Edison Collier Grande Review: A Big Pen with a Serious Filling System

Introduction

The Edison Collier Grande is a bigger version of the regular Collier, and it comes with two features that make it interesting on its own terms: a number 8 steel nib and, optionally, a draw filler filling system. At a $325 base price, rising to $425 with the draw filler, this is a considered purchase, so it is worth understanding exactly what you get before committing.

After spending time with two examples in different finishes, both in the persimmon swirl and tortoise lucite materials, the short version is this: it is a large, comfortable pen with well-tuned writing performance and genuinely charming presentation. The main limitation is that it does not post, and the price may feel high for a steel nib.

What the Collier Grande Actually Is

The Grande is part of the Edison signature line, which means it is not sold through stores that carry Edison pens. You buy it directly from the Edison Pen Company. Compared to the regular Collier, it is wider and longer, and it carries a number 8 nib, which is currently available only in steel, in fine, medium, and broad points. The nib pairs with an Ebonite feed.

The cartridge converter version costs $325. You can also ditch the converter entirely and run it as an eyedropper fill pen for a very large ink capacity. If you want to see how much larger the Grande is than the standard Collier, the Edison website shows side-by-side pictures of both molds.

Design and Materials

Two finishes were available for this look at the pen: persimmon swirl, an attractive finish with a nice chatoyant quality, and tortoise lucite, which is translucent and very warm, almost like glowing embers. The cap top is made from the exact same material as the rest of the pen, which is always welcome.

Other details are equally thought through. The clip is simple with a little ball at the end, tight but very functional. The barrel carries an engraving reading Edison Pen Co. Collier Grande, subtle enough that you can see it if you want and barely notice it if you do not. The cap shape is slightly bulbous in the middle, and the section is hourglass shaped, which turns out to be genuinely comfortable in the hand. The nib itself is engraved with the number 8 marking and the Edison logo, done as a real engraving rather than a laser one.

This is an oversized pen, shown alongside a Pilot Metropolitan it is immediately clear how much bigger it is, but it never feels obscenely huge. If you prefer smaller pens, the name alone should tell you this is not the model for you.

The Draw Filler Filling System

The standard configuration uses a cartridge converter, which is easy to use and easy to clean. The pen can also be converted to eyedropper fill, which gives a capacity of roughly five milliliters, a lot of ink by any standard.

The draw filler is a $100 upgrade. You unscrew the thick blind cap, and inside there is a small piston you draw repeatedly. Each stroke pulls a little more ink into the translucent barrel until it is filled to about the four milliliter mark. For reference, a standard international converter holds maybe 0.8 to 0.9 milliliters, so four milliliters is substantial. Even with broad nibs, you write for a long time before the pen runs empty.

A breather tube sits inside, positioned above ink level, which keeps ink drawing up correctly as you operate the piston. Maintenance is simple: unscrew the section, apply a little silicone grease on a cotton swab, and keep it lubricated. There is very little here that could break, since nothing twists or turns beyond the simple piston action.

Two practical notes. First, expelling ink through the draw filler is a bit harder than drawing it in, though with the section unscrewed you have direct access to the barrel, so a syringe or even running water cleans it out quickly. Second, the maker tested a draw filler pen for an extended period to check for burping, a controlled leak turning into an uncontrolled drop of ink, and reported none. Burping can theoretically happen in any large-capacity pen as it empties and hand heat expands the air inside, so the simple advice is to keep the pen reasonably full. Neither example here has shown any burping.

How It Writes

Both pens started up straight away and wrote consistently from the first stroke. The nib experience is very pleasant: consistent ink flow, neither too wet nor too dry, nicely tuned. No skips, no hard starts, no issues on either pen.

This is not a flex nib, so be careful about forcing line variation, though you can squeeze out a little with a light touch. Reverse writing is possible and not particularly scratchy, though the nib will run dry after a couple of words or symbols, and the broad point can produce a good fine or even extra fine line that way.

The number 8 steel nib configuration is also notable in the wider market. Larger nibs have traditionally meant gold or titanium at significantly higher cost, and at least one maker of number 8 gold nibs has discontinued them. Steel keeps this pen a relatively economical way to get a big nib, and the same nib and feed appear on other pens as well, which suggests the format is spreading.

Unboxing and Extras

The presentation is a genuine pleasure. The pen arrives in a box with a cardboard outer sleeve, and inside you get a nib-shaped bookmark, a small sticker, a nib-shaped magnet, and the pen sitting in its own little bed. These small touches make the purchase feel personal rather than industrial.

What We Like and What to Consider

The strengths are easy to list. It is large but comfortable, the hourglass section works very well, and the materials are genuinely attractive across both finishes. The number 8 nib and Ebonite feed write beautifully, and both examples were pleasant, consistent writers. The draw filler is fun and practical for anyone who wants serious ink capacity.

The considerations are equally clear. It does not post, which matters if you habitually write with the cap on the barrel, though the pen is more than big enough to use unposted. The draw filler also adds $100 to the price, and at $325 for a steel nib pen, or $425 with the draw filler, this is not cheap. Against that, there is a lot of hand work in the polishing and finishing, the company operates at a small scale rather than mass production, and a lifelong warranty backs the pen, which is rare in this industry.

Buying Advice

Buy the Collier Grande if you want an oversized pen with real filling-system personality, a big nib that writes reliably, and the backing of a small company that takes customer care seriously. The persimmon swirl and tortoise lucite finishes are both worth requesting based on your taste, and the draw filler upgrade is worth it if a fancy filling system appeals to you. Skip it if you prefer compact pens, need a posting cap, or want a gold nib, since only steel is available at this point.

Conclusion

The Collier Grande delivers exactly what its name promises: a bigger Collier with a number 8 nib and an optional draw filler that turns it into an ink-holding workhorse. It writes very nicely, looks striking in either finish, and comes from a company with a strong reputation for standing behind its pens. The price is real, the lack of posting is real, but for the right buyer, this is a pen built to last a lifetime with the service to match.