On the Writing Instruments forum there's a thread about the new 735000$ MB Mystery FP. That pen surprised me somewhat at first and then in retrospect it started to make sense. Isn't that scary? Anyway I'm reposting here my comments on that forum in order to get some feedback...

''As you may see on fountainpen.de Montblanc seems to be moving upmarket QUICK, with the most interesting pieces coming out in the 10000$ range. The Writer's series is becoming cheaper and more plasticky every year and the quality of the metalwork on the Patrons series doesn't seem to be evolving in the right direction either (take a look at engravings on the Humboldt). As a customer of writers LE I feel a certain push towards the more expensive pens such as the beautiful Mozart artisan LE.

They may be taking the lower-end luxury market for granted (heck the Woolf sets and the Humboldts were sold out from the MB warehouses some 9 months after their respective releases - try ordering one from bestbroadwaydeals) or they figure there's a lot more money to be made in the 10000$ price range and above.

With the chinese being able to manufacture tourbillon watch movements, you'd better start looking out for real quality replicas at a fraction of the price.''

yea i do agree with you about MB not putting their best work in writer series. last week i just stop by MB boutiqe to put my name on a Dumas just in case one show up some where. As the sales person trying to sale me the virgina wolf pen I just could not believe how plastiky the pen feels. Now I understand some collecters would not care about the quality since they will never use the pen, but MB got to better than that. I have not handle the new Falkner so no comment on that but I hope it would be better than the Wolf.

I actually love how the Woolf feels - the ribbing (reminiscent of the Waterman
100 year pen), the shape, and balance. The fit and finish of the one I handled
was impeccable. I hope to get one at a good price, new or used .

Montblanc limited editions have been a con trick for years. When you buy one of these 'pens' you buy an investment - like a case of 19th century Chateau Lafite that is never drunk, only stored and then sold on at a profit. Personally, I dislike most MB limited edition pens; if I had the cash I would only buy the Dumas from the writer's range and the Louis XIV from the patron of the arts. All the others do nothing for me.

MB has figured out that they can sell one or two pens to the mega-rich and make as much profit as selling a bunch of 149s or Writer's series.

They made the decision and no amount of talking is going to change that. Is it unfortunate? For them no probably got waiting lists for the super expensive pens. But maybe for the people that want a good Writer.

But I do not think that this is only MB- looking through the catalogs and even online marketplaces I have seen a jump to the over a thousand for pens across the board. Remember when the limited editions of a company would be around 600-800 dollars but now they are around $1,400 and up.

The market has moved on.

Kurt

I'll be quite honest I think this is getting out of hand. I don't know a single person in his right mind who would pay $1000+ for a NEW PEN.

I suggest you don't make such obtuse, sweeping statements, as many people do spend more than $1,000, and they are not insane. I myself have paid $2,000 for a single, magnificent pen. If you take the hobby seriously enough, you will pay for what you want - simple as that.
There is a big difference between a pen that you use daily, like a workhorse, and a pen that you buy to collect, with possible occasional usage.

The point I was making about MB L.E.s is not one of cost, but one of quality. MB is asking big bucks for pens that are really nothing special, and that is what I find most irksome. And whilst I collect pens as well as use them, I cannot bring myself to buy and sell MB pens as if they were tradeable commodities. If I buy a pen, even a very expensive one, I must be able to use it and enjoy it.

I use and enjoy my MB Writers series pens every day.
I don't play ice hockey with them, but I use them routinely at home and work,
and they are among the most beautiful working and looking pens I own.

I'll second that! My Jules Verne and Pelikan Toldeo are in my regular rotation. They write well and get carried in a case rather than my pocket. People get to look at them and appreciate the artwork (they don't get told the price). While spendy, neither of these pens are especially rare and while a loss would make me cry, in the world as a whole it would only count as a personal tragedy. I do have pens that I don't use, but that isn't driven by price.

BTW - I know you don't play hockey with them, but is polo out of the question?

