The Meisterstück 149 Calligraphy Appreciation Thread

[como]

The heart wants what it wants...

 

Paper comparison: 1. Tomoe River 52gsm; 2. Fabriano Ingres; 3. Fabriano Unica; 4. Original Crown Mill (Belgium).

@fpupulinMy favourite among the four is Fabriano Unica. 🙂 The light is not very consistent here (natural afternoon indoor light), but in person the Fabriano Unica clearly gives a more defined and vivid colour of the Leonardo Sepia. It also looks the nicest.

[fpupulin]

On 5/26/2021 at 1:17 PM, invisuu said:

[...]

 

I think the paper might play a larger role here altogether. What do y'all think?

 

 

 

Great comparison, invissu!

 

Well my first impression is that our inks are really different. 

 

Aurora Black is well-known for being a very lubricated ink, which helps low flow pens, but which for this same reason it would seem logical to assume not particularly suitable for a calligraphic nib, but in your example it seems instead to have the behavior of a rather "dry" ink. Different stocks at least, I would say, if not distinct formulations altogether.

 

But what makes our comparisons so "incomparable", and therefore of little or no use for those who want to extricate themselves from the many (or too many) offers of inks on the market, is undoubtedly - as you said -  the "third variable" of the equation: paper.

 

Below I am posting the images of some things written with the Calligraphy nib and Black Permament ink on different types of paper. At the top right is the Fabriano Ingres, on the left a laid paper of whiter color, of which I do not remember now the identity, and on the right at the bottom the Unica by Fabriano.

 

 

 

Between the two laid papers, the Calligraphy line is kept thinner on the Ingrés, which is also remarkably rougher, while on the anonymous, smoother paper, the thin strokes that the pen releases are considerably thicker.

 

The thin strokes are almost "perfectly fine" on the Unica (which, however, is not suitable for everyday writing due to its high weight), and even the strokes made by the Calligraphy nib under pressure do not show any smudging or feathering. However, on this extraordinary paper, the Black Permanent ink, which looks very black on other papers, looks like a very dark gray, especially when compared with Herbin's Perle Noire, used on the same sheet for the writings made with the italic nib of a Parker Duofold Centennial. 

 

I fear that, to get a better idea of the behavior of the Calligraphy nib with different inks, we should be sure to really use the "same" ink and, even more so, use the same papers. It is not an easy undertaking ...

[fpupulin]

9 hours ago, como said:

The heart wants what it wants...

 

 

This is a find to be celebrated, my friend!

 

While so many enthusiasts try frantically and in vain to get their Calligraphy, you just had to visit your trusted supplier... I am very happy for you and I am sure you will find this pen truly extraordinary.

 

In fact, in the paper tests you posted, I can perfectly recognize the characteristics of this well thought-out nib. If you have the patience, it will grow with you and with your writing until it becomes inseparable.

 

Again many compliments on your new pen, a tool that serves almost any purpose.

 

The Fabriano Unica paper is truly as unique as its name. Since, due to its heavy weight, it is not suitable for everyday writing, I use it a lot to pass "fair copy" and improve the improvised calligraphy projects that seem to me to have worked better.

[como]

@fpupulinThank you, Franco! The Original Crown Mill feels more rough / bumpier than Fabriano Ingres. Unica I love it!

[fpupulin]

In a stationery shop not far from the university, which unfortunately looks like it is about to close its doors, I found a remnant of Fabriano laid paper, a single sheet of 160 g Ingrés 100x700 cm (actually a little crumpled) in the “gialletto" color. As I was out and about with the bicycle, I folded it three times to be able to put it in a plastic bag to hang on the handlebars. At home I cut it out and got 8 decent sized sheets, even though with the vergelle on the longer side.

 

The word gialletto is a diminutive of Italian giallo, yellow, as well as giallino (this last much more used in Italian). This is the name, due to its color, of a small sweet cornmeal focaccia with raisins, typical of the regions of Emilia Romagna and Veneto in northern Italy, and with this name is also known the yellow melon grown in Sicily, called "Gialletto di Sicilia". According to the "Vocabolario italiano-latino per uso degli studiosi di belle lettere…” (Italian-Latin vocabulary for use by scholars of fine letters …). printed in Venice in 1794, the word gialletto simply means "that approaches yellow”. Because the use of the word gialletto to indicate a shade of color is completely obsolete in Italian, this term has, in the ears of an Italian, an archaic sound, which seems to refer to other more remote eras.

 

 

The color of Fabriano's gialletto laid paper actually has very little to do with the yellow color, neither with corn cakes nor Sicilian melons. This seems in line with the slightly color-blind view of those who fixed the names of the colors for the Ingrés laid paper. Here is a complete list. As you can see, the “ghiaccio” (ice) is actually white, il “bianco” (white) is ivory, il colore "avorio” (ivory) is quite chamoix, and the “gialletto" is a dull brown.

 

 

 

[Frank C]

Thanks for the introduction to Italian. I always enjoy the Calligraphy. It appears that you went back to the MB Permanent Black ink. 

