Snob Appeal/anti-Snob Appeal Pens

[stefanv]

Although the fountain pen market share declined greatly in many parts of the world, it seems to be rebounding. At least that is what a number of retailers have told me.

 

Agreed. During a recent trip to Germany, I had the opportunity to practice my rusty German by speaking with a salesperson at Galeria-Kaufhof (in Germany, department store saleperson is a respectable career, and these people know their product and their customers). I mentioned to her that finding such a huge selection of fountain pens (including most of the Pelikan, Lamy, and Montblanc lines) in a North American department store was virtually unheard of. She told me, that fountain pen use, even by adults, is still strong in Germany, and actually growing again.

[Garageboy]

The Marine Chronometer is quite lovely

The Breitling Superquartz is a high end thermo compensated quartz module, though

[JeanManuel]

I think Pelikan belongs in your last category too. They produce pens covering the entire range from $10- to $1000+.

+1

[JeanManuel]

Saturday we went to find a leather wristband in Helsinki. We tried 5 different jewelries, all of which, interestingly, proposed the only and same brand on the same presentation rack.

My better half was interested by 2-3 models. Two costed about 30€, and the last one costed around 120€. She asked the seller why did the last one cost 120€.

 

The seller inspected the expensive model, turned it over a few times, tried to read the composition, and ended up saying "I have no idea, they are just luxury models". The same shop had an impressive display of MB pens (precious resin debate elsewhere ). I do think that it is in good alignment with their philosophy/niche.

 

PS: It's surprisingly easy to find MB, compared to other FP brands, in HKI.

Edited January 3, 2012 by JeanManuel

[kauloltran]

Why is Montblanc a snob appeal pen? I have never heard of this brand before stepping foot onto this forum. I have never seen it advertized anywhere on TV or magazine. How does the general public find out about the brand to ascribe a snobby, or luxury status to it? I personally don't have a Montblanc because I don't like black resin pens. I prefer more colorful acrylic or celluloid, and all the regular-production MB piston fillers are black resin, my least favorite material. I am also wanting to try out the 21k nib on Sailor's pens, but the resin pen material is really putting me off. Most of the pens in my collection are Italians, some of which cost more than the MB 149. MB does not carry higher price tags than other brands but it is harder to find MB on discounts. An Omas Arco Paragon's msrp price is well over $1000, but only a fool would pay that much for it, because many official dealers offer them at less than 50% of that price. I haven't done any market shopping for MB so I don't know if retailers are allowed to sell them for less than suggested MSRP. My guess is no. Maybe that's why MB is so infamous, because the company handcuffs retailers and exercise communistic stringent price control.

 

- Do I see myself owning a MB in the future? Yes but only the limited edition models, I like my pens fancy looking..not the black resin ones.

 

- Back to the thread, for someone who knows about fountain pens, I view the MB 149 in the same light as a Sailor 1911 piston filler fountain pen. The MB 149 has bigger nib, but the Sailor nib is 21k gold, so it values more , and balances out with smaller size.

 

Brands that I find to be for snob-appeal:

- Parker, well known in the general public and those Duofolds certainly aren't cheap

- David Oscarson

- Tibaldi, another Italian brand that specializes in only $$$.$ pens

- anything that look maki-e, or artistic. Those maki-eJapanese pens are ridiculously expensive

- St. Dupont, which probably tops the cake for snobbiness. Most people probably are familiar with St. Dupont lighters and would have an idea of how expensive their pens cost. Also the Orpheo is a classic mode that is recognized worldwide. St. Dupont is probably the most favorite of all brands for social climbers, at least the ones that I know..

Edited January 3, 2012 by kauloltran

[Brian K]

- Do I see myself owning a MB in the future? Yes but only the limited edition models, I like my pens fancy looking..not the black resin ones.

 

 

 

Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. I have nothing against fancy pens per se, I suppose, but in general I like a pen that looks like...well, a pen. The lack of "fancy" detail is one of the things that appealed to me most when I purchased my 149 nearly 25 years ago. That does not mean that I do not like some of the fancier Montblanc limited edition pens, but, for example, as much as I like the Carlo Collodi ("Pinocchio" was the first movie I saw in a theater as a child) I think the more restrained detailing of the Mark Twain makes it both more beautiful and more desirable.

 

You mentioned maki-e pens - I make an exception to my "fanciness" rule for them. When I was a teenager (35 or more years ago) National Geographic published an article about living national treasures in Japan. One of the artists profiled worked in maki-e and they included a picture of a tray he had created with a large crane in the center. The feathers of the crane were worked out in many many small pieces of quail egg shells. The artist said he ate so many quail eggs to get enough pieces of just exactly the correct shade of white that he'd never eat the things again. Recently, I received a catalog from The Fountain Pen Hospital with a picture of a Namiki Emperor eyedropper pen with cranes worked out in the same manner on it. Because of the incredible artistry of this pen and the reputation of high quality Japanese nibs I'd love to have this pen, despite the fact that it's fancy - not because of it. With a $13,000 MSRP, however, I presume it's forever out of my reach even at a steep discount. Do I want this pen because of snob appeal? No - I want it because it's beautiful.

