Enjoying Montblanc Pens — Broad, Oblique, Extra Fine, Le & Bespoke

[Tom Kellie]

I'm quietly celebrating the Donna Leon novel along with that O3B wonder. Love those books and many more to go over many summers.

 

 

 

[Tom Kellie]

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/337359-149-tipping-1960s-vs-2018/

~ The link above is to a thread in which Ghost Plane shared a series of images comparing tipping on different pens, old and new.

It's a subject about which I've been completely ignorant. The term ‘tipping’ never meant anything to me when writing, although I should have invested the minimal effort to have learned more.

Ghost Plane's comparison images highlight significant differences between nibs.

Relatively small as they are, fountain pens have such a variety of significant differences if one looks at them.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

This Was My First Effort At Fountain Pen Photography

It's My Avatar Image — Made Five Days After Joining FPN

~ Fountain pen photography has been a natural offshoot of the nature photography I did before I joined Fountain Pen Network on 30 March, 2014.

Photographing insects or flowers or seashells at close range had been a relaxing pastime, both those around where I worked and lived and those observed during African safaris.

My approach, then and now, was natural light (no flash), all manual setting photography, using fast lenses (wide open apertures), and invariably handheld.

As I don't own a smart phone, cameras were my sole means of photography. My skills, such as they are, were entirely self-taught through trial and numerous errors.

The image above was made as what I mistakenly thought would be a one-off experiment — a lark — to see how it went and to provide an image for use in Fountain Pen Network.

It shows a 90th Anniversary 149 EF which is inked on my writing desk tonight with Montblanc Year of the Dog Red Chine ink.

Over the past 4+ years, fountain pen photography has become a regular part of my life, often combined with such other subjects as flowers, art or handicrafts.

What I enjoy about fountain pen photography is the opportunity to look closely, and to highlight what's been seen.

The relatively small size of fountain pens often requires close focus, in my case by specialized macro lenses.

The process of composing an image necessitates closer observation of pens than I'd typically do while writing.

The details observed at close range enrich my overall appreciation of Montblanc fountain pens. Without the photography, I'd overlook so much.

Fountain pen photography also facilitates highlighting of especially pleasing details of design or decorative effects.

When posts in the FPN Montblanc Forum include images, e.g. Ghost Plane's Tipping thread, they're greatly appreciated.

Smart phone images work well. There's no need to invest in camera and lens equipment unless more specialized images are desired.

Those FPN friends who've posted images of their pens in this thread have enhanced it's quality by a large factor.

Before going to bed, I'll try a few late night images of inked pens sitting under a desk lamp to the right of my keyboard.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Deep Night Desk Pens

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Made with Canon EOS 1D X Camera and a Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II Lens

Handheld at 4:22 am, 26 June, 2018, 1/60 sec., f/13, ISO 800

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Inked pens shown: Montblanc 90th Anniversary 149 EF — Montblanc Coral Red Danish-made Simplo “4” EF — Montblanc 1266 OBBB — Parker Vector F

[Ghost Plane]

 

 

 

 

If you like character-driven plots, you might dip into a Grace Burrowes book next time someone has a parcel of goodies headed your way. While marketed as historical romances set in the 19th century, their language and closely-drawn characters are pleasurable and cannot be offensive to locals of any sensibility. Some are written as mysteries, though not marketed as such, and there are 50+ to choose from. The Soldier or The Virtuoso (I forget which began the series) open at the end of the Napoleonic Wars and should give you a summer's pleasurable reading. For academic purposes, I'd slot them somewhere between Dorothy L Sayers and Georgette Heyer in writing style and complexity of characterization. The author recently retired from a lengthy career as an attorney for child protective services and her keen observation of humanity's foibles shades every page.

[jmccarty3]

I have long noted that there is some disagreement about whether the nib of the 1266 is a solid "white gold" alloy or rhodium-plated yellow gold. The cap and barrel are, of course, sterling silver.

 

The descriptions I have seen state that the nib is white gold much more often than that it is plated yellow gold. FWIW, I have not seen anyone describe plating wear from one of these nibs, revealing yellow gold underneath, although by itself that means little. To me, the nib does not appear to be plated, but I would appreciate it if any authority who has analyzed these nibs carefully would help us resolve this dispute. Solid white gold nibs must surely be unusual in the fountain pen world, and it would be most exciting to know that the 1266 has such a nib.

[flipper_gv]

 

Deep Night Desk Pens

****************************

Made with Canon EOS 1D X Camera and a Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II Lens

Handheld at 4:22 am, 26 June, 2018, 1/60 sec., f/13, ISO 800

****************************

Inked pens shown: Montblanc 90th Anniversary 149 EF — Montblanc Coral Red Danish-made Simplo “4” EF — Montblanc 1266 OBBB — Parker Vector F

 

I see you are as well equipped in cameras as you are in pens.

[niksch]

I see you are as well equipped in cameras as you are in pens.

 

And ink rags.

