, clockwise from right: Lamy Pico, Kaweco Steel Sport, and Schon DSGN Pocket 6.

Disclaimer: The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Penco/Hightide products. As a general matter, I only sell products I’m willing to stand behind and would use myself, but everyone has different needs so I strongly encourage everyone to do their own research as opposed to relying solely on my opinions as expressed in this blog.

Traveler's Company Brass Fountain Pen: A New Twist on a Vintage Form Factor

Before 2020 broke bad, one bright spot was the proliferation of good pocket fountain pens, after years of there being, well, the Kaweco Sport and not a whole lot else. I’ve already discussed my love for the excellent Schon DSGN Pocket Six, and today I’ll turn my attention to Traveler’s Company’s new twist on an old format.

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The Traveler’s Company Brass Fountain Pen (shown here in the special “Factory Green” finish) builds on TRC’s “Brass” lineup that originally held just the bullet pencil - a modern reissue of the classic pocket writing implement from the early 20th century. Over the past couple of years, Traveler’s Company has slowly built out the line to include a ballpoint pen (which I wrote about last week), a rollerball, and now a fountain pen. I started out as skeptical as anyone of TRC’s ability to incorporate a decent fountain pen writing experience into this form factor, but again I was pleasantly surprised.

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I found the TRC Brass Fountain Pen to have good length and balance when “posted” (which is really the only way you can write with it). As with the Brass Pencil and Brass Ballpoint, the TRC Brass Fountain Pen features a clip and a loop, if you’d like to attach this pen to a lanyard or keyring. The integrated clip makes all of the TRC pens quite functional, if like me you regularly clip your pens to shirt pockets and the front of notebooks.

While the Brass Pencil and Brass Ballpoints feel solid, they are still relatively inexpensive writing instruments that rely on the same metal ferrule system used in vintage bullet pencils. The fountain pen receives a bit of an upgrade, featuring a brass “bullet” section that makes the fountain pen feel like a more elegant, and likely more durable, writing instrument. The nib appears to be a JoWo No. 5, based on feed design and performance. While I’ve not experimented myself, I’ve heard anecdotal reports of JoWo No. 5 nib units being interchangeable with the one that ships on this pen. In any event, the included nib is stamped “Fine” with the Traveler’s Company Logo, and I’ve found it to be a smooth and reliable writer. This pen refills with short international cartridges. While I imagine Kaweco and Monteverde mini-converters will also fit, I typically rely on cartridges for most of my pocket pens due to issues with reliability and low ink capacity.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

No product is harder to do correctly than a pocket fountain pen, and the industry is littered with examples of poorly executed attempts and good ideas that simply never caught on. Occasionally, someone will absolutely nail the form factor, and what’s great is how Traveler’s Company has managed to make a pocket fountain pen that actually looks nearly identical to their Brass Pencil and Brass Ballpoint, drawing on a beloved vintage design to create an instantly recognizable aesthetic that captures the personality of the company. I’ve long been a fan of the Traveler’s Notebook and related accessories, and TRC has clearly put a lot of effort into expanding its product line in a way that maintains quality and doesn’t dilute the brand identity.

The Gentleman Stationer Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Traveler’s Company pocket pens and pencils, including the Brass “Bullet Pencil,” the Brass Ballpoint, and now the fountain pen, priced at $75. Currently, the fountain pen is only available in the “Factory Green” finish but I will be looking to stock more in the near future, along with additional Traveler’s Company products.

Further Reading

Last week, I wrote a short piece describing the Traveler’s Company Pocket Ballpoint. I also have a periodically updated standing piece discussing some of my other favorite Pocket Pens, which you may find helpful. While I haven’t had enough time with the TRC pens to justify adding them to the larger Pocket Pens index, they will probably make an appearance on that list in the future.

Disclaimer: As noted above, I am an authorized retailer of Traveler’s Company products. As a general matter, I only sell products I’m willing to stand behind, but everyone has different needs so I strongly encourage everyone to do their own research as opposed to relying solely on my opinions as expressed in this blog.