Hot out of the gate on Kickstarter is the new ITALIA fountain pen by ēnsso design. Coming off a few popular releases, this new design is something different from the rest of their current offerings. The ITALIA is a bold design, which is a slight departure from their sleeker past lineup. It makes sense that they’d come up with a pen that looks distinctly different from their previous pens and the ITALIA does a great job separating itself from the pack.

THe ITALIA is an interesting looking pen that brings some fresh design to the fountain pen world. It’s widest at the center and tapers slightly to the grip and tail, terminating at a conical tip. There’s an interesting “greek key” pattern on the cap band area and end of the grip which I really happen to like. It’s a much-needed detail on an otherwise plain looking pen. Should the “green key” pattern not fit your aesthetic, you can opt for a much more modern pattern of three thin lines. You can see all of the available options on the Kickstarter page. 

Here are some of the specs:

Again, the ITALIA is now live on Kickstarter. You can choose from either black aluminum, titanium, or brass options. Each material has its own unique set of benefits and a vastly different look. They all share the same #6 Bock nib available in fine, medium, and broad. Upgrade options include a titanium nib for an extra $40, or a solid 18k gold nib for an extra $130. Early bird pledges start at only $49 for the aluminum pen, $59 for the brass, and $79 for the titanium (which is a heck of a deal). Prices jump up by only $6, which still puts them at a reasonable price. Delivery is slated for October of 2019, so the wait is pretty reasonable. Hit the link below to pick one up for yourself!

Just launched on Kickstarter is the brand new ESCALA fountain pen by ēnsso. You may know ēnsso from their popular Piuma fountain pens, sleek Pen UNO, and pocket-friendly XS Minimalist fountain pens. They’re at it again with a new pen – the ESCALA. Carlo at ēnsso designed the pen he always wanted – an architect-friendly fountain pen that nests into a triangular cap that doubles as an imperial/metric scale. It’s an ideal tool for architects, engineers, and designers. You don’t have to be a draftsperson to appreciate it though, being able to draw a precise line is never a bad thing and the ESCALA makes doing that much easier.

Each pen is precision machined from a solid block of aluminum and treated with a matte black anodized finish for a sleek look and added level of durability. The business end (the nib) is equipped with a German-made Bock nib for a smooth writing experience. Inside, there’s a Schmidt K5 converter for use with bottled ink. You can also use International standard cartridges in both long and short should you like.

Along the side of the cap, you’ll find the following scales:

• Metric: 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:400, and 1:500
• Imperial: 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and 1

The ESCALA is now live on Kickstarter, with a little over a month remaining. ēnsso has a great history of delivering a quality product, and the ESCALA should be no different. Backer rewards for a single pen start at $50 for the early backer rewards (act quick, at the time of publishing, there are under 50 remaining!), and go up depending on how many pens you would like to purchase.