How strange : I was writing in our garden with a Visconti HS Bronze Age using Diamine Oxford Blue ink in the excellent - and very good value - Logical Prime notebook when I thought “what’s Hemingway Jones covering this week ?” . I bought my Bronze Age preowned so it’s got plenty of patina on the clip and a juicy Stub nib. A very satisfying writing experience. Another great video !!
No bafflement here. I fell and fell hard for fountain pens about four years ago. Many of them are beyond my means, but my modest pens and lovely inks are an absolute joy. Thank you for all these delightful presentations. It helps fill the empty place left when my fountain pen-loving dad passed. Online fountain pen fans will help tremendously as no one else I know gets the fun in pens, inks and paper. Thanks again😍
I love my HS Dark Age. Beautiful pen, so lovely to write with. I love the feel of the basaltic lava in my hand, unlike any other pen out there. I use Iroshizuku shin-ryoku green ink. It’s a daily writer for me. Lovely review, thanks for sharing.
Once again, a beautiful video. I appreciate that you took the time to mention the issues with quality control of the nibs as I was unaware of this. Thank you, Hemingway! You hit it out of the park, once again!
I've only been into this hobby since last December and this pen caught my eye back then. As I learned more about it (and also what a "Grail" pen is) I could see myself owning this at some point. Well, your wonderful video just put the last straw on the camel's back. I really enjoy how you bring the tactile and emotional experience to this...*hobby*... It's more than a hobby, it's a way of life. You sharing your experience makes these things less frivolous and more of an appreciation of life. I'm really thankful that you can do this. Thank you for this video and the sharing of your knowledge.
Grail referes to a collector item that is highly desirable, sometimes hard to get and usually expensive. I collect knives and fountain pens and have GRAIL items in both collections. Both the Visconti Homo Sapiens and Watermark are two of my grail pens.
It was a thrill to watch you watch you break down this pen, and learn how you fill it, clean it, and use it. What a joy it will be to watch the bronze on your pen age. This pen’s size, durability, practicality, and beauty make it my grail pen. I can find prettier, but always at a cost beyond price. Loved how your thumbnail cut half of your title away for a big “gotcha”. Well done, sir!
Hello HJ. Another brilliant video. It almost inspires me to add this pen into my collection. Love the desk backdrop in the video. Much more classy than just a wooden desk. Great job on this one. Keep them coming my friend.
@@HemingwayJones fast forward 3 months…I was just able to snag one of the 300 LE HS Travel sets with the included portable inkwell. Bad timing financially but it was a now or never scenario regarding this serialized version. Whether or not the addition of the bronze end is desirable to some, I’m very excited to own this special grail pen (one of my last). I have my fingers crossed it writes perfectly ootb with no nib meister required!
The pen is certainly a looker and different in a good way. It has a nice weight and everything. Viscontis are usually too kitsch for my taste, but this one definitely has a place in my heart.
I adore learning, and I find I so often learn new things from you Hemingway.This pen is fascinating for me because it's made with black basalt. There are remains of the black basalt walkway around the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Thank so much! Lisa
@@HemingwayJones Thank you Hemingway! Your channel is a pure delight in my opinion. I will be using your locked letter tutorial for some letters I will be sending soon internationally.. I ordered some of the J. Herbin Supple Sealing Wax yesterday along with a bottle of Herbin Éclat de Saphir and a sample of the Colorverse Hayabusa Glistening.I have been searching for my perfect blue. I hope I have finally found it! Lisa
Since I do not own such a pen but maybe shall in the future, all I can say is that this is one of the best videos on fountain pens to date. Precise, succint and entertaining, I shall be listening to it time and again. My handwriting is 2.5 to 3 mm thick for lower case and cursive, which nib size should I chose for this model?
I have owned my Visconti Home Sapiens Bronze Age for a year now. I have the medium nib. I have to say it’s one of my favorite writers. The bronze is starting to patina and it looks really nice. The only gripe is that I wish it had an ink window. (Or that I got the one that had one). It has run dry on me in the middle of day because I let it get too low on more than 1 occasion.
Have you noticed how it feels weirdly light just before it runs out?! That has happened to me too. I like that ink window too, but I do like the uniform look of this one. Hmm.
@@HemingwayJones Yes this one looks the best and is obviously iconic. The Crystal Dream, still looks great and has the added practicality of the ink windows, but will never quite match the iconic status of this one. As a writer, I think I'm going to prioritise the practicality and go for the crystal dream. As a pen collector, I'd go for this original one.
I love my Visonti Homo Sapians Crystal Dream's look feel in my hand. However, get the nib checked before you purchase. The nib quality control remains very poor. I purchased one approximately 10 months ago and it still does not right at all. I received the nib with the tines stacked one on top of the other.
I love mine. Only two drawbacks are: (1) I tend to hold the pen on the threads, which is not super comfortable; and (2) the nib is almost TOO flexible. But the feel of the material cannot be beaten by another pen. The quick locking and unlocking also provides easy and quick access, as Hemingway points out. It is close for me between this one and my MB 149 right now.
I use mine since 2016 and it does not have a stain. I have a few paper towels at hand when I refill it and immediatley wipe it and the barrel still looks like new on mine.
The Visconti BA was my grail and I was lucky enough to purchase it at the uk pen show in March from Emy at Pen Venture, this was fortuitous as he was able to test the nib before purchase. I love this pen with its unique feel and reliable smooth writing action. I have Mont Blanc, Pilot, Sailor etc but this is by far my favorite. I have it in fine.
I lived and studied in Florence where I got a degree in fine arts. I own this pen now and not only is it my favorite writer, it brings back so many memories.
I love my Visconti Bronze Age. As a matter of fact, I just sent it out to have the nib reground to a Needlepoint. I cant wait to get it back so I can put in my four pen rotation. Great video HJ. I have a nice patina on it now.
