Montblanc Writer's Edition Kafka

[Tom Kellie]

@ Tom Kellie

 

You are welcome.

 

The spiders and snakes are in use. Bring on the scorpions, centipedes and any other volunteers from the entomology department.

If done well, the scorpion could look menacingly fantastic.

 

For those in the know, it is instantly recognizable whereas others would mistake it for a colorful plastic pen w/ a silver trim.

 

The Franz Kafka is an excellent balance between the 'bland' 146, 149 etc. and the heavily embellished PoA series.

 

IMO, everything about it is very un-MB and that is what makes it captivating. Simplicity accentuates beauty.

 

It is also the only pen to feature the brownish-reddish color in the MB stable, IIRC.

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

Your comments above enhance my appreciation of the WE Kafka pen.

That's especially interesting that its color is different from other releases.

Hmm...

Will a future WE Herman Melville pen be thick and white?

Tom K.

[1nkulus]

Will a future WE Herman Melville pen be thick and white?

Tom K.

 

A white version of the Homer with a whale head, hopefully not.

 

Here's hoping to a Kafkaesque design in the future...

[Ghost Plane]

My vote is for a Hindenburg blimp commemorative that shoots flames. Tasteless, I know, but think of the shape!

[Tom Kellie]

My vote is for a Hindenburg blimp commemorative that shoots flames. Tasteless, I know, but think of the shape!

 

~ Ghost Plane:

 

And here I'd supposed that you might be holding out for a yet-to-be-announced “undersea animals” series.

The Montblanc Sea Cucumber Special Edition would sell out on the first day.

Think of the shape.

Now that's Kafka-esque...

Tom K.

[Ghost Plane]

Snerk! A whale of an idea, Tom. But the limited edition sea urchin complete with jeweled spikes right where I want to hold it is more likely.

[1nkulus]

My vote is for a Hindenburg blimp commemorative that shoots flames. Tasteless, I know, but think of the shape!

 

Here is an idea from the German brand 'Diplomat' minus the flames.

https://appelboom.com/image/cache/catalog/Diplomat2/Aero/diplomat-aero-orange-fountain-pen-vulpen-closed-1200x1200.jpg

 

Sea cucumber, a pen with multiple nibs. Are you getting the point? Coming soon...

Edited July 7, 2018 by 1nkulus

[Ghost Plane]

There you go! I knew someone would make one.

[1nkulus]

There you go! I knew someone would make one.

 

and it is made of aluminum. Not a bad writer and could qualify as a VFM product.

[Tom Kellie]

~ What first struck me about the WE Kafka was the small little Montblanc snow star cowering within the large square top of the cap.

The design caught my attention, as it was unlike anything I'd seen.

Not a large exuberant snow star spreading out on the cap, like the WE Wilde, but a snow star burrowed down.

For me, memorable. It's a pen I'd love to see someday.

Tom K.

[1nkulus]

@ Tom Kellie

 

A quick snapshot https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/124029-montblanc-writers-edition-pens-1992-2009-review/

 

It is purely because of the un-MB features, that I had to acquire it. There are very few pens in the MB stable with un-MB elements.

I like collecting pens but do not harbor fanboy tendencies towards any brand.

 

As for seeing the Kafka, it should not be too hard as it had a 14K run.

 

From the MB stable so far, IMO,

 

Rouge et Noir, The Serpent Limited Edition

WE Leo Tolstoy

WE Jonathan Swift

WE Franz Kafka

PoA J.P Morgan

PoA Sir Henry Tate

Great Characters Andy Warhol Limited Ed. 1928

Great Characters Andy Warhol Special Ed.

Great Characters Miles Davis Limited Ed. 1926

Great Characters Leonardo da Vinci

Muses Ed. Marlene Dietrich (maybe even Greta Garbo)

Edited July 8, 2018 by 1nkulus

[Tom Kellie]

@ Tom Kellie

 

A quick snapshot https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/124029-montblanc-writers-edition-pens-1992-2009-review/

 

It is purely because of the un-MB features, that I had to acquire it. There are very few pens in the MB stable with un-MB elements.

I like collecting pens but do not harbor fanboy tendencies towards any brand.

 

As for seeing the Kafka, it should not be too hard as it had a 14K run.

 

From the MB stable so far, IMO,

 

Rouge et Noir, The Serpent Limited Edition

WE Leo Tolstoy

WE Jonathan Swift

WE Franz Kafka

PoA J.P Morgan

PoA Sir Henry Tate

Great Characters Andy Warhol Limited Ed. 1928

Great Characters Andy Warhol Special Ed.

Great Characters Miles Davis Limited Ed. 1926

Great Characters Leonardo da Vinci

Muses Ed. Marlene Dietrich (maybe even Greta Garbo)

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

Thank you for the list above.

As I work in an area where any Montblancs are a rarity, it may be some time before I’m able to see and hold a WE Kafka.

I'd never thought of pens having un-MB design elements, but that's a helpful way of looking at them.