 

So, while I make a few exceptions because of exceptional artistry, or some other such reason (the David Oscarson Jacques DeMolay appeals to me because of my Masonic affiliation and its subject matter - and Oscarson is not noted for "plain" pens), to my taste in plainer pens, in general I prefer minimal designs that look like pens rather than jewelry. Perhaps there is a bit of snobbery/anti-snobbery going on here, but the utilitarianism and elegance of a pen that looks like a pen makes a lot of sense to me. Of course, there's a lot of room for using materials of real beauty on a pen of simple design.

 

I should know better than to enter discussions that end up revolving around aesthetics - too easy for me to run on about it.

 

Brian

Edited January 3, 2012 by Brian K

[Scrawler]

- Do I see myself owning a MB in the future? Yes but only the limited edition models, I like my pens fancy looking..not the black resin ones.

 

 

 

Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. I have nothing against fancy pens per se, I suppose, but in general I like a pen that looks like...well, a pen. The lack of "fancy" detail is one of the things that appealed to me most when I purchased my 149 nearly 25 years ago. That does not mean that I do not like some of the fancier Montblanc limited edition pens, but, for example, as much as I like the Carlo Collodi ("Pinocchio" was the first movie I saw in a theater as a child) I think the more restrained detailing of the Mark Twain makes it both more beautiful and more desirable.

 

You mentioned maki-e pens - I make an exception to my "fanciness" rule for them. When I was a teenager (35 or more years ago) National Geographic published an article about living national treasures in Japan. One of the artists profiled worked in maki-e and they included a picture of a tray he had created with a large crane in the center. The feathers of the crane were worked out in many many small pieces of quail egg shells. The artist said he ate so many quail eggs to get enough pieces of just exactly the correct shade of white that he'd never eat the things again. Recently, I received a catalog from The Fountain Pen Hospital with a picture of a Namiki Emperor eyedropper pen with cranes worked out in the same manner on it. Because of the incredible artistry of this pen and the reputation of high quality Japanese nibs I'd love to have this pen, despite the fact that it's fancy - not because of it. With a $13,000 MSRP, however, I presume it's forever out of my reach even at a steep discount. Do I want this pen because of snob appeal? No - I want it because it's beautiful.

 

So, while I make a few exceptions because of exceptional artistry, or some other such reason (the David Oscarson Jacques DeMolay appeals to me because of my Masonic affiliation and it's subject matter - and Oscarson is not noted for "plain" pens), to my taste in plainer pens, in general I prefer minimal designs that look like pens rather than jewelry. Perhaps there is a bit of snobbery/anti-snobbery going on here, but the utilitarianism and elegance of a pen that looks like a pen makes a lot of sense to me. Of course, there's a lot of room for using materials of real beauty on a pen of simple design.

 

I should know better than to enter discussions that end up revolving around aesthetics - too easy for me to run on about it.

 

Brian

I prefer the plainer look of the 149 and the Hemingway. I will probably never be able to own either, but have had the chance to try both. These would be my personal choice over any ornately decorated pen. I want pens that I can use, not just admire as art. The exception would also be the Jacques DeMolay, or possibly the Visconti Knights Templar, either of which I would happily use to sign the lodge minutes.

[Pingu]

I think pens are less likely to generate snob appeal. People are probably more likely to think you are just a pen nerd, rather than showing off. At school I was the only kid in my class with an expensive pen (a gold Parker) but it was just seen as kind of cool rather than snobbish.

 

With wristwatches some people obsess over brand tiers and whether it has an inhouse movement. I am not sure, but does anyone care particularly whether a pen uses an inhouse nib?

[Brian K]

 

I prefer the plainer look of the 149 and the Hemingway. I will probably never be able to own either, but have had the chance to try both. These would be my personal choice over any ornately decorated pen. I want pens that I can use, not just admire as art. The exception would also be the Jacques DeMolay, or possibly the Visconti Knights Templar, either of which I would happily use to sign the lodge minutes.

 

I am lucky that I purchased my 149 about 25 years ago when it was only(?) $279 and I had a job that paid me more (adjusted for inflation) than the one I currently have. There's no way I could buy one now.

[Postscript]

I think pens are less likely to generate snob appeal. People are probably more likely to think you are just a pen nerd, rather than showing off. At school I was the only kid in my class with an expensive pen (a gold Parker) but it was just seen as kind of cool rather than snobbish.

 

With wristwatches some people obsess over brand tiers and whether it has an inhouse movement. I am not sure, but does anyone care particularly whether a pen uses an inhouse nib?

 

Although in the "real" world, all fountain pens (and mechanical watches too, I presume) could have snob appeal. Why would be so interested in what is in its essence archaic?

 

Post Script (as I check my Sinn 856 to see what time it is and try to decide which of my pens have been lonely in the box and need a run today). :-)