Montblanc Le Petit Prince

[Tom Kellie]

It is the head of the fox from one of S-E's illustrations. Given what he writes about adults and illustrations it is fitting with the story.

 

Before reading the book this weekend, I was also completely unsure how this was supposed to be a fox.

 

~ zaddick:

 

I've never seen the book.

As you read it this weekend, was it a long read?

Did reading the book help in understanding the design motifs used on the Le Petit Prince merchandise.

It's helpful to know that the book shows how that design is a fox.

Tom K.

[Michael R.]

Quick iPad picture of the ink (artificial lighting):

 

 

Compared the the new Swan Illusion ink, Petit Prince ballpoint and Encre Desert ballpoint.

 

 

Petit Prince (second from top) is less red compared to Velvet red (top) but brighter and more orange-red tones compared to da Vinci Red Chalk (third from the top).

 

The ballpoint inks are generally less intense and bright but a welcome variation compared to regular blue ir black and therefore much appriciated!

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[Ghost Plane]

VERY helpful! Than you.

[Tom Kellie]

Quick iPad picture of the ink (artificial lighting):

 

Compared the the new Swan Illusion ink, Petit Prince ballpoint and Encre Desert ballpoint.

 

Petit Prince (second from top) is less red compared to Velvet red (top) but brighter and more orange-red tones compared to da Vinci Red Chalk (third from the top).

 

The ballpoint inks are generally less intense and bright but a welcome variation compared to regular blue ir black and therefore much appriciated!

 

~ Michael R.

 

Thank you for preparing and posting a comparison image of the various ink colors.

It's so valuable, placing the hues in context with other colors.

You've unexpectedly shaken me awake about ballpoint inks.

The two Montblanc ballpoints might benefit from a different ink. I'd never stopped to consider that possibility.

Tom K.

[zaddick]

 

~ zaddick:

 

I've never seen the book.

As you read it this weekend, was it a long read?

Did reading the book help in understanding the design motifs used on the Le Petit Prince merchandise.

It's helpful to know that the book shows how that design is a fox.

Tom K.

 

 

Here a representative image from the book. I swiped off Google images and do not own the copyright.

 

 

The book is very short, maybe an hour of reading. I did not read it in one go, more just as i found spare time and i am a slow reader.

 

The design makes sense after reading the book.

 

Here are a few quotes that I think influenced the design (my opinion onlyu, no great literarly or design insights nevessarily):

 

“All men have stars, but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems... But all these stars are silent. You-You alone will have stars as no one else has them... In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars will be laughing when you look at the sky at night..You, only you, will have stars that can laugh! And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me... You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure... It will be as if, in place of the stars, I had given you a great number of little bells that knew how to laugh”

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

 

“I am looking for friends. What does that mean -- tame?"

 

"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. "It means to establish ties."

 

"To establish ties?"

 

"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world....”

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

 

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

 

Whenever I met one of them [the grown-ups] who seemed to me at all clear-sighted, I tried the experiment of showing him my Drawing Number One, which I have always kept. I would try to find out, so, if this was a person of true understanding. But, whoever it was, he, or she, would always say:

“That is a hat.”

Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, or primeval forests, or stars.

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

[meiers]

So many gimmicks will destroy the Montblanc image in time.

Time will tell.

[meiers]

 

 

Here a representative image from the book. I swiped off Google images and do not own the copyright.

 

 

The book is very short, maybe an hour of reading. I did not read it in one go, more just as i found spare time and i am a slow reader.

 

The design makes sense after reading the book.

 

Here are a few quotes that I think influenced the design (my opinion onlyu, no great literarly or design insights nevessarily):

 

All men have stars, but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems... But all these stars are silent. You-You alone will have stars as no one else has them... In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars will be laughing when you look at the sky at night..You, only you, will have stars that can laugh! And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me... You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure... It will be as if, in place of the stars, I had given you a great number of little bells that knew how to laugh

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

 

I am looking for friends. What does that mean -- tame?"

 

"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. "It means to establish ties."

 

"To establish ties?"

 

"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world....

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

 

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

 

Whenever I met one of them [the grown-ups] who seemed to me at all clear-sighted, I tried the experiment of showing him my Drawing Number One, which I have always kept. I would try to find out, so, if this was a person of true understanding. But, whoever it was, he, or she, would always say:

That is a hat.

Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, or primeval forests, or stars.

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Nicely done. Excellent selection of quotes.

[dubhe]

thanks, I have the book but have not read it yet, I will now :-)

[meiers]

Of all the quotes selected by Zaddick, here is my favourite. (This is what the fox tells the little prince after they become friends and just before they part to go off on their separate ways):

 

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Edited April 9, 2018 by meiers

[auds]

 

Auds tell me about it, am guessing you went to the only pen store still in business? The other pen/office supply store folded up a couple of months ago, but can't recall if they carried any Montblancs. I actually went there on the the 6th of April, and was preordering the ink and notebook for "Le Petit Prince", Josh (the proprietor) got me all excited when he said it was available, turns out, what he meant was the Exupery ink (which I already have), and he was not yet aware of the new "Le Petit Prince" collection, well he certainly did that day as his shop assistant hastily had a look at the MB website. I preordered the ink and notebook, the question is, when will it arrive? I was planning on purchasing the fountainpen online, but decided to wait a bit more till I see it in person. Josh did reassure me that sometime this month the MB (Australian) retailers will be updated on the release of new MB products.

 

I got the same information when I ordered the ink from Josh on the 7th. I think it will be a couple of months before we see anything; supposedly MB uses sea freight to get product to Australia.

[MX5l]

I'm looking at grabbing either the normal "legrand" or the solitaire, but like Andy and Auds, I won't be able to see them in person for a while...

Thankfully Pravda has posted some great pictures of the solitaire, but there don't seem to be many photos of the legrand floating around

[katkam]

Hi, sorry if Ive missed it, but are those really piston fillers or is it really just typo on websites as mentioned in first posts? Thanks a lot.

[Cyrille81]

Of all the quotes selected by Zaddick, here is my favourite. (This is what the fox tells the little prince after they become friends and just before they part to go off on their separate ways):

 

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Yes it is one of the most famous quote of the book.

[AndyLogan]

I'm looking at grabbing either the normal "legrand" or the solitaire, but like Andy and Auds, I won't be able to see them in person for a while...

Thankfully Pravda has posted some great pictures of the solitaire, but there don't seem to be many photos of the legrand floating around

 

I am searching off you tube for the Le Petite Le Grand review but all I could find is the Exupery WE. I am tempted to order the darn thing online via Appleboom, but I am still unsure of the nib, I haven't had any experience with obliques, and those were what I was eyeing on as I noticed that when I use my "EF", "M", or "F" nibbed pens I tend to rotate the pen, but to truely test this I have yet to write with an oblique nib. I could order one and would probably swap the OB back to a medium or broad if I find it not to my liking, but having to wait months and months for a nib swap is the one I'd be dreading.

[AndyLogan]

 

I got the same information when I ordered the ink from Josh on the 7th. I think it will be a couple of months before we see anything; supposedly MB uses sea freight to get product to Australia.

 

I was thinking of the exact same thing. My guess is September as I think that was the month the Saint Exupery ink was launched IN Adelaide. I'd probably try to see what Sydney has to offer in August as I'd be attending the Sydney pen show.

[auds]

I was thinking of the exact same thing. My guess is September as I think that was the month the Saint Exupery ink was launched IN Adelaide. I'd probably try to see what Sydney has to offer in August as I'd be attending the Sydney pen show.

I was thinking around late May or early June. The UNICEF collection was released at the start of April last year and May/June was when it came to Adelaide.

[amcityink]

Wow, The Red on the Red Fox box is exactly the color of the ink. I knew it was the color, but they really matched it well. My favorite all time Red is Leonardo Red Chalk, Red Fox has a tint of the same rust color, almost like drops of red were added to Red Chalk. I like it.

[Toll]

Well, I have just received my copy of the book. I am looking forward to reading it. Time to contact the MB Boutique and ask them to set aside a pen for me. The Boutique is holding a Petit Prince event this Saturday.

[ethernautrix]

Can't help but suggest Robert Sabuda's pop-up version of the book.

 

I'm on the mobile (simplified fpn), so here's a link to a short YouTube video showing the book in some detail:

 

 

 

 

ETA: Okay! Looks like I copied the embed code. *smiley*

Edited April 11, 2018 by ethernautrix

[katkam]

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