Review of Montblanc Thomas Mann Writer's Edition 2009

[reprieve]

Coincidentally, my Broad and Ghost Plane’s Broad comes with serial numbers close to the tail end of 12,000, and based on initial sampling i.e PenTieRun’s and goodguy’s Fines are numbered 5xxx & 6xxx, I am speculating that Montblanc is allocating the serial numbers based on the Thomas Mann nib size.

 

I have been meaning to comment here re: my Mann's number. I received it the other day--a broad nib--and it is 6xxx. My broad-nibbed Faulkner is 8xxx while my B Verne is 4xxx. On the other hand, my medium-nibbed Woolf is 10xxx and my M Dostoevsky is 11xxx. So I kind of doubt that Montblanc allocates serial numbers based on the nib size.

 

By the way, I love the pen. I am very glad that I bought it. It wrote straight out of the box, perfect flow, lots of line variation. I love the secure cap and the weight of the pen. It's filled with Racing Green at the moment.

[KJY]

Thanks a lot for sharing the beautiful pictures and your opinion.

I am considering to buy this FP. So to me it's very usefull information.

[KJY]

Quote: "Coincidentally, my Broad and Ghost Plane’s Broad comes with serial numbers close to the tail end of 12,000, and based on initial sampling i.e PenTieRun’s and goodguy’s Fines are numbered 5xxx & 6xxx, I am speculating that Montblanc is allocating the serial numbers based on the Thomas Mann nib size".

 

Today I checked the availibility in a boutique and asked which nib-size they have. The salesman respond to me that he has two with a M-nib both with number 50xx and a B-nib with 64xx.

So I don't think they allocate serial numbers on nib-size.

[meiers]

I have enjoyed rereading the review. Thank you again.

[jasam]

I have enjoyed rereading the review. Thank you again.

 

I hope to read yours soon

[aldi]

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlUhAciLI/AAAAAAAAAyg/O-4RBjqkD7k/s800/P1010900.JPG

 

 

 

Nice pic!!

 

Thank your for sharing this excellent review with us.

[columela]

A very late reply to this excellent review, just to say how much I have enjoyed it, and how fascinating I find now this pen, which is in my target sight for now onwards. Text and Photography are high quality, a model to shape future rewiews in.

[Mags]

On 10/31/2009 at 7:38 AM, Shinchan said:

Review of Montblanc Thomas Mann Writer's Edition 2009 - Broad Nib

 

The brilliance of Paul Thomas Mann, born 6 June 1875 in Lübeck, was already evident in his early creative phase: he demonstrated flashes of genius in his prose sketches and essays whilst still a schoolboy, before signing a letter with “Thomas Mann. Lyrical dramatic poet” at the age of just 14. He was, however, to be proved right: he had barely begun as a trainee in an insurance company when he made his writing debut with the published novella “Gefallen”, which earned him widespread acclaim. Encouraged by this critical success, Mann decided to commit to a career as a writer.In 1901, aged just 26, he completed his famous family saga “Buddenbrooks”, a masterpiece of linguistic artistry and cunning irony. This epic novel, translated into over 40 languages, has cast its spell over more than 6 million readers to date. The novel won its author the 1929 Nobel Prize for Literature. Thomas Mann’s masterpiece “Buddenbrooks” has brought him immortality and has turned him into one of the most famous writers of the 20th century. Montblanc is paying tribute to this unique wordsmith with an equally unique Writers Edition.

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/Suuv8izsyyI/AAAAAAAAA18/-oKG67uAmGQ/s800/Thomas Mann.jpg

 

 

First Impressions (9/10)

 

The box comes in the shape of a book, which is nothing new for a typical Writer’s Edition pen, but a refreshing change for someone like me who has yet to own any W.E. My first impression of the cover design was that it very much resembled a printed circuit board from the way the black lines run on the dark blue background.

