Mb 149 Expression Nib - Calligraphy?

[Cyrille81]

I don't remember the exactly price for the golden leaf FP model but it will be 1800-2000€ with 2 nibs models: one F that will go between F and B I think and one M that will go between M and BB.

[bstnnyc]

  On 8/19/2019 at 7:09 PM, Michael R. said:

 

The prototype nib I've tried was very soft and ink flow could not keep up with my writing. Nothing compared to a vintage flex or semi flex. But I'm waiting for a regular production model for final conclusion.

 

Thank you Michael! This would be a deal breaker for me; the luscious ink flow is one reason why I love those vintage nibs. I hope they've remedied the flow in the production models. Either way can't wait to try one in store when they are released.

[zaddick]

I'm interested to see if they do have tester pens outside of special events.

[Pravda]

Well.. They're out, as of today in Dubai.

[SchaumburgSwan]

  On 8/21/2019 at 7:35 PM, Pravda said:

Well.. They're out, as of today in Dubai.

 

Hi Pravda.

 

Fine! Could You test it?

Photos of the nib and writing samples would be great...

 

Best regards

Jens

[mjchuang9]

The calligraphy 146 and 149 both arrived yesterday. I've ordered a149 and see if 146 is worth buying. Plan to go to the boutique tomorrow.

[Tom Kellie]

  On 8/21/2019 at 7:35 PM, Pravda said:

Well.. They're out, as of today in Dubai.

 

 

~ Pravda:

 

Thank you for letting us know.

As ever, Dubai sets the pace.

The serious collectors and Montblanc users in Dubai may be among the earliest adopters.

Are there any noteworthy features which will please those of us who admire Montblanc craftsmanship?

Tom K.

[Pravda]

  On 8/22/2019 at 8:42 AM, Tom Kellie said:

 

 

~ Pravda:

 

Thank you for letting us know.

As ever, Dubai sets the pace.

The serious collectors and Montblanc users in Dubai may be among the earliest adopters.

Are there any noteworthy features which will please those of us who admire Montblanc craftsmanship?

Tom K.

 

 

Thank you Tom Kellie

 

I will post pictures of it after the 1st September, per Montblanc's request.

 

What I got from viewing the pen again today (I first viewed it in April and wrote with it) is that the final production is a lot nicer than the prototype. The gold leaf has been 'aged' to look more organic and natural. It made the pen feel more precious or quality like.

 

It'll come (surprisingly) in 2 versions. With a black ruthenium non-flex nib at around $1,200 and a monotone gold nib with the calligraphy symbol engraving at $2,000. The latter version was produced only 500 pieces, Dubai was allocated 15 and production is only one year.

 

Also it comes with 2 Elixir inks, a gold ink and a black ink.

[jagwap]

  On 8/22/2019 at 9:02 AM, Pravda said:

 

 

Thank you Tom Kellie

 

I will post pictures of it after the 1st September, per Montblanc's request.

 

What I got from viewing the pen again today (I first viewed it in April and wrote with it) is that the final production is a lot nicer than the prototype. The gold leaf has been 'aged' to look more organic and natural. It made the pen feel more precious or quality like.

 

It'll come (surprisingly) in 2 versions. With a black ruthenium non-flex nib at around $1,200 and a monotone gold nib with the calligraphy symbol engraving at $2,000. The latter version was produced only 500 pieces, Dubai was allocated 15 and production is only one year.

 

Also it comes with 2 Elixir inks, a gold ink and a black ink.

 

I can't wait to try the Expression nib. I have only briefly tried a proper flex nib, and I am not sure it is for me yet. I need some time and practice.

 

However a $800 markup for it is a worry. Sure it is a limited run, but that is a bit cheeky. It's not the money, it is the gouging. Perhaps I will have to learn to like a 149, if that is better value.

[Tom Kellie]

  On 8/22/2019 at 11:35 AM, jagwap said:

I can't wait to try the Expression nib. I have only briefly tried a proper flex nib, and I am not sure it is for me yet. I need some time and practice.