While I could easily appreciate the intrigue regarding this pen, I felt I could bypass adding it to my list of wants…until. While at my local pen shop I had a chance to test out my sales associate’s personal Homo Sapiens pen and, wow, what a feeling! It was intoxicating! Now I struggle with my yearn. Do I wait and purchase it as a treasured souvenir from a trip to Italy (one day not soon), order it online when the cash is there, or ask for it as a gift? I think I know which you’d suggest! It really felt so unique and very smooth!
Thanks for the wonderful, enthusiastic review. You have inspired me yet again. Off to ink up my Visconti Opera Masters with palladium nibs and see if I can figure out why I haven’t used them in six years. Bryant from Chaterley Luxuries from whom I bought them had them tuned by Mike Masuyama before he sent them to me. He was concerned about the quality control from Visconti at the time, as were a lot of other people then.
I have a HS with the Dream Touch nib in EF. I love the build but it was just too juicy for me. It wrote like a Broad. I would still use it from time to time but it was just too much for my writing. I finally got it tuned and writes like an EF/F. It is finally a perfect pen for me. It’s my absolute favorite.
Nice review...and thanks for the recommendation to have the dealer (Atlas Stationers) check the nib before shipment. Not every dealer will do this. Keep in mind Visconti's quality control for their nibs is known to be variable - and that applies to all their pens, not just this one. Even if the dealer doesn't check the nib for you before shipping, you may get a great nib - or you may not. If you don't, a third-party nibmeister can correct it in most cases - for a $30-$50 separate charge. Visconti pens are beautiful, but at this price the nib should should be checked before it leaves the factory.
Thanks for this, I was wondering why he said to have the dealer check the nib. I wish Hemingway would have gone into more detail on this. I guess I got lucky, I have a Rembrandt and a Van Gogh and both are exceptional pens. They both have steel nibs but are both far superior to my Pilot 823 and Sailor 1911 gold nibs in the same price range. These are also my go to pens when I just want to write and let ideas flow, I have never had a single issue with them. I have been wanting to get a Homo Sapien as a grail pen, but now I am hesitant the quality is really that bad?
You know you’re probably right about this. I often view my videos as a series and I have spoken about it before and at length. I probably should have put a bit more in here. Although I do think I made the point demonstrably and with a little help from “The Fly!” Thanks for watching.
@@HemingwayJones Thanks, Maybe a pointer in the future to reference video discussing it. Just a suggestion. I am fairly new subscriber, only 3-4 months, so haven't got back too far in past videos. Even though I am a new subscriber I take your reviews to heart, so far you have not steered me wrong. I have 2 of my favorite inks and one of my top pens on your recommendations. So until I find the Visconti Nib thing, I think I will just avoid them for the future. It was a Grail pen but it can certainly wait. There are others.
It`s one my fave pens, but I wouldn`t buy it online. Visconti is great, but sometimes, somethings about their QC is off when it comes to nibs, my first homo sapiens was unusable because of the scratchy nib.
I would call someone like Brendan Schmidt at Atlas to check it for you before shipping. Conscientious pen shops are always happy to help. They don’t want a return either or an unhappy customer. Thanks!
Hello, I bought mine some years ago so I have it with the Palladium nib. It is one of the finest pen I have. What's cool with it, is the fact that the copper is oxydising with time as does the material. The pen really lives but in a way that it partners with you. It is not my favorite as I am more in Japanese pens but it is definitly one of the best pen you can buy from the current italian production. Excellent review as you got the essence out of it... as usual. I love your reviews, keep on the top work 🙂
I know Cult Pens has some. You could try contacting Visconti directly or your local / favorite pen shop. You could call Brendan at Atlas and ask him. Thanks!
I have been dilly dallying over buying it. But would like and love to buy one, but when is that is a Very very big question. How about doing an interview with the legendary Dante Delvichio!
This has been a grail pen for years, not least because I live in Sicily, and the Etna connection would make this even more special to me. Need to save up! As you say, it's one of those pens which, although not cheap, seems to be worth its price tag
I am baffled with all the attention it gets. I do not own one but have held and written with it. I have not decided to own one yet. Maybe tomorrow or day after …who knows! Thanks for in-depth presentation which you do so well for any pens you have presented thus far. Cheers.
@@HemingwayJones actually that would be a great "Top 5 F Designers" video. I imagine that could go viral It might require a bit if research, but could be interesting. Lamy does a good job of recognizing designers. I've seen some mention of an ex-Montblanc designer who went indie, and some pilot designers... I think Gentleman Stationer mentions some on his blog or videos.
I bought an HS Dark Age from an eBay seller a couple of years ago with the 23 K palladium DreamTouch nib in medium. I apparently got extremely lucky, but I didn't realize it then. It does write beautifully and is definitely a gusher. While a smooth writer, it falls short of the 'butter on glass' experience i get from my Pilot Custom 823's, Lamy 2K's, or my MB 146/9. This being stated, its far from toothy...something that has kept me from using my Sailor KOP from the start (although, i will be giving her another chance very soon, since I'm starting to embrace a finer line). I have enjoyed your content immensely...thanks!
Buenas tardes. He visto que Vinzenzo de FOUNTAIN PEN THERAPY, en sus vacaciones ha comprado esta estilográfica y me habéis dado envidia sana, así que me la he comprado después de pensarlo, pues hubiera preferido dejar ese dinero para otra Montblanc. Espero no arrepentirme y gracias por tu revisión de esta estilográfica. Saludos (con bastante calor) desde el sur España. (Good afternoon. I saw that Vinzenzo from FOUNTAIN PEN THERAPY bought this fountain pen on his holidays and you made me jealous, so I bought it after thinking about it, as I would have preferred to leave that money for another Montblanc. I hope I don't regret it and thank you for your review of this fountain pen. Greetings (with quite a bit of warmth) from the south of Spain.)
