The Meisterstück 149 Calligraphy Appreciation Thread

[fpupulin]

[como]

@fpupulin Thank you for the beautifully written good holiday wishes! We are grateful for your passion, contribution and inspiration here in this thread and all through FPN! I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy and Healthy 2024!

[Dankoh69]

Blessed Christmas everyone!!!  Wishing all another year of great health, filled with lots of love, peace and joy. 

[a student]

Thank you @fpupulin for yet another fine example of penmanship. And all the best for the holidays to all FPN friends

[fpupulin]

First alphabet for the new year with the trusty 149 Calligraphy, recently filled with MB Blue Permanent.

 

[fpupulin]

I'm bringing this thread back to the top to share with you a couple of things we've often talked about, referring to the 149 Calligraphy, that is, its "non-calligraphic", but normal, everyday pen behavior, and its reliability.

 

I attach here a couple of images in which it is possible to observe my "daily use" of this pen, partly for writing, partly for scribbling some little drawings, and partly (inevitably) for making the nib do what it what it is capable of... In the upper part of the right-hand sheet there are a few lines and some squiggles, so that you can see how the nib never misses a stroke, not even on a paper that is not entirely smooth like Fabriano's Ingrés. (I know that our colleague @max dog has presented, in another thread, an entire page of these lines without the slightest flaw.) Below you can also observe the type of line that the extra-fine flexible Montblanc nib releases under the sole weight of the pen. Not bad for an extra-fine...

 

 

To complete the picture, in the photo below you can see the effect of the nib on a really simple, unpretentious photocopy paper. Here too, despite the porosity of the paper, the behavior of the flexible Calligraphy nib is among the best in my collection of pens.

 

 

The 149 Calligraphy is a joy to use. If yours were to give you any kind of problem, I think it's really worth taking it to a Montblanc service center to have it rectified so you can fully enjoy its excellence.

[fpupulin]

Here is an image with shadows of brown and red. The pouch is a classic Florence-type, the ink is Diamine Oxblood Red. On the back is the double leather "sottomano" custom-made for me by Bambulé in Ancona, Italy. 

 

The text in Latin means something that we often forget, that "perfection is often enemy of the excellent things".

 

Have a great week end.

 

 

 

[fpupulin]

In his “Calligrafia. Cenno storico..." ("Calligraphy. Historical note..."), originally published in Milan by Hoepli in 1894 (I have a 1990 reprint of this booklet), prof. Ranieri Percossi refers to the "Scrittura rotonda" (round writing), a vertical handwriting built around the round shape, with most letters inscribed into a square shape. This writing was particularly in vogue in Italy during the first half of the twentieth century, at least until the mid-1940s. It is probable that its character, radically distinct from a visual point of view from that of English cursive, also contributed to its success, as during the twenty years of fascism Italian handwriting particularly wanted to distinguish itself, for ideological reasons, from any "British" influence.

 

The round writing is designed to be done with the stubbed nib. On the sheet I photographed below, the second line with the alphabet, as well as the following one, were written with the italic nib of a Parker Duofold Centennial. The first alphabet, however, and the messages of the last two lines, are written with the pointed and flexible nib of Montblanc 149 Calligraphy, which once again demonstrates its qualities of adaptability to different writing styles.

 

[fpupulin]

 

Just my humble opinion, but this was, five years early, a much more sober and successful Meisterstück celebration...

[furiozzo]

On 4/5/2024 at 8:02 PM, fpupulin said:

 

Just my humble opinion, but this was, five years early, a much more sober and successful Meisterstück celebration...

You're absolutely right Francis, the 149 calligraphy flex is a little marvel and a much better celebration of the centenary of the invention of the Meisterstuck than the soulless pen Montblanc is now releasing.

The 149 flex is my favorite Montblanc, tied with my 139 OBB.

[como]

On 4/5/2024 at 8:02 PM, fpupulin said:

 

Just my humble opinion, but this was, five years early, a much more sober and successful Meisterstück celebration...

@fpupulin @furiozzo Totally agree. Recent releases including the 100th anniversary of Meisterstück have too many shining metal parts. 

[Carrau]

On 4/5/2024 at 2:02 PM, fpupulin said:

 

Just my humble opinion, but this was, five years early, a much more sober and successful Meisterstück celebration...

Indeed!

[fpupulin]

6 hours ago, furiozzo said:

You're absolutely right Francis, the 149 calligraphy flex is a little marvel and a much better celebration of the centenary of the invention of the Meisterstuck than the soulless pen Montblanc is now releasing.

The 149 flex is my favorite Montblanc, tied with my 139 OBB.

 

Speaking of 139, I am not opposed to Montblanc - which will surely know its "general" audience - putting some bling-bling pens on the market to celebrate the anniversary, but why not also a simpler pen, based on a real icon, a true symbol of the Meisterstück line, as was the 139? A modern 139, without frills, black or in another color as long as it is sober, as in the Meisterstück tradition. Even from a pure marketing point of view, just in a nerd forum like this, I bet they would have sold a few thousand, let's say at least half million euros in profits...

[fpupulin]

5 hours ago, como said:

@fpupulin @furiozzo Totally agree. Recent releases including the 100th anniversary of Meisterstück have too many shining metal parts. 

 

I saw a video posted online by a real enthusiast of the new 149 Origin. In a couple of scenes the author appears in a bar or restaurant, in any case in a public place, taking notes in a notebook with his new pen. I confirm: too many shiny metal parts. Definitely a pen for the home desk.

[fpupulin]

Back to the main topic...

 

Message to all 149 Calligraphy Flexible owners: have a try to the Diamine Golden Brown ink.

 

Dry enough, lubricated enough, with a LOT of shading. You will not regret trying it.

 

 

[fireant]

Looks like  a perfect pairing of nib and ink!

[Seney724]

9 hours ago, fpupulin said:

 

Speaking of 139, I am not opposed to Montblanc - which will surely know its "general" audience - putting some bling-bling pens on the market to celebrate the anniversary, but why not also a simpler pen, based on a real icon, a true symbol of the Meisterstück line, as was the 139? A modern 139, without frills, black or in another color as long as it is sober, as in the Meisterstück tradition. Even from a pure marketing point of view, just in a nerd forum like this, I bet they would have sold a few thousand, let's say at least half million euros in profits...

I do not know if anyone from Montblanc "lurks" on this site or not but, if they do, I want to add my very enthusiastic support for this excellent recommendation.

[pix]

11 hours ago, fpupulin said:

 

Speaking of 139, I am not opposed to Montblanc - which will surely know its "general" audience - putting some bling-bling pens on the market to celebrate the anniversary, but why not also a simpler pen, based on a real icon, a true symbol of the Meisterstück line, as was the 139? A modern 139, without frills, black or in another color as long as it is sober, as in the Meisterstück tradition.

 

I, too, would really like such a modern reissue.

[fpupulin]

 

With a bit of cooperation by a Bohéme...

[a student]

1 hour ago, fpupulin said:

 

With a bit of cooperation by a Bohéme...

 

So true