Don’t Buy A Visconti Homo Sapiens Fountain Pen Before Watching This! 

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😍

It is not a pen I own but is definitely a pen I love.

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!

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.

Oh yes, and your photography is breathtaking!

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.

Thank you for this video! I am playing this while simultaneously opening a preloved Bronze Age... I am in awe. Simply amazing.

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'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.

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.

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.

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!

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 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

Another great video! Seems like a great pen with lovely features.

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.

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!

A beautiful video thank you.

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.

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.

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".

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

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 🙂

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.

You photos are stunning.

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 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.

It is a lovely pen. I never considered the Bronze Age link until you mentioned it.

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 the Dark Age version of this pen, and I love it.

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!

I love mine with the CSI nib grind. It's one of the smoothest writers I have.

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.

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.

I have a limited traveller edition. It's one of my most beloved pens 😀

The ”bayonet” closing of the cap intrigues me. It’s eyecatching and decorative.

Great pen! I enjoy my Dark Age. Cheers HJ!

But wait … can we talk about your glass, the drink , and the inkwelll … beautiful , stunning, thou do love the Visconti

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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....

Wonderful video.

A another great video,wonderful writer,frank in Oswego,ill

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 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 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.)

But... what about the finest stationary?

Absolutely an iconic pen. Please tell where you got the Egyptian inspired ink well!!!

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.

Your end card reads Hemingway Jomes if I am not mistaken...

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.

I pair my Visconti homo sapiens bronze with my MeisterSinger Bronze Metris watch.

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!

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.

My grail pen!

Awsome.

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 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 am a big fan of Egyptology. WHERE did you get that ink well?

I've lost the cap top fenial. Any idea of how to get another one?

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.

I bought direct from Visconti. Personalised with an amethyst. No problems after one year and a half.

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

I own a Dark Ages, great pen! I agree that the M is more of a MF. Cheers!

Original of HUMANS not just “men”…with out women there would be NO men!,