An exclusive from Bertram's Inkwell, the Stipula DaVinci is an incredible package. To begin with, I'll admit to liking gadgets. What guy doesn't? And the idea of managing to take what is essentially already a gadget, as fountain pens are in this world of email, PDAs and gel ink rollerballs, and render it even more of a gadget... Well, heck, count me in!
The
DaVinci is based upon Stipula's latest retractable fountain pen, the Infinity.
Stipula first entered the market of retractable fountain pens with the
Iris, a great pen that holds a special place in my collection.
A massive construction of warm brown and cream marble celluloid, the piston fill Iris proved to be a hit thanks to it's novel (and gorgeous) shape, and innovative mechanical complexities.
The
Infinity shares the concept of a retractable fountain pen, that is, one
who's nib retracts back down into the barrel of the pen, in the manner
of a safety pen of the early 1900s. However, this pen disposes altogether
with the need for a separate cap for the pen, and instead utilizes a clever
trapdoor that is actuated by the mechanism as it extends or retracts the
nib.
The small cap of the Iris was one of the only (albeit minor) complaints I had with a pen I otherwise loved unreservedly. While I haven't yet lost it, it's small enough that the thought is always at the back of my mind. This takes a great deal of the pleasure out of those accessions when I carry the Iris around in my shirt pocket.
The clever rotating trap door of the Infinity was almost the first thing that struck me about this pen. (Coming a close third behind the rose gold trim, and the gorgeous celluloid!)
While at first I thought it might be an unnecessary complexity, it took only a couple of minutes for me to convince myself that it worked perfectly. And eliminated any worries about losing a small cap!
As
you rotate the lower section of the barrel while holding the section (or
rotate the section while holding the barrel I suppose) the small door
rotates open, and the nib emerges. Our sample featured a very smooth mechanism,
there was no hesitation or binding in the operation, either opening or
closing the pen.
Once you get the nib extended, you are faced with the standard large Stipula nib, in 14K gold. Of course, to match the other trim on the DaVinci, it's plated in a deep reddish rose gold. Stipula's large nibs are pretty darn good, in my experience, and this one proved no exception.
I love Stipula's italic nibs, this was the narrower of those they offer, marked 1.1, for the width in millimeters of the tipping material. These nibs are cut with a straight edge, but still retain enough depth of tipping material to be very usable, even with faster handwriting. The change in line width from a horizontal stroke to a vertical one is very pronounced, yet the line is still overall fine enough to allow for this nib to be used in normal "everyday" writing. I like their 1.3 nib as well, but it can be a bit wide for some use.
With whatever nib you might chose, this should prove to be a great pen. In use, I found it to be well enough balanced in my hand, and since there's no cap, there's at least an end to the "post or don't post" argument! The barrel tapers towards the end, which puts more of the weight forward. I like this, so the DaVinci felt very good in my hand. If you prefer your pen to balance more to the rear, you might have trouble with this one. Given that you can't post the cap to shift the weight back, that is...
I really don't think that is going to be a problem for most folks. To put it simply, this pen is just plain great. In fact, the only drawback I can find to the DaVinci is the fact that it's only being made in an edition of 188 pieces. The material is first rate, with a rich, warm glow to the amber celluloid that makes just looking at it a pleasure. The color of the celluloid matches up with the rose gold trim perfectly, and the result is one of those pens it's hard to put down. Even when you don't need to be writing something, you find yourself scribbling!
The DaVinci is available only from Bertram's Inkwell, as they say "while supplies last" Details may be found on their website at www.bertramsinkwell.com
Copyright 2005 William Riepl