Ah, the Homo Sapiens Bronze Age! I enjoy hearing other people's pleasure in it, although I haven't raised my pen desires that high as yet. Thank you for an enjoyable video. Did you know that the end credits say "Hemingway Jomes" with an "m" instead of Jones, when the letters come together? I saw one previous video where I thought I saw that. Maybe you are just checking to see if any of us editing types are watching to the end!
I did know that! I saw it when I rewatched it a few days ago, but I let it go. It’s not that easy to upload a video and I thought it was minor enough to let it slide. Philosophically, I try to make my videos perfect, but being the only one involved and literally doing everything from start to finish, except when my wife or daughter films, I do let some things go. UA-cams that are too perfect so of lose their UA-cam-ness, if you will. Still, I do hate myself when I see mistakes. Thanks for watching to the end. That’s the important part!
If a cooler pen has been created I have yet to see it… my absolute grail. Thank you for making this beautiful video. Someday I will own one, Hem…. And I will be so proud.
The Visconti are a work of art and well made....Everybody should have one in their collections.... But, I agree with your thoughts regarding the nib. Probably the reason I only own one. Just my Very Humble Opinion....
1. Did I hear right, that it is 50% lava? That sounds a lot better than the 10% I heard somewhere. The more lava the better. 2. I would go for the version with an ink window.
Have the dark age with a gold nib for a few years now. Best pen i ever had and youre discription is absolutly correct. There is just one con: i never use any of my others pens anymore and lost my desire to buy a Montblanc 149. Bought a red HS rollerball last year for the occasional quick few words but even that one is rarely used. If it ever breaks down on me i will surely buy a HS again.
Mine has been inked constantly with Diamine Prussian Blue since I got it in the door. It is my favorite pen right now. Like you said, if you can try a GOOD 23k. Palladium nib do it! Mine is amazing and gives my writing an extra ummph. My Homo Sapiens, at least one of my many Pelikans, and my Montblanc Legrand 146 Centennial will always be inked until something knocks them off the mountain haha. Great video and you did the Homo Sapiens justice Hemingway.
I have the silver version of this pen and it’s superb. I also recently discovered that Prussian blue and it immediately became my favourite. You have great taste 😊.
I bought my Visconti Bronze Age in Rome from a wonderful 150 year old pen shop. The pen’s materiality will always remind me of my time in Italy. In addition to that , the pen just feels like high quality and mine is an absolutely FANTASTIC writer ,perhaps my best! Even better than my Montblanc 149. Sorry Hemingway. By the way the 149 makes an appearance in the Netflix series, Ripley, check it out.
Thanks very much for watching. That pen story is great. the HS makes a great travel pen too since it is so tough. Yes! I saw Ripley and I have a video on it coming up!
I have an old Medici, one of the early ones and L.E. as well, that has the Palladium nib. I also have the H.S. B.A. , but with the gold nib. Both are nice IMO. And I agree, there is no hurry in polishing the bronze. Let it age. If, when one changes ones mind, it's not a lost opportunity, there is all the time. (Here after, I wrote a piece about how pens are made expensive, and signals that they are expensive, and how cheap pens try to simulate it. I decided to delete it for now, maybe some other time.)
Magnifico! Love that Bronze Age. Ever consider getting an iconic Italian watch, the Panerai? Some models have a "sandwich dial" that have a gorgeous 3-D effect. LOL, that line from "The Fly" is a classic!
Yeah, I’m one of those baffled ones. But this review has gotten me interested. Again not just a review, but a video masterpiece, Thank You. So I guess the HS, Bronze Age goes on my list to check out and at least hold while I am aspiring to amass enough coin to acquire one. The Homo Sapiens for me has always had its vac filling system, going for it. My fav filling system, I have a few vintage ones and love them. Up until this point the Visconti clip has not been an attraction for me, I’m probably no the only one who doesn’t care for it, but certainly one of the minority. But perhaps not forever. Ahah moment when you matched the clip up with the Bridge, bingo I got it, proving once again the cliche: “A picture is worth a 1,000 words.” Over the years I have heard more than a thousand words about that clip resembling “The Bridge” ...meh. Then you matched them up and klabamo! So perhaps one day I will spring for a Homo Sapiens with the cool caping mechanism, fantastic filling system and Florence Funky clip. Keep the video wonders coming H. J.
I bought mine in 2016 for 480 EUR. Now it sells for 790 EUR. Impressive price development. But this is how the world goes sadly. Anyhow: Mine is equipped with an F nib. I also own a Waterman Carene F and a Pelikan M805 M The Waterman F is a real F. The Visconti F though is very comparable to the Pelikan M, which means it is quite perfect for me. The Visconti is such a big and heavy pen, that people who write incredibly small would not enjoy it anyhow, so finer than a "normal" M would make little sense. So I take the Waterman if I need a pen to write small. Its barrel is a bit thinner, anyhow so it does not fit my hand for general writing that well, but sometimes you need small and then it is fine. The Visconti F and Pelikan M are very interchangable for me but the Visconti feels much better. I am happy that I have bought it, when it was much more affordable and it certainly is the best pen I own. Currently it is attached to my general work notebook and yes, I do take it to the office. No problem with this thing; the Pelikan would scratch in my bag; the Visconti shruggs it off. Maybe I will get some scratches on the clip over time, but that's not a problem. Tools are meant to be used.
Thanks for your video. Off subject - have you thought of reviewing wooden pens? I have a forest of exotic wooden pens. And I'm not talking about pens one sees with a long metal section. I'm talking about wooden pens with similar sections either out of wood or ebonite. There is nothing more grounding than a wooden pen. Back to nature. Is it possible to contact you by email or other medium? I'd like to show you some of the woods and beautiful exotic materials.
