I’m a big fountain pen fan and follow many influencers in that area. This was, by far, the best video I’ve watched about a fountain pen brand. Also, the fact Kirby was able to get such inside access to a major brand like Visconti was particularly impressive. You can’t find another video like it on KZbin. The combination of CEO interviews, behind-the-scenes video, and the deep dive into the manufacturing and design processes were so impressive and enlightening. Bravo and thank you to Kirby!
@kirbyallison3 ай бұрын
Wow, thank you!
@zeemzok3 ай бұрын
The production in this channel is second to none! Well done to everyone involved! Keep the great work Kirby
@mph72823 ай бұрын
I recently returned from a trip to Italy and visited the Visconti flagship store in Florence. It was a nice little treat to view everything they had, and the lady running the store was a joy to talk to. I didn’t purchase anything at the store, but I own several Visconti pens, and they are wonderful to write with. I also recently purchased a Van Gogh model for my nephew for his college graduation, and I’m kind of kicking myself I didn’t buy it in Florence. As a full on pen nerd, I approve of this episode!
@GoodStuffGarage3 ай бұрын
What a fascinating subject, and - as always - a very well produced episode. Handwriting is actually very important. It improves learning and memory. That's one of many reasons why it's crazy that many schools today have switched from handwriting to only typing on screens and pads. Back to basics is the way to go here!
@thisissweeney54943 ай бұрын
Indeed! I’m a High School English Teacher and the classes I teach are through Cambridge International which requires the students to take a written exam at the end of the year via pen and paper. So I pretty much have my students writing by hand for the whole school year and there is a SIGNIFICANT difference between typing and writing by hand.
@GoodStuffGarage3 ай бұрын
@@thisissweeney5494 Fantastic! Well done!
@Mojo-IRE3 ай бұрын
Italy has always oozed elegance and class. Just seems to come naturally.
@j.davidphillips96653 ай бұрын
Have you been? It certainly has its classy parts. But mostly it oozes garlic, corruption , and inefficiency.
@sandrofazzolari88333 ай бұрын
Italy 🇮🇹 is grateful for your visit and fine grand tour. Bravo 👏 Next time maybe also Milano😊
@chunkychinn3 ай бұрын
Hi Kirby. Wow, when life gets you down I can rely on one of your episodes to bring me back up again. I just adore these series's that you are producing, nomore than my favourite country, Italy, and one of my favourite Tuscan cities Florence. And to visit Visconti is just a little more icing on the cake. thankyou so much for showing that there are still real pens being made with such attention to detail. i just cannot get enough. But when is lunch being served? As always thankyou.
@kevinlucas84373 ай бұрын
Such incredible craftsmanship !!! Those are pieces of art. What a privilege to see the creative behind the scenes.
@vicentegregorio64763 ай бұрын
Kirby as a fountain pen aficionado, collector and owner of a couple of Visconti pens I thoroughly enjoyed your video. A couple of years ago I visited the Visconti boutique in Florence, thanks for the reminder. Keep up the great work of quality, craftsmanship and tradition! Best.
@mklelito743 ай бұрын
The quality of your shows now is just so next level! Love it!!!
@EugenioCardoso3 ай бұрын
Very interesting episode.... I recommend you to keep an eye in other Italian pen makers... Montegrappa, Leonardo, Scribo, Delta/Maiora and some others... Congrats on this amazing video!👏
@howardcunix86773 ай бұрын
Thank You, Kirby, for bringing this video presentation to fountain pen aficionados! The original gold Visconti nib was 18k. Then there was a change to the 23K Dreamtouch Palladium nib. Then a change back to 18k. The Palladium nib was actually outstanding--on the condition it was tuned properly by either the factory or the Seller/Dealer. The true issue>QC was inconsistent but the nib was not the problem as many consumers thought. Question--With the return to the 18k nib, what is the writing experience/performance reported by the majority of users? With appreciation for the hard work that went into your Florence visit!
@kirbyallison3 ай бұрын
I've enjoyed my nibs... not a ton of flex, but good feedback.
@HistoricGentlemanАй бұрын
@@howardcunix8677 nibs were decent when Bock’s technicians were still there during the set up / training… sadly Visconti has now returned to its normal nib QC of ship out whatever and hope it doesn’t come back. Sadly, most folks instead of returning the said faulty and or poor QC swallow it up and just spend the cash having third party nibmeisters correct what should have been done at the damn factory.
