Montblanc Saint-Exupery Le Ink

[domzals1]

Beautiful color, but that price doesn't sit well with me. Oh well.

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks for the heads up and photo. What surprises me is the choice of an earthy colour for a guy who as well as having been an author, was known for being a pilot. With his two most famous books being (Night Flight) and the planet-oriented (The Little Prince), I would have expected something in the blue range for sky.

 

Well, between Miles Davis and UNICEF Blue, (and Leo Tolstoy, last year) MB maybe figured that putting out Yet Another Blue LE ink was not exactly going to endear themselves to customers.

Of course, their prices aren't endearing me to them in general.... I have 2 MB inks that I liked well enough to get full bottles of -- Leo Tolstoy LE and Lavender Purple. And at least the Tolstoy was priced about the same as their regular inks.

As for the Saint-Exupery ink? I don't like red leaning browns, so I'll take a pass. (Although it might be worth getting a sample to do a side by side with Noodler's BSiER.... ). Ironically, I was in a small bookstore a couple of days ago, after seeing a used copy of The Little Prince in an antiques store in the same mall. And honestly, I don't think "red-brown" either. If it had been me, I would have tried for that light green of the planet....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: Okay, I was wrong -- it was his CLOTHES which were light green....

Edited July 1, 2017 by inkstainedruth

[Joane]

 

Well, between Miles Davis and UNICEF Blue, (and Leo Tolstoy, last year) MB maybe figured that putting out Yet Another Blue LE ink was not exactly going to endear themselves to customers.

Of course, their prices aren't endearing me to them in general.... I have 2 MB inks that I liked well enough to get full bottles of -- Leo Tolstoy LE and Lavender Purple. And at least the Tolstoy was priced about the same as their regular inks.

As for the Saint-Exupery ink? I don't like red leaning browns, so I'll take a pass. (Although it might be worth getting a sample to do a side by side with Noodler's BSiER.... ). Ironically, I was in a small bookstore a couple of days ago, after seeing a used copy of The Little Prince in an antiques store in the same mall. And honestly, I don't think "red-brown" either. If it had been me, I would have tried for that light green of the planet....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: Okay, I was wrong -- it was his CLOTHES which were light green....

 

That's true. There were a lot of blues, JFK also, coming to think of it. Clever idea to check out the book. Little Prince Green might have been nice. There is also the possibility of Fox Brown. They've done a lot of reds, too, which could make Rose Red another redundant colour. Then, there was the boa constrictor that ate the elephant...Elephant Grey?

 

[Barkingpig]

'Sunset in the desert.' That is marketing at its very best! Attractive color.

 

 

In a post here, regarding the pen itself, the color was mentioned as Encre de desert & a poster quoted: "It was described as a mix of Saffron & Desert Red." The description as attributed to Mr. Schimpf, seems accurate, with these colors mentioned.

 

(I saw Noodler's Black Swan in English Roses, @ first glance! BUT I wouldn't SAY that, for fear of the possible denunciation. I will wait & compare the inks in a swab, & of course, since BSER was sold in 3 available color mixes, how could I ever know!")

[888007888]

I like the darkness of it. I just don't know why they are pricing the inks so highly. 30ml went up to 50ml. The 30ml LE inks were priced at $19 in my area. It would have been nice if they went up only slightly to $29. But why $39???

Edited July 2, 2017 by 888007888

[visvamitra]

Higher mark-up for starters.

[Old_Inkyhand]

I'm glad I have a bottle of KWZ Liquid Words LE. I feel no urge whatsoever to buy this overpriced MB ink. They look alike. Nice bottle, though!

[Uncial]

It was only a matter of time surely. The fact that the likes of Sailor along with other 'high-end' brands sell for the same price and that there are a host of little inky gnomes who hoard bottles of the stuff to later sell off at a very, very significant mark up, means that Montblanc have decided they can actually charge more for this stuff and it will still sell. If anyone is to blame for price increases it will be the inky gnomes who go in and buy 50 or 100 bottles in one go. The same thing is happening to other "LE' and 'SE' inks. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Lamy start hiking up the price soon.

Edited July 2, 2017 by Uncial

[visvamitra]

I guess you're right. I wouldn't mind Lamy to increase price a bit on their LE inks if only that would make them available worldwide. So far they excel at disregarding their european fans.

