Desiderata Soubriquet vs Edison Collier Grande: Two Orange Fountain Pens Compared

Introduction

Some comparisons write themselves, and this is one of them. Two fountain pens, both orange, both translucent, both made in the US by small manufacturers, and both using closely related vacuum-style filling systems. On one side sits the Edison Collier Grande, a larger pen with a number eight nib. On the other, the Desiderata Soubriquet, a smaller pen with swirly acrylic and a steel nib that Pierre grinds and tunes himself.

This is not a rivalry piece. Both makers are well regarded, and both pens earned their place here on merit. What makes the comparison useful is how differently they solve similar problems: big and round versus small and sharp, manual filling versus spring-assisted, and a broad wet writer versus a finer stub with real line variation.

Edison Collier Grande: A Large, Comfortable Writer

The Collier Grande is unmistakably the bigger pen of the two. If the Grande feels too large, Edison also offers a regular Collier, though even that runs a bit larger than the Soubriquet. This pen ships with a number eight nib made by Magna Carta, an ebonite feed, and the sample here is a broad point. It is a genuinely comfortable pen in the hand, with an hourglass-shaped section that sits nicely and a size and shape that many larger-pen fans will love.

Filling is the interesting part. Edison calls this system a draw filler. You push a plunger in, it carries a small piston seal down the barrel, and pulling it back out creates a vacuum that draws ink up from the bottle. Push and pull a couple of times and the large barrel fills substantially. Note that there is a breather tube, so fully priming the feed matters before writing.

On price, the Collier Grande is not super cheap, and the fancier filling system pushes it further. The Grande models sit outside the standard production line, which is why you pay a bit more. The trade-off is a very pleasant, quite wet writer once the feed is fully primed.

Desiderata Soubriquet: Small, Smooth, and Swirly

The Soubriquet is a bit smaller than the Collier Grande, and smaller than a regular Collier too, but it turned out to be far more comfortable than expected. It posts if you want extra length, though it feels very comfortable unposted. The swirly material is a genuine highlight, and the swirled orange resin has an almost amber quality to it.

The filling system works on the same vacuum principle: push the seal down, let it go, and the vacuum draws ink up from a bottle. The difference is that the Soubriquet’s plunger is spring loaded, so it pops back out on its own rather than requiring you to pull it out manually. That makes filling a touch easier in day-to-day use.

Two details set this pen apart. First, every part is made in-house, including the clip, which is a real commitment for a small shop. Second, the build quality shows up in unexpected places: the cap threads are about the smoothest you will find on any pen, with not a micron of sharpness anywhere, to the point that you can barely see them unless the light catches them just right.

Writing Performance

Both pens were filled with the same ink, Lamy Mango, which makes the comparison fairer even though the results differ. The Collier Grande’s Magna Carta number eight broad nib is a very comfortable, quite wet writer. It is the kind of nib that rewards longer writing sessions, though a low ink level and that breather tube made the sample a little scratchier than it would be fully filled and primed.

The Soubriquet runs a steel Jowo nib in this configuration, ground and tuned by Pierre. The grind produces something closer to an italic or stub, so there is clear line variation that the rounder Edison nib simply does not offer. It also runs a bit drier and finer, which suits the smaller pen’s character. Both nibs are pleasant writers; they just express themselves differently.

Which One Should You Pick?

If size decides it, the Collier Grande wins for anyone who prefers larger pens. If filling convenience matters most, the Soubriquet takes it, because the spring-loaded plunger removes the manual push-and-pull of the draw filler. Neither filling system is difficult; one is simply a little easier.

Both companies also earn points for how they treat customers. Small makers stand behind their products in a way large companies often do not, and both have a track record of making things right if a pen has issues. Both makers offer other models as well, so this comparison is really a doorway into two catalogs rather than a two-pen market.

Conclusion

The Collier Grande is the pick for large-pen fans who want a big wet writer with a number eight nib and an unusual filling system. The Soubriquet is the pick for anyone who wants a smaller, extremely well-finished pen with a spring-loaded vacuum filler and a tuned stub with genuine line variation. Both are orange, both are made in the US, and both come from small companies that care. Whichever way you lean, there is plenty here to justify a closer look at both.