@howardcunix8677Ай бұрын
@@HistoricGentleman Understood, and, concur! :)
@jeecreative3 ай бұрын
The production quality of your videos is truly exceptional.
@downingbethune87583 ай бұрын
Dropped by the Visconti shop when we were in Florence a few years ago. I already have a much cherished handmade fountain pen, but one of these days I'll pick up a Visconti. I had to laugh when Kirby asked "What's the difference between the 14 carat and 18 carat nibs?" and Francesco replied "Just the carats of the gold." It would have been even funnier had he replied "Four carats." Kirby went on to try to clarify, "But does it feel different?" and Francesco basically replied, "Yeah, that too." Francesco looks like he borrowed a jacket for this shoot. The production of Kirby's videos has gone from amateur good to professional very good to now setting the gold standard. There's a lot of effort that goes into these shoots to make it look effortless.
@seanyates45193 ай бұрын
The best part of the last pen, the Extase D'oud was not commented upon. The bottom unscrews giving access to a repository for oud fragrance oil. The pen comes with a bottle of fragranced ink and also a bottle of oud oil in a fantastic ornate presentation box. The perfume oil chamber is the unique part though.
@kirbyallison3 ай бұрын
Quite the unique feature! I think they should re-release this feature!
@lukemasid69313 ай бұрын
Kirby, thank you for this wonderful video. I've always been a Mont Blanc fan, but will now give Vissconti some serious consideration for my next pen.
@kirbyallison3 ай бұрын
Thanks! Make sure you visit KirbyAllison.com if you're looking to pull the trigger! ;)
@smashie20003 ай бұрын
I've had a Visconti Van Gogh Irises for a few years now, and the way it looks and writes makes it one of my favourites.
@pgopal6Ай бұрын
I love fountain pens, big fan of Visconti, thanks for the video Kirby… Can you do a similar factory tour with Namiki pens from Pilot in Japan?
@demetripapachristopoulos32953 ай бұрын
Great video! Another worthy piece. Thank you.
@EasyMac3083 ай бұрын
I started with fountain pens about the same time I started with cigars. Both give you a taste of luxury and a chance to slow down. You don't have to jump into the top tier immediately. There's a lot to enjoy in the $20 range. The Pilot Metropolitan is a great pen and will really let you know if fountain pens are for you.
@gabrieleuboldi5153 ай бұрын
Fantastic video! Thank you
@bartell13073 ай бұрын
I wished I had given one of the fountain pen for Father’s Day.
@daudbangla3 ай бұрын
wow, splendid. I hope in future I will collect Visconti homosepience
@bluejay40693 ай бұрын
AMAZING intro!
@Dennisdewengel3 ай бұрын
and now i will need a nice pen,, i barley write, but its such a art
@RiZenAsH3 ай бұрын
I own a few of their fountain pens. Fantastic pens but nib quality can be hit and miss for an out of the box experience for a pen that’s $500+. When I’m in the market to buy one of their pens I always buy from a retailer than can check and tune the nib before shipping it out to me. From a high end fountain pen standpoint I prefer Pelikan over all. The writing experience is better. That’s my opinion on it anyway. Armando Simoni Club (ASC) makes some fantastic pens using the old stock of celluloids from Omas when they went under. Omas had some of the best looking pens out there.
@jlozano20143 ай бұрын
Love my pelikan
@Cull_Obsidian3 ай бұрын
The video was great! Glad I watched it. Just a shame that Visconti’s quality control is so notoriously poor and their customer aftercare service is just as bad. I’d happily buy one, but I think it would have to be from a used dealer who can assure the quality of the nib (because they’ve inked it)
@motor2of73 ай бұрын
The pens are beautiful but I struggle to write with something as large as a cigar tube.
@charliefoxtrot72193 ай бұрын
I'm very interested in buying a great fountain pen and writing letters.
@frankv70683 ай бұрын
Why Francesco jacket sleeve reaches his finger tips 🤣?
@Jomaxp2 ай бұрын
What Watch is it you are Wearing in this video if i may ask Looks a bit like a Lange and soehne ?
@drrider1003 ай бұрын
What a great video!
@TheRacerRich3 ай бұрын
"Yager La Cout tri-ay" - Kirby's British is showing.