 

However a $800 markup for it is a worry. Sure it is a limited run, but that is a bit cheeky. It's not the money, it is the gouging. Perhaps I will have to learn to like a 149, if that is better value.

 

~ jagwap:

 

If you are able to test an Expression Nib flex nib, it'd be great to read your thoughts about it.

This nib is such a distinct departure from other nibs that the thoughts of experienced Montblanc users who try them would be helpful.

I hope that you'll like it whenever you see and write with it.

Tom K.

[Barry Gabay]

Hello Pravda, Looking forward to your photos & reviews. You always provide all of us such interesting information and images. Hope it is a wonderful experience to write with the new 149 nib. Best wishes, Barry

[SchaumburgSwan]

  On 8/22/2019 at 11:35 AM, jagwap said:

 

I can't wait to try the Expression nib. I have only briefly tried a proper flex nib, and I am not sure it is for me yet. I need some time and practice...

 

jagwap,

 

it is a completely different writing experience - as you would expect from my nickname, I have several flex nibs at hands. Mabie Todd Swan.

Some of them are what I call "expressive nibs": They give nice line variation without being flexed (a bit stubbish tip) and are willing to flex with little afford. No wet noodle (that can be fun, too...) indeed.

So I'm looking foreward what character the MB nib will have.

 

Best regards

Jens

[Pravda]

  On 8/22/2019 at 3:36 PM, Barry Gabay said:

Hello Pravda, Looking forward to your photos & reviews. You always provide all of us such interesting information and images. Hope it is a wonderful experience to write with the new 149 nib. Best wishes, Barry

 

 

Thank you Barry Gabay for your words, very kind of you. Indeed it was a real pleasure to write with both the 149 and 146 nibs.

 

~Jagwap I agree with you that the $800 markup for the nib is coming across not so well with customers. The Boutique Manager even told me as much, that his VIP clients that have been already informed about this piece weren't impressed.

 

He said 'It was essentially a mistake making two versions in the first place. Just happened that the 149 was getting the yellow gold nib and the 146 a flex black nib, but someone mentioned why not make a yellow one too'. The debacle unfolded with them deciding on a non-flex black and a flex yellow.

 

BUT.. in all fairness.. a regular black 146 nib is naturally a regular 146 nib painted black. Which Montblanc has by the thousands over the years. But this flex nib is a current produce, meticulously crafted by their bespoke department which normally charges $1,600 for the nib alone. In their eyes, they're giving us a discount.

 

All that aside, this particular flex is really wonderful. Anyone who never wanted to go to the broader side but wanted some 'fun' or 'character' in their writing, this is for you. However over the paper with your nib and you get your regular F/M line, then apply the tiniest pressure and the line broadens as much as you want it to.

 

The problem is that people feel 'obligated?' to draw the words or make elaborate lines to pretend they're using a flex appropriately. But this is not the case at all. One ought to just carry on writing normally and let his natural hand pressure produce the effects.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Pravda

[Cyrille81]

  On 8/22/2019 at 6:12 PM, Pravda said:

 

 

Thank you Barry Gabay for your words, very kind of you. Indeed it was a real pleasure to write with both the 149 and 146 nibs.

 

~Jagwap I agree with you that the $800 markup for the nib is coming across not so well with customers. The Boutique Manager even told me as much, that his VIP clients that have been already informed about this piece weren't impressed.

 

He said 'It was essentially a mistake making two versions in the first place. Just happened that the 149 was getting the yellow gold nib and the 146 a flex black nib, but someone mentioned why not make a yellow one too'. The debacle unfolded with them deciding on a non-flex black and a flex yellow.

 

BUT.. in all fairness.. a regular black 146 nib is naturally a regular 146 nib painted black. Which Montblanc has by the thousands over the years. But this flex nib is a current produce, meticulously crafted by their bespoke department which normally charges $1,600 for the nib alone. In their eyes, they're giving us a discount.

 

All that aside, this particular flex is really wonderful. Anyone who never wanted to go to the broader side but wanted some 'fun' or 'character' in their writing, this is for you. However over the paper with your nib and you get your regular F/M line, then apply the tiniest pressure and the line broadens as much as you want it to.

