It has been a long time coming, and lots of debate. I was never overly impressed with the pictures of this pen, they were not bad, but the pen never really struck me as beautiful. Since my mother really did name me after the man, since I am a fan of his work, and since I am a big Montblanc fan, it was just one of those pens I felt a duty to acquire.

Now that I have actually held it in my hands it is a completely different story, the pen is indeed beautiful. The depth of the celluloid is just stunning, much like that of my Omas Royale Blue Paragon. The detail in the clip ring is fantastic, and yes, it writes like a dream which I expected seeing as how it is obviously based on the 146. This pen has single handedly managed to make me take a second look at all the Montblanc LE pens and I can see myself acquiring several more in the hopes that their pictures did not do them justice either.

The Montblanc Edgar Allan Poe:



The clipring detail:


The nib with engraved Raven:


Even the ring next to the piston knob is beautiful:


Allan

I have to say, I am not usually a huge MB or LE fan, but I do like that pen! I love the raven on the nib!

Dare I ask how much ...?

I as well have never been an admirerer of any MB pens.This pen changes things a little.The colours are nice and the nib is a wonder.I do admit to liking this pen.Although i do not like Poe's writings,the fountain pen is wonderful.Now to see it person some day.

Nice review and splendid photos Allen.Well done!!

JD
Vancouver,Wa

very nice montblanc

Where did you get it? I want one!

Beautiful. Thank you for the pictures. I had no idea this Writer's Series pen was so gorgeous. I love the fine details in gold and the deep blue color.

Like you I have always been a fan of Poe. The Complete Works of Poe was the first real book (after the Bible) that I ever read.

I have also never been a fan of MB but that is one striking pen.

I too have been looking for a Poe MB. All of the usual stores & websites I frequent have been continuously out of stock of this pen since I first saw it online. Where did you find it?

Funny how many people here say "I've never been a fan of Montblanc, but........". It just goes to show that, behind all the hypocrisy, an attractive and superior pen always gets recognised as such.

The only MB writers' pens that ever really jumped out at me were the Hemmingway and the Virginia Woolfe. You have photographed this pen very well, and it does appeal to me. Thank you.

Gorgeous! I remember going by Poe's house in Richmond when I was at school there. Dad did great versions of his stories as bedtime reading. That last quiver of the bells always got me... We didn't have ravens around these parts, so Dad switched it to the mockingbird that used to come peck on my window for food. Scared the you know what out of me the next time that bird pecked and looked at me! But I digress - what size nib did you get?

I am a huge fan of the MB Poe models also. I only regret not having invested in the trio package when they were available: FP, BP, and pencil. I now have two fountain pens in medium and fine nibs, and the ballpoint. I found my finepoint at the Washington DC pen show a few years ago.

My Holy Grail is acquiring the pencil but I don't hold much hope of anyone ever breaking up a set to sell them individually. <sigh> Hindisght is truly annoying sometimes.

Doug

I am sitting here looking at a brand new, never used, never dipped Poe with fine point. I will part with it for the right price. The pen is in original box and includes the sales receipt from 1999.

J.T. Lee

What is the right price?

I am sorry to disappoint you but the MB E.A. Poe is not celluloid but resin according to MB's own webpage. For this price one would expect celluloid but I haven't heard of a contemporary MB pen that has been crafted from celluloid. I think they don't do that anymore.


Here are the specs from MB's webpage:

Launch: 1998
Limitation:
14.000 Fountain Pens
12.000 Ballpoint Pens
3.000 Sets, including a fountain pen, ballpoint pen and a mechanical pencil


* Midnight blue marbled precious resin
* Gold-plated mountings
* 18-karat gold nib


May I cynically comment on the number of the limitation, 14.000???? Very limited indeed as it seems!

I agree that 14.000 is pushing the concept of limited a bit far and let's not comment then on the 23.000 Christies.

That precious blue marbled resin on the Poe may not be celluloid but it feels way softer on the fingers than the precious resin that MB used on the other pens I've used for extended periods of time (Christie, Proust, Fitzgerald and Woolf). Why? I just hope that they could make other pens with this softer plastic - it's almost as soft as Omas celluloid.

If anyone knows the specs or contents of the Poe blue marbled plastic I would love to know.

Sometimes I have the distinct impression that some people bash MB's more out of a feeling that they're common yet expensive. My experience has been that from the moment they are first inked, they write amazingly well. I kick myself at least once a day for selling my 149. WHAT was I thinking?

