Stipula Etruria Magnifica Miele Selvatico 1.1

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This is not the first Stipula I have tried, after all I reviewed my personal Etruria Faceted a couple of years back. Their lack of presence is noticeable, not only in the UK, but do a search and you will struggle to find any of their present range of pens available to buy in Europe as well. So what has happened to this Italian pen maker and why am I reviewing one of their present models of fountain pen.

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Cult Pens Diamine Flower Inks Set – Orchid

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As mentioned in my group review of this ink set, Cult Pens have gone out to create through Diamine a unique set of inks for this set. Which variant of orchid this ink is based on I am not sure as there is a considerable range and confession time, I am not a horticultural person. What we have is a pastel pink with little out there to compete with.

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Pens that make you go Oooh

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OK, let’s be honest. Most of us have pens in our collection that we know we should really get rid of, but which visually appeal too much. The works of art, the bright coloured ones, fountain pens with glitter and glow. We are all guilty of this, so when I grabbed a number of pens I keep out but use little, little did I realise quite how many pens I have that can fall in to this bracket.

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ScriBo Verde Mediterraneo

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Back when I reviewed Blu Capri I mentioned how it nicely represented the turquoise waters off the shore of the aforementioned island, well here we now have an aquamarine to represent the early evening waters around the Adriatic coast. Once more we have an interesting and appropriately coloured ink from Scrittura Bolognese.

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Sheaffer VFM

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The era of the high end Sheaffer fountain pen being supported by the white dot mark of excellence are long gone. These days, having been sold then sold again, the brand now produces a range of solid low and mid level priced writing implements with even the most expensive barely exceeding $100. At the entry point you have two models. The cheap plastic Pop and for the same price the metal VFM. Thing is for just £18/$18 is this a bargain pen or something for the waste basket. Note this model was launched under BIC ownership, before the brand was sold (in 2014) to Cross.

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ScriBo Rosso Melograno

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Pomegranate, that sweet red fruit from around the Mediterranean, not just Southern Europe, but also North Africa and the Middle East. Mentioned through out history, its deep pink colour works well in the ScriBo line up who’s inks do not quite match the usual options provided as standard by other ink makers.

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BENU Euphoria Scent of Irises

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No one can accuse BENU of producing boring pens. From the start they showed you can add sparkle and glitter in ways that can appeal to those who like subtlety as well as the ‘bling brigade’. Bright strong colours and bold designs help their produce stand out in a world of repetition. BENU was started in 2016, however it was not until 2020 that they finally produced a pen with a #6 nib. The Euphoria is the third model in their range to come with this sized nib, following on from the Grand Sceptre and Supreme.

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Coming Reviews

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Just a quick post this Friday. I do have a number of ink reviews already written (for the last 3 ScriBo inks and the first of the Cult Pens Flower Series), however I want to keep those for Wednesdays. I also have a completed review on a pen I was selling. Alas the buyer also had to sell a pen to be able to afford mine and as he was unable to do so at the time the deal went on hold. I’m not going to post it yet else it might seem like a sales pitch (plus it would need re-writing).

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ScriBo Classico Sepia

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Sepia has been often used to describe a brown without any real agreement on what it should look like. Part of this is due to the origins being an extract from the defensive ink of the cuttlefish, after which it is named. Alas with one exception, real spepia can not be used in fountain pens else they will quickly clog up (the exception being produced by a small Japanese chemist and sold only through one small pen maker of renown). Not an issue for the Romans in the time when they were still a republic, but certainly one for us today. Instead we have safe inks using the name, and how appropriate it is for the name to be used by a brand based in a city which was around before Rome expanded beyond it’s city walls to conquer it.

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