Montblanc Patron Of Art Ludovico Sforza 4810

[sny]

Montblanc Patron of Art Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan 4810

 

The Ludovico Sforza 4810 (hereinafter: the « Sforza ») is part of Montblanc’s Patron of Art series that pays tribute to some of the major arts and culture contributors. The Sforza was produced in 2013 and is limited to 4810 pieces. It pays tribute to Ludovico Sforza (1452-1508), Duke of Milan from 1494 until 1499 who had an insatiable passion for the arts and supported Leonardo da Vinci as well as other artists while presiding over the final and most productive stage of the Milanese Renaissance.

 

 

Ludovico Sforza is famous for having commissioned The Last Supper.

 

As all modern Patron of Arts 4810 fountain pens, it comes in a rectangular lacquered wooden box with a metal plate engraved with the individual serial number of the pen.

 

 

Lately, I figured out that there was no review for this pen on the forum so I decided to write one.

 

1. Appearance & Design (9) – Classic yet elegant with plenty of details

The Sforza is a classic looking pen. It is made of black lacquer with sterling silver fittings.

Contrary to most Patron of Arts it is not ostentatious and can thus be easily used in everyday life without attracting too much attention. I use every pen that is part of my collection so this point is very important to me.

The pen’s cap symbolizes the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, the Sforza family castle built by Francesco Sforza, Ludovico’s father. The cap replicates the round towers of the castle, a design that also appears engraved on the piston knob.

The body of the pen replicate the patter Leonardo Da Vinci used in his fesco “Sala delle Asse” as well as in the robes of the famous Mona Lisa.

On the bottom of the cap, there is an engraving (LUDOVICUS M SF) replicating the one of a silver coin issued in honor of the Duke during the Renaissance.

The nib is 18k solid gold, entirely rodium plated. It is engraved with Sforza’s coat of arms.

The pen is one of my favorite Patron of arts pen. Its design remains simple yet contains very nice details reminiscent of Ludovico Sforza. The engravings on the nib as well as the simple yet very decorative symbols on the lacquered body are very elegant. The only thing that I miss on this pen is the mother of pearl star of the 888 version.

 

1. Construction & Quality (10) - Superb

The pen is very nicely built. It feels solid yet exquisite, all parts fit nicely together and the piston is smooth with a small resistance that makes it comfortable to use (it is neither smooth nor stiff).

The clip is springy, the cap threads are not too sharp, there is no abrupt step down on the section.

All in all, this pen is fantastically made. You definitely get what you pay for.

1. Weight & Dimensions (9) – Long and heavy

The Sforza is a long and heavy pen.

Due to the sterling silver parts, the pen feels very solid and substantial in the hand. For those who like slender and lightweight pens, don’t even consider buying the Sforza.

I don’t think its weight disadvantages the pen when writing over a longer period of time. Indeed, the pen is very well balanced.

1. Nib & Performance (10) - Wet and smooth and broad

I like broad nibs. The vast majority of my collection boasts double broad (BB) nibs, so I had the nib of the Sforza changed to BB at the purchase.

After a couple of weeks, the pen came back with a beautiful wet and buttery smooth BB nib. The nib is made out of 18k gold and is entirely rhodium plated. It has quite a stubbish character, the horizontal lines being much thinner than the vertical strokes.

The nib is not flexible nor springy. It is just smooth and wet producing a line with plenty of shading and character. I wish all fountain pen nibs were like this one.

1. Filling System & Maintenance (8) – Piston filler and no self-maintenance

The Sforza, like most of the Patron of Art pens, is a piston filler. It holds a very decent amount of ink that enables the pen to achieve a good range even with a BB nib.

Like most of the modern Montblanc pens, no self-maintenance can be performed on the Sforza apart from flushing it by using the piston knob. Neither the nib, nor the piston unit is detachable. If there is any problem with the pen, it has to go back to Montblanc for servicing.

