MB Pope Julius II 888 Edition

[CaptainDan]

You have in your possession an absolutely resplendent pen! Mont Blanc naming it after Julius II was a nice touch - I am something of a connoisseur of Renaissance Italian history, and I couldn't help but think of Colm Feore's phenomenal Giovanni della Rovere in "The Borgias."

[yachtsilverswan]

You have in your possession an absolutely resplendent pen! Mont Blanc naming it after Julius II was a nice touch - I am something of a connoisseur of Renaissance Italian history, and I couldn't help but think of Colm Feore's phenomenal Giovanni della Rovere in "The Borgias."

 

Actor Colm Feore on his portrayal of Cardinal Giovanni della Rovere (later to ascend as Pope Julius II) in the series "The Borgias:"

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEWqZJg9jbc

 

And in character as Giovanni della Rovere plotting to assassinate the Pope:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoo4OaXQi5E

 

Thanks for your kind words and for taking time to comment. Please add more about the storied Roveres if you have time.

 

I wonder if actor Colm Feore purchased a Pope Julius II pen to commemorate his role in the ShowTime series?

Edited June 10, 2012 by yachtsilverswan

[Ghost Plane]

How did I miss this series? [Other than not owning a TV ] Absolutely adore books and series about the Borgias. :clap1: I'm off my my library's on-line catalogue to see if I can check this out. :clap1:

[yachtsilverswan]

How did I miss this series? ... Absolutely adore books and series about the Borgias. :clap1: ...

 

"The Borgias" - presented by ShowTime:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXowMf9PZDI

 

Actor Colm Feore plays Cardinal Giovanni della Rovere (later to ascend as Pope Julius II) as foil and nemesis to Pope Alexander IV (played by the amazing Jeremy Irons). This is television at its very very best - educational, entertaining, lush, and compelling.

[Ghost Plane]

Oh yum! I would watch paint dry if it were on Jeremy Irons. :embarrassed_smile:

[Sasha Royale]

Thank you, YachtSilverSwan. It is breath-taking.

 

I think the Mb Pope Julius IS too pretty to use in writing.

When I come across such a pen, I save a photograph. Photographs

are for viewing. Pens are for writing. I envy that you can

use this treasure.

 

[yachtsilverswan]

Thank you, YachtSilverSwan. It is breath-taking.

 

I think the Mb Pope Julius IS too pretty to use in writing.

When I come across such a pen, I save a photograph. Photographs

are for viewing. Pens are for writing. I envy that you can

use this treasure.

 

 

Afternoon Sasha -

 

I agree Montblanc's designers and craftsmen really hit the mark with this pen - opulent and tastefully ornate.

 

The rich look and feel of the pen in hand sparks me to find words worthy of the instrument. Somehow, jotting down my phone number on a cocktail napkin isn't quite good enough. When I carry this pen, I also carry a few Crane Correspondence Cards - white, triple debossed - in my jacket pocket. I use those at events, and append a clever little tag line. I have a new supply of Personal Cards on order as well - also white triple debossed heavy card stock Crane - and those will likely take the place of the larger Correspondence Cards in a month or so.

 

Thanks for taking time to comment.

[noCartridges]

 

<u><b>Case</b></u>

I wanted a nice travel case for when the Pope Julius 888 goes on the road with me to an event. The Atlanta Montblanc Boutique still had one of the black crocodile Florentine cigar sleeve cases in stock, and that went into the shopping bag as well. Perfect. <i>No gentleman leaves the house without something from the soft underbelly of a dead reptile</i> (Burton’s Third Rule).

 

<img src="http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr131/yachtsilverswan/ePENHOLDER6A.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

 

I think the case is embossed, not crocodile/alligator. I bought the larger (wider) case back when they were still in production and recall that the smooth version was the same price.

 

Beautiful pen...even if the style doesn't suit everyone's personal taste, it's nice to know that craftspeople can still be gainfully employed in the modern era.

[yachtsilverswan]

I wanted a nice travel case for when the Pope Julius 888 goes on the road with me to an event. The Atlanta Montblanc Boutique still had one of the black crocodile Florentine cigar sleeve cases in stock, and that went into the shopping bag as well. Perfect. <i>No gentleman leaves the house without something from the soft underbelly of a dead reptile</i> (Burton’s Third Rule).

 

I think the case is embossed, not crocodile/alligator. I bought the larger (wider) case back when they were still in production and recall that the smooth version was the same price.

 

I think you are correct - the MB Florence cases were cowhide embossed to give the look and texture of crocodile. They were rigid tubes, like cigar tubes, crafted for Montblanc by a Florentine leather house. The single tube easily holds a MB 149 or my Pope Julius II 888. Mine have proven quite durable and remain as good looking as the day I bought them.

 

Here's an updated photo - my older photo seems to have expired:

 

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr131/yachtsilverswan/ePENHOLDER6A.jpg

[freakman]

Very nice review. Are there any LEs with 149 sized nib?

[yachtsilverswan]

Very nice review. Are there any LEs with 149 sized nib?

 

 

Three pens come to mind with MB 149 sized nibs - though I don't think any of the Patron of the Arts Series have 149 sized nibs.