[lgsoltek]

I guess you're right. I wouldn't mind Lamy to increase price a bit on their LE inks if only that would make them available worldwide. So far they excel at disregarding their european fans.

 

Don't feel disregarded, Vis. They do that to our American friends as well. They decided not to supply EF nibs to US anymore because the demand is too big. (A most interesting logic, IMO)

[visvamitra]

IOI

[lapis]

 

 

In a post here, regarding the pen itself, the color was mentioned as Encre de desert & a poster quoted: "It was described as a mix of Saffron & Desert Red." The description as attributed to Mr. Schimpf, seems accurate, with these colors mentioned.

Thanks. I didn't know that, not having looked at the pen itself.

[Ghost Plane]

Interesting color, but I'm being reminded what fabulous performance I get from brands like DeAtramentis, KWZ, and now a few bottles of Robert Oster headed my way. When the price starts to equal my Tom Ford cologne without any of the unique qualities, I remind myself it's an expendable I write with and patronize brands I can use, not hoard.

[visvamitra]

Well said

[KKay]

It was only a matter of time surely. The fact that the likes of Sailor along with other 'high-end' brands sell for the same price and that there are a host of little inky gnomes who hoard bottles of the stuff to later sell off at a very, very significant mark up, means that Montblanc have decided they can actually charge more for this stuff and it will still sell. If anyone is to blame for price increases it will be the inky gnomes who go in and buy 50 or 100 bottles in one go. The same thing is happening to other "LE' and 'SE' inks. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Lamy start hiking up the price soon.

I don't care for the "inky gnomes" one bit. Then again the price hike doesn't appeal to me, so I will pass. There are too many good inks out there for a decent price. I will let the scrappers fight for this ink. I only have one Mont Blanc ink, but I have another in mind for the future. I guess they'd rather sell a small amount at a higher price, than a larger amount for more in the long run. More power to them is all I can say.

[migo984]

Don't feel disregarded, Vis. They do that to our American friends as well. They decided not to supply EF nibs to US anymore because the demand is too big. (A most interesting logic, IMO)

I'm confused.

Lamy L.E. bottled inks *were* readily available in U.K./Europe this year (for the first time) and Brian (Anderson Pens) said yesterday on Reddit not to worry as Lamy EF nibs weren't discontinued in the US and he has just got a new batch in.

[lgsoltek]

I'm confused.

Lamy L.E. bottled inks *were* readily available in U.K./Europe this year (for the first time) and Brian (Anderson Pens) said yesterday on Reddit not to worry as Lamy EF nibs weren't discontinued in the US and he has just got a new batch in.

 

I read about this from Goulet in May (http://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/05/lamy-extra-fine-nib-availability-z28.html).

 

Don't know whether Lamy has reversed their decision, or that Anderson Pens get their batch elsewhere, not directly from Lamy. (Reportedly Lamy still supplies EF nibs, for example to Asia, but not to US.)

[Noihvo]

I'm confused.

Lamy L.E. bottled inks *were* readily available in U.K./Europe this year (for the first time) and Brian (Anderson Pens) said yesterday on Reddit not to worry as Lamy EF nibs weren't discontinued in the US and he has just got a new batch in.

 

 

 

I read about this from Goulet in May (http://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/05/lamy-extra-fine-nib-availability-z28.html).

 

Don't know whether Lamy has reversed their decision, or that Anderson Pens get their batch elsewhere, not directly from Lamy. (Reportedly Lamy still supplies EF nibs, for example to Asia, but not to US.)

 

[visvamitra]

@Migo - not really - they were available for a while in few shops. Polish wholesalers received information they will get bottles as well in may. When may came Lamy told them the plans changed and there will be no bottles of Petrol for polish market. I believe the same was true for few other european markets.

[migo984]

@Migo - not really - they were available for a while in few shops. Polish wholesalers received information they will get bottles as well in may. When may came Lamy told them the plans changed and there will be no bottles of Petrol for polish market. I believe the same was true for few other european markets.

Oh right, although my experience was that Petrol was very easy to come by in UK, Netherlands, Belgium Eric, and even here in Australia, when it was released in April/May. But as an LE you had to order it fairly quickly.

I guess Lamy's distribution policy is a little mysterious.....