The Italia is an upcoming fountain pen from boutique pen maker Ensso. It’s a cartridge converter pen with a focus on high-end components and materials. The name is based on the pen’s design which is said to be inspired by a classic Italian aesthetic.
This pen is an active project on Kickstarter. You can back the project there, until August 22, 2019. Prices on the Kickstarter will be discounts by about 40% off of the retail prices (listed below).
The Italia is a simple, minimalist pen. It comes in black coated aluminum, raw brass, or brushed titanium. The pens will use Schmidt converters and #6 Bock nibs, for reliable components from trusted brands (albeit not Italian ones). The pen will ship with a stainless steel nib, but it can be upgrade to 18K gold for $130. The nib will ship in Fine, Medium, and Broad sizes.
The aluminum model will be the entry level, with a retail price of $85, the brass pen will retail for $100, and the titanium for $140, making the pen competitively priced in the machined pen category but by no means cheap. Aluminum will be the lightest at 27.7 g, the titanium will be 29.2 g, and the brass will tip the scales at a hefty 81 g.
The Italia pen has a sparse, clean design but does have one embellishment: a small machined design on the lower area of the cap. This will come in two designs, either three rings around the cap or a Greek key patter (also known as a meandros).
The Kickstarter for this pen runs through August 22, 2019 and pens are expected to be delivered in October 2019. Ensso is an established company who already sells the popular Pen Uno, as well as a few other models.
Ensso Italia Fountain Pen Information
| Street Price | Check Price |
| Manufacturer | Ensso |
| Pen Type | Fountain Pen | Cartridge/Converter |
| Rating | |
| Barrel Color | Black, Titanium, Raw Brass |
| Barrel Material | Aluminun, Brass, Titanium |
| Body Diameter (mm) | 15 mm |
| Grip Color | Black, Titanium, Raw Brass |
| Grip Material | Aluminun, Brass, Titanium |
| Grip Diameter (mm) | 12.5 mm |
| Country of Origin | China |
| MSRP | $85 |
| Still Sold | Yes |
| Release Year | 2019 |
| Similar To | |
| Refills | |
| Capped? Retractable? | Capped - Screw On |
| Clip? | Metal |
| Length Capped / Retracted (cm) | 14.0 |
| Length Uncapped (cm) | 12.6 cm |
| Weight (g) | 27.7 g |
| Refillable | Yes |
| Nib Material | Stainless Steel, 18K Gold |
| Nib Color | Silver, Gold |
| Nib Sizes | Fine, Medium, Broad |
| Writing Sizes | Fine, Medium, Broad |