The Fountain Pen Network > MB George Washington Pen

bluemax

Mar 4 2007, 07:35 AM

Not sure that I know anything about this pen, but spotted it on the 'bay' this morning.

http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?View...lanc-by-kompolt

bidding starts at $20,000

but as I only buy in even numbers, I'll have to give it a miss

Personally, I am starting to tire of all of these super high priced pens out there, particularly when they look like 'bling'. For all we know, the nib could be a 'nail', because you can bet no one's ever going to write with it...

regards
Bren

RSVP

Mar 4 2007, 11:12 AM

They really do need to get a grip; MB produced a fretwork Mozart 250 with a similar effect that looked like an interesting idea - it too was exorbitantly priced.

I dare say that the only reason MB can sell these examples is because of the good reputation their LEs made until the early 00s. Over the last 5 years this has left the brand, and I fear more mediocre examples will follow.

ViolinWriter

Mar 4 2007, 11:34 AM

At that price, I'd expect to see George Washington himself come back, shake my hand, fill the pen, pull out a parchment, and write a speech.

Perhaps he could draft a second "Farewell Address". Or, he could take some dictation from Thomas Jefferson on the true meaning of 'original intent' as understood by the Framers?

Oh, and I'd expect to shake Jefferson's hand too.

kenny

Mar 4 2007, 02:37 PM

This whole thing looks suspicious. "Pre-qualify" on eBay? Sounds to me like they're phishing for personal info.

Titivillus

Mar 4 2007, 02:53 PM

QUOTE (bluemax @ Mar 4 2007, 02:35 AM)

Not sure that I know anything about this pen, but spotted it on the 'bay' this morning.

http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?View...lanc-by-kompolt

bidding starts at $20,000

but as I only buy in even numbers, I'll have to give it a miss

Personally, I am starting to tire of all of these super high priced pens out there, particularly when they look like 'bling'. For all we know, the nib could be a 'nail', because you can bet no one's ever going to write with it...

regards
Bren

It looks like MB has been looking at the Krone LEs too much

Maybe that's the next big acquisition by the "mothership" LVMH

patrick_y

Mar 5 2007, 01:53 AM

....... Aren't we all forgetting something? Montblanc is a company; it's got stockholders who want a return on their investment; and it's got to make money. How do you think Montblanc makes money? They need to milk every single person in history for a limited edition to do it. Believe me, one day we'll have a Donald J. Trump Patron of the Arts pen, god forbid.

The more limited editions they make, the more money they make. Or did anyone here actually ignorantly think that they made the G.W. pen to commemorate G.W.?

Titivillus

Mar 5 2007, 01:57 AM

QUOTE (patrick_y @ Mar 4 2007, 08:53 PM)

....... Aren't we all forgetting something? Montblanc is a company; it's got stockholders who want a return on their investment; and it's got to make money. How do you think Montblanc makes money? They need to milk every single person in history for a limited edition to do it. Believe me, one day we'll have a Donald J. Trump Patron of the Arts pen, god forbid.

The more limited editions they make, the more money they make. Or did anyone here actually ignorantly think that they made the G.W. pen to commemorate G.W.?

Yes but remember when someone says that MB is a money grubbing corporation that would gold plate a carrot stick a nib on one end and put a white star on top to make money.

Then everyone complains about MB bashing

Samovar

Mar 5 2007, 02:23 AM

To be precise, MB is own by Compagnie Financière Richemont SA. http://www.richemont.com

The whole financial details are online.
They also make Cartier, Dunhill and Montegrappa pen.

They made 257 million euros selling pen, an increase of 24% in 2006, hell, that's a lot of Montblanc pen!

Samovar

Titivillus

Mar 5 2007, 02:26 AM

QUOTE (Samovar @ Mar 4 2007, 09:23 PM)

To be precise, MB is own by Compagnie Financière Richemont SA. http://www.richemont.com

The whole financial details are online.
They also make Cartier, Dunhill and Montegrappa pen.

They made 257 million euros selling pen, an increase of 24% in 2006, hell, that's a lot of Montblanc pen!

Samovar

Is that strictly pens or does it include the cufflinks, belts, deoderant, perfume, notepads, earings, necklaces, watches and other various & sundry white flake items?

Samovar

Mar 5 2007, 02:30 AM

QUOTE (Tytyvyllus @ Mar 4 2007, 10:26 PM)

QUOTE (Samovar @ Mar 4 2007, 09:23 PM)

To be precise, MB is own by Compagnie Financière Richemont SA. http://www.richemont.com

The whole financial details are online.
They also make Cartier, Dunhill and Montegrappa pen.

They made 257 million euros selling pen, an increase of 24% in 2006, hell, that's a lot of Montblanc pen!

Samovar

Is that strictly pens or does it include the cufflinks, belts, deoderant, perfume, notepads, earings, necklaces, watches and other various & sundry white flake items?

Only the sale from the Writing instrument maisons!!! Watches is another story...

http://www.richemont.com/sales_by_business_segment.html

With that type of profit, I hope they fired the guy responsible for the Scenium

Samovar

Titivillus

Mar 5 2007, 02:32 AM

QUOTE (Samovar @ Mar 4 2007, 09:30 PM)

With that type of profit, I hope they fired the guy responsible for the Scenium

Yes he should have a seperate circle in hell. My bete noir of pendom. Wish I could give the damn thing away

patrick_y

Mar 5 2007, 02:42 AM

I'm quite familiar of the conglomerate Richemont. It has stockholders. That's who I was referring to.

