What Is Montblanc To You?

[thygreyt]

They are...

 

A good company that makes great products. Sometimes pens are beautiful, sometimes inks are amazing, they are always expensive.

 

But owning 8 and planning for more can only mean that o enjoy em. They are not the greatest of all time, but they have a certain something that keeps pulling me back.

[cellmatrix]

What is Montblanc (mainly pens) to you?

For some, it is their life-long companion

For some, it is their family history

For some, it is their go-to choice of writing instrument

For some, it is their trophy

For some, it is their hobby

I would like to know what Montblanc is for members of this community. Have a great day.

OK, I admit, I am a fanboy - the pens and ink are fun to write with and well made, albeit overpriced.

As a brand (across all products) they are a reminder to me of the maxim: money cannot buy you class.

 

So true

Of course, I am from the lowest socioeconomic decile so both my opinion and my person may be dismissed with ease.

It should not be but unfortunately all too often is

[FOUR X FOUR]

As a brand (across all products) they are a reminder to me of the maxim: money cannot buy you class.

 

Of course, I am from the lowest socioeconomic decile so both my opinion and my person may be dismissed with ease.

Not one person on this thread has bashed anyone that can't afford a Montblanc. all the bashing is coming from those of you who can't afford them

[tamiya]

What is Montblanc (mainly pens) to you?

For some, it is their life-long companion

For some, it is their family history

For some, it is their go-to choice of writing instrument

For some, it is their trophy

For some, it is their hobby

I would like to know what Montblanc is for members of this community. Have a great day.

around SEAsia, it's also a good target for playing the "spot is it fake or it is real" game - after we tire of targeting LouisVuitton fbags

[Cryptos]

Not one person on this thread has bashed anyone that can't afford a Montblanc. all the bashing is coming from those of you who can't afford them

 

My use of the smiley should have been an obvious clue that the socioeconomic part of my comment was meant in jest. Like this >

[alarickc]

So, you're saying, you can't afford them, right?

I never realized that writing off someone's admittedly caustic opinion by alluding to their socioeconomic status didn't count as an attack...

 

I can promise everyone this will be my last post in this thread. I would suggest that some others might think of doing the same. I think it's about time that everyone, myself included, let this get back to opinions about Montblanc and not about each other.

[max dog]

Our little insignificant niche fountain pen market needs a Montblanc to elevate fountain pens as precious objects of desire, pieces of art, interesting precision writing instruments. I smile everytime I see a Montblanc boutique in the high end luxury goods shopping district right alongside Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, etc. The industry needs to aspire to something more than offering just Varsities and Safari as mere tools for writing. Bics, erasers, felt markers, staplers, paper clips etc are kind of boring.

 

All the other brands aspire to where Montblanc is but with less success that is all, but some people like to hate Montblanc.

 

So for me, not only does Montblanc produce some nice fountain pens and inks to enhance our hobby, they also help enable the industry to survive and grow a little.

Edited August 14, 2016 by max dog

[estie1948]

Not one person on this thread has bashed anyone that can't afford a Montblanc. all the bashing is coming from those of you who can't afford them

In my extreme age, I must be growing insensitive. I have read this post from start to end and found very little of any "bashing" going on. I'm sorry that there were posts so offensive as to cause FOUR X FOUR to feel bashed. I apologize if I was the one to cause his ill feeling and I apologize on behalf of any other poster who caused him to feel bashed.

 

Let me try to be clearer in my reply. I have never owned a Mont Blanc fountain pen. I am aware that they are greatly admired by many who own them and by many who desire them. In this, I find nothing wrong, nothing undesirable, nothing to bash. Had I the money, I would very much like to buy one of the 1950's or even 1960's pens such as the 149 - I'm not even sure that is the right number. I have heard and seen at first hand too many of the ridiculous construction flaws of the modern pens to want to risk such an amount of money on one. That is my opinion. The opinion of one old man. Are there worse expensive pens on the market? In my opinion, yes. I have seen pictures of Krone fountain pens that I cannot imagine how one would hold it, let alone, write with it.

