Welcome to the Steel Age

Visconti celebrates the Steel Age, adding a new finish to its Homo Sapiens pen collection, which uses real lava in the making. The pen features marine stainless steel trim, and the fountain pen, which is piston filled, has a 23-karat palladium nib in F, M, and B sizes. A new mid-sized fountain pen has been added to the collection, joining the large-size fountain pen, rollerball, ballpoint and pencil. Prices range from $325 to $345.

Sneak a Peek

Visconti and Online, both distributed by Coles of London, shared an oversized booth at the National Stationary Show in NYC in early May. And both brands are showing lots of new products for the coming season. Visconti’s centerpiece was its highly popular Homo Sapiens collection, crafted from lava rock. But I also got a sneak peek from Roberto Sacchi (pictured with David MacDougall of Coles), based in Florence, at a new fountain rollerball pen, coming soon and priced at $145. It comes with a converter as well as seven cartridges and one spare rollerball tip. When I saw it, the pen was yet to be formally named.

In my opinion, Online is a great brand. It combines German engineering (the company is based in Neumarkt) with really fun and fashionable styles. There’s lots new coming from Online in the coming months—pens and leathers—many in fashionable shades of cream and brown. Watch for the new Cruiser capless rollerball and sketch pencil. Also watch for line extensions in the Business line, the Flip, Vision, Piccolo and Crystal Inspirations. Sneak Peek: the Extend will be coming out next year, and it does just what the name implies. Photo: Online principals Thomas and Alexandra Batsch with Mark Cole of Coles of London.