Montblanc POA - Elizabeth I

[Maine Vintner]

Having seen a great number of posts on the Montblanc forum about this pen with very polarized opinions, I felt compelled to write my first review here on FPN. So, here goes: I own a number of MB WEs and POAs, including the likes of Hemingway, Schiller, Dickens, Tate, Francois, and Oppenheim. I reference these to demonstrate the range of LEs in my collection in order to provide comparison/contrast for my new leading lady. She arrived via the Montblanc boutique in late April and I arranged her coronation (I.e., I picked her up) during my most recent visit into town.

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Appearance & Design (1-10) - This is a "regal" pen in every sense of the word. Out of the box, one is first captivated by the grandeur of this pen. There is significant scroll work on the cap, center band, and end unit of the pen. This is complemented by a series of 5 dimpled rings, reminiscent of jewels in a crown, spaced along the length of the pen. "Video et Taceo" is inscribed around the center band. Situated above the otherwise simple clip is a raised seal in the form of a flower blossom. I will need to do my homework here but this is the first time that I recall seeing a raised design element above the clip.

 

The black lacquer body is beautiful in its own right, but almost understated by comparison to the brightwork. The clip is set off by a green stone overlaying a cross. A large Montblanc snow cap adorns the flat top. I do not find the pen to be ostentatious or overdone; rather it reflects the royalty of Elizabeth I rather precisely. The basic design of this pen is similar to Francois (which I rate a 5 on the Appearance scale). Overall this is a thing of beauty with all design elements working in harmony - I score it a 7 of 10 (personally I prefer simpler designs like Schiller or Hemingway).

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Construction & Quality (1-10) - This is a heavy pen with solid build quality - think Mercedes S Class heft and solidity. The lacquer is flawless and the engraving on the pen barrel and bib are precise. As with all MB LEs, threads, clip, snow cap are all well engineered and provide the user with a sense of confidence. The piston action is smooth and predictable. Score this a 10 as there is nothing amiss on the quality front.

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Weight & Dimensions (1-10) - As I noted above, this pen is heavy, with most of the weight located in the cap. Given the cap's weight I would not post the cap, even if you could. Interestingly, the cap does not post on this pen. You could force it (which I would not advise for aesthetic reasons) but the barrel appears to reject the cap, pushing back against its advance and repeatedly dislodging it with a loud "plop". In the hand it feels like Francois or Dickens. I score Elizabeth a 4 in this category as I like my writing partners a little more on the lithe side of the spectrum.

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Nib & Performance (1-10) - No surprises here, classic MB POA nib. The broad 18k gold nib is wet and smooth, laying down a thick, consistent line that would make Beth proud. Befitting of this pen, I loaded her with MB black. For those who know and love MB nibs, you will not be disappointed - she gets a 10. I especially appreciated the fact that the dates of Elizabeth's 40 year reign are engraved on the nib along with the image of her crown.

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Filling System & Maintenance (1-10) - Classic reliable MB POA piston filler. As noted in the quality section, smooth and precise with an easy loading action. I found this pen to fill swiftly and completely right out of the box and, although there is no ink window, I was able to confirm that the ink chamber fills nearly to capacity (Note: I have experienced some pens out of the box that seemed to fill to half or 2/3 capacity before "breaking in"). I prefer piston fillers that hold copious amounts of ink (as this one does) with windows (which it lacks) so my overall score here is 8.

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Cost & Value (1-10) - Elizabeth I is a MB POA so we know it is overpriced (if you are not a MB fan) or a "must have" (if you are a collector - you know who you are). With that said, value is subjective. For me, this is a very well done, attractive pen that will see little use (too heavy) but I will be proud to show-off on occasion. Of the 6 POAs I own, I would rank Elizabeth mid-pack behind Julius, Tate, and Marquise de Pompadour and ahead of Max and Francois. Score it a 6.

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Conclusion - Like all pens in general, and MB LEs in particular, whether you like this pen or not is a matter of personal taste. For me, I think the pen is strikingly beautiful with well thought out design elements that reflect the larger than life regal presence that was Queen Elizabeth I. Those who fear the pen is over-the-top from photos may be pleasantly surprised in person. All of the trim work and engraving are masterfully done and integrated into the whole. The pen is "large and in charge", preferred by some but not my cup of tea. I find most of the POAs to be too heavy and the metal barrels do not sit comfortably in my hand. While I appreciate Elizabeth from a design and consistency perspective, I do not see myself writing with her, which is a big part of my attraction to pens. Calculating my scores above, Elizabeth scores 45 of a possible 60, which factors out to an 7.5. My user score would be a 6.

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I hope this review was helpful. Please feel free to post me with any follow up questions, feedback, or conflicting points of view. Thanks for reading.

...John

[Blade Runner]

As a pen enthusiast and Anglophile, I really like this one. The black and silver make a striking contrast, and it looks regal indeed. Congratulations on your beautiful pen!

[Ghost Plane]

Thank you for a detailed review

[goodguy]

Thank you for the review, wish you had better pictures so we can see in better detail the pen.

Enjoy

[Pfhorrest]

I'm usually not a fan of metal sections, but that one looks nice

[kaisede]

nice buy and thanks for the review.

 

Andy

[Ed Ronax]

Excellent review, thanks, it looks like a really beautiful pen.

[Thornton]

I love the one my parents gifted me for graduation. It has a fine nib and is a pleasure to write with. Pictures just can't do it justice. As far as price, as an MB lover and Anglophile, it's justified in my view.

[WRob]

Nice review, but for me the pen seems to be one of those Montblancs that just oozes gaudiness from it's every pore.

 

As a pen fan and an Englishman, the whole theme of royalty and the motifs on the pen are a bit clichéd.

 

However, I'm sure that, functionally, the pen is beautiful.

[Brian]

A great review. I like the inherent conflict in having a Patron of the Arts (POA) as both a work of art and a fountain pen. There are some to which the expenditure of more than $2.5K for a fountain pen may be matter of fact. However, for many of us this is a significant sum and certainly one that would ordinarily be used for more mundane but important things like family expenses. Having said this, the Elizabeth is a beautiful pen with many inspired touches. Although I do not like the metal section, it does have a special presence in the hand with some nice touches like the cross emanating from the clip across the cap. The metal work and enamelling are very well done and I especially like the metal work near the top of the cap. I'd agree with your early assessment that this is indeed a regal pen.

 

Thanks for the review.

[Blade Runner]

I like the fact that the design emphasizes the regal qualities of the subject rather than the gender. Consequently, I don't see it as a pen for women only.

[vettebandit]

Nice review, thank you. I really like the simple fact that you inked, and plan to use, the pen. Im all for buy it to use it!

[shrinknib]

Hi John

I found that a rather balanced and fair review.

I appreciate that as a buyer, collector of these top end pens you can still maintain an even perspective.

 

I like the pen, looks lovely indeed.

 

As a writer though it looks and feels ugly and I think you have reflected that clearly.

 

Thank you

[Maine Vintner]

Thank you to everyone for your great feedback. I absolutely agree with the comments that the photos could be improved; I will take some additional picks this weekend and post an update. I appreciate the comments about balanced perspective; I am definitely a user, seeing value in the joy of inking and writing with the pens. As a result I will always tilt toward the function over form side of the spectrum but will certainly give a pen credit for its aesthetic qualities.

 

Thank you all for reading and replying. Happy writing.

...John

[josephfabry]

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Construction & Quality (1-10) - This is a heavy pen with solid build quality - think Mercedes S Class heft and solidity. The lacquer is flawless and the engraving on the pen barrel and bib are precise. As with all MB LEs, threads, clip, snow cap are all well engineered and provide the user with a sense of confidence. The piston action is smooth and predictable. Score this a 10 as there is nothing amiss on the quality front.

 

Hi John-

 

I enjoyed your review, a lot.