As Caroline Bingly said to her sister about Jane Bennett "the mother" is intolerable, after the sister complimented Jane. I love the Homosapien (I have the Dark Age) It's lovely and feels wonderful in my hands, sometimes I just hold it because the feel is the most unique in almost all my fountain pens. BUT That nib is a horrible nib... one of the worst nib gold, titanium, or steel I ever tried out of the box. I cried! I knew about the QC problems but never heard about how bad it could be. I purchased from this retailer before and never ever had a problem... I bought I more expensive pen from them. They were alway prompt with a reply except with this pen. On this pen they were like a online dating site date who ghosted you after you asked for their marital status. Not buying from them again. Visconti Please deal with your QC issues. Yes after tender work, I do have it writing, but it will be going to a professional nibsmith to get ground and tuned into something the pen deserves... Not Ceit's hack job..... yeah yeah warranty voided.... so aren't my other pens... but that is because Ceit doesn't like her precious-es out of her site for to long lol...
The body is resin with only 30% volcanic rock, so any magical properties are most likely due to a very tough resin and imagination. Its still a great idea though.
I am unsure of the exact amount but 30% is a huge amount of anything to add to anything else; even though these things are relative depending on the properties of the individual parts and the resulting substance. Without proper testing, I am more Generous minded toward the manufacturer and their claims, but questioning this without quantification is purely conjecture, though interesting conjecture nonetheless. Thanks for watching.
Although out of my price range, the Visconti has always remained on my wishlist. As for the green patina on the clip, leave it there; it makes it uniquely yours.
Very problematic pen, quality controls unfunctioning nibs and strange filling system(not filling actually)...If you pay 1000 bucks to get it and extra 200 hundred to fix these things it might become an excellent pen.Look and feeling perfect... Thanx for your detailed videos
Absolute garbage. I bought a white blizzard it got stained and the nib didn't write I sent it back to known retailer and they sent a second one and it also didn't write properly sent it to a nibmeister and it then wrote properly but then started leaking I was referred to the company that makes them and they told me it needed to go back to Italy and that it would take 11 weeks because it was no longer in production to fix the visconti Blizzard pen. I got disgusted and told them you know what just give me back my money or all file a litigation case your pens are junk and absolute garbage. The company refunded the retailer and the retailer sent me back my money I would never buy one of these again. Of course that's only my opinion but I would buy something else there are so many other quality pens in this price range I don't quite understand how the Scotty can charge this kind of money for pens that are known to be defective and unreliable.
How strange : I was writing in our garden with a Visconti HS Bronze Age using Diamine Oxford Blue ink in the excellent - and very good value - Logical Prime notebook when I thought “what’s Hemingway Jones covering this week ?” . I bought my Bronze Age preowned so it’s got plenty of patina on the clip and a juicy Stub nib. A very satisfying writing experience. Another great video !!
No bafflement here. I fell and fell hard for fountain pens about four years ago. Many of them are beyond my means, but my modest pens and lovely inks are an absolute joy. Thank you for all these delightful presentations. It helps fill the empty place left when my fountain pen-loving dad passed. Online fountain pen fans will help tremendously as no one else I know gets the fun in pens, inks and paper. Thanks again😍
Thank you for your kind words. I am terribly sorry about your dad. I wish you all the best. You are very welcome here. Warmest regards.
I love my HS Dark Age. Beautiful pen, so lovely to write with. I love the feel of the basaltic lava in my hand, unlike any other pen out there. I use Iroshizuku shin-ryoku green ink. It’s a daily writer for me. Lovely review, thanks for sharing.
Thank you for watching!
The Bronze Age is still in first place on my grail pen list. Maybe this is the year I take one home. Thanks HJ for a great video.
Thanks for watching! You are the best!
I am a big fan of Egyptology. WHERE did you get that ink well?
A small antique shop in Scotland. It’s 100 years ago. It’s brilliant, isn’t it? All the best!
Love your videos! Really considering one but will probably go for the Lava Ash white. Hope my nib will be a good one, looking into an EF
Thank you very much! That pens sounds like an excellent choice!
I would love that FP! But I want a barrel and cap turned directly from volcanic glass with a white gold nib. Not asking too much am I?
I love that idea. I wonder if you could. It would be so brittle, yet so pretty!
Once again, a beautiful video. I appreciate that you took the time to mention the issues with quality control of the nibs as I was unaware of this. Thank you, Hemingway! You hit it out of the park, once again!
Thanks very much! I am glad you enjoyed this! I try to be balanced.
I have the Dark Age version of this pen, and I love it.
I could have so much fun making a video on that one! Thanks for watching.
Absolutely an iconic pen. Please tell where you got the Egyptian inspired ink well!!!
An antiques shop in Scotland. I love that thing!
I've only been into this hobby since last December and this pen caught my eye back then. As I learned more about it (and also what a "Grail" pen is) I could see myself owning this at some point. Well, your wonderful video just put the last straw on the camel's back. I really enjoy how you bring the tactile and emotional experience to this...*hobby*... It's more than a hobby, it's a way of life. You sharing your experience makes these things less frivolous and more of an appreciation of life. I'm really thankful that you can do this. Thank you for this video and the sharing of your knowledge.
Thank you, Antonio! I appreciate that so much! This is exactly what I am trying to convey. Thank you!
Grail referes to a collector item that is highly desirable, sometimes hard to get and usually expensive. I collect knives and fountain pens and have GRAIL items in both collections. Both the Visconti Homo Sapiens and Watermark are two of my grail pens.
This might be my next FP purchase, sometime up the road, no rush. Always appreciate your insight HJ.
Thanks so much! A new video is coming on this one that I think you will love.
Thank you for this video! I am playing this while simultaneously opening a preloved Bronze Age... I am in awe. Simply amazing.
Glad you enjoy it!Thanks very much!