@-Nobody-13 ай бұрын
I cant be the only one who never actually buys pens. My whole life I’ve always just found them places. I also never know where my pens end up. Its the life cycle of a pen. Passing through many hands… being found… being lost…. For years. Ive never been like “oh shoot i need a pen” and havent been able to find one lying around somewhere within a couple minutes… I’ve found this true anywhere in the world. I just thought id post this and see if anyone else feels the same.
@bonkersblock3 ай бұрын
I own the Michelangelo silver nib..
@j.davidphillips96653 ай бұрын
Fountain pens are messy. But the ink stains on your hand are a badge of honour.
@kirbyallison3 ай бұрын
Are you left handed? I certain have had some spectacular accidents with ink... but the new Visconti pens have such advanced internal mechanisms that I don't experience any problems with leaking. And with the dual chamber, you can even fly with these with absolutely no worry for ink leaking.
@Joedirt33493 ай бұрын
Cross man here!
@saturngiuerl3 ай бұрын
love it❤
@josegustavoespinosaj.95213 ай бұрын
¡Wowwwwww!
@kronides63353 ай бұрын
It is extremely baffling how complex the Latin culture can be.
@MohammedBuhindi3 ай бұрын
Very nice pens but let me tell you .. the service after purchase is non existent from my own experience. My pen has a problem that one part in the bottom detached from the pen and I tried to contact the company many times with no answer at all. Very disappointed because I love my pen. Never buying from them again.
@kojiattwood3 ай бұрын
Firenze--also the birthplace of opera.
@hickorydickory3 ай бұрын
caruso
@ThadySenior3 ай бұрын
The spear of Alexander The Great is bent - upsetting to my OCD 😂
@motor2of73 ай бұрын
I was in Florence 2 years ago, and unfortunately knew nothing about Visconti at the time. Maybe next time
@s0hlless3 ай бұрын
im not worthy of such pens because my handwriting is complete garbage. half the time i cant even read what i write
@borkwoof6963 ай бұрын
You should travel to Argentina someday
@mattp42933 ай бұрын
35 years and they're just now making their own nibs? So it's just a very basic plunger fill and over priced barrels and caps?
@HistoricGentleman3 ай бұрын
It’s a shame that the passion at Visconti doesn’t match the level of quality control that the pens tend to leave the factory with…
@stuglenn1112Ай бұрын
Italian and quality control. 🤣
@miguelflorit41873 ай бұрын
Can someone tell him that his sleeves are ridiculously long? What a clown act 🫠
@mattp42933 ай бұрын
And you can't even mix and match nibs with pens? I think Mont Blanc is producing higher quality at a lower price after watching this.
@Nathan-vq9ch3 ай бұрын
I maybe set in my ways , maybe I settle for things be as it may , I never wavered the behaviour was strange , let the Ink write of life's behaved
@kemmylove3 ай бұрын
Zhey-zheh lekoot
@j.davidphillips96653 ай бұрын
Would be lovely if you could expand your vocabulary a bit. Everything can’t be amazing. 😉
@jlozano20143 ай бұрын
Beautiful pens, but can be extremely problematic.
@shanewilliams12163 ай бұрын
A dying art, as the young here in America, can not even read or write in cursive anymore !!! They quit teaching it a long time ago , Truly Sad !!! I used to have beautiful penmanship and prided myself on writing my reports and my teachers always complemented me. I shattered my right wrist in 2016 ( 56 yo ) and have a plate and 10 screws holding it together and my penmanship has really faltered as my hand doesn't feel like my real hand, feels robotic and the talent is not the same.
@EggBoxingFactoryManager3 ай бұрын
It’s… it’s a pen😂
@paulos5123 ай бұрын
0:41 still calling that a traditional game shoot?! Clearly a simulated clay day.
@kirbyallison3 ай бұрын
Practice was with clays...
@paulos5123 ай бұрын
@@kirbyallison Correct. As was the shoot itself. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Simulated shooting is probably the future and it’s clearly a stunning place to shoot. But game shooters can recognise that this was not a game shoot. Otherwise a fan of your content and this one was excellent.
@igalarbeli28043 ай бұрын
Italy is much more interesting and beautiful than England!!
@joshmiller77773 ай бұрын
As someone from the UK, I hate to admit, you may be right! There is a lot I love about the UK, but Italy is another level!