Are there other fountain pens on the market that I cannot afford, but would like to be able to buy? Yes. Some of the beautiful Japanese fountain pens. Would I buy them? No, because they are too beautiful to use. Is Mont Blanc a worthless company because it serves the wealthy. No. I think it is a company that serves the entire, world-wide fountain pen loving community including both those who buy their products and those who don't. I own two fountain pens from the 1970's that were designed to look like Mont Blancs. They are both well made, great writing fountain pens. They are clearly marked by their maker and were not intended to be sold as Mont Blancs. Yet their manufacturer aspired to make them like his/her vision of a Mont Blanc. That, I think, is a good thing. And let us not forget, Mont Blanc makes some very fine ink. In fact my appreciation of their ink is so great that, about once a year, I (in my best Clem Kadiddlehopper fashion with hat in hand- literally) go into one of their shops and buy a bottle of their black ink. I have never been ignored nor treated in any way rudely by anyone in their shops.

 

-David (Estie).

[Cryptos]

Well said, David.

 

I have held a 146 and a 149 in a jeweller's shop. They wouldn't let me write with either of them, unscrubbed urchin as I clearly was. Having said that, I wasn't especially taken with these pens on their aesthetics alone.

 

From a financial perspective my opinion is based on a fairly simple equation: is the cost at a level that, taking in to account craftsmanship and materials, represents an irresponsible use of my money? Personally I find this to be the case for this brand, and certainly at their retail price. Whereas I would have to think much longer and harder if considering, say, a Namiki Emperor.

 

In the interests of disclosure, if I wanted to buy a 149 at full price I could do so quite easily. However, I would not feel comfortable doing so. This in no way means that I cannot afford it, but rather that for me the brand does not represent a sufficient level of je ne sais quoi to warrant spending that kind of money on it.

 

 

Of course my opinion my opinion may change if I get to write with one of their better nibs, but that is as likely as me finding feathers on a dolphin.

 

 

On the sidelines, I see MB as a brand that produces some obviously good stuff that is well-appreciated by a moderately diverse audience. I also see a number of aesthetic disasters and have read some very interesting critiques.

[Harunie]

Well said, David.

 

I have held a 146 and a 149 in a jeweller's shop. They wouldn't let me write with either of them, unscrubbed urchin as I clearly was. Having said that, I wasn't especially taken with these pens on their aesthetics alone.

 

From a financial perspective my opinion is based on a fairly simple equation: is the cost at a level that, taking in to account craftsmanship and materials, represents an irresponsible use of my money? Personally I find this to be the case for this brand, and certainly at their retail price. Whereas I would have to think much longer and harder if considering, say, a Namiki Emperor.

 

In the interests of disclosure, if I wanted to buy a 149 at full price I could do so quite easily. However, I would not feel comfortable doing so. This in no way means that I cannot afford it, but rather that for me the brand does not represent a sufficient level of je ne sais quoi to warrant spending that kind of money on it.

 

 

Of course my opinion my opinion may change if I get to write with one of their better nibs, but that is as likely as me finding feathers on a dolphin.

 

 

On the sidelines, I see MB as a brand that produces some obviously good stuff that is well-appreciated by a moderately diverse audience. I also see a number of aesthetic disasters and have read some very interesting critiques.

 

I wonder how a montblanc 149 stacks up against a namiki emperor.

Do you have an emperor? can you share your thoughts and opinions? it seems like quite a pricey pen for what it is, essentially just an eyedropper with a gold nib.

[Cryptos]

Edited to avoid misunderstandings. Have fun.

[tinta]

Methinks this topic is slowly leading us down the slippery slope. Get a grip,... it's only a pen.

[Barkingpig]

Perhaps it would be "safe" to assume that "Montblanc appears to mean so many different things to each person?"

 

I have only 2, 146's, one a gift & one an Ebay purchase to house a larger nib than the other pen. They have both spent time traveling to & fro Dallas for their "needs," perform their duties nicely, merely that, nothing special, similar to my Pilot 823. The Omas pens add excitement to their writing time & sadly it may be enhanced because of their varied shapes & celluloids/patterns. (Imagine a MB 146 in the Omas "WILD" celluloid finish & tell me it wouldn't be more exciting than solid black? I can just imagine that "white star" camouflaged amidst the WILD cap & it would make me smile each time I picked it up to write.)

 

Because of their expense I will not pursue other models but am glad I have these, just as I am happy to have Esterbrook & Omas pens.

 

NOW, the inks..........are ANOTHER story!

 

They have & continue to make inks that perform their task with ease, style & with wonderful, often unusual color. Not unlike the Sailor BungBox & other "pen shop" inks but more easily attainable for me & @ comparatively lower cost than Sailor speciality inks. For under $20. you can enjoy an ink that performs well & is unusual compared to many other makers. It is very sad if lovers of writing deny themselves the joy of using the ink because of a "stigma" against the brand.