 

Based on your advice, I have tried to find Fabriano Ingrés paper in the USA. My local art store, a branch of the big chain Dick Blick, has many different Fabriano papers, but no Fabriano Ingrés. Perhaps they sell Ingrés under a different name. They do have the Unica paper; I have some on order. They also sell Hahnemuhle Ingres Paper; I guess it is similar.

 

Once again, thank you for these inspiring posts.

[fpupulin]

22 hours ago, Frank C said:

Thanks for the introduction to Italian. I always enjoy the Calligraphy. It appears that you went back to the MB Permanent Black ink. 

 

Based on your advice, I have tried to find Fabriano Ingrés paper in the USA. My local art store, a branch of the big chain Dick Blick, has many different Fabriano papers, but no Fabriano Ingrés. Perhaps they sell Ingrés under a different name. They do have the Unica paper; I have some on order. They also sell Hahnemuhle Ingres Paper; I guess it is similar.

 

Once again, thank you for these inspiring posts.

 

Perhaps the easiest way to test Fabriano Ingrés paper is to buy one of their Artist's journals. Not everyone knows that these beautiful notebooks are made with Ingrés 90 g/m2 paper in various shades suitable for writing. They are found almost everywhere (including Amazon) and have a reasonable price, at least so it seems to me.

 

The notebooks are available under the names of Fabriano Quadrato Artist's Journal (black cover), in 9" x 9” and  6" x 6” sizes, both with 96 pages in 4 colours (ice, white, ivory and gialletto), and Fabriano Classic Artist's Journal (blue cover, 6.5" x 8.5” and 4.5" x 6.5”, with192 pages in 2 different colours, ice and ivory.

 

I always use them to do my "calligraphy exercises" and I always have a number of them ready to use.

 

[Frank C]

Thanks for the information. I couldn't believe that such a large art store, that sells so many other Fabriano products, didn't have it. They do indeed sell the Classic Artist's Journal. Amazon USA has the journals and sells the quarter sheets, but they only have grey, taupe, and a mixed trial pack. That is good enough for a start. It appears that the mixed pack contains some gialletto, so I'm especially excited.

 

Once again, thanks for your help with this amazing pen. 

[seimodern]

On 5/25/2021 at 5:29 PM, DrDebG said:

Later I found Nanami Paper and started buying my TR notebooks from them.  But only recently have I considered other papers.  That is because my favorite Tomoe River 52 gsm has been discontinued in favor of "new" Tomoe River paper, which is substandard.  Now, I am trying new notebooks.  Currently I am using a notebook with Cosmo Air Light paper."

 

Thanks for sharing your paper experiences & preferences. I haven't tried Nanami or Cosmo Air Light before, but would be interested in giving them a try.

 

I enjoyed Rhodia for a while, but later found my way to Life Noble notebooks. I really love the yellowy-cream colored paper of their A4 & A5 notebooks, and especially the binding. They are pleasingly substantial (heft-y, sozusagen!) and well suited to cataloguing & shelving. My only qualm is that sometimes it feels like the coating on the paper changes towards the bottom of some pages. (I don't notice it very often, and am not sure if it's actually the coating that's the problem, but it feels like the ink/nib starts to become less well behaved towards the bottom edge of the page). 

 

The Life Noble notebooks allow for a very pleasing writing experience, especially when paired with my 149 calligraphy pen.

[fpupulin]

What you learn using an extra-fine calligraphic nib is to keep your hand light, and to lift the nib from the paper at each of the strokes that make up the individual letters. 

"Leggero e staccato", like in music.

 

 

 

Below you can observe the different "approaches" to the composition of the final writing, made initially on the paper of a Moleskine Quadferno and on Fabriano Unica paper for the fair copy. A good quality paper certainly helps.

 

 

 

 

 

[como]

It’s been a full week since I got my MB 149 Calligraphy. Initially I filled it with Leonardo Sepia. Two days ago I finally got the courage to fill it with MB Permanent Blue (background is that I never used a permanent ink of any sort). Such a great combination, and with Fabriano Unica paper. I also tried with Original Crown Mill “Pure Cotton”, another superb paper. The more I use this pen, the better I am getting along with and enjoying writing with it. It’s the only modern EF I truly enjoy writing with. The flex is very precise and controllable. Zero ink flow or starvation issues. Though no doubt it’s an expensive pen, as this is not an easy nib to make and to get right, I think the small premium over MB 149 is totally worth it. So glad that I finally paid attention to the various threads on this forum about this Calligraphy nib. My most sincere gratitude to members like @fpupulinand @arcfide and many others who are much more qualified than my untrained hands to share their experiences, opinions and writing samples. Oh, definitely, a light hand is needed to best enjoy this nib, at least for me.

[invisuu]

Awesome to hear you're enjoying the pen as well. It took me 4 months to really lighten up enough for this nib, I agree with you entirely, it needs a light hand. I always wrote lightly, but this pen is best when you can go from 0 pressure to a little bit. It really is a great pen. It demands a little from the user, but it also gives back a whole lot.

