I LOVE giving away fun products, and this Benu Talisman Dream Bean Fountain Pen fits the bill. In fact, I’ve had so much fun with it I don’t want to give it away! That’s even more of a reason to give it a new home in my book - let’s spread the fun around! One person will win the pen from this week’s review, and the winner is:
Congrats Heather! I’ve sent you an email to collect your shipping address.
(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)
I recently got the opportunity to do some work for Kenro Industries, for which I was compensated with a Montegrappa Tarvisium. Released around September of this year, the Tarvisium is offered in 3 colorways - Paris in Bloom, Paradise Falls, and Carson. Like some of the other Montegrappa models, the Tarvisium sports a Jowo 6 nib, which is available in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, and 1.1 stub. In addition, you can upgrade the Tarvisium with the new Dolce nib, which is what I will be writing about today.
Montegrappa Tarvisium, Carson (named for the son of Tim Crowe of Turnt Pen Company who helped make the material.)
The Tarvisium is an update of the Venetia model which has more pointed ends. I prefer the Tarvisium’s flat top with the Montegrappa logo on the silver toned finial. The bottom of the barrel has a very subtle point compared to the Venetia. The grip is very comfortable with a flare at the base of the section, so your fingers don’t slide into the nib. I hold my pens very close to the nib, but there is plenty of room to hold the pen higher up. If I held the pen higher, I could feel the metal threads, which didn’t feel uncomfortable to me, and if I held it higher still, the taper has a smooth ridge, instead of a sharp step, where the cap meets the barrel.
Montegrappa logo on the Tarvisium’s finial.
The step down on the barrel is very smooth and is not a big step down either.
Holding the pen close to the nib.
Gripping it on the threads, which was not uncomfortable.
While unusable for me, folks who like to hold their pens further back will still find the pen very comfortable to use.
Here is the Tarvisium (middle) next to the Fortuna (left) and the Mia (right), not to be confused with the Miya or the Mia Carissima.
The Tarvisium doesn’t post very securely and it’s also a bit too long/unwieldy, but it’s posted here for comparison.
Similarly sized pens (L to R): Leonardo Momento Zero, Platinum 3776, Esterbrook Estie, Montegrappa Tarvisium, Pilot Custom 823, Sailor Realo, Pelikan M805.
The new Dolce nib option is available on any Montegrappa that uses the steel Jowo nib in silver trim, such as the Elmo 01, 02, Brenta, Tarvisium, etc. The Dolce nib grind is done by well-respected nib grinder, Gena Salorino of Custom Nib Studio, who also makes the popular Journaler grind for Esterbrook, another Kenro brand. Per Ryan Sirignano from Kenro, they wanted to replicate the Journaler nib while making it a little bit different for Montegrappa, so the Dolce is ground from a Medium nib into a slightly finer cursive italic grind than the Journaler nib.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, I have a very steep writing angle (70+ degrees), so I am always a bit nervous about getting a pre-ground nib that wasn’t done specifically for me. I was pleasantly surprised because it wrote great out of the box. It wasn’t scratchy at all, nor did I have any of the problems with the nib catching in the usual spots (going counter-clockwise on the upper right portion of the stroke). I also made some not-pictured scribbles at less insane angles and can confirm that it writes great at those angles too. The line variation isn’t as noticeable partly because it is a finer CI, but also because I started off with Montegrappa Violet, which is moderately wet ink. After switching to a slightly drier ink, Robert Oster Cosmic Swirl, the line variation was more obvious.
Writing sample on 68 gsm Tomoe River. The top was written with Montegrappa Violet, the bottom with Robert Oster Cosmic Swirl.
More line variation with Cosmic Swirl (bottom) than with the Violet ink.
Cursive writing with the Tarvisium inked with Violet.
Typewriter printing while inked with Cosmic Swirl.
Retailing at $337, the Montegrappa Tarvisium is priced in between the Elmo (starting at $250,) and the Venetia ($495) models. It is not an inexpensive pen, but it’s also a Montegrappa, so that’s not really a surprise, right? The upgrade to the Dolce nib is an additional $60, which is surprisingly reasonable, considering Gena’s Journaler and Cursive Italic grinds are $50 (as of this writing). The fact that this nib grind is available on several of the models, and at such a good price, really makes this a great option for upgrading your next Montegrappa.
(Disclaimer: The pen was my payment for work I did for Kenro Industries. I was not paid to write this review. The Bossman decided I might as well write a review of it since I already had the pen and nib. Other products mentioned/pictured in this review are my own, as are my opinions.)
The what now???
Ana Reinert, Chair of The Well-Appointed Desk, were long overdue a catch-up session, and we also found time to discuss some of our favorite gifts from small businesses in our community. We are spoiled with awesome shops and makers, and shared a mere fraction of our favorites.
This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PENADDICT.
Pen Chalet: Check out this week's special offer, and to get your code for 10% off.
