Collecting Montblanc Ink

[BrandonA]

I picked up my Saint-Exupery pen today. Obviously I bought the matching ink. My local boutique also had 3 other limited.special edition inks which I didn't already own: Lucky Orange + Miles Davis + UNICEF. Obviously I bought one of each.

 

In total these for bottled inks cost £90.

 

The cost of them got me thinking - especially as I don't actually use these limited/special edition inks. When I got home I decided to count the number of unique colours of Montblank ink bottles I own- the total is 42.

 

Of the 42 I only use the basic Black and Blue.

 

How many unique colours of MB ink do other people own? And do you actually use them?

 

Here comes a rant...

 

Its slightly annoying that MB have doubled the size of the limited edition ink bottles as this means they cost you twice as much. £30 is a lot of money for a bottle of ink. £30 is a lot of money considering I don't even open the packaging the bottle comes in to even look at the bottle.

 

MB certainly definitely have my by the short and curlies when it comes to the limited edition inks.

 

Rank over!

[zaddick]

I think I have maybe 20 unique colors, mostly because I sold a bunch off.

 

The positive thing about the inks is that demand generally exceeds supply so they hold their value and increase even. Not as much as some yahoos on eBay want for their inks, but certainly 200 to 300% for recent bottles.

 

MB seems to be increasing the number of inks, and lengthening the production run so this increase may not hold in the future. Bust some of the inks are a nice color and the bottles are nice so they should hold value at the least.

 

I use mine. I often buy a multiple of thr inks if I like them as I can use and then trade/sell the other bottle later. I don't really collect them just to have. Too many to own nowadays.

[CS388]

Hey Brandon.

You're still on the lucky side.

I bought the inks and used them. Problem with any limited edition is: if you get to like them, you can't buy any more - unless you're willing to pay £79+ for a bottle of Hitchcock, from some unknown quantity on eBay. (I'm not willing)

 

Currently running out of Einstein, Winter Glow and Shakespeare. The Shakespeare is the only one I would consider replacing. Although, I did enjoy the Balzac (long gone)

 

Enjoy.

[ca49reber]

Hey Brandon.

You're still on the lucky side.

I bought the inks and used them. Problem with any limited edition is: if you get to like them, you can't buy any more - unless you're willing to pay £79+ for a bottle of Hitchcock, from some unknown quantity on eBay. (I'm not willing)

 

Currently running out of Einstein, Winter Glow and Shakespeare. The Shakespeare is the only one I would consider replacing. Although, I did enjoy the Balzac (long gone)

 

Enjoy.

I have 11 Shakespeare. I intend to never run out of it. It is still available.

[CS388]

I have 11 Shakespeare. I intend to never run out of it. It is still available.

 

Hitchcock aside, the Shakespeare is my favourite of the recent inks.

I may, indeed, snatch some more.

[Tom Kellie]

~ I'm currently using Alfred Hitchcock in a Red Gold 149 OBBB.

It writes well on various paper grades.

There may be about fifteen Montblanc inks in my desk.

Tom K.

[Ghost Plane]

I never seem to have more than three because I use them. I'm down to half a bottle of Violet and a new bottle of Shakespeare. But given I have nearly 50 other bottles of ink from various other brands in various stages of use, I'm not hurting. (Until the last of the Omas & CS gets used)

[BrandonA]

Hey Brandon.

You're still on the lucky side.

I bought the inks and used them. Problem with any limited edition is: if you get to like them, you can't buy any more - unless you're willing to pay £79+ for a bottle of Hitchcock, from some unknown quantity on eBay. (I'm not willing)

 

Currently running out of Einstein, Winter Glow and Shakespeare. The Shakespeare is the only one I would consider replacing. Although, I did enjoy the Balzac (long gone)

 

Enjoy.

The reason I don't use them is for the reason you highlighted. You might really like the ink, you then run out and then can't replace it.

 

I'd love to know what people are willing to pay. Just because someone tries to sell the ink for £79 doesn't necessary mean anyone buys it.