It was a thrill to watch you watch you break down this pen, and learn how you fill it, clean it, and use it. What a joy it will be to watch the bronze on your pen age. This pen’s size, durability, practicality, and beauty make it my grail pen. I can find prettier, but always at a cost beyond price. Loved how your thumbnail cut half of your title away for a big “gotcha”. Well done, sir!
Thank you so much for this kind comment. Thank you for watching! I find these words so encouraging.
Hello HJ. Another brilliant video. It almost inspires me to add this pen into my collection. Love the desk backdrop in the video. Much more classy than just a wooden desk. Great job on this one. Keep them coming my friend.
Thanks very much! I appreciate that! I have bought some backdrops for the Channel. Thanks!
Oh yes, and your photography is breathtaking!
Thanks so much! I appreciate it and I am glad you enjoyed the video! I hope you get one!
@@HemingwayJones fast forward 3 months…I was just able to snag one of the 300 LE HS Travel sets with the included portable inkwell. Bad timing financially but it was a now or never scenario regarding this serialized version. Whether or not the addition of the bronze end is desirable to some, I’m very excited to own this special grail pen (one of my last). I have my fingers crossed it writes perfectly ootb with no nib meister required!
It is not a pen I own but is definitely a pen I love.
The pen is certainly a looker and different in a good way. It has a nice weight and everything. Viscontis are usually too kitsch for my taste, but this one definitely has a place in my heart.
Thanks very much!
I adore learning, and I find I so often learn new things from you Hemingway.This pen is fascinating for me because it's made with black basalt.
There are remains of the black basalt walkway around the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
Thank so much!
Lisa
Thank you, Lisa! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
@@HemingwayJones Thank you Hemingway! Your channel is a pure delight in my opinion. I will be using your locked letter tutorial for some letters I will be sending soon internationally.. I ordered some of the J. Herbin Supple Sealing Wax yesterday along with a bottle of Herbin Éclat de Saphir and a sample of the Colorverse Hayabusa Glistening.I have been searching for my perfect blue. I hope I have finally found it!
Lisa
That all sounds great. Enjoy!
@@HemingwayJones I'm sure I will, and I have you to thank!
Lisa
You photos are stunning.
Is it alright ok thanks buy this online with known sited setting this brandnew?
Since I do not own such a pen but maybe shall in the future, all I can say is that this is one of the best videos on fountain pens to date. Precise, succint and entertaining, I shall be listening to it time and again.
My handwriting is 2.5 to 3 mm thick for lower case and cursive, which nib size should I chose for this model?
Thanks so much! I am glad you enjoyed it! Perhaps a Fine for some wispy lines! Thanks!
I have owned my Visconti Home Sapiens Bronze Age for a year now. I have the medium nib. I have to say it’s one of my favorite writers. The bronze is starting to patina and it looks really nice. The only gripe is that I wish it had an ink window. (Or that I got the one that had one). It has run dry on me in the middle of day because I let it get too low on more than 1 occasion.
Have you noticed how it feels weirdly light just before it runs out?! That has happened to me too. I like that ink window too, but I do like the uniform look of this one. Hmm.
@@HemingwayJones Yes this one looks the best and is obviously iconic. The Crystal Dream, still looks great and has the added practicality of the ink windows, but will never quite match the iconic status of this one. As a writer, I think I'm going to prioritise the practicality and go for the crystal dream. As a pen collector, I'd go for this original one.
Another great video! Seems like a great pen with lovely features.
Thank you!
I love my Visonti Homo Sapians Crystal Dream's look feel in my hand. However, get the nib checked before you purchase. The nib quality control remains very poor. I purchased one approximately 10 months ago and it still does not right at all. I received the nib with the tines stacked one on top of the other.
There’s the rub with Visconti. It’s a shame. All the heritage and amazing design!
I have a cursive italic of this pen. My favorite of 200 plus pens.
Wonderful!
I love mine. Only two drawbacks are: (1) I tend to hold the pen on the threads, which is not super comfortable; and (2) the nib is almost TOO flexible. But the feel of the material cannot be beaten by another pen. The quick locking and unlocking also provides easy and quick access, as Hemingway points out. It is close for me between this one and my MB 149 right now.
Thanks very much for watching!
I wished you talk about the staining of the barrel when you fill the pen over time.
I use mine since 2016 and it does not have a stain. I have a few paper towels at hand when I refill it and immediatley wipe it and the barrel still looks like new on mine.
The Visconti BA was my grail and I was lucky enough to purchase it at the uk pen show in March from Emy at Pen Venture, this was fortuitous as he was able to test the nib before purchase. I love this pen with its unique feel and reliable smooth writing action. I have Mont Blanc, Pilot, Sailor etc but this is by far my favorite. I have it in fine.
A wise choice and a great way to buy!
I lived and studied in Florence where I got a degree in fine arts. I own this pen now and not only is it my favorite writer, it brings back so many memories.
That sounds wonderful! Thank you!
I love my Visconti Bronze Age. As a matter of fact, I just sent it out to have the nib reground to a Needlepoint. I cant wait to get it back so I can put in my four pen rotation. Great video HJ. I have a nice patina on it now.
Thanks very much!
While I could easily appreciate the intrigue regarding this pen, I felt I could bypass adding it to my list of wants…until. While at my local pen shop I had a chance to test out my sales associate’s personal Homo Sapiens pen and, wow, what a feeling! It was intoxicating! Now I struggle with my yearn. Do I wait and purchase it as a treasured souvenir from a trip to Italy (one day not soon), order it online when the cash is there, or ask for it as a gift? I think I know which you’d suggest! It really felt so unique and very smooth!
They’re decently cheaper on the used market! There are also some great editions like the Crystal Dream and skylight
Thanks for the wonderful, enthusiastic review. You have inspired me yet again. Off to ink up my Visconti Opera Masters with palladium nibs and see if I can figure out why I haven’t used them in six years. Bryant from Chaterley Luxuries from whom I bought them had them tuned by Mike Masuyama before he sent them to me. He was concerned about the quality control from Visconti at the time, as were a lot of other people then.
