Collecting Montblanc Ink

[niksch]

Several years ago I purchased several large lots of "vintage" MB ink. Probably late-70s or early-80s stuff. I've tried them all, and have even used MB Violet to mark up construction drawings...yeah, I like purple, and I have a good, long history of using purple ink for 'redlines'. But in the end, I mainly use three inks.

 

1-MB Black-Blue Permanent - the old stuff

2-MB British Racing Green (BRG)

3. Poppy Red - mostly for document or drawing redlines.

 

I also love Bordeaux, and Royal Blue. Other than BRG most of MB greens are ho/hum. MB Sepia is kind of neat in a certain context.

 

I've got a drawer full of MB inks. Now to use them all...

 

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Edited August 17, 2017 by niksch

[Tom Kellie]

~ niksch:

 

What an ink drawer!

You've made me feel less overstocked.

Thanks for the photo!

Tom K.

[Erik Dalton]

Niksch & Tom

 

My Montblanc ink drawer looks much the same..lol...then I fell in live with JFK Navy Blue. It went away, then came back briefly, so I stocked up. Pretty much have a lifetime supply now. I mostly use the JFK, Corn Poppy Red, Irish Green, Lavender Purple and Ultra Black.

[Ghost Plane]

Lavender Purple and Shakespeare are my favorite MBs. Of course I've got a 10 year supply of other inks to keep me going.

[Tom Kellie]

Niksch & Tom

 

My Montblanc ink drawer looks much the same..lol...then I fell in live with JFK Navy Blue. It went away, then came back briefly, so I stocked up. Pretty much have a lifetime supply now. I mostly use the JFK, Corn Poppy Red, Irish Green, Lavender Purple and Ultra Black.

 

 

Lavender Purple and Shakespeare are my favorite MBs. Of course I've got a 10 year supply of other inks to keep me going.

 

~ Old Salt and Ghost Plane:

 

As you've both mentioned Montblanc Lavender Purple that decides it.

It's time to ink the Yellow Gold 149 OBBB.

Lavender Purple it is!

Tom K.

[invisuu]

Lavender Purple and Shakespeare are my favorite MBs. Of course I've got a 10 year supply of other inks to keep me going.

 

Interestingly enough, I love Lavender Purple once it's dry. When it's still wet, I find it exactly same colour as the latest limited edition Exupery. Both are nice.

 

I also bought Shakespeare today and can't wait to get it. Looks amazing.

[Chrissy]

Lavender Purple and Shakespeare are my favorite MBs. Of course I've got a 10 year supply of other inks to keep me going.

 

Only 10 years? I knew I was doing something wrong. I think I have a few more bottles than 10 years supply.

[Chrissy]

Several years ago I purchased several large lots of "vintage" MB ink. Probably late-70s or early-80s stuff. I've tried them all, and have even used MB Violet to mark up construction drawings...yeah, I like purple, and I have a good, long history of using purple ink for 'redlines'. But in the end, I mainly use three inks.

 

1-MB Black-Blue Permanent - the old stuff

2-MB British Racing Green (BRG)

3. Poppy Red - mostly for document or drawing redlines.

 

I also love Bordeaux, and Royal Blue. Other than BRG most of MB greens are ho/hum. MB Sepia is kind of neat in a certain context.

 

I've got a drawer full of MB inks. Now to use them all...

 

That's a very impressive stock of inks there. I'm envious.

[Erik Dalton]

Lavender Purple and Shakespeare are my favorite MBs. Of course I've got a 10 year supply of other inks to keep me going.

I just ordered a bottle of Shakespeare. Looking forward to trying it out.

I am frustrated with these limited edition inks. Some of them are quite nice, but only out there for a short while and priced a bit high. Once they go out of production the price gouging goes wild.

[Tom Kellie]

~ There's adequate ink here to keep the nibs wet for the foreseeable future.

I'm happy to see Old Salt ordering the William Shakespeare Velvet Red ink.

It's performed well in several of my pens.

Tom K.

[Chrissy]

I just ordered a bottle of Shakespeare. Looking forward to trying it out.

I am frustrated with these limited edition inks. Some of them are quite nice, but only out there for a short while and priced a bit high. Once they go out of production the price gouging goes wild.

 

There will always be another ink coming along shortly. So my recommendation is to buy a couple when they are available at boutiques, then wait for the next one that you like.

[Erik Dalton]

Interestingly enough, I love Lavender Purple once it's dry. When it's still wet, I find it exactly same colour as the latest limited edition Exupery. Both are nice.