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPkzIR-v5I/AAAAAAAAAx4/fsr6b0NMm6g/s800/P1010891.JPG

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPk3KvhyjI/AAAAAAAAAx8/QkGfO5e-NfI/s800/P1010892.JPG

 

Montblanc Thomas Mann Writer's Edition 2009 Information:

 

Launch: 2009

Limitation:

12,000 fountain pens

15,000 ballpoint pens

6,000 rollerballs

3,000 sets comprising fountain pen, ballpoint pen and mechanical pencil

 

Appearance & Design (10/10)

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPk7Gz0GSI/AAAAAAAAAyA/LQCm4pI-nO4/s800/P1010894.JPG

 

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I like the lustrous glow of rich black the pen emits. It mesmerizes and draws you into a maze of rich black and platinum. The pen has an avant garde design, with it’s barrel coated with precious black & rich lacquer while at the same time segmented by an array of multi-layered platinum Inlays. The theme of this design is inspired by the age of artistic creativity in which Thomas Mann lived: the Art Deco era. Lacquer, especially Chinese lacquer & Urushi, had always been the forte of S.T. Dupont and well known Japanese pen manufacturers such as Namiki & Danitrio. Using lacquer as the theme of the 2009 W.E is an excellent idea, since it’s a highly resistant, strong and beautiful material to work with. The lacquer work is flawless, since the lacquer blended perfectly with the platinum inlays.

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPnjln6K5I/AAAAAAAAA0k/8wMX9cRbZj0/s800/P1010936.JPG

 

The onyx-coloured zircon set above the teardrop on the platinum clip simply adds more depth to the polished black and platinum facet of the pen.

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlCR3kCqI/AAAAAAAAAyM/tquazYUCdS4/s800/P1010896.JPG

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlG1YwLXI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/9vsjXPoeLF4/s800/P1010897.JPG

 

 

Comparison with S.T. Dupont XL Olympio Chinese Lacquer with Palladium Trim

 

 

There is no discernible difference between the lacquer work of both the Thomas Mann and the S.T. Dupont XL Olympio. Both pens’ lacquer coatings share the same characteristics – deep, rich and black sheen that can only come from the Rhus Vernicifera lacquer, and feels great in hand.

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPoAfGqIUI/AAAAAAAAA1A/HeiZqIQ0wj8/s800/P1010944.JPG

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPoHoG6DtI/AAAAAAAAA1M/S01DEUL5kck/s800/P1010946.JPG

 

 

The pen’s cap is dome shaped, which is similar to Montblanc safety fillers dating from post World War 1 era. The cap bears a close resemblance of the Dickens W.E’s cap as well. The Montblanc emblem is Ivory colored, which gives the pen a nice vintage touch.

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPmdCVRuMI/AAAAAAAAAzw/kKm_70pQ2bM/s800/P1010923.JPG

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlyvh12kI/AAAAAAAAA2s/-vbnkTykDVU/s800/P1010907.JPG

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlmwi6E2I/AAAAAAAAAyw/GDAp1u2X810/s800/P1010904.JPG

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlhwIGafI/AAAAAAAAA3w/i_gZmzbk_z0/s800/P1010903.JPG

 

 

One thing that I have always admired about German and Japanese manufacturers in general is their absolute, tenacious dedication to Six Sigma i.e quality as well as precision. With this Thomas Mann W.E, there is no exception. When I screw/unscrew the pen, there is no wobbling or tightness at all, the tolerance between the cap’s and barrel’s screw thread is minimal. Just the kind of German precision to expect from Montblanc. The spring loaded pen cap screws on firmly, and an extra twist is required to screw the cap fully. When the cap is fully screwed on, the platinum inlays on the barrel are precisely aligned with the similar inlays on the cap. This sounds simple, but it’s a feat that can only achieved by solid quality control, which is found very lacking in certain well established manufacturers of Italian origin.

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPl4zdrq-I/AAAAAAAAAzI/l_VqFPbpx2I/s800/P1010909.JPG

 

 

Weight & Dimensions (10/10)

 

 

Weighing 57.5 grams and at 140 mm long, this is a full bodied fountain pen with a solid heft. I would suppose the pen has a lacquer over metal construction in order to account for the weight.

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPl0689ufI/AAAAAAAAAzE/cOUwYcFaCCo/s800/P1010908.JPG

 

 

Comparison with Montblanc UNICEF Signature for Good Meisterstück 146 Le Grand

 

 

The Thomas Mann’s cap clearly has a thicker girth than the UNICEF Le Grand, while the Le Grand is slightly longer at 146 mm due to it’s torpedo design as opposed to the Thomas Mann flat bottom.

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPntn34aKI/AAAAAAAAA0s/tQ5MlR5oPrQ/s800/P1010939.JPG

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPnxz6ax0I/AAAAAAAAA0w/p3t_nmGfffI/s800/P1010940.JPG

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlUhAciLI/AAAAAAAAAyg/O-4RBjqkD7k/s800/P1010900.JPG

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlddXQd0I/AAAAAAAAAyo/XYftqtPD0hg/s800/P1010902.JPG

 

 

Nib & Performance (9.5/10)

 

 

The nib is a rhodium-plated 18 K gold Broad, which blends very well with the black and platinum facet of the pen. The “Buddenbrooks” house is delicately engraved on the nib’s surface.