While some people could consider this as an issue, I don’t. First of all, I have used this pen for nearly two years without any problem. Taking care of the pen involves cleaning it regularly with a microfiber cloth and flushing it before storing it back into the box. Should anything happen to the pen, Montblanc service while not being quick is relatively low priced compared to the value of the pen (flat rates) and effective.

1. Cost & Value (10) – Very expensive but you get what you pay for

The pen is very expensive. A couple of years ago, I would never even have considered putting this amount of money into a writing instrument.

However, since I have bought this pen I use it regularly and with the same pleasure time after time.

Considering the excellent build quality, the limited edition, the looks and the fantastic nib the cost/value ratio seems very good.

1. Conclusion (Final score [56/6]: 9.3)

The Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, 4810 is a stunning pen.

I absolutely love its looks and its writing performance is second to none. The details of its design and the link it has to the patron of Leonardo Da Vinci combined with the fact that it does not attract too much of attention when using it makes this one of my favorite limited edition pen.

I hope you have enjoyed this review. Thank you for reading it.

Best regards,

Sny

Edited October 4, 2015 by sny

[Mkim]

Hi Sny,

 

Thank you for yet another great review of...yet another unexpectedly exciting POA.

 

I still go back from time to time to your gaius maecenas review....

Full of beautiful photos and well put together review. Best of all, you always make the most unexpected POA's look very exciting!

 

no writing samples this time?

[Mainecoon]

Thanks for sharing this with us. Beautifull pics and very informative review. One of the few black pens I really like!

May you enjoy writing with it for many years!

[sirach]

WOW!!! Beautiful. Very nice review.

[Inked]

Thank you.

 

Great looking pen. The broad nib suits it well.

 

Inked

[zaddick]

Excellent choice getting the BB!

[mehandiratta]

too flashy... good review though

[Ghost Plane]

Want!

[ele]

"Contrary to most Patron of Arts it is not ostentatious and can thus be easily used in everyday life without attracting too much attention."

 

I beg to differ, but it is great to hear that it gets daily use!​

[sny]

Thank you for your very interesting comments.

 

@Mkim: I'm glad you enjoyed these two pens. I will upload a writing sample tomorrow .

 

I like the POA series because of the tight link between the pen and a character of the past. It is always as fun to discover the pen than the person who inspired it.

 

@Mainecoon: thank you for your comment. The Sforza was quite a beautiful surprise when I discovered it in a Boutique, as the marketing pictures don't do it justice.

 

@sirach: thank you for your comment. I'm glad you liked the pen.

 

@ inked: thank you for your comment. The broad nib is a joy to write with. I will upload a writing sample tomorrow .

 

@ zaddick: the broad nib implies to wait a month or so but is much smoother than its medium and fine alternatives. thank you for your input .

 

@ mehandiratta & ele: Thank you for your inputs. I guess your comments illustrate the relativity of any statement. The Sforza is not, per se, a discrete pen. However, in the POA series it is among the most discrete models. Compared to say the Joseph II, the Sforza is very discrete. Anyway, I am able to use it everyday without getting much more attention than with a regular MB pen .

 

@ ghost plane: thank you for your comments. I know you also enjoy broad nibs. Your comments on this forum were the reason that brought me to try a BB nib at first. Thank you very much for that !

 

Best regards,

 

Sny

[TassoBarbasso]

While I do like the pen, it seems to me that the decoration is a bit on the "cheap" side. I mean, compare this with this. The first one says "expert craftmanship", while the second... I don't know: it looks industrial, in comparison.

[mmg122]

Sny...excellent review and photos. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this stunning pen with us.

[da vinci]

Great review, I did enjoy reading it and seeing the pictures. Most informative. A writing sample would be "the icing on the cake".

 

I have a 149 with a BB nib. Whilst it does offer decent line variation it is almost too broad for everyday use.

[Ghost Plane]

I'm always willing to adopt unwanted BB 149s. Just send them to me and I'll love them and feed them and take them for long walks.

[sny]

[Diderot]

A comprehensive review of an attractive pen.

Many thanks.

[VivienR]

This pen is beautiful. Agreed with you, its not too flashy to everyday usage. Enjoyed reading your review.