Talk about obtuse sweeping statements

Kurt

In that case you need to start hanging out with a better class of people.

Class warefare in the MB forum- who would have thought

no I'm sorry maybe that is a little harsh
It's just that two posts that imply that unless you can afford to spend over $1k on a pen you aren't really a collector and the better class of people is those that can spend over $1k on a pen.

Kurt

Do you mean 'class' in the socio-economic sense (in which case perhaps you mean the ruling class, the 'elite', the wealthy?), or 'class' used as a signifier of discernment and taste (which would also be offensive)?

Why is it offensive to practice discernment and have learned how to discriminate and judge differences in quality, design, materials, assembly and similar dimensions? This is akin to saying that one can't make value judgments.

What distinguishes MB limited editions are interesting designs that make strong and cohesive thematic statements. They are also not afraid to experiment with shapes as well as materials. I don't think they are "con tricks." If you look at Pelikan's limited editions, you see a timid approach to design. In some forums they might be called brain dead.

That's not the point exactly But I can't think of the proper way to put it into words. Maybe it has to do with producing pens that have a very small buyer base while leaving the usual base in the dusk.


Kurt

I simply could not believe that in this day and age one could still use an expression like 'better class of people' without irony, sarcasm, or a sense of self-mocking.

I guess if you are a 'better class of people' then it's OK

It really doesn't bother us 'better class of people' we don't read the forums much, we're too busy buying special edition Montblanc's. You know the company that makes quality pens for us quality people. Oops gotta go, my manservent just announced breakfast.

Oh the barb. But it would have worked much better if you would have checked how to spell manservant first. Or are you dictating to your personal secretary who's typing it in for you and will be whipped for the error because all people are servants and animals to people of quality

It is SO hard to get good help these days!

My feelings exactly!

Try me. I also use the phrase 'trailer trash' - and not in irony or sarcasm etc.

Very small buyer base? Yeah. I suppose that's why MB produces only 20,000 pieces of each writer's edition. Tiny number. And as MB produces only a derisory 4,810 pieces of the $2,000+ patron of the arts, that explains why it sells out of this item within a short time of release. I guess a 'very small' buyer base must be over 100,000 people.

They say there is a sucker born every minute...and it seems that millionaires are being produced now at the same rate...so yes, I would not worry about there being enough people in the world to buy MB limited editions up.

You don't have to be a millionaire to buy an MB limited edition. And the buyers are not suckers, because they know very well what to expect from these pens. Personally, they are not my cup of tea, but I don't blame those who like them and buy them.

Indeed. Most millionaires get to be millionaires by not spending a lot on non-essentials, and that typically doesn't change after they become millionaires. However, children of millionaires are often a very different story. Apparently frugality is not a genetic trait.

But why be frugal when you can easily afford not to be? Life isn't a dress rehearsal. You only have one life, so use it.

Some people prefer financial independence to stuff.

If you have to decide between financial independence and "stuff" you are not as financially independent as you think you are.

I'm not talking about anything important like food or shelter. I'm talking about LE pens!

A few people will be born into rich families or have such unique talents or luck that they can spend like crazy and still have enough to be financially independent, but way more people have to make choices at some point. Some people find that a kilobuck pen is a "sacrifice" they can make. I didn't even know that kilobuck pens existed until after I was financially independent, and you're right - if I bought a bunch, that would be the end of that, but so far I've managed to control myself.

I am referring to what this thread started out with the jewel encrusted multiple hundreds of thousands of dollar pens. The small buyer base is for that type of pen not the writers or even patron of the arts pens.

I think you are confusing my comments with other peoples.

Kurt

The new Faulkner is a very nice piece. The mix of metal and greeney brown resin is a reat treat!

I do have issues with the fact that the numbers of these "limited editions" are quite large...over 10,000 pieces doesnt strike me as very limited!

Has anyone seen the Marlene Dietrich silver pen with diamonds??

STUNNING!!!