[como]

@fpupulin@invisuuThank you! This pen I will get to know more and more, and use a lot! The money I saved from buying other modern flex pens, I can use on experimenting with different kinds of paper, something still rather new to me but very eye-opening.

@fpupulinWhen you talked about “leggero e staccato”, it reminded me of something a bit different but relevant. About getting rid of impulses. 

I think there is that in calligraphy too, for an untrained hand. I am the 8 years old 😂!

[Frank C]

1 hour ago, como said:

@fpupulin@invisuuThank you! This pen I will get to know more and more, and use a lot! The money I saved from buying other modern flex pens, I can use on experimenting with different kinds of paper, something still rather new to me but very eye-opening.

@fpupulinWhen you talked about “leggero e staccato”, it reminded me of something a bit different but relevant. About getting rid of impulses.

I think there is that in calligraphy too, for an untrained hand. I am the 8 years old 😂!

Thanks for posting that video. It sums up learning for many subjects. One improves with practice and thoughtfulness. 

[fpupulin]

This topic turns one year old today. Created perhaps more to clear up some very repeated "misunderstandings" than to celebrate the qualities of this innovative nib, thanks to the contributions of many passionate owners of the 149 Calligraphy it has become a privileged place to exchange opinions on the use of the pen, the best suitable papers and inks, as well as on all the kinds of handwriting, both for everyday and calligraphic, that the 149 Calligraphy allows you to create.

The nearly 30,000 views to this topic (this represents more than 80 daily views for a whole year) clearly testify to a non-provisional and non-passing interest. The fact that lovers of flexible writing continue to visit these pages even today, when acquiring a 149 with the Calligraphy nib has become an almost impossible mission, this says - at least so it seems to me - that Montblanc responded to the call of the enthusiasts with a product perhaps more interesting than the same expectations of the German house had foreseen when, now two years ago, the Calligraphy was presented to the market.

The times of COVID have certainly not helped to maintain the necessary fluidity in the assortment of shops, nor perhaps to clarify completely for Montblanc itself what its future intentions are with this well thought out nib. From what I read on this and other forums devoted to stylography, the production of the 149 with Calligraphy nib continues, albeit in limited doses and with unpredictable times. The sudden speed with which these pens are bought by the most "timely" among enthusiasts clearly says that the gold vein is far from running out.

I, on my own, sincerely hope that the arrival of new "expressive" nibs, which Montblanc has been promoting for some time, will not replace the flexible Calligraphy, but simply add to a wider offer of nibs for calligraphic and expressive uses, and that the 149 Calligraphy will be in production for many more years, to satisfy the demands of fans of today and tomorrow.
In the meantime, to celebrate the birthday of our thread, I wrote with my Calligraphy a text that is truly the “discovery of hot water”, something that every fan knows very well: a good nib has not to be stingy. The Calligraphy nib is, in this senses, a very generous tool.

 

 

 

 

In the second shot you may see the same sentence wrote in Italian on Fabriano “gialletto” laid paper. Paper counts. On the beautiful Unica paper the Calligraphy is both generous and more controlled...

 

 

[a student]

11 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

This topic turns one year old today. Created perhaps more to clear up some very repeated "misunderstandings" than to celebrate the qualities of this innovative nib, thanks to the contributions of many passionate owners of the 149 Calligraphy it has become a privileged place to exchange opinions on the use of the pen, the best suitable papers and inks, as well as on all the kinds of handwriting, both for everyday and calligraphic, that the 149 Calligraphy allows you to create.

 

Congratulations fpupulin on initiating and sustaining a thread that is entertaining, absorbing and, importantly, an education. Keep up the good work!

[N1003U]

On 5/28/2021 at 10:18 PM, fpupulin said:

Between the two laid papers, the Calligraphy line is kept thinner on the Ingrés, which is also remarkably rougher, while on the anonymous, smoother paper, the thin strokes that the pen releases are considerably thicker.

 

Interestingly, I notice the same thing (thinner lines with may nibs) with the textured Amatruda "Amalfi" sheets compared to other smoother laid papers.

[Frank C]

Thank you for starting this topic. I was interested in this pen when I first heard about it, but my usual sources for Montblanc pens didn't have it and couldn't get one. The people who frequent this topic helped me find several. And then the accoutrements: Montblanc Permanent Ink, Fabriano paper, and calligraphy books complete the package. You then supplied ample examples of this wonderful pen in action, giving all of us inspiration for improving our own writing and calligraphy. I appreciate all the effort you have put into this project. Please keep up the good work. 

[mizgeorge]

Another lovely addition to this thread - which I've thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you for sharing some lovely calligraphy, and some very wise words

[como]

On 6/6/2021 at 10:30 PM, Frank C said:

Thanks for posting that video. It sums up learning for many subjects. One improves with practice and thoughtfulness. 

You are welcome! "with practice and thoughtfulness" - exactly!