Montblanc Writers Edition Pens 1992-2009 - Review

[goodguy]

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to write this review. I am using it to help me decide what my first WE purchase should be... Details at 11

So what did you get ?

[mshepp3]

Dear goodguy

 

I am sure that I am not alone in wondering... hoping... praying... that you will write an update - say for the years 2010 until 2013 - to your most useful and well-received review...

 

...Or perhaps you are merely waiting until it is a full five years...?

[mshepp3]

Acquired to date: 1. Dostoevsky, 2. Shaw, 3. Balzac, 4. Kafka. Also had a couple of near misses on the Dumas, but such is life! MS

[wahasa]

Nice collective pens. May I ask if you have continued collecting till Dufoe?

[Lynn St. Over]

This is a review of the family of my favorite pens made by my favorite pen maker so you could call this a labor of love.The way I see the WE pens is pens that were design to attract both kind of pen fans both the users and collectors.They are beautifully crafted but yet never forgetting to keep these pens easy and fun to use.Each pen has its own identity and uniqueness some are heavier then others, some are wider, some made of metal some flashier then others.....etchttp://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/Picture005-6.jpgAs I said I love all the pens but obviously I have my favorites and find some are better writers then other to my hand.I do like the domed style better for writing. It feels more natural and comfortable in the hand.Its funny how wide the price range of these pens in the second hand market and how it can fluctuate and change.2 good examples are the Hemingway and Jules Vern.They had problem selling this pen and you could get it for a significant lower price. Now as we all know the pen is in high demand and is priced accordingly in the second hand market.The opposite is the Vern. Its prices used to be much higher and it lost about 20%-30% of its value (wouldn't be surprised if it will go up again as its a great pen).http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/Picture003-15.jpgThe biggest problem to me is to decided which of these amazing pens has the best design.So after a long personal debate and I mean L O N G it came down to these 6 pens:1.Hemingway2.Agatha3.Schiller4.Dumas5.Poe6.Oscar WildeYou are probably asking yourself. Hey didn't you forgot the Proust or maybe Kafka or Shaw ?No I didn't forget them, these are all wonderful and very close to the ones on the 6 list but I like these 6 best.So the Hemingway doesn't need any explanation why its in the list.Its classic 139 design and red/black colour theme is timeless and the clip is simply oozing with class.The black Agatha is the most classic modern domes shaped MB and the clip is the heart of the pen. The Schiller is yet another pen I have been admiring. The clean look of the body with the vibrant read cap and vintage look of the clip leaves me always drooling.For the longest time the Dumas was my favorite WE. What a beautiful complex design based on the 139. Nothing short of a drool pen.The Poe is a pen I fell in love only after I saw it in real life. The blue colour and overall design of this pen simply work on me. Its a colplex design that you enjoy more and more as time goes through.And the Wilde, what a special pen this is.So different then all other WE's.Barrel looks like tiger skin, so not a classic MB design.Ok, in the end I was left with 2 pens the Wilde and Hemingway and yes the Hemingway won.The Hemingway is the one with the best design. Its the WE king.The best writer is of course my Vern. Its the one I'd take over any other WE for everyday use.I need to have one rather negative about the WE collection.I think MB could have went the extra mile with the book like boxes, they are basically made of paper and its not uncommon to see the falling apart.The POA boxes on the other hand are much better made.For the price we all pay for these WE's I would expect MB to make them feel more solid.I tend to divide the WE's into 4 categories.1.Pens that are based on the 139 which is the:Hemingway Dumas2.pens based on the domed MB's which include's AgathaSchillerWildeVoltaireDostoevskyPoeProustDickensVerneCervantesWoolfeFaulknerThomas Man3.Pens based on the 146ShawFitzgerald4.Pen that doesn't fit any of these categoriesKafkaSo I am going to divide my review to these 4 categories.So from pure performance perspective there really is no difference between the Hemingway and Dumas as I found out on the review I wrote comparing these 2 pens a while back.As I wrote there if you like the shape and want to get one of these two then and don't care which one of them then go for the Dumas as it will cost about 1/3 of the price of the Hemingway.From the domed shape pens the variety is big and they all are good writers.I really like them all and choosing one for this review is hard.Yes my favorite writer is the Verne but its mostly because of the amazing nib.It is a heavy pen and not everybody would enjoy it as I do.So after a long