Montblanc LE 1906 Boheme 100 Year Anniversary

[Bryant]

Initial Impression: 8/10

This pen comes in a very nice shiny box that is covered with a box, then an outer box, that sits in another outer box... Whew! I guess they wanted the box (#1) protected... The most inner box is very nice though, its definitely a display box, sorry about all the lint on it in the pic. So before you read the rest of the this review remember that I just got a Visconti Romanica a day before I got this, and this is a very large pen, so when I first opened the box, it seemed very small. After using the Romanica for a day, then seeing this, it was like a mini pen! But after a few days, I got over that a little bit...

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0097.jpg

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0098.jpg

 

 

 

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0109.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look/Finish/Hardware: 10/10

Well with out saying this pen is very nice. The body is made from resin and the rest is plated platinum. Also instead of the Montblanc star it has a 43 faceted Diamond in the shape of the star. One thing I like about this, is that the diamond is not right in your face, you really have to look for it. So many MBs with diamonds scream out... Don't get me wrong, I do like some loud pens, (Visconti Ripple, Romanica...) But, this one is done very classy I think. One of the main selling points of this pen was the cap. The overlapping stars is very cool. I first saw this on the 146 size, but after I was told the price on it, I decided that a pen worth more than my car was probably not the way to go I'm not real sure what the stone is on the clip, butI'm sure its synthetic... I would be very surprised if it was not...

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0112-1.jpg

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0113-2.jpg

 

 

 

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0118-2.jpg

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0120-1.jpg

 

 

 

Feel/Balance: 6/10

The body of the pen feels very nice when it comes to its weight. This pen is WAY to small to write with un-posted and with the retractable nib, its meant to written with the cap on. It has great balance, but once again... I like big pens... So, its not that its not a greatly balanced pen, its just a little to small for me. But the weight is good.

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0121-1.jpg

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0123-2.jpg

 

 

 

Filling System 5/10 Nib: 10/10

The filling system is a Cartridge, with no possibility for a converter... This is one thing that drives me crazy about the Boheme's, I don't like using cartridges... You put one in and your are forced to use the whole thing or throw it out so you can switch up the color. I still have yet to see a converter that works for these pens, and I have tried a few...

The nib was worked on by Mr Binder, Richard Binder so you know its "money". It at one point a medium nib, but was transformed like a beautiful butterfly into a stub. This the first time I have ever used a stub... Now I see the light! Very fun! It has some great variation and is very smooth.

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0117-1.jpg

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0114.jpg

 

 

 

Price/Value: Retail Price 5/10 Price I paid 7/10

I think that the retail price on this is too much, but I understand that diamonds cost... But I would not have bought the retail price for it...(I think it was over 2k ) I paid a much less than that, and if I didn't mind the fact of the size, I would be very happy, but since it is "too small" for me, I am pretty sure this one will go up on the auction block

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0122-2.jpg

 

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0129-1.jpg

 

 

 

Overall: 7/10

So, if you like smaller or "regular size" pens, and cool gadgets, like retractable nibs, this kind of pen is for you. I would say if the pen was a little bigger, this pen would stay with me forever, but I just don't see it getting used as much as a pen this price should be. Above and beyond the size and cartridge filling system this pen would be 9/10

 

 

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My Visconti Romanica eating my MB... Yummy! :ltcapd: Man I'm a (bleep)...

 

 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm78/FountainPenz/CIMG0131.jpg

Edited August 3, 2008 by Bryant

[Diamondback]

Bryant,

 

A very balanced review and nice camera work. Bohemes are just too small for my hand, although I can admire the barrel resin and the nib engraving. I would also be disappointed paying so much money for a cartridge only pen.

 

If you decide to keep it enjoy the writing experience.

 

Mark

[goodguy]

This Boheme is droolable absolutly cute

I loved the Visconti cap eating the Boheme :ltcapd:

How sad this pen must go but I agree knowing you like BIG pen.

As you know I also own a Boheme and the cartridge only is a pain but when paying less then 200$ for that pen things looks much more resonable.

 

I think its important to remind everybody that concider a Boheme (as you noted yourself in the review) that this pen is designed to be used posted and feels perfectly balanced this way.While posted this pen is the size of a full size pen and you completly forget about the cap posted as it feels so balanced and natural.

Edited August 3, 2008 by goodguy

[sumgaikid]

I have to admit that I like the looks of it(perhaps I'm slowly warming up to MB's)and the fact that it has a retractable nib,

but 2K retail for a cartridge filler only???

 

It's something important like that that turns me off to really considering them..............

 

John

[JayKay]

Gorgeous pen. I'm surprised its well balanced when posted because that cap looks like it weights a ton! Great review on a great looking pen.

[Inkquest]

Great review. This one is a looker for sure. I agree that 2k is way, way, WAAAAAY overpriced (heck, I think the prices for the standard ones are on the steep side). But I must admit, I do love these little pens.

[Bryant]

I have to admit that I like the looks of it(perhaps I'm slowly warming up to MB's)and the fact that it has a retractable nib,

but 2K retail for a cartridge filler only???

 

It's something important like that that turns me off to really considering them..............

 

John

It is annoying that its a cartridge... It would be fantastic if they made the Boheme in a piston but with the retractable nib, I dont know how that would work...

 

Gorgeous pen. I'm surprised its well balanced when posted because that cap looks like it weights a ton! Great review on a great looking pen.

The cap is actually quitle like, and since the pen is smaller, it helps keep the weight it does have balanced.

 

Great review. This one is a looker for sure. I agree that 2k is way, way, WAAAAAY overpriced (heck, I think the prices for the standard ones are on the steep side). But I must admit, I do love these little pens.

Thanks, I agree... 2k is very high... But this can be the MB way unfortunately... At least with this pen, an LE is actually an LE out of 1906, opposed to 30,000

PS you can get a standard for around 200 used if your patient... They are fun pens...