Visconti Pericle (1994)

**Jeph** · November 17th, 2014, 09:34 AM

I have been looking for quite a while for an Italian fountain pen that I liked that would not break the bank. Finally I landed this Visconti Pericle. I believe this was the initial version from 1994 and it was redesigned around 2002. It is a C/C filler with a steel nib and a slip cap.

The clip really bothered me at first but it is starting to grow on me. It works well and is not as obtrusive as it looks in the pocket. The cap posts securely but it does not feel like it posts securely. That is because there is some sort of soft ring within the cap to grip the cap without marring the barrel. The pen is just barely top-heavy posted but you have to really focus on it to be able to tell. The steel nib is smooth and appears to be a medium. If this pen survives a week or so in use without any issues I will probably send the nib out for some customization. The grey marble of the barrel did not photograph well. There are waves of contrasting grey that did not show up well, and they grey transitions from dark charcoal grey to a light grey around and along the barrel and the cap. The pen caps securely with the ring at the back of the section. There is no ridge at the ring so the section is smooth and well tapered. Just for my personal preference I would have liked the trim to be silver colored instead of gold but that is starting to grow on me as well.

In the end it is exactly what I was after, a reasonably inexpensive Italian pen with good looks and good functionality.

Pericle Boxed.jpg Pericle Posted.jpg Pericle Parts.jpg Pericle Nib.jpg

**RuiFromUK** · November 17th, 2014, 09:48 AM

"a reasonably inexpensive Italian pen with good looks and good functionality." If Jeph says this it must be true. Welcome to the world of beautiful Italian pens.

The clip being quite different from other pens I have seen is what attracted my eyes. Excellent choice.

**Tracy Lee** · November 17th, 2014, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Jeph

I have been looking for quite a while for an Italian fountain pen that I liked that would not break the bank. Finally I landed this Visconti Pericle. I believe this was the initial version from 1994 and it was redesigned around 2002. It is a C/C filler with a steel nib and a slip cap.

The clip really bothered me at first but it is starting to grow on me. It works well and is not as obtrusive as it looks in the pocket. The cap posts securely but it does not feel like it posts securely. That is because there is some sort of soft ring within the cap to grip the cap without marring the barrel. The pen is just barely top-heavy posted but you have to really focus on it to be able to tell. The steel nib is smooth and appears to be a medium. If this pen survives a week or so in use without any issues I will probably send the nib out for some customization. The grey marble of the barrel did not photograph well. There are waves of contrasting grey that did not show up well, and they grey transitions from dark charcoal grey to a light grey around and along the barrel and the cap. The pen caps securely with the ring at the back of the section. There is no ridge at the ring so the section is smooth and well tapered. Just for my personal preference I would have liked the trim to be silver colored instead of gold but that is starting to grow on me as well.

In the end it is exactly what I was after, a reasonably inexpensive Italian pen with good looks and good functionality.

Pericle Boxed.jpg Pericle Posted.jpg Pericle Parts.jpg Pericle Nib.jpg

Yes, it is the first edition (so to speak) of the Pericle. I have a beautiful green one, but it has a gold nib if I am not mistaken. Great pens. Even the 2001 edition with a steel nib is good, I have several of those. And I don't like steel nibs so . . . There you go. Excellent acquisition, thanks for letting us see!

**manoeuver** · November 17th, 2014, 11:02 AM

I rather like that clip.

**Llewellyn** · November 17th, 2014, 02:58 PM

I bought a red one of these recently. Like Jeph I wasn't sure about the clip but now I really like it. The M nib on mine is gold and it writes beautifully, and the balance is just right (much like the Voyagers). I've seen the later version but the clip design doesn't really float my boat.

I like that it's a pen from Visconti's early history and it adds another dimension to my Visconti collection. I'd love to get another one (green would be good) but they are hard to find.