 

The problem is that people feel 'obligated?' to draw the words or make elaborate lines to pretend they're using a flex appropriately. But this is not the case at all. One ought to just carry on writing normally and let his natural hand pressure produce the effects.

 

Thank you Pravda for all your info and feedback. My local reseller has received one 146 and I hope it is with a flex nib. I will try to go seeing it in the coming days even if the pen is not in my top wish list, maybe it will be at the second place

[dubhe]

Pravda can you please confirm the 149 version is not limited? And how much of a premium over a regular 149? Looking forward to seeing photos of the nib design on 1 Sep. Thanks for the detail you have given so far.

[jagwap]

  On 8/22/2019 at 12:11 PM, Tom Kellie said:

 

~ jagwap:

 

If you are able to test an Expression Nib flex nib, it'd be great to read your thoughts about it.

This nib is such a distinct departure from other nibs that the thoughts of experienced Montblanc users who try them would be helpful.

I hope that you'll like it whenever you see and write with it.

Tom K.

 

Given you appear to now live in Shenzhen, as I do, you may get to one before I do. Although I suspect the Hong Kong flagship store in 1881 may get them first.

[Zdenek]

The new pens arrived to the local boutique (Prague) last week. 149 with springy nib looks, as all 149s, great. It is not allowed to try the pen with ink, a bit of shame; shoes you cannot try on.

Golden 146 with something like a regular nib did not impress. The model with calligraphy nib was sold already.

Edited August 23, 2019 by Zdenek

[KAC]

I was hesitant about that nib because of the price, but this offer is just too good to pass up: "Also it comes with 2 Elixir inks, a gold ink and a black ink." Who can resist that?!?

 

(No way I'd pay that much for this nib when various vintage MB and other excellent brands offer much the same - maybe better? - writing experience at a fraction of the cost:enjoyment ratio)

[arcfide]

I'm new here, but while I was doing some more research on my recent purchase, I saw that this is about the only place that I can find people discussing the new flex nib from Montblanc, so I had to join and share my excitement. I bought a 149 Meisterstuck Calligrapy with the Calligraphy Flex Nib on the 21st of this month, and I've been using it the past few days to do some writing.

 

It must have been some great fateful serendipity or the like, because I was browsing the nearby Montblanc store and brought in my LeGrande for a second opinion because I bought it maybe 15 years ago with an EF nib and the nib was writing much broader than I felt was suitable. The salesman agreed and we were discussing all sorts of options and the like, when finally, he pulled out the Solitaire and 149 both in the Flex Nib. He had been showing me his personal flat nib on his own pen and while it had some spring, it isn't a proper flex nib. However, the moment I started writing with the expression nib I knew I was in trouble (rather, my wallet was). I really, really liked the Solitaire with its gold leaf, but for a daily writer, I felt that I couldn't quite justify the $1800 price tag (or something like that), and I was attracted by the larger nib on the 149.

 

They apparently had just received their shipment, and I didn't quite believe the guy when he said I might be one of the first customers, but now that I hear others are still waiting for them to be shipped, maybe he wasn't just pulling my leg.

 

To give some background, I've spent some time in Spencerian penmanship with both monoline and steel pointed flex nibs. I have a Namiki Falcon with a Spencerian grind on it as well as a Visconti medium, and the MB LeGrande mentioned above in EF (but really writing like a wet F nib), an older Waterman circa late 1990's, and a MonteVerde. Even before this expression nib has come out, the Namiki and the MB were my main daily writers, but I've been gradually spending more and more time with the MB and less with the Namiki. The largest reason, I think, was that I got more consistent ink behavior from the MB, and the MB tended to travel a little better. The Ink reservoir on the Namiki converter was always too small for me (I do a lot of normal writing), even though the flex nib was excellent. I also felt that the flex on the Namiki was just a little to delicate to really feel "bold" when using it, if that makes sense.

 

So I've been doing mostly monoline Spencerian, Smithhand, and NAC for a while with the MB. The 149 with this nib has a killer combination that I couldn't really say no to once the salesman showed it to me. Granted, I don't think he even realized the extent of desirability he was handing me in these two pens, so, I'm not sure he was doing anything but throwing things at me and seeing what stuck, but it worked.

