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Montblanc - Brahms Se


de_pen_dent

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It was meant to be "one last flight" before I got home, but the duty free Montblanc shop was having a sale and I ended up getting quoted a price I couldnt refuse. So that put my plans to get a Sailor King of Pen on the back burner and I ended up with a Brahms Special Edition fountain pen.

 

It was very impressively packaged, in a massive-sized box. Part of me cringed at the amount of wasted paper being used to package a pen. The same part of me groaned at the idea of trying to board my flight with a significantly-overloaded camera bag containing my wildlife photography gear, another bag containing my laptop, binos, scope, and notebooks/guide books and now, a third bag with a huge box containing one tiny pen.

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img826/4753/mb4zw.jpg

 

I initially opened the box, thinking I'd pull the pen and toss the packaging. However, on opening it up and discovering the neat little tuning fork, the booklet and the pen, I decided to keep the box, and figure out a way to smuggle all these bags on board.

 

The packaging certainly is top-class - I guess Mont Blanc assumes that people who can afford their luxury goods are not concerned enough about lower eco-footprint; not enough to eschew fancy packaging, anyway. My Sailor Creatures of the Deep LE pen came in a small, tastefully-made wooden box, with some cardboard padding. It also conveyed the same sense of luxury but looked to be a little less wasteful (although that depends on the type of wood being used for the box and whether it was sustainable). Either way, I'd happily live with smaller, more efficient packaging but that's just me.

 

That moaning about the packaging's eco-footprint aside (and I dont mean to single out MB here - this is a general trend that runs the entire gamut of consumer products), it is certainly very nicely done:

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img641/7337/mb3a.jpg

 

The pen itself is a sturdy-looking, classic flat-top design - while I have a lot of cigar-shape rounded pens, I dont have too many squared pens. I was initially considering a MB149, but without realizing it at the time, was drawn to this pen. While I am not a huge Brahms fan, I am a huge fan of classical music, so this pen appealed to me in a way that the MB146/149s simply dont.

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img228/2733/mb1gm.jpg

 

The pen's clip is shaped like a tuning fork, and the bands on top of the cap evoke sheet music. Overall, I really liked the design of the pen - classy and bold, without being over the top.

 

Fit and finish are as one might expect from a pen of this category - beyond reproach. The pen has a nice weight and balance, and posts up quite nicely, without getting top heavy, although for longer writing sessions, I'd have a marginal preference for keeping it unposted.

 

The pen is a piston-filler. I thought the piston action was not perfect, as the resistance varied a little throughout its range of movement. But now I am just looking for things to complain about, in an effort to not have a rah-rah-cheerleader review.

 

The large nib complements the pen perfectly and was a very nice writer, straight out of the box: smooth, putting down a nice thick line with just a hint of paper feedback - exactly how I want a pen to write.

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img193/1623/mb2de.jpg

 

Overall, this pen ended up being a bit of an impulse buy. I went in to have a second look at the MB 146/149s - initially, I had found the 149 a little too large for my hand, and the MB146 to not warrant the asking price, and my goal was to re-visit these conclusions and see if they still held. I ended up falling in love with this pen, surprisingly (not being a Montblanc person for the most part).

 

Tomorrow, I have a meeting which is, unfortunately, going to involve a lot of pretentiousness and posturing with some Board members. To live up to the cliche, this pen is going to be in my pocket for that meeting. However, my consolation is that this pen is also going to be in my pocket when I am hanging out with some friends who couldnt care less about pens. *I* know that I have bought this pen b/c I like it, not b/c of the white star (although I'll take the ice-breaking potential it offer as an added bonus).

Edited by de_pen_dent

True bliss: knowing that the guy next to you is suffering more than you are.

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Nice review, thanks!

 

I am also looking to the 149 and 146. The difference in nib size is a major point. Can you tell which size the Brahms is using: is it more towards the 146 or more to the big 149 nib?

 

Thanks, Rob

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1349530282[/url]' post='2479227']

Nice review, thanks!

 

I am also looking to the 149 and 146. The difference in nib size is a major point. Can you tell which size the Brahms is using: is it more towards the 146 or more to the big 149 nib?

 

Thanks, Rob

 

That is a really pretty pen, It looks very similar to a duofold or a magna.

I have to admit I am a sucker for the packaging that these luxury items come in. I was looking at the packaging provided with the Conway Stewart Churchill. Not only do you get the pen, ink and a book of quotes from Sir Winston, you also get a big ol' cigar to puff on, (presumable while writing your next ministerial work) all wrapped in a nice presentation box.

I do like the tuning fork idea...

TC.

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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1349530282[/url]' post='2479227']

I am also looking to the 149 and 146. The difference in nib size is a major point. Can you tell which size the Brahms is using: is it more towards the 146 or more to the big 149 nib?

 

Hi Rob - I didnt have a chance to directly compare the two. I first fondled the 146, then the salesperson was about to take out the 146, when I asked him to take out this one instead. We didnt make it to the 149 after that :)

 

However, if I had to guess, I'd say that the nib is closer to the 146 size, rather than the 149.

 

That is a really pretty pen, It looks very similar to a duofold or a magna.

I have to admit I am a sucker for the packaging that these luxury items come in. I was looking at the packaging provided with the Conway Stewart Churchill. Not only do you get the pen, ink and a book of quotes from Sir Winston, you also get a big ol' cigar to puff on, (presumable while writing your next ministerial work) all wrapped in a nice presentation box.

I do like the tuning fork idea...

 

Truth be told, I like fancy packaging as well.. when you are buying such a damn expensive pen, it is nice to feel that you are getting something more.

 

The Churchill box you described sounds really nice; the Sailor presentation box is a lovely wood job and contains a bottle of ink as well - it is something that I will continue to use as the storage case for my CotD pen.

 

The reason this particular packaging felt a little wasteful is because it is just a large, eminently-forgettable cardboard box (ableit with very fine print work on it)... were it not for the tuning fork, I'd have taken out the booklet and tossed it.

True bliss: knowing that the guy next to you is suffering more than you are.

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Beautiful pen.

 

That tuning fork almost looks like a spare pocket clip.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Inked

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Thanks for this review. I like the thought they put into the design, especially the musical staff on the cap. And I love the shape. It's just an elegant looking pen, to me.

 

It's nice to hear it's a good writer, too.

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I absolutely love playing many of Brahms' compositions so this pen should go into my "must have" list! It's such a beautiful pen (and tuning fork).

 

Thanks for the review!

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Anytime. It was quite an unexpected treat for me as well, as I am mostly underwhelmed by the MB offerings, atleast for the price they charge for it. I have to admit, my tastes run more towards the Russian composers, so I'd have picked a Stravinsky or Rimsky-Korsakov SE over Brahms if given a choice, but it is a beautiful pen in its own right. It walks the fine line between looking "special" (as such an expensive pen should) without looking gaudy/in-your-face.

 

The more I use it, the more I am loving it.

True bliss: knowing that the guy next to you is suffering more than you are.

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