Zafferano (Saffron) – Stipula

Stipula Pen Company originates from Florentine, Italy and was established in 1973. Stipula is a historic term used by the ancient Romans to indicate faithfulness to an obligation. Stipula’s has accepted the obligation to its customers to produce quality pens utilizing ancient themes, designs, techniques and traditions. It sounds nice but from my limited experience with their pens it seems they doesn’t really deliver what they promise.

Happily Stipula pens come with a limited lifetime warranty do the buyers are covered in case the pen fails.

Additionally there are rumors that Stipula has some problems and may cease operations. I’m not sure if it’s the case but it seems their products availablility on the market (especially european) is limited and only few retailers carry their pens and inks. If anyone has some news / insights about Stipula situation I would appreciate the insights so that this review provides sound informations.

Stipula offers a line of eight inks sold in nice glass bottles.

The colors are:

1. Blu della Robbia (Blue)
2. Borgogna (Red)
3. Nero (Black)
4. Rosso Fiorentino (Florentine Red)
5. Terra di Siena (Brown)
6. Verde Muschiato (Musk Green)
7. Violet (Violet)
8. Zafferano (Saffron)

Zafferano is rather pleasant ink. Of course a lot depends on pen, paper, nib combo you use. I’m not sure if it’s kind of ink you would enjoy while using dry fine nibs. Ijn wet and broad nibs it offers nice shading and very good flow. In Waterman hemisphere fine nib the flow was good but not exceptional and the shading was also visible but, obviously, not as dramatic as in Kaweco broad nib.

I believe this ink can considered as safe and easy to clean. I haven’t observed feathering or bleedthrough.

Personally I enjoy Zafferano a lot but I limit my use of this ink to gushers.

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

Software ID

Tomoe River, Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib

Leuchtturm 1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib