Search the Community

Introduction Montblanc started the release of the Patron of Art series in 1992 and each release commemorates famous individuals making great contributions to the arts and culture. Released in spring, these issues only consist of a fountain pen in a lacquered wooden box. Two versions of this series are issued: the 4810 version (limited to 4.810 pieces) and the 888 version (limited to 888 pieces), made of more precious materials. The Montblanc Semiramis is a pen from these series and dates from 1996. The pen under review here is the 4810-version. boxes and booklet This beautiful pen is a tribute to Semiramis. She is credited with the creation of numerous cities and the construction of beautiful buildings in the city of Babylon, such as the Ishtar Gate and the 2nd world wonder the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, as well as her contributions in the fields of writing and architecture. For ancient Greeks Semiramis was the legendary queen of king Ninus, succeeding him to the throne of Assyria and was queen for 42 years. Nearly every stupendous work of antiquity by the Euphrates or in Iran seems to have ultimately been ascribed to her. However, Diodorus stresses that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built long after Semiramis had reigned and not in her time. semiramis A real and historical Semiramis or Shammuramat (the Aramaic form of the name) was the Assyrian queen of Shamshi-Adad V (ruled 824 BC – 811 BC), king of Assyria and ruler of the Neo Assyrian Empire. She was regent of the empire for four years until her son Adad-Nirari III came of age. This part of history links Semiramis to another Montblanc Patron of Art pen: the Max van Oppenheim (I will write about that one another time). Semiramis with Oppenheim He was a German archaeologist and discovered a settlement now called Tell Halaf. This site dates to the 6th millennium BC and was later the location of the tributary (to the Assyrian empire) Aramaic city-state of Guzana. After a brief period of independency the city was plundered by Semiramis and in 808 BC the city and its surrounding area were reduced to a province of the Assyrian Empire. Well, after some legend and history back to the pen now !! Appearance & Design (9/10) For me the Semiramis is one of the more attractive pens of the Patron of Arts series. It comes in a beautiful red lacquered wooden inner box with booklet, red outer box & white cardboard box sleeve. On the wooden box there is a lion figure like the ones on the Ishtar Gate (well sort of a lion, when you pay attention you can discover more animals in it). palace of semiramis semiramis in bed The cap and barrel of this piston filled pen have delicate gold plated fretwork over resin. At the top of the cap and the bottom of the barrel / piston knob) there is no fretwork but black resin only. This is in appearance the big difference with the 888-version: in that version top and bottom are in gold too. The very detailed gold filigree has inlays of red enamel lacquer. It’s a floral decoration finished with motifs inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (although nobody really knows how that gardens looked like). The lion figure of the Ishtar Gate you find on the wooden box, comes back on the clip in gold on red enamel. The capring holds the name of the company and the number of this edition. The pen has a 18k – 750 golden nib (size F) which is decorated with an interpretation of the Ishtar Gate and engraved with the year of issue (1996). It’s not a very large nib but suites the pen well. semiramis overview 1 semiramis overview 2 Construction & Quality (9/10) The pen feels very solid. The gold plated fretwork is of high quality and very detailed. The pen opens smoothly with 1,5 turn of the cap. The piston works very smoothly as well. semiramis overview 3 semiramis cap detail Weight & Dimensions (8/10) Some pen-statistics: Length capped: app. 14,8 cmLength uncapped / unposted: app. 12,3 cmLength posted: app. 14,4 cmLength pen cap: app. 6,7 cm Diameter: app. 1,3 cmWeight capped: 52 gramsWeight uncapped: 29 grams So uncapped and unposted it is not a very large pen as well in length as in diameter. I think that is the main reason I did write with this pen just ones. Because, I write with my other limited and special edition pens very often ... Nib & Performance (.../10) The pen has an 18k – 750 golden monotone fine nib. I can’t really evaluate this part of the pen though: I only dipped this pen once to test write it. And yes, it did write! But I can’t remember how well it did this job. After test writing I put it back in its box and used the pen for eye candy only. Yes I know: It's a shame! semiramis nib Filling System & Maintenance (8/10) The pen has a piston-filling mechanism for use with bottled ink. It is what I expect with this kind of pens. The piston runs smoothly. I cannot say how it holds with regular use, because I never filled the pen. Cost & Value (9/10) Because Semiramis is one of the older Patron of Art pens, she has become a rare Queen this days. That reflects in asking prices. I bought this Queen a couple of years ago and for me considering the detailed finishing, golden nib and the wooden palace she brought with her, she was worth it. Conclusion (Final score, 4,3/5) This Queen has great looks and the finishing, golden nib and very detailed craftwork makes her special to me. She just deserves to be observed very carefully and very closely, because It is then when you really, really appreciate the thorough work of its thin shell, especially in the sensitivity of the alternation of red lacquer with gold. That said: The more time I spend with her, the more I fell in love with her. semiramis overview 4 So, it’s clear I can enjoy her looks every time I open the red lacquered wooden box and see her again, and again, and again ... But in contrary: pens are not made just for looking at, they are made for writing, aren’t they not? And that is a little of a problem here: I don’t write with this pen. So, in a sense I neglect my Queen. She just crumbles away in her beautiful wooden palace, bit by bit. Hoping for the best. For being written with. Of course with some nice royal ink. Therefore, I think, in the end I have to let her go, despite her great looks. She deserves a better life with inks of joy. But till then, I simply enjoy having her around; impeccable eye candy!!