Montblanc Meisterstück Great Masters Red Python

[Appelboompen]

Dear fellow Montblanc fans,

 

We made an overview video about the new Montblanc Great Masters Red Python edition which was recently launched by Montblanc.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtUOv6iq8Oo

 

What do you think of this new addition of the Great Masters series? Which one is your favorite in this series?

[KAC]

I know my posts on this topic are becoming repetitive and my opinion is likely highly idiosyncratic, but - to my eye - most modern MB pens are quite garish and oftentimes ostentatiously so, this one included. I'll stick to MB vintage and the 149 series.

[gordeeal]

I really like it. Beautiful. I guess pens can be utilitarian or works of art and sometimes both.

[jaytaylor]

How does the Python feel about this pen?

[whichwatch]

Snakes! Why'd it have to be snakes?

 

Actually, I thought it was quite attractive - until I saw the price. But then again, I don't suppose the python was a willing participant in this project, so perhaps the price is understandable.

Edited September 22, 2019 by whichwatch

[BrandonA]

  On 9/21/2019 at 11:20 PM, KAC said:

I know my posts on this topic are becoming repetitive and my opinion is likely highly idiosyncratic, but - to my eye - most modern MB pens are quite garish and oftentimes ostentatiously so, this one included. I'll stick to MB vintage and the 149 series.

 

I the case of this pen I agree.

 

Most leather products owned by men are either black or brown in colour. I would never consider buying a wallet, shows or belt in red leather. Looking at this pen I think the same is true for pens. I think it would have been a far classier pen if it were black or brown.

[gerigo]

I believe there are 3 colors that will be introduced. A black, a brown and a red. I personally don't understand who they are targeting with the red leather because it's so over the top.

 

  On 9/23/2019 at 2:24 PM, BrandonA said:

 

I the case of this pen I agree.

 

Most leather products owned by men are either black or brown in colour. I would never consider buying a wallet, shows or belt in red leather. Looking at this pen I think the same is true for pens. I think it would have been a far classier pen if it were black or brown.

[AndyLogan]

  On 9/23/2019 at 7:28 PM, gerigo said:

I believe there are 3 colors that will be introduced. A black, a brown and a red. I personally don't understand who they are targeting with the red leather because it's so over the top.

 

 

@Gerigo, those with over the top taste?, Kidding aside, they might be thinking of female fountain pen users who would appreciate a little bling, but a lot of female users I know prefer pens of a smaller, slimmer size, there are of course some exceptions as Ghost Plane uses pens that are 149 in size.

[roadrunner320]

I like the color and the look, would I buy it, not sure

[amcityink]

Digging into the past on this one… but I own this pen and it’s amazing. Surprised there aren’t more reviews on this pen. Does anyone own this pen on here? 
 

On a side note, gotta laugh on the remarks above this, being a feminist pen because it’s red…  this pen is blood red and with Python leather! It’s as rock n roll as they come!

[NoType]

amcityink, I agree with you, the pen is remarkable, and although I share jaytaylor’s and whichwatch’s concern regarding the python’s perspective, I, too, am in possession of a Python Leather fountain pen.  In my case, as an vegetarian for both environmental and ethical reasons, one might imagine my troubled conscience, but my particular fondness for the Meisterstück Great Masters collection outweighs, for better or for worse, all other considerations.

[The Mustard]

  On 8/27/2021 at 5:36 AM, NoType said:

but my particular fondness for the Meisterstück Great Masters collection outweighs, for better or for worse, all other considerations.

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I agree @NoType the Great Masters are a fantastic collection of pens, I’m never quite sure if the Moon Pearl (which might be my favourite fountain pen of all)  is part of that collection, perhaps you might enlighten me? All of the others are superbly high quality pens with great provenance though. 

[NoType]

The Mustard, you flatter me with your request, because my information is limited, but I will do my best to answer your question.  

 

As far as I know, Montblanc started a new collection of pens in 2010, named “Masters for Meisterstück.”

   2010  Meissen Black Special Edition Fountain Pen (106069, €1950|£ ?|$2521)

                                                                Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

             Meissen White Special Edition Fountain Pen (106071, €1950|£ ?|$2521)

                                                                Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

             Meissen Black Limited Edition Fountain Pen (106073, €15000|£ ?|$19389)

             Meissen White Limited Edition Fountain Pen (106074, €15000|£ ?|$19389)

   2012  L’Aubrac Special Edition (Grenadilla Wood) Fountain Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?) 

                                                                                     Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

             L’Aubrac Artisan (Limited Edition 50 (Brazilian Wood) Fountain Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

             L’Aubrac Atelier Privé (Limited Edition) 8 (Ebony Wood) Fountain Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

   2014  Moon Pearl* Fountain Pen (111693, € ?|£ ?|$2655)

                                   Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

   2016  Firenze Fountain Pen (111297, € ?|£ ?|$2535

                          Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

   * A Montblanc boutique manager relayed to me that halfway through production Montblanc stopped referring to the Moon Pearl pens as “Masters for Meisterstück” product because that moniker was reserved solely for pens that were created wholly or in part by a third party, a ‘master’ of a particular trade, while the Moon Pearl had always been created wholly ‘in-house’ by Montblanc.  Thus, the odd situation where the early Moon Pearl pens were labelled as “Montblanc Masters for Meisterstück Moon Pearl,” and the later as simply “Montblanc Meisterstück Moon Pearl.”  (I happen to possess one of the later, more simply named Moon Pearl fountain pens, and had asked this Montblanc boutique manager why only some Moon Pearl pens carried the name “Masters for Meisterstück.”)