MB is a company that makes an excellent product. But they still have to make money. This is the avenue they've chosen. Some ignorant people applaud them for all their limited editions. Some people think that some limited editions are so... ambivalent that it doesn't warrant a special pen just for it.

My $0.02.

maryannemoll

Mar 5 2007, 02:53 AM

QUOTE (Tytyvyllus @ Mar 5 2007, 02:32 AM)

QUOTE (Samovar @ Mar 4 2007, 09:30 PM)

With that type of profit, I hope they fired the guy responsible for the Scenium

Yes he should have a seperate circle in hell. My bete noir of pendom. Wish I could give the damn thing away

Give it to me!

What's wrong with it? Too small?

But really, the G.W. is too much.

Titivillus

Mar 5 2007, 02:54 AM

QUOTE (patrick_y @ Mar 4 2007, 09:42 PM)

MB is a company that makes an excellent product. But they still have to make money. This is the avenue they've chosen.

I will withold my opinion of the "excellent" products that MB makes

Titivillus

Mar 5 2007, 02:56 AM

QUOTE (maryannemoll @ Mar 4 2007, 09:53 PM)

QUOTE (Tytyvyllus @ Mar 5 2007, 02:32 AM)

QUOTE (Samovar @ Mar 4 2007, 09:30 PM)

With that type of profit, I hope they fired the guy responsible for the Scenium

Yes he should have a seperate circle in hell. My bete noir of pendom. Wish I could give the damn thing away

Give it to me!

What's wrong with it? Too small?

But really, the G.W. is too much.

It's for sale on the Marketplace right now. At a price that is as close to giving it away as my thrifty soul can deal with about 65% off

It is a little small for me as I prefer the M800 and above size pens.

patrick_y

Mar 5 2007, 03:57 AM

BTW, there's a very good reason why that pen didn't sell and wouldn't sell no matter how cheap it was. True collectors would know why.

Samovar

Mar 5 2007, 04:01 AM

QUOTE (patrick_y @ Mar 4 2007, 11:57 PM)

BTW, there's a very good reason why that pen didn't sell and wouldn't sell no matter how cheap it was. True collectors would know why.

True collectors...

So please enlight us...

Ray-Vigo

Mar 5 2007, 04:31 AM

Didn't he just write with a quill anyway?

maryannemoll

Mar 5 2007, 04:39 AM

QUOTE (Ray-Vigo @ Mar 5 2007, 04:31 AM)

Didn't he just write with a quill anyway?

Excellent point!

marklavar

Mar 5 2007, 10:05 AM

QUOTE (Tytyvyllus @ Mar 4 2007, 06:53 AM)

QUOTE (bluemax @ Mar 4 2007, 02:35 AM)

Not sure that I know anything about this pen, but spotted it on the 'bay' this morning.

http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?View...lanc-by-kompolt

bidding starts at $20,000

but as I only buy in even numbers, I'll have to give it a miss

Personally, I am starting to tire of all of these super high priced pens out there, particularly when they look like 'bling'. For all we know, the nib could be a 'nail', because you can bet no one's ever going to write with it...

regards
Bren

It looks like MB has been looking at the Krone LEs too much

Maybe that's the next big acquisition by the "mothership" LVMH

MB is owned by Richemont, not LVMH. Rcihemont owns Montegrappa and Montblanc, while LVMH owns Omas.

patrick_y

Mar 5 2007, 10:32 PM

QUOTE (Samovar @ Mar 4 2007, 08:01 PM)

QUOTE (patrick_y @ Mar 4 2007, 11:57 PM)

BTW, there's a very good reason why that pen didn't sell and wouldn't sell no matter how cheap it was. True collectors would know why.

True collectors...

So please enlight us...

It has to do with the demographics of the world's most esteemed pen collectors.

winedoc

Mar 5 2007, 11:07 PM

I have not seen this pen in person, but did see the Ronald Reagan one. The one I saw was #1 of 8 or something like that behid a plexy glass of sort.

Did not do much for me though. These are more Jewelry than pen. Obviously, company continue to make them because there IS a market, simple as that. I don't have problem if someone wants to spent $20,000 for this pen, or $50,000 for a Patek watch, or $350,000 for a Bentley, or $15M for a house. Hey, it's their money

Kev

Tassos

Mar 6 2007, 06:01 PM

QUOTE (winedoc @ Mar 5 2007, 11:07 PM)

I have not seen this pen in person, but did see the Ronald Reagan one. The one I saw was #1 of 8 or something like that behid a plexy glass of sort.

Did not do much for me though. These are more Jewelry than pen. Obviously, company continue to make them because there IS a market, simple as that. I don't have problem if someone wants to spent $20,000 for this pen, or $50,000 for a Patek watch, or $350,000 for a Bentley, or $15M for a house. Hey, it's their money

Kev

I cannot imagine that someone is spending nearly a fortune for a pen and is called a collector. The real-life term illustrates a person who is ready to spend his salary for a rare LP that he's been searching the last two decades and will listen to it in, immersed in absolute hedonism.

Or maybe one of us: a person that first of all loves to own and use a delicate or a even a common fountain pen and expand the joy of involving the art of wet writting in everyday life.

I know a few people that are able to spend $20.000 for a writting instrument. Some of them might do it, but not for those neat values that collectors represent, just for displaying purposes. They're just big spenders...

deitic_nib

Mar 7 2007, 02:31 AM

I love the responses, they are so entertaining, but I do agree, some MB pens are extremely overpriced.

kenny

Mar 7 2007, 02:33 AM

QUOTE (patrick_y @ Mar 5 2007, 05:32 PM)

It has to do with the demographics of the world's most esteemed pen collectors.

Can you be more explicit?