Added later:  The nib unfortunately developed some problems. I will get a new nib from the seller, but you can read more about it here at FPN.

When it is freezing outside (-20 C today) it feels rather good to be indoors enjoying my pens instead of freezing my fingers off shooting photos (almost did yesterday) outdoors.  One of my new favourites and bargains is my Stipula Suprema Pelago. If you want to view the photos in a bigger size – just click on them. UPDATE: I have now posted a full size review with (mostly) other photos at the FPN – click here if you want to have a look.

I hadn’t tried any Stipulas until I had the opportunity to buy some at bargain prices a month ago. One of these was the Stipula Suprema Pelago; a piston filler in a grey (with hints of dark blue) fishbone pattern.This one has an oversized fine steel nib.  I didn’t know that it was a limited edition – this Pelago is a celluloid that was limited to 193 pens. It is the bigger (and more curved) sibling to the Ventidue which is the upmarket version of the Vedo.

Above: Suprema, Ventidue, Ventudie, Vedo.

The curve makes the ink reservoir of the Suprema huge and it must have one of the greatest ink capacities of the piston fillers of the market.  Strangely enough these mustn’t have sold particularly well since they are possible to buy as NOS for a fraction of the original price. One part of the answer to the very low price is that is that these have been sported with a steel nib instead of the original 18 k gold nib. Aesthetically this nib is very beautiful and goes well with this understated, classic pen.

I like this kind of unornamented, clean nib and believe that it is much prettier than the original two tone nib. It felt a little bizarre to buy this quality pen for less than half the going market price for a Vedo. Bizarre or not -I’m very glad that I decided to try it out. The nib is not only pleasant to look at – it is a very nice writer too. Especially well suited for notes in the margin.

I was very happy to find that the Pelago lays down a very fine line – almost as fine as a Pilot fine nib (see comparison above). It writes on the dry side, but not too dry and is smooth considered its width and that it is a steel nib. I haven’t experienced any problems with the flow and the piston works fine and smooth.

The nib isn’t anything for those who detest stiff nibs – this is a quite stiff and very precise nib – which I like since it suits my writing – especially when it comes to margin notes. Considered what I paid for it it is a steal. A very nice encounter on the whole. Only big drawback is that it doesn’t post very securely, but I can live with that.

This pen set off a slight Stipula fever and I now have four Stipulas – three of them also bargains/steals.