[drgriz]

The reason I don't use them is for the reason you highlighted. You might really like the ink, you then run out and then can't replace it.

 

I'd love to know what people are willing to pay. Just because someone tries to sell the ink for £79 doesn't necessary mean anyone buys it.

 

With regard to your last statement, you might be shocked what people will pay. Check the completed auctions on eBay, they do sell and it can be shocking. Not always the fastest sellers. I've watched current LE ink sell for 2x or 3x retail, when MB boutiques or MB.com have it in stock.

 

What I find fascinating in the US is that one seller sold 50 bottles of the Shakespeare ink on eBay, before the largest US Montblanc boutique had it in stock.

[Chrissy]

I often buy my Montblanc ink from Wheeler's Luxury Gifts (no affiliation)

[Studio97]

BrandonA quote "The cost of them got me thinking - especially as I don't actually use these limited/special edition inks. When I got home I decided to count the number of unique colours of Montblank ink bottles I own- the total is 42."

 

I am sooo envious!! And i would have to use all of them.

[horationelson]

I have gone backwards and forwards with MB ink.

 

Until about 2015/16, I had amassed 12-15 limited edition inks over the period, including a number of the 2005-07 scented seasons' greetings, to more recently the Defoe ink and pink ink. I had opened and used all of my inks, although most were still 90% full.

 

Then two things happened which made me get rid of the collection: first, I had an ink spillage at home and threw away about 10 boxes, having decided it just wasn't worth having excess inks around (there is only so much that one can write), then, I was going on a "secondment" at work so vacated my office and gave 3-4 of the inks at work to a colleague to use. At this point, I had not looked at what MB inks were going for on eBay...

 

Fast forward to late last year, when I found another ink at home (Winter Glow) that I must have decided to keep. Out of curiosity I had a look on eBay to see what price limited edition inks were going for, and was quite surprised. An ink that had cost me around £10 two or three years ago sold for £32 very quickly.

 

Hoarding MB ink in theory should be easy money if you wait 3-10 years after purchasing before selling, but that is not quite so in theory for the following reasons:

1. As Brandon points out, all inks released this year (Unicef / Saint-Exupery) are £30 for 50ml. Yes they are bigger, but I really don't imagine that people will be willing to spend 2 to 3 times the original £30 price on the secondary market in years to come (unless we are talking 20-30 years down the line). So the margins won't be so great going forwards if all LE inks stay that size.

2. Posting bottles of ink around the country/world is risky (essentially a liquid in a fragile glass bottle) and strictly speaking I'm not sure it's even permitted by certain carriers - at least Royal Mail in the UK. If you can find a carrier to sent it, it needs to be packed very carefully (at some cost).

 

PS I currently have the Shakespeare, Saint-Exupery and Defoe LE inks. And they are all open - it's a shame not to use them.

[Studio97]

 

Hitchcock aside, the Shakespeare is my favourite of the recent inks.

I may, indeed, snatch some more.

Well you enablers !! I ordered a bottle of Shakespeare today.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Studio97

[BrandonA]

Well you enablers !! I ordered a bottle of Shakespeare today.

 

I've not personally used it but I can confirm that the box looks good )

[Chrissy]

I have gone backwards and forwards with MB ink.

 

Until about 2015/16, I had amassed 12-15 limited edition inks over the period, including a number of the 2005-07 scented seasons' greetings, to more recently the Defoe ink and pink ink. I had opened and used all of my inks, although most were still 90% full.

 

Then two things happened which made me get rid of the collection: first, I had an ink spillage at home and threw away about 10 boxes, having decided it just wasn't worth having excess inks around (there is only so much that one can write), then, I was going on a "secondment" at work so vacated my office and gave 3-4 of the inks at work to a colleague to use. At this point, I had not looked at what MB inks were going for on eBay...

 

Fast forward to late last year, when I found another ink at home (Winter Glow) that I must have decided to keep. Out of curiosity I had a look on eBay to see what price limited edition inks were going for, and was quite surprised. An ink that had cost me around £10 two or three years ago sold for £32 very quickly.

 

Hoarding MB ink in theory should be easy money if you wait 3-10 years after purchasing before selling, but that is not quite so in theory for the following reasons:

1. As Brandon points out, all inks released this year (Unicef / Saint-Exupery) are £30 for 50ml. Yes they are bigger, but I really don't imagine that people will be willing to spend 2 to 3 times the original £30 price on the secondary market in years to come (unless we are talking 20-30 years down the line). So the margins won't be so great going forwards if all LE inks stay that size.

2. Posting bottles of ink around the country/world is risky (essentially a liquid in a fragile glass bottle) and strictly speaking I'm not sure it's even permitted by certain carriers - at least Royal Mail in the UK. If you can find a carrier to sent it, it needs to be packed very carefully (at some cost).

 

PS I currently have the Shakespeare, Saint-Exupery and Defoe LE inks. And they are all open - it's a shame not to use them.

 

I've mailed ink all over the world using Royal Mail and never had a problem. They always ask me what is in the box at the Post Office, and I always say a bottle of fountain pen ink. They usually say 'that's fine as long as it isn't batteries.'

 

Montblanc ink has already been sent everywhere from Germany after all. And actually those glass bottles are very thick and are quite well protected in their boxes. To pack one double or treble wrapped in bubble wrap, place it in the centre of an outer box, and surround it completely with packing peanuts is simple, and safe.

 

I know it's supposed to be different in the US because one of the items they say you can't mail is liquid, so I assume it has to go via Ground there, unless when you're sending it you just don't count it as a liquid.

[ca49reber]

I have 54 bottles of Montblanc, 15 different LEs. I have backups for all the LEs ex 1, the most being Shakespeare & JFK. Only 1 was purchased on ebay for more than retail, but not much more. Not too long ago I only used 1 ink. I ran out in less than a yr & found out it was a LE (a diff brand than MB). Now I am some what obsessed abt running out of an ink I really like so I make sure I have enough backups. In the long run it is a waste of money, but I wont be here so I don't care. My children & grandchildren can worry abt it.

[Studio97]

I have 2 bottles of MB black and one blue black. I have about 8 bottles of other brands and colors. I am trying not to hoard FP ink as i have a HOARD of all varieties and types of pens and refills. Gave a handfull to my son for grandkids starting another school year. Now looking forward to my Shakespeare ink upon arrival. (Giving away more of my hoard of disp pens to a school as soon as the session starts ).

Edited August 12, 2017 by Studio97

[inkstainedruth]

I don't actually have a lot of MB ink. I was underwhelmed with the samples I've tried of Toffee Brown (yes, yes, I know there are tons of people who consider it their "go to" brown) and Midnight Blue. But I love Lavender Purple. Of the LE inks, the only one I have is a bottle of Leo Tolstoy (bought last winter in Fountain Pen Hospital when it was still easily available), which I like a lot -- but not to the extent of going crazy over paying some huge price when it's gone.

Frankly, I'm not interested in buying into the hype. Of the inks OR the pens (most of the LE pens, like the Writers' Edition pens, which just do nothing for me esthetically, for the most part -- my pens are tools, first and foremost, and if a pen is too big or heavy or generally not ergonomic, it has no place in my stash).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Pravda]

That's an interesting thread I am sorry for not having noticed it earlier, just as the same thoughts have crossed my mind.

 

I think I can safely say that I currently have ALL the Montblanc inks, even the vintage ones. While I actually do use a lot of them, some are tragic mistakes that I acquired 'just because' and they'll sit in my drawers for eternity.

 

These include: UNICEF, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy etc

 

Some have turned out to be gems: Diamond Blue, Collodi, Defoe, Miles Davis (in triple broad nibs), etc

 

But as of late, I have decided no more. Really. Diamine now has nearly every color one can imagine and they're safe, affordable, perform superbly and the new design bottle is quite appealing.

[Chrissy]

I've so far been undecided about Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, but I know if I buy it and don't like it, I can always sell it again.