time of pondering I was left with these pens.Poe, Agatha, Woolfe and Dostoevsky.If a weight is an issue for you and you like light weight pens the Dostoevsky is the pen for you.So at the end I chose the Agatha.There is something about it that simply sits so nice in my hand. The second was the Poe and these pens really feels almost identical in the hand but still the Agatha wins by a very small margin.Between the Shaw and Fitzgerald again it was a very hard choice.These pens are so different it is nearly impossible to compare them.The Fitzgerald is smaller, lighter and simply feels nimbler.The Shaw on the other hand is heavier and I enjoy holding something that is bigger heavier and with a presents.Forced to choose one I will go with the Fitzgerald but its a very tough choice for me.Comparing the Kafka to any other pen is impossible. Its a long, slender and light.Its a darn good writer but at the end of the day I would go with other WE.So I have the Dumas vs Agatha vs Fitzgerald.For me its an easy choice, the Agatha wins hands down between these 3 pens as I always loved the feel of the domed pens best in my hand so there you have it the Agatha is the best WE when it comes to writing.I want to mention few features on few pens which I love.They make these WE unique and stand out compared to other pens.1.Hemingway-I love the clip, its my favorite clip on any pen its simple and classic.Basic design with simple red/black colouring and timeless design makes this pen an all time classic.2.Agatha-obviously is the clip.This snake with rubby eyes is quite a statement. The basic black domed body/cap is also a timeless design.3.Wilde-the sheer size of the pen and tiger patern resin is simply stunning!!!4.Dumas-again the basic 139 shape is a classic but more then that the MOP like resin with gold stripes in between is causing me to drool everytime I see the pen.5.Poe-the beautiful blue resin of this pen is something you you gotta see in real life as pictures don't do it justice.6.Proust-thats an easy one. The silver body is unique in the WE world and the vintage feel it gives the pen is great. 7.Schiller-the bright red cap and black body simply look mesmerizing and the vintage looking clip seals the deal for me.8.Verne-the blue body is gorgeous. Looks like the pen has waves going up and down the barrel, oh and don't forget the unique groove at the top of the cap where you can rest the pen.9.Kafka-the most different of the WE pens.The dark red body is very unique and beautiful.10.Shaw-I love the green and silver stripes along the pens and cap.http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/Picture003-16.jpgPen statistics1.HemingwayMade 1992FP 20000BP 30000Size capped 134mmSize uncapped 124mmPosted 160mmTotal weight 33.1grWeight uncapped 23.1gr2.AgathaMade 1993FP 23000BP 18000Sets 7000Size capped 142mmSize uncapped 127mmPosted 170mmTotal weight 34.4grWeight uncapped 20.4gr3.WildeMade 1994FP 15000BP 8000MP 7000Sets 5000Size capped 145mmSize uncapped 134mmPosted 169mmTotal weight 33.6grWeight uncapped 23.9gr 4.VoltaireMade 1995FP 15000BP 8000MP 7000Sets 5000Size capped 149mmSize uncapped 129mmPosted 167mmTotal weight 36.6grWeight uncapped 19.6gr5.DumasMade 1996FP 15000BP 11000MP 4000Sets 5000Size capped 135mmSize uncapped 125mmPosted 159mmTotal weight 36.3grWeight uncapped 26.3gr6.DostoevskyMade 1997FP 16300BP 7300MP 2300RB 6300Sets 700Size capped 145mmSize uncapped 130mmPosted 163mmTotal weight 26.8grWeight uncapped 15.7gr7.PoeMade 1998FP 14000BP 12000Sets 3000Size capped 146mmSize uncapped 125mmPosted 167mmTotal weight 30.2grWeight uncapped 16.5gr8.ProustMade 1999FP 17000BP 16000Sets 4000Size capped 135mmSize uncapped 121mmPosted 148mmTotal weight 35.4grWeight uncapped 20.7gr9.SchillerMade 2000FP 14000BP 12000Sets 4000Size capped 135mmSize uncapped 124mmPosted 160mmTotal weight 26.8grWeight unposted 16.7gr10.DickensMade 2001FP 14000BP 12000Sets 4000Size capped 149mmSize uncapped 130mmPosted 163mmTotal weight 43.2grWeight uncapped 18.2gr11.FitzgeraldMade 2002FP 14000BP 12000Sets 4500Size capped 139mmSize uncapped 121mmPosted 150mmTotal weight 28.5grWeight uncapped 17.7gr12.VerneMade 2003FP 14000BP 12000Sets 4500Size capped 141mmSize uncapped 126mmTotal weight 62.5grWeight uncapped 33.7gr13.KafkaMade 2004FP 14000BP 12000Sets 4500Size capped 150mmSize uncapped 132mm Posted (you can't cap this pen)Total weight 39.9grWeight uncapped 21.2gr14.CervantesMade 2005FP 13000BP 13000Sets 4000Size capped 137mmSize uncapped 127mmPosted 163mmTotal weight 51.3grWeight uncapped 27.615.WoolfMade 2006FP 16000BP 18000Sets 4000Size capped 137mmSize uncapped 126mmPosted 160mmTotal weight 30.7grWeight uncapped 21.5gr 16.FaulknerMade 2007FP 16000BP 18000Sets 4000Size capped 138mmSize uncapped 126mmPosted 162mmTotal weight 43.2grWeight uncapped 24.3gr17.ShawMade 2008FP 16000BP 18000Sets 4000Size capped 142mmSize uncapped 133mmPosted 165mmTotal weight 61.4grWeight uncapped 31.4gr18.MannMade 2009FP 12000BP 15000RB 6000Sets 3000Size capped 140mmSize uncapped 126mmPosted 161mmTotal weight 57.5grWeight uncapped 33.2gr