I'm embarrassed to admit that it took me more than a few years to figure out that the color of some of these inks evolves as they dry. I would crack open a new bottle, Judge the freshly applied ink as disappointing, and close the bottle up never to be opened again.🤔

I couldn't figure out why everyone was so crazy about lavender purple. I thought it was a more of a muddy purple. I just never gave it a chance to dry. Now I love it.. Same goes for Burgundy Red. Overnight the brown tones disappear leaving a nice refreshing Burgundy.

 

Recently I tried a bottle of Tolstoy. It's a nice variation from the standard blues. A deep blue with a hint of turquoise in it. I picked up two bottles before it gets sold out.

[Tom Kellie]

I'm embarrassed to admit that it took me more than a few years to figure out that the color of some of these inks evolves as they dry. I would crack open a new bottle, Judge the freshly applied ink as disappointing, and close the bottle up never to be opened again.

I couldn't figure out why everyone was so crazy about lavender purple. I thought it was a more of a muddy purple. I just never gave it a chance to dry. Now I love it.. Same goes for Burgundy Red. Overnight the brown tones disappear leaving a nice refreshing Burgundy.

 

Recently I tried a bottle of Tolstoy. It's a nice variation from the standard blues. A deep blue with a hint of turquoise in it. I picked up two bottles before it gets sold out.

 

 

~ Old Salt:

 

What you've described above makes two of us.

I was the same until gradually it dawned on me that many inks change with drying.

Chalk it up to another reality which I somehow missed when growing up.

Tom K.

[invisuu]

Yes guys, exactly...Lavender Purple to me wet isn't even a purple, but a more burgundy red. Once it dries though, oh boy, it's a real purple purple alright.

 

Can't wait for my Shakespeare Velvet Red to arrive as well. My Montblanc ink collection is increasing at an alarming rate and soon, I'll be able to tell how many litres of Montblanc ink I have, if I keep this up.

 

None of Montblanc pens yet though...I'm thinking about remedying the situation with one of those OB/OBB or maybe even OBBB nibs you fancy lot are showcasing around the forum lately.

[Ghost Plane]

Then you'll need a LOT more ink to feed them. (Enabler mode)

[CS388]

I just ordered a bottle of Shakespeare. Looking forward to trying it out.

I am frustrated with these limited edition inks. Some of them are quite nice, but only out there for a short while and priced a bit high. Once they go out of production the price gouging goes wild.

 

Great choice. Congrats.

It's the only one of the recent inks which has grabbed me from the first stroke. Great colour.

I'll miss it, when it's gone.

 

I follow Chrissy's method. Use it while it's there.

(I happen to know, from other threads, that she's an expert in finding matches for some of the old inks.)

 

Enjoy,

Edited September 1, 2017 by CS388

[Tom Kellie]

None of Montblanc pens yet though...I'm thinking about remedying the situation with one of those OB/OBB or maybe even OBBB nibs you fancy lot are showcasing around the forum lately.

 

 

[Chrissy]

 

Great choice. Congrats.

It's the only one of the recent inks which has grabbed me from the first stroke. Great colour.

I'll miss it, when it's gone.

 

I follow Chrissy's method. Use it while it's there.

(I happen to know, from other threads, that she's an expert in finding matches for some of the old inks.)

 

Enjoy,

 

[invisuu]

 

 

Absolutely love that pen! I think I'd prefer the 146 size though, because with Pelikan, I prefer the M800 over the M1000. Ideally, I'd probably get an OB nib with rose gold hardware and three toned nib, but from what I can tell, three toned nibs are only available on 149; 146 only has two toned nibs?

 

I mean you know, if I were buying my 9th Montblanc, I'd gladly pull for the 149 OBBB, but I think that nib might be too big for my first MB.

[Tom Kellie]

Absolutely love that pen! I think I'd prefer the 146 size though, because with Pelikan, I prefer the M800 over the M1000. Ideally, I'd probably get an OB nib with rose gold hardware and three toned nib, but from what I can tell, three toned nibs are only available on 149; 146 only has two toned nibs?

 

I mean you know, if I were buying my 9th Montblanc, I'd gladly pull for the 149 OBBB, but I think that nib might be too big for my first MB.

 

 

~ invisuu:

 

What you've written above is realistic and reasonable.

My first OBBB, of three, was my eleventh Montblanc fountain pen.

I like your step-by-step approach. Gradually expanding tastes is how my life has been lived.

A two-toned Red Gold 146 OB nib would be a delightful writing instrument.

Not at all formidable, yet deeply satisfying as to quality and responsiveness.

I also like Pelikans, but have yet to embrace an M800 or M1000...but I've thought about them.

Thank you for your kind comment about the Yellow Gold 149 OBBB.

Tom K.