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuRHRsGknrI/AAAAAAAAA1g/y5fDaloGBKQ/s800/P1010952.JPG

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPmQBxxpII/AAAAAAAAAzk/5alqSzxzL14/s800/P1010915.JPG

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPmZVIHRUI/AAAAAAAAAzs/FAFn8tQy8oo/s800/P1010922.JPG

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPnGdoOt4I/AAAAAAAAA0M/HK9tk1h34F0/s800/P1010928.JPG

 

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http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPnoTWgZoI/AAAAAAAAA0o/AjknUHaOtMw/s800/P1010937.JPG

 

 

The nib starts putting ink right from the get go without skipping and is glass smooth. The only complaint that I have is the stiffness of the nib. If only Montblanc can produce nibs with the same kind of flex exhibited by older vintage Montblanc pieces! It writes with stubbish qualities, which are synonymous with the Broad and Oblique Broad nibs of the Montblanc Meisterstück 149. Only one word can aptly sum up the writing experience – BLISS.

 

A writing sample of the broad nib as follows:

 

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuQClutBjiI/AAAAAAAAA1U/tI1ajQaJfrk/s800/P1010949.JPG

 

 

Coincidentally, my Broad and Ghost Plane’s Broad comes with serial numbers close to the tail end of 12,000, and based on initial sampling i.e PenTieRun’s and goodguy’s Fines are numbered 5xxx & 6xxx, I am speculating that Montblanc is allocating the serial numbers based on the Thomas Mann nib size.

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPlu586SKI/AAAAAAAAA38/GnR77jS7oCA/s800/P1010906.JPG

 

 

For those who are interested, please read on for an introduction of the history of “Buddenbrooks” house.

 

“Buddenbrooks” House

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuRGiKxQn4I/AAAAAAAAA1c/SIEKp0I31CE/s800/Buddenbrooks House.jpg

 

 

The Buddenbrooks House at Mengstrasse 4, opposite St. Mary’s Church, has a chequered history: The house was built by Johann Michael Croll, a merchant from Marburg, in 1758 and was bought by Johann Siegmund Mann, the grandfather of Heinrich and Thomas Mann, in 1841. The Mann family owned the property until 1891. In 1893 the Hanseatic City of Lübeck took over the building and subsequently rented it out. As a result the house that literature had made famous became, amongst other things, the land registry office, a night station for lantern keepers as well as the headquarters of the Lübeck State Lottery. When the “Buddenbrook Bookshop” was opened in 1922, an event attended by Thomas Mann, the intention was to make the house at least accessible to literature.

 

 

In the night before Palm Sunday 1942 RAF bombardments destroyed more than a fifth of the historic Old Town of Lübeck. Of the Buddenbrook House only the façade and the vaulted cellar remained. In 1954 a bank purchased the destroyed property and erected a new building behind the old façade, opening a branch there in 1957.

 

 

In 1991 the Buddenbrooks House, made famous by Thomas Mann’s novel, was returned to the possession of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck, with the assistance of the Federal Republic of Germany and the state of Schleswig-Holstein. A modern Heinrich and Thomas Mann Centre was erected behind the original façade, to become the perfect place for an animated debate about the life and works of the two brothers. A permanent exhibition on the ground floor gives visitors insights into the relationship between these two men and between them and Lübeck, their home town. Temporary exhibitions, conferences, film and video shows, as well as readings take place on the first floor and in the vault. A research area with a library and computer centre is under construction and is intended to provide practical support for anyone interested in Heinrich and Thomas Mann.

 

 

Filling System (10/10)

 

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3b0jnFyM9rc/SuPnfixAyZI/AAAAAAAAA0g/s6EOJmlDdOQ/s800/P1010935.JPG

 

 

This pen uses the piston filler, which is a plus since it can hold a more decent capacity of ink compared to CC fillers.

 

 

Conclusion - Final Score (9/10)

 

 

This is an excellent pen with an avant garde design, solid build and quality workmanship, but it comes with a hefty price tag too. Iconic? Perhaps. It would be interesting to observe how the lacquer will age with time, since lacquer is a living material. This pen will make a great addition to any collector’s prized collection, especially collectors who are interested in Lacquer or Urushi based fountain pens.

Gosh all the pictures are now gone. Boo.

[kazoolaw]

It’s an internet thing:  all links work for me.