I see you, too, have great love for the Montblanc Writers Edition pens. While my collection pales next to yours, I do have the Dumas set, the Faulkner, the Virginia Woolf, the Mark Twain, and two Dostoevsky fountain pens. I LOVE the Dostoevsky and am wondering why it didn't figure in your list. As soon as I figure out how to add you as a friend (I'm new here) I'll do just that. I love your pictures...I'll be drooling for the rest of the night. : )

[J0hnnie]

Love this post, however now it's 2015 it would be awesome if u could update ur current collections

[mshepp3]

Hello all...

 

Here is a long overdue update of my MB WE collection. As you can see, I have been busy.

 

With the exception of the Wilde and the Defoe, the pens are all in a safe deposit box in Vancouver. The Wilde is here because it was recently returned to me from Germany where it had a complete servicing, and the Defoe I acquired on the way back to work in Saudi Arabia last September.

 

When I return to Canada in late June of this year, I intend to sell most if not all of them to help finance renovations to my new condominium. The Dosteovsky I will keep, and perhaps the Wilde and the Kafka. By the way, as you may have been able to guess, "b" = box, "n/b" = no box.

 

The Balzac and the Defoe were the only two I bought new, so they are the only ones I can positively say have only been inked once each to try out their nibs. The rest were acquired second-hand and have all been tried out by me (one or two fillings) to see how they write. I liked them all, although the least smooth was the Agatha Christie... to the point where I wondered if it was in fact a Fine, not a Medium.

 

I tell you all this as an advanced warning for your consideration... I am not a fountain pen dealer, and will only be looking to more or less break even on them. When the time comes, I will likely use the FPN Classifieds, but I will alert you - the MB WE faithful - before I formally list them.

 

Be well.

 

1992 Ernest Hemingway – 18K M – 33.1 g. - n/b

1993 Agatha Christie – 18K M – 34.4 g. - n/b

1994 Oscar Wilde – 18K M – 33.6 g. - n/b

1995 Voltaire – 18K M – 36.6 g. - b

1996 Alexandre Dumas – 18K M – 36.3 g. - b

1997 F. Dostoevsky – 18K M – 26.8 g. - b

1999 Marcel Proust – 18K M – 35.4 g. - b

2000 Frederick Schiler – 18K M – 26.8 g. - b

2001 Charles Dickens – 18K M – 43.2 g. - b

2004 Franz Kafka – 18K M – 40.0 g. n/b

2008 George B. Shaw - 18K M – 61.4 g. - b

2013 H. de Balzac – 18K M – 51.5 g. - b

2014 Daniel Defoe – 18K M – 41.4 g. - b

Edited February 20, 2015 by mshepp3

[goodguy]

My update is not very joyful for all you wonderful people, all pens sold, moved to happier owners.

Got very few pens and all for use but no WE anymore

I have moved to enjoy watches and mostly photography.

Edited May 1, 2015 by goodguy

[KJY]

My update is not very joyful for all you wonderful people, all pens sold, moved to happier owners.

Got very few pens and all for use but no WE anymore

I have moved to enjoy watches and mostly photography.

 

Too bad for us.

Hope you did not loose money on it.