 

It does look like quite a beautiful pen. I'd like to hold one in my hand. I'm sorry, but as a BMW guy (absolutely NO OFFENSE intended)- could you translate the "S Class heft and solidity" into BMW-speak? I don't understand the difference in classification from C -> E -> S. Is it like a 7-series, or like an M Car?

 

You have a beautiful pen, and sounds like a very impressive collection.

 

Being able to securely post is a condition for me, and a pen built for nonposting (is that a word?) is probably not right for me. I don't feel your pen is too ornate- the decoration appears well done, and appropriate for the POA figure it commemorates.

 

Thanks SO much for sharing.

 

I sure would like to see photos with a bit more background lighting- if you find the time.

 

Thanks again.

 

Love,

 

Joe

 

BTW- I adore Pen Reviews that include a photo that shows the owner's writing with the reviewed pen in the background (if you decide to post more photos, this would be my humble request)

[j01270]

Thank you very much for the review. I too am a collector of POA and WE Montblancs buying those that appeal to me. It has to look good before I even consider it! I have seen the pen in person but not held nor written with it and I am of the opinion your review was very fair and balanced.

[georges zaslavsky]

very nice pen what is great is that you can always expect the highest quality in the mb limited editions, details are carefully made and construction is flawless

[PigRatAndGoat]

I'm pleasantly surprised that someone reviewed a POA! Reviews of these pens are far and few between.

Thanks for the great review!

[Maine Vintner]

[Joe...

Thank you for your nice feedback and questions on my review. No offense taken on your being a BMW guy - they're great cars. To translate my Mercedes reference you would think 7 series: large, bank-vault solidity, and precision quality. The M is very powerful and sporty; I would not describe the Elizabeth as sporty because of it's heft.

 

If you like to securely post, this is not the pen for you. I tried posting several times and it would not take. Even if it did, given the weight of the cap, the pen was not manageable to hold posted.

 

I will work on the photos and hand-writing sample. I will provide an update as soon as I do.

 

Thanks again.

...John

 

 

quote name=josephfabry' date='13 May 2010 - 09:37 AM' timestamp='1273757856' post='1540977]

…

Construction & Quality (1-10) - This is a heavy pen with solid build quality - think Mercedes S Class heft and solidity. The lacquer is flawless and the engraving on the pen barrel and bib are precise. As with all MB LEs, threads, clip, snow cap are all well engineered and provide the user with a sense of confidence. The piston action is smooth and predictable. Score this a 10 as there is nothing amiss on the quality front.

 

Hi John-

 

I enjoyed your review, a lot.

 

It does look like quite a beautiful pen. I'd like to hold one in my hand. I'm sorry, but as a BMW guy (absolutely NO OFFENSE intended)- could you translate the "S Class heft and solidity" into BMW-speak? I don't understand the difference in classification from C -> E -> S. Is it like a 7-series, or like an M Car?

 

You have a beautiful pen, and sounds like a very impressive collection.

 

Being able to securely post is a condition for me, and a pen built for nonposting (is that a word?) is probably not right for me. I don't feel your pen is too ornate- the decoration appears well done, and appropriate for the POA figure it commemorates.

 

Thanks SO much for sharing.

 

I sure would like to see photos with a bit more background lighting- if you find the time.

 

Thanks again.

 

Love,

 

Joe

 

BTW- I adore Pen Reviews that include a photo that shows the owner's writing with the reviewed pen in the background (if you decide to post more photos, this would be my humble request)

[Maine Vintner]

Thank you very much for the review. I too am a collector of POA and WE Montblancs buying those that appeal to me. It has to look good before I even consider it! I have seen the pen in person but not held nor written with it and I am of the opinion your review was very fair and balanced.

 

Thank you for your feedback. I agree with you that a pen first has to appeal to the user (like they say with food, "you eat first with your eyes"). Then the weight and feel take on a priority role for me. Finally, I have to enjoy writing with it. A pen that passes all three tests becomes an A-list pen in my book, for me pens like Hemingway, Schiller, and Wolfe make the list. Poe would be on that list when I own one.

...John