The 2016 W.e. William Shakespeare Has Arrived!

[jmccarty3]

Had a nice visit to my local boutique today, where I saw and handled the new pen. I am sorry to say that I did not like the design at all. Did pick up a bottle of the red ink and an elegant large black lined notebook, which is almost too imposing to write in!

[Bunny_Police]

Did pick up a bottle of the red ink and an elegant large black lined notebook, which is almost too imposing to write in!

I did exactly the same!

 

I'll pass on the Shakespeare and wait for the Miles Davis limited edition later this year. I was told by a lady at a boutique that the great characters pen for this year has been inspired by him.

 

Hopefully it will be one of their better LEs this year

Edited July 7, 2016 by Bunny_Police

[BrandonA]

Had a nice visit to my local boutique today, where I saw and handled the new pen. I am sorry to say that I did not like the design at all. Did pick up a bottle of the red ink and an elegant large black lined notebook, which is almost too imposing to write in!

 

+1 on your thoughts about the notebook. I haven't even broken the polythene packaging on mine yet. I haven't got a clue what I will use mine for

[Skoff]

No, I'm in Brum, so mine is Selfridges in The Bull Ring.

 

I've bought from A few London stores though including Royal Exchange and Canary Wolf. I've also spoken to the staff at Harrods. All the stores are good and you'll get a good experience wherever you go. If you are travelling from out of London though I'd be tempted to phone in advance to see if they have the pen in stock. I know Brum have another as I was given the choice of numbers when I bought mine.

 

Thanks for posting this. I'm down in Somerset so I am going to need to travel regardless. I think I will make a couple of calls and see if a boutique would be prepared to order up a BB nib for me so I can pick it up with the nib I want.

[Uncial]

I quite like it except for the metal threads. The body of the pen looks like an interesting and pleasing texture.

[Skoff]

Well I have taken the plunge... I have placed an order with the boutique in the Royal Exchange, they really couldn't have been more helpful. I will have to wait a few weeks whilst my pen goes to have its lovely BB nib fitted, but I am sure it will be worth the wait.

 

I know it's not to everybody's taste, but it is definitely growing on me the more I look at the pictures, and being an English literature graduate I have spent many, many hours in the company of the Bard, so it's a pen with a bit of meaning for me. If only it could help me write words as wonderful as Shakespeare's, though by the look of the signature I think I might have the edge in the handwriting department at least.

[akdave8]

Pen looks nice and detailed in person.

Couldn't help but to get it inked and write with it.

Maybe a new sonnet will come out of it

[Raif79]

It too is growing on me. I like the cap. I don't like the down step on the barrel. The barrel is so-so. I think a nice patina would look good. I hate the blind cap. I can't explain but it seems wrong and out of place.

[Valdair]

It feels like four completely different pens all crammed into the same body. The nib design is alright but the rest just does nothing for me.

[Harunie]

I definitely like how the finial of the cap looks like the globe theater, and how the clip matches well with the design. However on the cohesive design of the pen doesnt seem all too great, as some others have mentioned it feels like it has an identity crisis where the barrel gets super overly complex. I think a plain simple body would have done wonders with the cap as the globe theater design is enough of a statement piece by itself with the clip.

I mean one of the reasons the 139 and 149 and hemingway as well as dumas being so popular and sought after is how clean and simple the design is with minimal over-complexities. Should have probably left the barrel entirely white with the design and have the single gold band at the back like the meisterstuck. The section could have also been a gold piece with the gold design that is currently at the piston knob. This pen feels like it has some great design ideas that got messed up on the execution.

[Dkreitzberg]

Just purchased limited edition Shakespeare Montblanc in London. Well balanced, solid pen. Writes well. Beautiful, IMHO.

 

[Jimothy]

Not sure I will spend my pennies on this. I will have a trip to Birmingham to view it in the flesh and I'll probably get the ink.

[Chrissy]

It has a metal grip and is too multi-coloured for me so my money is safe so far as the pen is concerned. I will buy the ink though.

[meiers]

do you guys think these will be a good investment?

 

Thinking of buying one to use and one to stash sealed for the future.

 

How have previous writers editions done?

FOUNTAIN PENS ARE USUALLY TERRIBLE INVESTMENTS.

[meiers]

Just purchased limited edition Shakespeare Montblanc in London. Well balanced, solid pen. Writes well. Beautiful, IMHO.

 

Congrats. Thank you for the photos, particularly the close-up of the nib. I like it.

[thygreyt]

I went to the boutique yesterday to buy the ink and take a look at the pen. Meh.

I think it was overly done.

I dislike he rear cone. The cap is not flush to the body. Didn't like the 3 colors(black, white and gold). It's like they couldn't decide.

 

I did like the white and black, and the lightness of it.

[max dog]

Just purchased limited edition Shakespeare Montblanc in London. Well balanced, solid pen. Writes well. Beautiful, IMHO.

 

Ignoring the color scheme (which is going to be subjective anyway), if you look at the overall shape, the cap design, the trim, it is a pen design intended to look very grand, like some of the other LE Montblancs. I guess for a Shakespeare 400 anniversary pen, they felt the need to do it with a bang. Not going to be everyones cup of tea, but I could live with one of these. Maybe not an every day carry to work pen, but something special and a definate conversation piece. Edited July 10, 2016 by max dog

[Harunie]

Not to throw dirt anywere, but am i the only one that thinks the standard black and white with gold looks better than the limited edition? the writers edition leo tolstoy and william shakespeare seem very very overly complex, as if montblanc was trying to cram everything they could think of into a pen. The limited edition WS is the most egregious in this respect, so many clashing colors and overly done ornamentation.

[Bunny_Police]

Not to throw dirt anywere, but am i the only one that thinks the standard black and white with gold looks better than the limited edition? the writers edition leo tolstoy and william shakespeare seem very very overly complex, as if montblanc was trying to cram everything they could think of into a pen. The limited edition WS is the most egregious in this respect, so many clashing colors and overly done ornamentation.

The regular edition definitely has a more classical touch to it. When I first saw the two alongside each other, I preferred the white and gold one immediately. I do feel that the limited edition is an attempt at a much more 'modern pen' by montblanc.

[maksim]

Not to throw dirt anywere, but am i the only one that thinks the standard black and white with gold looks better than the limited edition? the writers edition leo tolstoy and william shakespeare seem very very overly complex, as if montblanc was trying to cram everything they could think of into a pen. The limited edition WS is the most egregious in this respect, so many clashing colors and overly done ornamentation.

I agree 100%