Wonderful! Thanks so much!
I have a HS with the Dream Touch nib in EF. I love the build but it was just too juicy for me. It wrote like a Broad. I would still use it from time to time but it was just too much for my writing. I finally got it tuned and writes like an EF/F. It is finally a perfect pen for me. It’s my absolute favorite.
That sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing your experience!
The ”bayonet” closing of the cap intrigues me. It’s eyecatching and decorative.
That’s a great description.
Nice review...and thanks for the recommendation to have the dealer (Atlas Stationers) check the nib before shipment. Not every dealer will do this. Keep in mind Visconti's quality control for their nibs is known to be variable - and that applies to all their pens, not just this one. Even if the dealer doesn't check the nib for you before shipping, you may get a great nib - or you may not. If you don't, a third-party nibmeister can correct it in most cases - for a $30-$50 separate charge. Visconti pens are beautiful, but at this price the nib should should be checked before it leaves the factory.
Thanks for this, I was wondering why he said to have the dealer check the nib. I wish Hemingway would have gone into more detail on this. I guess I got lucky, I have a Rembrandt and a Van Gogh and both are exceptional pens. They both have steel nibs but are both far superior to my Pilot 823 and Sailor 1911 gold nibs in the same price range. These are also my go to pens when I just want to write and let ideas flow, I have never had a single issue with them. I have been wanting to get a Homo Sapien as a grail pen, but now I am hesitant the quality is really that bad?
Thanks very much for watching. I try to keep things balanced.
You know you’re probably right about this. I often view my videos as a series and I have spoken about it before and at length. I probably should have put a bit more in here. Although I do think I made the point demonstrably and with a little help from “The Fly!” Thanks for watching.
@@HemingwayJones Thanks, Maybe a pointer in the future to reference video discussing it. Just a suggestion. I am fairly new subscriber, only 3-4 months, so haven't got back too far in past videos. Even though I am a new subscriber I take your reviews to heart, so far you have not steered me wrong. I have 2 of my favorite inks and one of my top pens on your recommendations. So until I find the Visconti Nib thing, I think I will just avoid them for the future. It was a Grail pen but it can certainly wait. There are others.
Thanks very much for the kind words. When you are ready, call Brendan at Atlas. He will check it for you.
Hi Hemingway! Thanks for the nice overview of the Visconti HSBJ! It is a very fascinating pen. Definitely worthy of being called a "Grail Pen".
My pleasure!
It`s one my fave pens, but I wouldn`t buy it online. Visconti is great, but sometimes, somethings about their QC is off when it comes to nibs, my first homo sapiens was unusable because of the scratchy nib.
I would call someone like Brendan Schmidt at Atlas to check it for you before shipping. Conscientious pen shops are always happy to help. They don’t want a return either or an unhappy customer. Thanks!
It is a lovely pen. I never considered the Bronze Age link until you mentioned it.
Thanks so much!
Hello, I bought mine some years ago so I have it with the Palladium nib. It is one of the finest pen I have. What's cool with it, is the fact that the copper is oxydising with time as does the material. The pen really lives but in a way that it partners with you. It is not my favorite as I am more in Japanese pens but it is definitly one of the best pen you can buy from the current italian production.
Excellent review as you got the essence out of it... as usual.
I love your reviews, keep on the top work 🙂
Thanks very much and thanks for letting me know about that nib. Wish you all the best.
Great pen! I enjoy my Dark Age. Cheers HJ!
Thanks Shane! I appreciate it.
I've lost the cap top fenial. Any idea of how to get another one?
I know Cult Pens has some. You could try contacting Visconti directly or your local / favorite pen shop. You could call Brendan at Atlas and ask him. Thanks!
Ordered from Cult pens. BTW great review. This was my first grail pen. 23k EF nib and now with full patina.
Thanks very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I have been dilly dallying over buying it. But would like and love to buy one, but when is that is a Very very big question.
How about doing an interview with the legendary Dante Delvichio!
I would love to. Maybe I’ll meet him one day.
This has been a grail pen for years, not least because I live in Sicily, and the Etna connection would make this even more special to me. Need to save up! As you say, it's one of those pens which, although not cheap, seems to be worth its price tag
Wonderful video.
Thank you very much!
I am baffled with all the attention it gets. I do not own one but have held and written with it. I have not decided to own one yet. Maybe tomorrow or day after …who knows! Thanks for in-depth presentation which you do so well for any pens you have presented thus far. Cheers.
Thank you for watching and for being here!
Wonderful video even though it’s not on my grail list. Nice job of singing praise of their developments while recognizing the important nib QC issue.
Thanks very much! I feel as if I don’t celebrate the designers enough. Thanks very much!
@@HemingwayJones actually that would be a great "Top 5 F Designers" video. I imagine that could go viral It might require a bit if research, but could be interesting. Lamy does a good job of recognizing designers. I've seen some mention of an ex-Montblanc designer who went indie, and some pilot designers... I think Gentleman Stationer mentions some on his blog or videos.
A another great video,wonderful writer,frank in Oswego,ill
Thank you!
You welcome
I have a limited traveller edition. It's one of my most beloved pens 😀
A beautiful video thank you.
Many thanks for watching!
I bought an HS Dark Age from an eBay seller a couple of years ago with the 23 K palladium DreamTouch nib in medium. I apparently got extremely lucky, but I didn't realize it then. It does write beautifully and is definitely a gusher. While a smooth writer, it falls short of the 'butter on glass' experience i get from my Pilot Custom 823's, Lamy 2K's, or my MB 146/9. This being stated, its far from toothy...something that has kept me from using my Sailor KOP from the start (although, i will be giving her another chance very soon, since I'm starting to embrace a finer line).