I appreciate the link to the comprehensive review. Thanks so much for that.

The Muses Rita Hayworth is one of the few pen models to ever cause me to pause in wonder. When I first saw a photo of it, I was struck by its beauty.

Although I'm not much of a collector, I do enjoy using pens for sketching and writing.

Let's hope that there will continue to be unconventional Montblanc designs in the years to come.

Tom K.

[1nkulus]

@ Tom Kellie

 

You are welcome. The list is all that I intend to acquire from MB, till date.

 

The Rita Hayworth is really lovely and was omitted because of just 46 pieces and obvious cost factor.

 

As for un-MB elements, it is a case of how similar a design is to 142, 144, 145, 146, 149 (neither of which I own and have no intention either) at first glance.

 

I have some from the list and the remaining I will eventually acquire.

 

From new designs, I usually hope to find one creation a year but even that is a tall order.

 

The un-MB element pens will be few and far between so it will be fairly east to keep up the collection.

[Tom Kellie]

@ Tom Kellie

 

You are welcome. The list is all that I intend to acquire from MB, till date.

 

The Rita Hayworth is really lovely and was omitted because of just 46 pieces and obvious cost factor.

 

As for un-MB elements, it is a case of how similar a design is to 142, 144, 145, 146, 149 (neither of which I own and have no intention either) at first glance.

 

I have some from the list and the remaining I will eventually acquire.

 

From new designs, I usually hope to find one creation a year but even that is a tall order.

 

The un-MB element pens will be few and far between so it will be fairly east to keep up the collection.

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

Ah, that makes everything very clear.

Thank you for the helpful explanation. What you've kindly explained makes excellent sense.

The MB Rita Hayworth is one of the very few pens which immediately impressed me on first sight.

The overall design and color, it's a knockout. Whoever owns and writes with that pen is fortunate indeed.

I'm not much of a Montblanc collector, although I enjoy writing with them.

Therefore I lack the depth of awareness of less common models which might embrace other un-MB designs.

Your list is a fine one. I hope that Montblanc might eventually release other models which will appeal to your aesthetic sense.

Tom K.

[1nkulus]

@ Tom Kellie

 

The Rita Hayworth color and embellishments are more suited to a lady. It is, nonetheless, a rare and captivating pen.

 

I am glad you found my selection and distinguishing criteria; refreshing.

 

The un-MB qualities will only be found in the LE pens. Only 11 pens over two decades made it to the list; not exactly an extravagant hobby/collection.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tom Kellie]

@ Tom Kellie

 

The Rita Hayworth color and embellishments are more suited to a lady. It is, nonetheless, a rare and captivating pen.

 

I am glad you found my selection and distinguishing criteria; refreshing.

 

The un-MB qualities will only be found in the LE pens. Only 11 pens over two decades made it to the list; not exactly an extravagant hobby/collection.

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

That's true...eleven pen models spread over two decades.

Not an especially high rate. I do hope that within the next several years another such un-MB might appear.

As your list grows, the possibility increases for another acquisition to your taste.

For now, I have no pen models in my sight, but rather am mulling over a nib or two.

Tom K.

[1nkulus]

@ Tom Kellie

 

Another one similar to Rita Hayworth is Joan Miro. The Princesse Grace de Monaco is also unique.

 

The one I missed from the list is PoA Nicolaus Copernicus.

 

If I won the lottery, I would add

 

Mahatma Gandhi (only 241)

 

maybe, Salvador Dali (only 100). The cap is almost the same as Nicolaus Copernicus and probably interchangeable (aesthetics notwithstanding).

[Tom Kellie]

@ Tom Kellie

 

Another one similar to Rita Hayworth is Joan Miro. The Princesse Grace de Monaco is also unique.

 

The one I missed from the list is PoA Nicolaus Copernicus.

 

If I won the lottery, I would add

 

Mahatma Gandhi (only 241)

 

maybe, Salvador Dali (only 100). The cap is almost the same as Nicolaus Copernicus and probably interchangeable (aesthetics notwithstanding).

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

You've knocked me off my chair by the mention of the 2007 Montblanc Joan Miró.

I'd never heard of it, let alone seen it.

When I looked it up — WOW! That's a pen unlike any other.

The blue star on the nib is something special.

Thank you for the mention of it. I'm ver happy to know that such a pen was offered.

Tom K.

[1nkulus]

@ Tom Kellie

 

Glad I could highlight a hidden gem. MB has a few pens that have slipped under the radar owing to either cost, production run or design elements.

 

Hopefully, the pen was worth falling off your chair.

[ygv]

I resurrect this one and thank you all for being my enablers for acquiring this spectacular piece.

[BVT]

Thank you for this great review! If I have something I'd call a 'grail pen', it's this. I became a passionate Kafka fan after many journeys to Prague and of course after reading Das Prozess. I'm myself not sure if it is worth the money for what it is but for my personal reasons, it definitely is to me.