 

So for me, MB is pen & ink; not deodorant, colognes or body sprays. BUT I ignore many things available commercially & partake of the things I enjoy. Perhaps it is necessary to sell a LOT of different things to maintain a sustainable profit margin; I believe MB would be sorely missed by much of the pen world if it ceased to exist, just as I believe they create & add interest contributes to the future of writing.

[gmax]

Methinks this topic is slowly leading us down the slippery slope. Get a grip,... it's only a pen.

Yes, until someone chooses to brand other pen users as status chasers rather than, uhh, pen users.

 

Empty_, you're the person who introduced "class" and posted your preconceptions about people you don't know and pens that you choose not to own. Sticking puerile smileys into your deliberately inflammatory posts doesn't help the situation.

Forum members are entitled to post here about their enjoyment of Montblanc pens without being taken to task by you for their choices and without being subjected to your glib stereotyping.

A jeweller is unlikely to ink any fountain pen for you, Montblanc or otherwise, unscrubbed or not. Try a pen shop next time.

I'm not sure what you're trying to articulate, but it seems to have very little to do with Montblanc. Whatever it is, I don't think that repeatedly trying to rekindle it is helpful.

Edited August 14, 2016 by gmax

[Cryptos]

An unpleasantly worded response to:

 

1 - me poking really quite obvious fun at myself, and

2 - me saying that I haven't found an MB that I like yet, and

3 - me saying that money can't buy you class.

 

Well, I am abjectly sorry for this failure in communication.

 

Despite this, I stand by all the points because:

 

1 - I really am an unscrubbed urchin

2 - I've only seen the two MBs in the flesh so far

3 - That is exactly what the brand as whole makes me think^a.

 

 

Again I am stunningly contrite. This failure to communicate is clearly entirely my fault, as is always the case with people at my level.

 

And this may help a little - go and read post #49 again (if not for the first time). I offered my current perspective. There is no bashing there, other than of myself in my usual self-deprecating manner. I even left the door open for a future in which MB may play a part for me. I think I gave a quite balanced view with reasonable logic to it.

 

Notes:

 

a - the question was "What is Montblanc to you?". I answered honestly (though a little tongue in cheek).

[gmax]

Well, I'm not going over to the Mabie Todd thread and posting glib generalisations about the pens and people concerned, based on close to zero knowledge of either, so I don't know why you consider it okay to do similar here.

Give it a rest, please, and let people who own and use the pens share their views based on real experience. The rest is irrelevant.

[Cryptos]

Well, look. I've already apologised for offering an opinion, and one that you didn't like at that. It was very bad form, as I understand these things.

 

 

Here's a direct quote from my earlier post:

 

 

On the sidelines, I see MB as a brand that produces some obviously good stuff that is well-appreciated by a moderately diverse audience. I also see a number of aesthetic disasters and have read some very interesting critiques.

 

Looks like a pretty balanced opinion to me. <shrugs, drops mike>

[Tom Kellie]

~ The discussion in this thread has made me ask myself what Montblanc is not, as far as I'm concerned.

Where I work and live Montblanc seems to be not known at all by anyone I encounter.

Although my pens are at home and seldom used at work, when they are, or when the students see my Montblanc leather briefcase, not once has anyone ever evinced the slightest interest or recognition.

For me that's rather nice, but for Montblanc global marketing, it suggests that much remains to be done.

I love writing with them on most any type of paper, both the very fine nibs and the widest nibs.

Tom K.

[SL_BRABUS]

A luxury good with a history marked with beauty, elegance, and desire.

 

Ditto......^^^.... And I would like to add this......

 

A pen that you could take it to any pawn shop around the world if you need money.....

 

Plus it's the pen that offer the highest resell value & some of the models appreciate in value.....

 

Cheer....

[max dog]

 

Ditto......^^^.... And I would like to add this......

 

A pen that you could take it to any pawn shop around the world if you need money.....

 

Plus it's the pen that offer the highest resell value & some of the models appreciate in value.....

 

Cheer....

Good point. I've heard most auction houses and jeweler shops won't even look at a pen unless it is a Montblanc, or maybe a Pelikan, because they know so very few people know pens and would be hard to move.

 

So in some regards buying a Montblanc is better value over the long term in terms of resale value, and heirloom desirability than any other brand. This is the same opinion I hear shared about Rolex by people who know watches.

Edited August 14, 2016 by max dog