I have enjoyed your content immensely...thanks!
My Bronze Age has the Palladium nib. It is everything you described, plus and even more exquisite nib. Only my Omas rivals it’s writing.
It sounds exquisite! Thanks!
Buenas tardes. He visto que Vinzenzo de FOUNTAIN PEN THERAPY, en sus vacaciones ha comprado esta estilográfica y me habéis dado envidia sana, así que me la he comprado después de pensarlo, pues hubiera preferido dejar ese dinero para otra Montblanc. Espero no arrepentirme y gracias por tu revisión de esta estilográfica. Saludos (con bastante calor) desde el sur España. (Good afternoon. I saw that Vinzenzo from FOUNTAIN PEN THERAPY bought this fountain pen on his holidays and you made me jealous, so I bought it after thinking about it, as I would have preferred to leave that money for another Montblanc. I hope I don't regret it and thank you for your review of this fountain pen. Greetings (with quite a bit of warmth) from the south of Spain.)
Hello and thank you so much. I hope you love the pen. It is a very unique writing instrument. I wish you all the best and thank you for being here.
Ah, the Homo Sapiens Bronze Age! I enjoy hearing other people's pleasure in it, although I haven't raised my pen desires that high as yet. Thank you for an enjoyable video.
Did you know that the end credits say "Hemingway Jomes" with an "m" instead of Jones, when the letters come together? I saw one previous video where I thought I saw that. Maybe you are just checking to see if any of us editing types are watching to the end!
I did know that! I saw it when I rewatched it a few days ago, but I let it go. It’s not that easy to upload a video and I thought it was minor enough to let it slide. Philosophically, I try to make my videos perfect, but being the only one involved and literally doing everything from start to finish, except when my wife or daughter films, I do let some things go. UA-cams that are too perfect so of lose their UA-cam-ness, if you will. Still, I do hate myself when I see mistakes. Thanks for watching to the end. That’s the important part!
@@HemingwayJones It's perfect in its imperfection. And now you do know that I watched to the end!
If a cooler pen has been created I have yet to see it… my absolute grail. Thank you for making this beautiful video. Someday I will own one, Hem…. And I will be so proud.
Thanks for watching!
The Visconti are a work of art and well made....Everybody should have one in their collections.... But, I agree with your thoughts regarding the nib. Probably the reason I only own one. Just my Very Humble Opinion....
I am happy to have it and to have you here.
1. Did I hear right, that it is 50% lava? That sounds a lot better than the 10% I heard somewhere. The more lava the better.
2. I would go for the version with an ink window.
Sadly, no parts Lava! Though my Daughter says I am a Lava Monster when I step on cracks.
@@HemingwayJones Basalt is lava. ...Formerly lava, that is. 😉
Yes, that was the joke. No one gets me!
I love mine with the CSI nib grind. It's one of the smoothest writers I have.
Have the dark age with a gold nib for a few years now. Best pen i ever had and youre discription is absolutly correct. There is just one con: i never use any of my others pens anymore and lost my desire to buy a Montblanc 149. Bought a red HS rollerball last year for the occasional quick few words but even that one is rarely used. If it ever breaks down on me i will surely buy a HS again.
But wait … can we talk about your glass, the drink , and the inkwelll … beautiful , stunning, thou do love the Visconti
Thank you! All are antiques, except for the drink.
Mine has been inked constantly with Diamine Prussian Blue since I got it in the door. It is my favorite pen right now. Like you said, if you can try a GOOD 23k. Palladium nib do it! Mine is amazing and gives my writing an extra ummph. My Homo Sapiens, at least one of my many Pelikans, and my Montblanc Legrand 146 Centennial will always be inked until something knocks them off the mountain haha. Great video and you did the Homo Sapiens justice Hemingway.
I have the silver version of this pen and it’s superb. I also recently discovered that Prussian blue and it immediately became my favourite. You have great taste 😊.
@@darknessrising7385 I'm a sucker for Blue-Blacks! Glad you enjoy Prussian Blue as much as I do and you are enjoying your Homo Sapiens.
I bought my Visconti Bronze Age in Rome from a wonderful 150 year old pen shop. The pen’s materiality will always remind me of my time in Italy. In addition to that , the pen just feels like high quality and mine is an absolutely FANTASTIC writer ,perhaps my best! Even better than my Montblanc 149. Sorry Hemingway. By the way the 149 makes an appearance in the Netflix series, Ripley, check it out.
Thanks very much for watching. That pen story is great. the HS makes a great travel pen too since it is so tough. Yes! I saw Ripley and I have a video on it coming up!
I watched Ripley too. It made me looking at fountain pens again since year 2000
@@danielng4880 Very nice! Prepare yourself to see it discussed in depth!
I pair my Visconti homo sapiens bronze with my MeisterSinger Bronze Metris watch.
Brilliant! If you have an IG, tag me in a pic. Would love to see.
I want it. Wife would kill me spending $700 on it. Unless I bought her one as well. Beautiful pen.
That’s a solution! Thanks for watching.
Your end card reads Hemingway Jomes if I am not mistaken...
You are correct and a big hug to you for watching it straight through. Thank you!
I have an old Medici, one of the early ones and L.E. as well, that has the Palladium nib. I also have the H.S. B.A. , but with the gold nib. Both are nice IMO. And I agree, there is no hurry in polishing the bronze. Let it age. If, when one changes ones mind, it's not a lost opportunity, there is all the time.
(Here after, I wrote a piece about how pens are made expensive, and signals that they are expensive, and how cheap pens try to simulate it. I decided to delete it for now, maybe some other time.)
I am certain there will be another occasion for it! Thanks very much and very nice pens. I’d love to try a Palladium sometime. All the best.
