Delta Pens Are Back, And They’re Hotter Than Ever!

Article by Nancy Olson (https://www.forbes.com/sites/nancyolson/2023/07/14/delta-pens-are-back-and-theyre-hotter-than-ever/?sh=4118ee3f5fa6)

Most pen lovers who have been nurturing their fine pen fixation for more than a few years are familiar with Delta, the Italian brand known for its high-quality boutique writing instruments.
My own years-long fandom took me to the company’s manufactory in southern Italy in the 1990s, thus satisfying a journalistic pursuit as well as a personal quest.
There I witnessed Delta pens in the making, and I experienced firsthand the passion of the company’s founders playing out in thoughtful designs (witness the iconic Dolcevita), cutting-edge technology and clever marketing that ultimately paid off in worldwide recognition.
When Delta closed its doors in 2017, after 36 years making pens, I was sad to see what I considered the passing of an era.
 

“After the closure of Delta, at the beginning of 2018, the Maiora company was born, a company destined to continue producing and selling wonderful writing instruments,” says Delta co-founder Nino Marino of his new brand. But what started as a great occasion to recreate the marvelousness that was Delta in its heyday has since turned into an opportunity quadrupled.
“Since its beginning, the Maiora company has been licensed to use the Nettuno 1911 trademark, the oldest Italian trademark for fountain pens, registered back in 1911,” Marino explains about initially bringing not one, but two brands to the market.
Then, in 2021, he was contacted by the Italian entrepreneur who had purchased the remaining Delta inventory, asking Marino if he wished to once again manage his original Delta stock.
Yes, please.

And if being a triple-threat pen brand wasn’t enough, Maiora has since registered yet another name, one that is inextricably tied to the owner and his values: the Nino Marino Signature.
“So, now, in 2023, I find myself managing four brands related to the writing instruments world,” shares the diligent CEO, who says his time spent at work is never enough.

“I love my job, particularly the creation of new designs. I love to astonish people by always creating something innovative.” And then there’s the marketing. “Marketing is in my blood,” says Marino, who is part artist, part businessman and all-over imaginative.
The Maiora company, which operates a 2,000-square-meter manufactory just outside Naples, produces the pens. And each brand has a distinct flair and flagship model: the aforementioned Dolcevita from Delta, and the Ultra Ogiva from Maiora.
The Nino Marino Signature collection comprises the company’s most original creations.“We have invested heavily in high technology to obtain a precision product, which blends with the experience and ability of our expert craftsmen,” he says.

Next up for Marino: a variety of special projects and limited editions. All are destined for the hands of a clientele with what he calls “more demanding consumer expectations,” thanks in part to the popularity of pens and the increased sophistication of buyers.
Longer term, the company is on track for its own nib and pen parts production that will ultimately serve a variety of pen makers.
True to its storied past, the Delta Dolcevita retains all the dazzle of the model that first captured my eye back in the day.
The collection comes in four different sizes, each with a 14-karat gold nib and filled by cartridge or converter. And its vividly colored hand-turned resin profile still reminds me of a Naples sunset.



Nancy Olson
I have been in the publishing industry for over 20 years and have written extensively about writing instruments, watches, jewelry and accessories for consumer and trade magazines. During this time I have visited many of the world’s most prestigious writing instrument and watch manufacturers, and I particularly enjoy interviewing artists, designers and corporate executives to understand their motivations and perspectives. I have served as editor for various luxury publications, and am a former owner of Pen World magazine and editor of Stylus magazine and the Stylus Annual, a yearly compendium of the major pen brands—their histories, news and products. I have been a keynote speaker at a variety of collector events and trade shows, and I have been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and International Herald Tribune, among others, for my expertise in writing instruments and timepieces. I am currently managing editor at iW magazine and owner of Nancy Olson, Ink., a marketing company based in Houston.
 

 

 

 

 

Nancy Olson
Writer, editor, publisher and fan of all things handwritten.