 

I spent some time in the store working over the three samples that they had to ensure that I got the one that behaved the most like I wanted it to write, which, for me, since I'm using it as a daily writer, I wanted a very fine line for small Spencerian, and a good ink flow that didn't drip too much. I wanted to be able to provide shading more in line with Business practice rather than the heavy Ornamental shading of latter periods. Just a little something to create character without really slowing my handwriting down too much during the day. To that effect, I was pleased by the slightly stiffer feeling of the expression nib versus the very soft feeling of the Namiki Spencerian nib. The MB 149 requires more pressure to spread the tines and I think is, on the whole, less responsive than the Namiki, which is of course an advantage and disadvantage all at the same time.

 

I also noticed that the nibs were all of a similar feel, but they didn't all write in quite the same way, so the ink flow was a little different between each of them.

 

At the time that I made the purchase, they had, apparently, not yet received their Elixir inks into the store yet, so I hadn't even heard of those. However, I was lamenting to the salesman that they needed to get some good black, pigmented permanent carbon ink, and it's not clear to me whether the Elixir black might not be that ink? I have the Permanent Black and I like that, but I've come to really enjoy carbon pigmented black inks, and I'd love for someone to provide some details for me about the Elixir black ink and what it's all about? Anyways, I can't find any information on the Elixir Black or Gold inks, and I would really like to know more.

 

I have attached a sample of some of the stuff I've been using the nib for, just some quick scratches. I hope you'll forgive the rather messy Spencerian, but it demonstrates how I'm using the pen, as a daily writer with the more subtle and restrained shading that you might use in something for Business penmanship rather than the very heavy contrasting Ornamental style.

 

Overall, this pen is a horrible femme fatale sort of pen for me. It has a large, strong nib with good, functional flex. It has a large ink reservoir and feels great in the hand. It writes very smoothly (for paper I use mostly Rhodia/Clairfontaine/Tomoe River/MB/Southeworth Cotton), and gives a good fine and broad line. Those who are used to more traditional Spencerian dip nibs or the like will find the flex to be somewhat softer, but less springy, and therefore a little less responsive. So, there is less of a shallow gradient of the tine spread versus pressure. Instead, the tine spread vs pressure curve is steeper, so you go from fine to bold a little bit faster, with less responsiveness in the middle ground, at least in my experience with the pen right now. I'm not sure how the pen will break in, so it might gain some more of that dynamic with more use. I think it would be a great sort of sketching pen for those who like to work with ink, and if you want a strong daily writer for Business Spencerian, then that's also a great fit. If you want to really show off your Ornamental penmanship, then it's probably not going to be a great pen, as I don't think the overall flex range (MB's literature reads 0.3mm to 1.6mm line width) designed into the pen is going to be large enough, such as for writing like this: https://www.iampeth.com/artwork/guillard-coming-penman . Also, as with most MB's that I've seen, there is going to be some variation nib to nib, so I'd recommend definition doing some comparison between the nibs to pick what you want, if you're picky about that.

 

Unlike other nibs that are just accidently flexy, the literature included in the box does demonstrate that MB fully intends the nib as a real flex nib, which is a great departure from their norm for me.

 

Given that this is like a merger between my Spencerian grind Falcon and my beloved LeGrande, I'll readily admit that this sort of feels like a pen that MB custom made just for someone like me, and I'm a happy camper in that regard. I did notice that it is a special, but not limited edition, so I'm not sure what that means in terms of overall production? Maybe someone can fill me in on that?

 

I don't know if I'm allowed to post photos of the actual pen? Maybe I'll let others do that at another time. I'm not affiliated with MB, but there appears to be a photo gag order out on them right now for those who are?

 

And, not to belabor the point, but I'm really looking for some info on the Elixir inks! :-)

Edited August 23, 2019 by arcfide

[JulieParadise]

What a beautiful writing you have! Thank you for showing it to us, for taking the time to share your experience with this nib and, well, for tempting. This nib is *slightly* (ahem) above my usual price range, but it sure sounds veeeery interesting!