Wish you all the best with your new hobby.

 

Thanks so much for what you have shared here on FPN!

[mshepp3]

I would like to heartily second KJY's post... I am sure many of us in this interesting community feel the same way.

 

BTW - In my last post, I spoke of my intention to sell my MB WE collection this summer. I will most likely still do that, but in the mean time I have managed to complete the first 10 of the series, having acquired an Edgar Allan Poe a couple of weeks ago... My goodness, it is easy to see what all the fuss is about with these pens in general, and this one is no exception. Beautiful and just a joy to write with.

 

Maybe I will only sell George, Honore, and Daniel. I find them (especially the first two) a bit heavy for my taste...

 

But it is NOT an obsession, it is just a hobby.... Right?! (derisive laugh here).

[silicon]

Love this review ... I particularly like the latest writers edition.

 

Could you tell me where and how you keep them from getting marked?

 

I assume you don't keep them on a towel!

[goodguy]

Thank you "KJY" and "mshepp3" for kind words.

If money was not an issue I would definitly get my entire WE back, sadly money is an issue and I have found other hobbies which I enjoy now, still I have soft sport for FP and use only FP for writing but I have only very few pens for that which I rotate thought from time to time.

[ammarmali]

Awesome review! Thanks!

[sannidh]

Thank you for sharing!!

Permanently bookmarked..

[tenney]

I have moved to enjoy watches and mostly photography.

I for one woul love to see / read about your watches

[duran]

great collection, hope will have so many pens one day

[mshepp3]

Love this review ... I particularly like the latest writers edition.

 

Could you tell me where and how you keep them from getting marked?

 

I assume you don't keep them on a towel!

 

 

Sorry silicon, I only noticed your questions today...

 

When I am at work (in Saudi Arabia) my best pens go into a safe deposit box after being placed in felt roll-up wraps (purchased from The Onoto Pen Company, UK).

 

When I am back home in Canada, I keep them in Delta Markiaro Pen Cases - I have a 40 capacity case, and a 12 which I generally use to travel with.

 

Other than that, keeping them as pristine as possible is just a matter of handling them carefully. My pens are not for me to just look at... I write with them (although the MB WE's have mostly only been written with once each to check out their respective nibs up until now).

 

And if I take a pen out with me "on the road", I have a number of one- and two-pen leather cases which offer excellent protection.

 

I am also somewhat mindful of which brands of ink I load my pens with. Waterman inks are my standard fare, but I do have some bottles of Diamine and Montblanc as well. And I took Richard Binder's advice and bought a bottle of RED Sheaffer ink (made in Slovakia, I believe), for when I wish to write in that colour.

 

Hope this helps.

 

BTW - Can I assume that when you said you liked the latest MB WE, that you were referring to the Defoe and not the Balzac? I have both, and - while both distinctive and beautiful in their own ways - I must say that for writing I prefer the Defoe... the Balzac is just too heavy for my taste.

[goodguy]

Awesome review! Thanks!

Thank you

 

 

Thank you for sharing!!

Permanently bookmarked..

Thank you

 

 

I for one woul love to see / read about your watches

Thank you for the interest, I had too many watches coming and going through my hands, had a whole lt of them but now I have minimized my collection to only three watches

 

1.Omega Planet Ocean Chronograph

2.Rolex Submariner

3.Rolex Daytona

 

There are few more watches I would love to own but now that I am head over heels into photography I have decided for now to put my watch passion on the backburner.

 

 

great collection, hope will have so many pens one day

Trust me with enough passion and love you can get to where your heart directs you.

But be warned, don't get too close to the sun, what I mean is I have fulfilled my dreams with pens until I got all I wanted and I didn't have anything more to aspire so I moved on to other hobbies so its always good to keep hungry lusting for something you cant get because once you get it the fire might burnout like it did with me.

[mshepp3]

Goodguy - I bought a Rolex Submariner for myself when I was 19 years old just before starting university . As of last August, it was 40 years old and still on my wrist. The one thing I regret is that for $50 more dollars, I could have got the Officially Certified Chronometer model, but that would have also meant having the date on it, and I only wanted a watch which would tell me the time. Best investment I ever made, now worth over twenty times what I paid for it. It will go to my son when knowing the time becomes irrelevant for me.

[horolographer]

Goodguy! It has been 10 years since your monumental review. I would love to hear from you an updated version consolidating any of your later purchases and view changes if any. CHeers!