Magnifico! Love that Bronze Age. Ever consider getting an iconic Italian watch, the Panerai? Some models have a "sandwich dial" that have a gorgeous 3-D effect. LOL, that line from "The Fly" is a classic!
Yeah, I’m one of those baffled ones. But this review has gotten me interested. Again not just a review, but a video masterpiece, Thank You. So I guess the HS, Bronze Age goes on my list to check out and at least hold while I am aspiring to amass enough coin to acquire one. The Homo Sapiens for me has always had its vac filling system, going for it. My fav filling system, I have a few vintage ones and love them. Up until this point the Visconti clip has not been an attraction for me, I’m probably no the only one who doesn’t care for it, but certainly one of the minority. But perhaps not forever. Ahah moment when you matched the clip up with the Bridge, bingo I got it, proving once again the cliche: “A picture is worth a 1,000 words.” Over the years I have heard more than a thousand words about that clip resembling “The Bridge” ...meh. Then you matched them up and klabamo! So perhaps one day I will spring for a Homo Sapiens with the cool caping mechanism, fantastic filling system and Florence Funky clip. Keep the video wonders coming H. J.
Thank you so much! This comment was so kind. I’m glad I could help you connect with the clip! Thanks for the encouragement.
But... what about the finest stationary?
I mean stationery.
I bought mine in 2016 for 480 EUR. Now it sells for 790 EUR. Impressive price development. But this is how the world goes sadly.
Anyhow: Mine is equipped with an F nib. I also own a Waterman Carene F and a Pelikan M805 M
The Waterman F is a real F. The Visconti F though is very comparable to the Pelikan M, which means it is quite perfect for me.
The Visconti is such a big and heavy pen, that people who write incredibly small would not enjoy it anyhow, so finer than a "normal" M would make little sense.
So I take the Waterman if I need a pen to write small. Its barrel is a bit thinner, anyhow so it does not fit my hand for general writing that well, but sometimes you need small and then it is fine.
The Visconti F and Pelikan M are very interchangable for me but the Visconti feels much better. I am happy that I have bought it, when it was much more affordable and it certainly is the best pen I own. Currently it is attached to my general work notebook and yes, I do take it to the office. No problem with this thing; the Pelikan would scratch in my bag; the Visconti shruggs it off. Maybe I will get some scratches on the clip over time, but that's not a problem. Tools are meant to be used.
Thanks for your video.
Off subject - have you thought of reviewing wooden pens?
I have a forest of exotic wooden pens. And I'm not talking about pens one sees with a long metal section. I'm talking about wooden pens with similar sections either out of wood or ebonite.
There is nothing more grounding than a wooden pen. Back to nature. Is it possible to contact you by email or other medium? I'd like to show you some of the woods and beautiful exotic materials.
My email is on my profile page so fire away. Thanks.
As Caroline Bingly said to her sister about Jane Bennett "the mother" is intolerable, after the sister complimented Jane.
I love the Homosapien (I have the Dark Age) It's lovely and feels wonderful in my hands, sometimes I just hold it because the feel is the most unique in almost all my fountain pens.
BUT That nib is a horrible nib... one of the worst nib gold, titanium, or steel I ever tried out of the box. I cried! I knew about the QC problems but never heard about how bad it could be. I purchased from this retailer before and never ever had a problem... I bought I more expensive pen from them. They were alway prompt with a reply except with this pen. On this pen they were like a online dating site date who ghosted you after you asked for their marital status. Not buying from them again.
Visconti Please deal with your QC issues.
Yes after tender work, I do have it writing, but it will be going to a professional nibsmith to get ground and tuned into something the pen deserves... Not Ceit's hack job..... yeah yeah warranty voided.... so aren't my other pens... but that is because Ceit doesn't like her precious-es out of her site for to long lol...
I have done the same with pens, so I get it! Thanks so much for the great comment!
I bought direct from Visconti. Personalised with an amethyst. No problems after one year and a half.
Very nice and always fun!
Awsome.
Thank you!
The body is resin with only 30% volcanic rock, so any magical properties are most likely due to a very tough resin and imagination. Its still a great idea though.
I am unsure of the exact amount but 30% is a huge amount of anything to add to anything else; even though these things are relative depending on the properties of the individual parts and the resulting substance. Without proper testing, I am more
Generous minded toward the manufacturer and their claims, but questioning this without quantification is purely conjecture, though interesting conjecture nonetheless. Thanks for watching.
Although out of my price range, the Visconti has always remained on my wishlist. As for the green patina on the clip, leave it there; it makes it uniquely yours.
You know, I did and then I was on the phone and I had a polishing cloth in my hand and now I need to start all over again!
My grail pen!
Very problematic pen, quality controls unfunctioning nibs and strange filling system(not filling actually)...If you pay 1000 bucks to get it and extra 200 hundred to fix these things it might become an excellent pen.Look and feeling perfect... Thanx for your detailed videos
Thanks for watching.
I own a Dark Ages, great pen! I agree that the M is more of a MF. Cheers!
Thank you!
Truly!
Original of HUMANS not just “men”…with out women there would be NO men!,
Absolute garbage. I bought a white blizzard it got stained and the nib didn't write I sent it back to known retailer and they sent a second one and it also didn't write properly sent it to a nibmeister and it then wrote properly but then started leaking I was referred to the company that makes them and they told me it needed to go back to Italy and that it would take 11 weeks because it was no longer in production to fix the visconti Blizzard pen. I got disgusted and told them you know what just give me back my money or all file a litigation case your pens are junk and absolute garbage. The company refunded the retailer and the retailer sent me back my money I would never buy one of these again. Of course that's only my opinion but I would buy something else there are so many other quality pens in this price range I don't quite understand how the Scotty can charge this kind of money for pens that are known to be defective and unreliable.
That’s valid. Your experience needs to be known. Thanks very much for watching.