[Tom Kellie]

Calm, Cool and Collected

Edited June 26, 2018 by Tom Kellie

[Tom Kellie]

Weary Penpal

Moody Teenage Puppy

[Ghost Plane]

Aww! You captured that little face so well I can almost feel the velvet whuffle of puppy muzzle under my hand.

 

I’m curious about the weights of your narrower pens, especially the 1266. Any chance you might borrow a kitchen scale?

[Tom Kellie]

If you like character-driven plots, you might dip into a Grace Burrowes book next time someone has a parcel of goodies headed your way. While marketed as historical romances set in the 19th century, their language and closely-drawn characters are pleasurable and cannot be offensive to locals of any sensibility. Some are written as mysteries, though not marketed as such, and there are 50+ to choose from. The Soldier or The Virtuoso (I forget which began the series) open at the end of the Napoleonic Wars and should give you a summer's pleasurable reading. For academic purposes, I'd slot them somewhere between Dorothy L Sayers and Georgette Heyer in writing style and complexity of characterization. The author recently retired from a lengthy career as an attorney for child protective services and her keen observation of humanity's foibles shades every page.

 

~ Ghost Plane:

 

You hooked me when you mentioned Dorothy Sayers.

I asked a friend overseas to send her biography from Wikipedia.

None.

That says nothing about Ms. Burrowes, but more about the endless bios of obscure male authors, not to mention celebrities.

My sensibility is fairly flexible, after working in various countries with cultures strikingly different from my own.

I'll see to it that one of her novels makes it way over here.

BTW: I'm on the hunt for a student with a metric scale in their laboratory to weigh the 1266 OBBB.

It may be a small pen, but its mass is sufficient to be a pleasurable writing experience.

Our Ft. Worth friend jmccarty3 knows what a pleasure it is to write with a 1266 sporting a broader nib.

Then again, any Montblanc B, OB, BB, OBB or OBBB is a joy in hand, no?

More summertime cookies?

Tom K.

[empliau]

Oh absolutely Dorothy Sayers! And may I put in a plug for my favorite, Sarah Caudwell? Like Ms. Sayers, well-educated and erudite, but Sarah Caudwell was also extremely funny.

[Tom Kellie]

Oh absolutely Dorothy Sayers! And may I put in a plug for my favorite, Sarah Caudwell? Like Ms. Sayers, well-educated and erudite, but Sarah Caudwell was also extremely funny.

 

 

[empliau]

If at all possible, start with the first of her four novels, "Thus Was Adonis Murdered". It's brilliant. It still makes me laugh out loud, and I've read it many times.

 

When I have a friend on bed rest, I always send the above and "Into the Heart of Borneo". Two of my favorite books, not huge best-sellers but astonishingly well-written and funny. And with something for everyone.

[Ghost Plane]

Tom wont be able to see it, but www.GraceBurrowes.com and she has both an Amazon and Bookbub page. Remind me to cut & paste via PM when Im not on a mobile device. Shame a woman can have 50+ books published, yet not merit a mention.

[Tom Kellie]

Tom wont be able to see it, but www.GraceBurrowes.com and she has both an Amazon and Bookbub page. Remind me to cut & paste via PM when Im not on a mobile device. Shame a woman can have 50+ books published, yet not merit a mention.

 

~ Ghost Plane:

 

Thank you very much for the extensive background information about Grace Burrowes.

Why she isn't more extensively featured in on-line references, while others of dubious significance are lauded in lengthy panegyrics is a mystery.

It's vital to read the insights, observations, analysis and wry remarks of all segments of society, not only those who reflect one's own background.

Women as authors, editors, publishers and gifted commentators on life's comedy and tragedy are invaluable resources for readers.

I've wondered if women are more likely to write draft manuscripts using fountain pens than their male counterparts.

The ladies in Fountain Pen Network add zest, style, humor and fresh perspective.

I'll see what might be done to obtain a Grace Burrowes novel for future reading, as well as a Sarah Caudwell novel, as empliau has kindly recommended.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

If at all possible, start with the first of her four novels, "Thus Was Adonis Murdered". It's brilliant. It still makes me laugh out loud, and I've read it many times.

 

When I have a friend on bed rest, I always send the above and "Into the Heart of Borneo". Two of my favorite books, not huge best-sellers but astonishingly well-written and funny. And with something for everyone.

 

~ empliau:

 

Thank you for the recommendations above.

“Into the Heart of Borneo” is by Redmond O’Hanlon?

Love of Montblanc fountain pens fits very well with love of a good read, no?

I'm perpetually seeking any excuse for bed rest, so these sound great to me!

Tom K.

[da vinci]

 

Tom, that 1266 is a magnificent pen. The nib does produce excellent line variation. Very interesting to read the circumstances in which you gained knowledge of this pen model.

 

Thank you for sharing those events and for providing yet more photos of such great quality and composition. You must have a very steady hand, evidenced by the photo in post #1724. I cannot match this even using a tripod!

[Tom Kellie]