Interview with Marco Moricci (The owner of Casa della Stilografica)

Interview with Marco Moricci
My name is Marco Moricci and I am the owner of Casa della Stilografica. I’ve been in the shop since 1997 and, in almost thirty years behind the counter, I’ve seen every kind of pen pass through my hands: classic, rare, extravagant, iconic.
Every model tells a story, and my job has always been to listen to it and share it with anyone who walks into the shop.
I’m 49 years old and my passions are cinema, travel and — of course — fountain pens. I love objects that have a soul, that carry with them a gesture, a memory, a way of being.
Casa della Stilografica is the place where these passions meet: a small world made of writing, people and everyday beauty.

Marco, tell us: what is your favourite fountain pen under 30 euros?
My two favourite pens under 30 euros are the Lamy Safari and the Kaweco Sport. I’ve always considered them icons: practical, reliable, immediate.
But if I really have to choose, I’ll go with the iconic Lamy Safari.
It’s a pen that never disappoints: ergonomic, sturdy, with a consistent ink flow and a design you can recognise from metres away.
It has been a loyal companion for years, and it still surprises me with how simple and perfect it manages to be.
The Safari has a big advantage over many pens in the same price range: it’s available with eight different nibs — EF, F, M, B, plus the A nib for beginners, the LH for left‑handers, and the three calligraphy nibs 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9 mm.
Another strong point is how easy it is to replace the nibs: if one breaks or wears out, you just pull it off and insert a new one.
The cost is accessible and allows you to customise your writing without changing pen.

And under 50 euros? What’s your favourite and why?
Under 50 euros I have no doubts: the TWSBI Eco is number one.
For several reasons:

it has a modern design, enhanced by the transparent barrel that shows the ink and the internal mechanism
it comes in many colours
the piston filling system offers excellent capacity, far superior to standard cartridges
TWSBI nibs are smooth, reliable and comfortable even for long writing sessions

The quality/price ratio is unbeatable. And there’s a detail I really appreciate: TWSBI’s customer service. If a part breaks, they send the replacement directly to the customer — a rare service that shows real care.

Your favourite fountain pen under 100 euros?
This is harder, because there are several pens I truly appreciate.
The Sailor Procolor 500 “Shikisai” wins me over for the quality of its nib — I tend to prefer F nibs, and Sailor steel nibs are among the best for precision and character.
I also love the TWSBI Diamond 580, with its transparent design and piston filler, and I can’t forget the Kaweco AL‑Sport, compact, solid and always pleasant to use.
But if I must choose only one, I’ll go with the Kaweco AL‑Sport. It has a unique presence in the hand: solid, dense, “important”.
It immediately conveys quality, while keeping the practicality typical of the Sport line. It’s an object that lasts a lifetime and gets better with use.

Your favourite fountain pen between 100 and 150 euros?
Again, not an easy choice.
I like the Kaweco Sport Brass, solid and compact; the Kaweco 250, with its classic charm; and the Kaweco Supra, which has a unique character.
Then there’s the Faber‑Castell Ambition in wood, elegant and pleasant to the touch, and the Sailor 1911 Casual L, with a nib that never disappoints.
I also love the Faber‑Castell Ondoro Oak, with its original shape and distinctive presence.
But if I must choose one, I’ll go with the Kaweco Supra. I love the idea that you can remove a section of the body to make it shorter — it’s like having two pens in one.
It’s solid, essential, with a design that stands out and the soul of a true writing instrument.

Your favourite fountain pen between 150 and 200 euros?
This range is full of excellent pens.
I like the Kaweco AL piston‑filler, the elegant Esterbrook Estie, the timeless Pelikan M200, and of course the Italian ones: Leonardo Momento Zero, Aurora Ipsilon, Visconti Mirage.
But if I must choose, I’ll go with the Leonardo Momento Zero. Beautiful, balanced, well‑made, and offered at a fair price. A pen that represents Italian quality at its best.

Your favourite fountain pen between 200 and 250 euros?
Here I don’t even need to think: the Pilot Capless, especially the Carbonesque version.
I absolutely love this pen. It’s modern, distinctive, unlike anything else on the market.
The carbon‑effect texture is refined, and the gold nib offers a soft, consistent and incredibly pleasant writing experience.
It was also the first capless fountain pen in history — a true milestone.
My favourite versions? The Black Carbonesque, elegant and technical, and the yellow one, pure energy.

Your favourite fountain pen between 250 and 300 euros?
This is extremely difficult — here most pens already have gold nibs and the quality jumps noticeably.
But in the end, I choose based on the nib: the Sailor 1911 Large Ringless. Its 21k gold nib is precise, soft, musical, with that absolute control that only Sailor can give.
A pen that never disappoints.

Your favourite fountain pen between 300 and 350 euros?
Another very tough choice.
But since I love flexible nibs, I choose the Pilot 743 with FA nib. It’s elegant and classic, but the FA nib is magic — reminiscent of vintage flex nibs from the 1930s.
Not an easy nib: it requires a light hand and sensitivity. But once mastered, it offers expressive, dynamic writing with beautiful line variation.

Your favourite fountain pen under 500 euros?
Here I return to a timeless Italian classic: the Aurora Talentum.
Solid, balanced, professional, with Aurora’s in‑house nib — a guarantee of quality and tradition.
A pen that doesn’t need to impress: it convinces with reliability and impeccable writing.

Your favourite fountain pen under 1000 euros?
This range is full of extraordinary pens: limited editions from Leonardo and Aurora, Pilot maki‑e masterpieces…
But I choose a niche brand: SCRIBO La Dotta.
Beautifully built, with a solid piston filler and the famous flexible 14k or 18k nibs — heirs to the Omas tradition.
These nibs don’t just write: they interpret your hand.
Elegant, refined, inspired by Bologna — a perfect blend of craftsmanship, history and writing pleasure.

Your favourite fountain pen over 1000 euros, with no price limit?
Here we enter the realm of true art pieces.
But I know exactly what to choose: the Namiki Yukari 20 Urushi in black lacquer.
A pen that embodies Japanese perfection: balance, proportions, absolute elegance.
The urushi lacquer is deep and alive, the nib is a masterpiece of precision and softness.
A pen that doesn’t shout — it imposes itself with quiet presence.
Hard to find, highly requested — which makes it even more desirable.

Which pen do you not own but wish you had in your collection?
Despite having an important collection — rare Montblancs, Pelikan maki-e, Namiki limited to 99 or 100 pieces, hard‑to‑find Leonardos — there is one pen that still makes my heart beat faster: the Namiki Shark, limited to 80 pieces (2004).
I was too young at the time, and instead of keeping one for myself… I sold it. A collector’s regret.
It’s still possible to find it, but at crazy prices. A pen that combines the power of the shark with the mastery of Japanese maki‑e — more than a pen, a symbol.

Marco, thank you for your time.
Thank you. For me, talking about fountain pens is never just talking about pens: it’s telling stories, emotions, memories, hands that write, people who express themselves.
These instruments accompany important moments and become part of our daily lives — sometimes even our lives themselves.
If this interview has conveyed even a small part of what I feel for this world… then it was worth the pen!