 

The MB 75th Anniversary Limited Edition (NOT the Special Edition) is a MB 149 with rose gold trim and a Mother of Pearl Star atop the cap. 1,924 copies wordwide. The Special Edition, which has yellow gold trim and a resin star also has a 149 nib - but it is not a Limited Edition.

 

The Hemingway, in the Writers' Edition has a 149 sized nib, though the size of the "limited" edition is large.

 

And lastly, the "Yes We Can" limited edition 149, released just after President-Elect Obama's election in advance of his inauguration - that was a standard MB 149 with broad cursive script engraved in the cap. If I remember correctly, there were only 100 copies of this pen released, and they sold in the Boutiques at standard 149 retail prices.

 

Thanks for taking time to comment.

Edited June 23, 2012 by yachtsilverswan

[freakman]

Very nice review. Are there any LEs with 149 sized nib?

 

 

Three pens come to mind with MB 149 sized nibs - though I don't think any of the Patron of the Arts Series have 149 sized nibs.

 

The MB 75th Anniversary Limited Edition (NOT the Special Edition) is a MB 149 with rose gold trim and a Mother of Pearl Star atop the cap. 1,924 copies wordwide. The Special Edition, which has yellow gold trim and a resin star also has a 149 nib - but it is not a Limited Edition.

 

The Hemingway, in the Writers' Edition has a 149 sized nib, though the size of the "limited" edition is large.

 

And lastly, the "Yes We Can" limited edition 149, released just after President-Elect Obama's election in advance of his inauguration - that was a standard MB 149 with broad cursive script engraved in the cap. If I remember correctly, there were only 100 copies of this pen released, and they sold in the Boutiques at standard 149 retail prices.

 

Thanks for taking time to comment.

Thanks for the fast reply. The teatro 149 is also a LE 149 with engravings on cap.

Then the only LE with 149 sized nib and does not resemble a 149 seems to be the Hemingway.

[yachtsilverswan]

Thanks for the fast reply. The teatro 149 is also a LE 149 with engravings on cap.

Then the only LE with 149 sized nib and does not resemble a 149 seems to be the Hemingway.

 

Nope. I forgot one.

 

The MB Writers' Edition Dumas also has a 149 sized nib.

 

Both the Hemingway and the Dumas were based on the MB 139 - which has the same size nib as the 149.

 

Other Writers' Edition pens, and the Patron of the Arts pens are based on the MB 146 and have smaller, stiffer 146 sized nibs.

Edited June 23, 2012 by yachtsilverswan

[ArchiMark]

Wonderful review of a very unique and beautiful, well crafted pen, Ray.....

 

And one of the most enjoyable review threads I've seen in a while...

 

 

Mark

[rochester21]

The review is very well written, but in the end, one thing sticks in my mind: a "dress pen" ??!! nobody else dared to say it, so i had to.

[yachtsilverswan]

The review is very well written, but in the end, one thing sticks in my mind: a "dress pen" ??!! nobody else dared to say it, so i had to.

 

Afternoon Rochester. Thanks for taking time to comment, and for your kind words on my review effort.

 

Writing from Romania, if English is not your native tongue, you certainly have an excellent command of our spelling, grammar, and syntax. Occasionally, American word usage is stupifying. When I say the Pope Julius II is for me a "dress pen," all I mean by that is that this is a pen I carry when I am more formally dressed, or "dressed up," or colloquially, "dressed to the nines." I was trying to emphasize that the pen is so ornate, it would look out of place if pulled from the placket of a polo shirt when I'm running errands on Saturday afternoon in a polo, khakis, and topsiders without socks. It's not a pen I choose when dressed casually. As a guy I don't wear dresses, if that's what you were implying. This is a pen I chose when I wear a dark suit with a "dress shirt" (same idiomatic usage) and silk necktie or bowtie.

 

Dress pen. Too funny.

 

Thanks again for the comment.

[yachtsilverswan]

Wonderful review of a very unique and beautiful, well crafted pen, Ray.....

 

And one of the most enjoyable review threads I've seen in a while...

 

 

Mark

 

Why thank you Archi. I enjoy writing short essays on topics that interest me - I learn something each time.

 

Readers have been very generous with their comments - you included, and that's made the back and forth of the thread a good read too.

 

Thanks again.

[goldenkrishna]

Hello yachtsilverswan,

 

Yhanks for this elaborate review with nice pics. You supplied me with a template for the review I'm going to write on the Queen Elizabeth I that will soon arrive. I agree with others that one should use such a FP more often. But that is easy to say for me as the Queen Eli I wil be my only FP (besides the stirling silver Watermans that I do not use). Hence I cannot rotate like you guys with such respectabke collections.

 

Will there be more Popes added to your collection?

 

With love,

 

goldenkrishna

[Mulrich]

Too bad the OP photos no longer show up but from other threads this looks like an incredible pen.

[Tom Kellie]

Too bad the OP photos no longer show up but from other threads this looks like an incredible pen.

 

~ Mulrich:

 

I feel the same as you do.

Although I've never seen or held one, the images I've seen are highly impressive.

Tom K.