The Scriptum Blog / Visconti

We hardly need to be reminded how much pleasure can be obtained from writing with a fountain pen, but nonetheless we’re very happy to read of their recent resurgence.

The BBC reports that many fountain pen stockists have seen sales increase this year - some up to double 2011’s figures for the same period. But this “is not part of a wider handwriting boom” - sales of ballpoint pens have remained stable. The fountain pen seems to hold a special place in our hearts, not simply for providing a superior writing experience to the ballpoint, but also because of its connection with tradition and its status as a beautiful object in its own right.

Stephen Bayley, writing in the Telegraph, thinks there’s “something touchingly humane about this resurgence. Given the choice, we prefer warm, wet smudginess to glacial perfection.” 

In fact, the Telegraph has recently received a deluge of letters on the joys of fountain pens - providing even more reassurance that they’re here to stay (although some correspondents apparently still prefer to write with quills!).

And whilst every fountain pen devotee has his or her own brand of choice, at Scriptum we’d have to side with author Neil Gaiman, who tells the BBC that his current favourite is a Visconti.