 

To the best of my knowledge, in 2017 Montblanc then started a new collection of pens, “Meisterstück Great Masters.”  It has never been made clear to me if the intention were to rename the “Masters for Meisterstück” collection, or whether the “Meisterstück Great Masters” collection were regarded as separate, but the links between the two are made obvious by the 2017 installments of this new collection, which seem to be modified versions of the 2016 Firenze:

   2017  Exotic Leather Black Alligator Fountain Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?) 

                                                               Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

             Exotic Leather Brown Alligator Fountain Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?) 

                                                                Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)   

   2018  James Purdey and Sons Special Edition Fountain Pen (118104, € ?|£ ?|$3240)

                                                                                 Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

             James Purdey and Sons Limited Edition 81 Fountain Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

   2019  Exotic Leather Red Python Fountain Pen (119695, € ?|£ ?|$3240)

                                                           Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

   2020  Exotic Leather Blue Alligator Fountain Pen (125571, € ?|£ ?|$3240)

                                                              Rollerball Pen (?, € ?|£ ?|$ ?)

 

One of the Montblanc Brand Ambassadors told me when I called her to enquire about specific details of the Python Leather pen’s python skin (which she couldn’t supply), that she had seen a Green Python Fountain Pen.  I have yet to find this green version of the Exotic Leather Python Fountain Pen.

 

As you can see from the above list, there are significant gaps in my knowledge, but I hope this helps.  

            

             

[amcityink]

  On 8/27/2021 at 5:36 AM, NoType said:

amcityink, I agree with you, the pen is remarkable, and although I share jaytaylor’s and whichwatch’s concern regarding the python’s perspective, I, too, am in possession of a Python Leather fountain pen.  In my case, as an vegetarian for both environmental and ethical reasons, one might imagine my troubled conscience, but my particular fondness for the Meisterstück Great Masters collection outweighs, for better or for worse, all other considerations.

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Well said, I was wondering,,  since you own a Python, where is the serial number on the pen? I can’t find it on mine. 

[NoType]

amcityink, thank you.  As with many, but not all, of the fountain pens of the Masters of Meisterstück and Meisterstück Great Masters collections, the quo vadis, or individual number, if not visible on the clip ring, is engraved on the interior surface of the barrel-end that faces the piston cone.  To find it, simply unscrew the piston cone gently to its end of travel, and peer closely at the interior edge of the barrel thus exposed. The number and the adjacent word ‘Metal” are difficult to read without a loupe, and I’ve often wondered if Montblanc employed this extremely discreet location as a hedge against counterfeiting.

[amcityink]

  On 8/28/2021 at 5:18 AM, NoType said:

amcityink, thank you.  As with many, but not all, of the fountain pens of the Masters of Meisterstück and Meisterstück Great Masters collections, the quo vadis, or individual number, if not visible on the clip ring, is engraved on the interior surface of the barrel-end that faces the piston cone.  To find it, simply unscrew the piston cone gently to its end of travel, and peer closely at the interior edge of the barrel thus exposed. The number and the adjacent word ‘Metal” are difficult to read without a loupe, and I’ve often wondered if Montblanc employed this extremely discreet location as a hedge against counterfeiting.

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Wow, that’s great! Thanks! 

[Bultaco]

I love it and really want one.

 

Not so much the new Pirelli Great Masters.

 

[amcityink]

  On 9/10/2021 at 2:54 AM, Bultaco said:

I love it and really want one.

 

Not so much the new Pirelli Great Masters.

 

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Your not crazy about rubber pens! Lol

 

[amcityink]

  On 8/28/2021 at 5:18 AM, NoType said:

amcityink, thank you.  As with many, but not all, of the fountain pens of the Masters of Meisterstück and Meisterstück Great Masters collections, the quo vadis, or individual number, if not visible on the clip ring, is engraved on the interior surface of the barrel-end that faces the piston cone.  To find it, simply unscrew the piston cone gently to its end of travel, and peer closely at the interior edge of the barrel thus exposed. The number and the adjacent word ‘Metal” are difficult to read without a loupe, and I’ve often wondered if Montblanc employed this extremely discreet location as a hedge against counterfeiting.

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Curious, what are your thoughts on the new Pirelli… 

 

 

[NoType]

amcityink, I must confess that I’m a little surprised that Pirelli is the “Master” for this latest installment in the Meisterstück Great Masters collection, but on the other hand, vulcanised (hard) rubber, or ebonite, pens feature significantly in the  history of many pen manufacturers and so perhaps this rubber edition should not be considered outré?  Clearly, I’m not sure what to think other than to acknowledge that the pen is interesting, but I imagine it will be easier for me to form an opinion after having viewed detailed images as well as upon reading Montblanc’s official description of the pen.

 

How do you find the pen, and the concept in general?