Picture 1 - Map of Tuscany

It’s a great pleasure to spend week-ends searching for vintage pens; particularly when I can travel to a beautiful region, such as Tuscany (picture 1). Since last week-end Florence pen show was on, we decided to take a trip to Tuscany where it really is possible to visit wonderful towns and to find high quality pens.

Picture 2 Colosseum (on the right) and the Arc of Costantine (on the left).

My journey with Sara started on saturday morning. We took a picture of where we started from. Picture 2 shows you the Colosseum (on the right) and the Arc of Costantine (on the left).
After about a three hours drive we arrived in Pisa where I had read (http://www.mostre.it/mercatini/index.html ) that there was an antique market held on the second saturday and sunday of each month. The website gave me some wrong information, in fact they wrote that the market was located at the “Loggia de’ Banchi Vecchi” where we found only a book market. One of the book sellers told us (Picture 3) that the market had moved to “Cavalieri’s square” and we went there immediately!

Picture 3 - directions	Picture 4 Cartoleria Fravega Pisa

No far from Cavalieri’s square, we found one among the most famous stationary stores in Pisa (Picture 4). This store opened in 1878. Unfortunately the store was closed and I don’t know if they still have vintage pens for sale or vintage stationary articles. You can find their phone or fax number, with the aid of the Virgilio search engine ( http://www.virgilio.it ), using the following key words: Cartoleria Fravega Pisa.

Picture 5 The Cavalieri’s Square

In Cavalieri’s square there were about 100 vendors selling various antiques: books, stationary, old pens, coins...you can find any thing there!. The Cavalieri’s square provides a great setting for the market (picture 5). In the middle of the square there is a statue of Ferdinando de’ Medici (figure 6). Unfortunately, we did not find great pens at this market but only a group of unknown vintage pens (figure 7).

Picture 6 statue of Ferdinando de’ Medici	Picture 7 unknown vintage pens

Walking through the market we met Paola Batini who specializes in engraving names on metal pens (figure 8). The end of the market lies in the famous Miracoli’s square where we took a picture of the magnificent leaning tower of Pisa ( figure 9).

Picture 8 Paola Batini	Leaning Tower of Pisa

After spending the night in Lucca (Hotel & Restaurant “La Nina”, Montecarlo, Lucca ) we decided to go visiting yet another antique market which was located in Pistoia in Pacinotti street to be precise (figure10).

Picture 10 The Antique market - Pistoia in Pacinotti Street

Here Sara found a black faccetted Omas 361 medium size for euro 8 and 60 cents!!! (figure 11 and 12). I also found a Waterman “X PEN” for 10 euro (figure 13). There were also numerous Atlantica overlay button-filler desk pens, and Astura Nova.

Picture 11 - Sara with a black facetted Omas 361

Picture 12 The Omas 361

Picture 13 Waterman “X PEN”

Finally we went to Florence (Hotel Jolly) to attend the 2003 Florence pen Show. The pen show was organized by the A.C.P.S. (Vintage Pens Collectors Association ). They also are organizing the 2003 Milan pen show ( October 19) and the Bologna pen show (November 16). For any further information do not hesitate to call them 01139+55+7398731 or 01139+55+214970.

Picture 14, Dario with Marco Vanzi

The first vintage pen collector we met was Marco Vanzi who is the vice-president of the association (figure 14). Marco, you can see him on the right side of the picture, is particularly interested in collecting Omas, Aurora, Columbus and Tibaldi. I sold him a Tibaldi extra 14 Kt solid gold nib. The money took care of our excellent lunch in Florence.
The second stand was Miroslav Tischler’s (Penkala Writing Instruments). He is from Zagreb, Croazia. He told us that both Pelikan and Montblanc represent the most common high quality vintage pens to be found in this country. Next to Miroslav we also met Mohamed Khediri who is from Meyrin, Switzerland. He will be the organizer of the next Geneva Pen Show ( for information write to: khediri@freesurf.ch or call him: 01141+22+7828304). You can see them both in the photograph (picture 15).

Picture 15, (L-R) Miroslav Tischler, Dario and Mohamed Khediri	Picture 16 Francesco Alfarano (L)

Later I met yet another vintage pen collector from Naples. Francesco Alfarano (figure 16) collects Pelikan and Montblanc. Fortunately he doesn’t really like Radius’ pens and sold me a wonderful gray marble with gold veins faccetted radius superior oversize having a superb Radius superior no.10 14Kt nib (figure 17).

Picture 17 Radius superior no.10

Unfortunately, we noted the absence of two great italian vintage pen collectors. The first is Edoardo Marino (Rome). A few months ago, I visited the Edoardo’s home and it’s like a vintage pens museum. The legend about him is that he generally uses an Omas extralucens in order to stir his coffee. While the other absence was Paolo Mijno (Turin). Some say that he has a box full of Aurora Asterope under his bed....but these are both just stories......