Your review of the Poe is an eye opener. I have never been interested in their theme pens, but I am going to look at them more carefully in the future. Thanks.

Beautiful pen. I like the MB writer's edition the most, but, still too expensive for me to invest in a pen (I refuse to pay more than I pay for car notes). I have 2 Bohèmes and they have very nice nibs; no, no 146 but I keep putting my eyes on them.

FANTASTIC !!! Nice photos of a great looking pen!!!

THanks

TNS

i love the Poe pen as well. i too kick myself for not getting the complete set when i had the ample opportunity to do so. at least i have the BP and the FP.

as far as LE numbers, I agree that anything in those high numbers is debatable as being "limited".

For once in my life I got it right the first time and bought the complete Poe set. I've never regretted it. However, I like to use my fps at work and I have always been afraid to take the Poe set out of the house. I've always called the pen mom's pen ... her name is Annabelle Lee. I used to love to tease her by reading her Poe's poem and change I line or two "along came a wave and swept her away. Good bye Annabelle Lee."

The limit is 14,000 because Montblanc knows damn well that they can sell such numbers! I dare say that even if the limit was 50,000 they would still sell every pen.

If you want a more 'limited' Montblanc edition, go for one of the Patron of the Arts pens - the limit for these is 4,800. If you think the Poe is expensive, look at one of these pens! It's stupid to suggest that MB should produce pens with production limits of 500 or even 1,000, because they would sell out in days.

I totally agree with you, Bennington! I am sure they could sell higher numbers if they wanted.
I was just criticizing that these numbers "stretch" the term Limited Edition just a little bit too much for me. In the end, the customer gets a pen for a lot of money that isn't all that rare. But I guess the MB marketing spiel infuses a lot of confidence in their customers.

I am not trashing the pen which is a very beautiful one without a doubt. I am just very much turned off by the way they market their products and by the lion's share of their customers (manager in pinstripes who buy a pen for representation and not for the art of writing).

Maybe MB would do their writer's series more justice if they called it a Special Edition....

Just as a matter of interest and for comparison, how many of a given Duofold design (e.g. Amber Check, not one of the limited editions) would Parker produce over its lifetime?

I'd like to know the answer to this question as well.

Looking at Parker limited editions, which are rarely above 5000 pieces, their production run for Duofolds must be - I guess - around 40-50,000 for each type. Maybe less. In a sense, every Duofold model is a 'limited edition'!

I loved the review. I just purchased the MB Poe about a week ago, and it is absolutely stunning. I love the nib and the cap. I was suprised how big (fat) the cap was. I'm afraid to use it though being it's the most expensive pen I've ever bought. I think I'm going to purchase another one (in time) I like it so much. I have a few MB's, 146 to a Fitzgerald, but the Poe I must say is just exqusite!

Would you buy a Ferrari and never drive it?! Ink that luscious pen and ENJOY!

I have yet to see a price mentioned for this pen. Is it still in production? How hard is it to obtain one?

No it has not been in production for many years, and an average price for the fountain pen would be somewhere near $900-$1000 mint boxed, but that is just a guess from seeing a few auctions on Ebay close.

Allan

OIC. My My. I guess I can put the odds of getting one of those any time soon about as good as getting a Pelikan Majesty (price-wise, that is).

I finally inked it. It glides so smooth across the paper! Thanks for the advice Ghost Plane! Right on!!!

Enjoy. This is what life is all about. Use the good china, drink out of the crystal and write with the fine pens - you're worth it!

I am an admirer of MB "limited edition" pens, although I haven't had enough disposable income to purchase more than two. 18 months ago I had a heart attack that was very very nearly fatal. Upon recovery, I decided it was just plain foolish to collect anything that I would not use. Life was too uncertain and short to do that. So, out of the case came those two pens, as well as others, and into the ink well they went. I now use and immensely enjoy them daily. For the rest of my life, I will use and enjoy what I have been blessed with and I encourage others to do the same. Too many of us die with our music still inside us and inked words unwritten. Just my take on it.

I envy your pen.
And your name.

How True, Ghost Plane & Craig....why keep usable 'stuff' just to 'pass-down' to your children?
Enjoy it
I am thinking of getting a Poe or a Dostoevsky...offered at the same price..... but the pot is running very low!