100th Anniversary editions

[DimitriDiak]

On 4/24/2024 at 4:00 PM, marlinspike said:

but I don't believe you would get your original nib back, just that the replacement nib will look the same visually.

Yes, that is what I meant … you will get the nib from the collection contrary to the rumours that you will get the standard nib back.

[NoType]

15 hours ago, DimitriDiak said:

contrary to the rumours

@DimitriDiak@fpupulin@Lam1 @marlinspike  How strange that rumours (and a retailer) suggest that The Origin Collection nib pattern is only available in F and M sizes, contrary to decades of Montblanc convention and practice.  

 

Thank goodness for the membership of the Fountain Pen Network, ever ready to put one right.

[Lam1]

25 minutes ago, NoType said:

@DimitriDiak@fpupulin@Lam1 @marlinspike  How strange that rumours (and a retailer) suggest that The Origin Collection nib pattern is only available in F and M sizes, contrary to decades of Montblanc convention and practice.  

 

Thank goodness for the membership of the Fountain Pen Network, ever ready to put one right.

 

Actually, my retailer categorically stated that the rumors were false.

 

Although, I saw on facebook someone that "claimed" to be a retailer and may have started these rumors (or at least helped to spread them). I tried to argue that these rumors were incorrect, only to have several people to say that I was wrong. The fact is that nowadays some people seem prefer to believe in whatever is most unlikely.  

 

Concerning the pens, I had the opportunity to see them in person during a trip to Spain and I liked very much the resin ones. Although I would have preferred the marbled effect to be on the entire pen. I'm looking forward to receiving my 149 with a (hopefully) juicy BB.

[NoType]

28 minutes ago, Lam1 said:

Actually, my retailer categorically stated that the rumors were false.

@Lam1 That was good of them.  (I was alluding to @fpupulin’s report that a retailer had repeated the rumour.)

 

28 minutes ago, Lam1 said:

I tried to argue that these rumors were incorrect

It is unfortunate that your protestations were dismissed out of hand.

 

28 minutes ago, Lam1 said:

Although I would have preferred the marbled effect to be on the entire pen. I'm looking forward to receiving my 149 with a (hopefully) juicy BB

I share your preference.  Congratulations on your acquisition and best wishes on the high performance of your BB nib!

 

 

[fpupulin]

Due to my general admiration for Montblanc, I am happy to know that the information was unfounded and that the 100 Anniversary pens can use the majority of the nibs historically offered by the company.

[NoType]

9 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

Due to my general admiration for Montblanc, I am happy to know that the information was unfounded and that the 100 Anniversary pens can use the majority of the nibs historically offered by the company.

@fpupulinI share your sentiments, with the proviso that I find it regrettable that the 3B nib size is now only available for the 149 through the dearly priced bespoke nib program rather than the complimentary nib exchange program as had been the case previously.

[fpupulin]

1 hour ago, NoType said:

@fpupulinI share your sentiments, with the proviso that I find it regrettable that the 3B nib size is now only available for the 149 through the dearly priced bespoke nib program rather than the complimentary nib exchange program as had been the case previously.

 

I agree with you. For this reason I said most nibs... Nonetheless, this still represents one of the greatest nib grade choices possible on the market. What is really a shame is that Monbtblanc has not extended its standard range to include its flexible nibs - which I really consider excellent.

[NoType]

Yes, forgive me for neglecting to acknowledge that you had mentioned

3 hours ago, fpupulin said:

the majority of the nibs

in your previous post.  I should have been clearer in my intention of making an addendum to your comment.  

 

 

1 hour ago, fpupulin said:

What is really a shame is that Montblanc has not extended its standard range to include its flexible nibs

Now, this is also an excellent point.  Granted, the flex nib is a more sophisticated design that demands practice and attention from today’s average fountain pen user, but I do agree that Montblanc should offer it as an option, perhaps with a “user advisory” as to the characteristics of the flex nib.  

 

I imagine that Montblanc would like to recoup some of their research & development costs before including it in their complimentary nib exchange program, but I feel that perhaps they could still offer a flex nib as an extra cost option (for a more reasonable amount than they currently ask) as part of their standard range of nib sizes.

 

Including the flex nib as part of their standard range of nib sizes would make it possible to choose it for a pen from The Origin Collection for a significantly lower cost than the bespoke and convoluted ordering process currently in place.

 

But, as you say, Montblanc’s current standard range of nib sizes “still represents one of the greatest nib grade choices possible on the market,” for which Montblanc deserves credit.

[DimitriDiak]

1 hour ago, fpupulin said:

Nonetheless, this still represents one of the greatest nib grade choices possible on the market. What is really a shame is that Monbtblanc has not extended its standard range to include its flexible nibs - which I really consider excellent.

 

@fpupulin Excellent point … I love my EF and my Calligraphy Flexible nibs.  Even though I am not into M I do like my new MST 100 medium nib.  So smooth that I had to add a little feedback to it.  It is wet enough and an excellent reverse writer.

 

16 minutes ago, NoType said:

Granted, the flex nib is a more sophisticated design that demands practice and attention from today’s average fountain pen user, but I do agree that Montblanc should offer it as an option, perhaps with a “user advisory” as to the characteristics of the flex nib.  I imagine that Montblanc would like to recoup some of their research & development costs before including it in their complimentary nib exchange program

 

@NoType I think that the 149 Calligraphy flexible nib is a great everyday writer that can be used as a normal to medium flex writing.  It also seems tough enough to be used by the average fountain pen user, as long as they know not to push it too hard or try to get it to full flex all the time.  I love both the 146 and 149 flexible nibs but I have a feeling that Montblanc is not interested in bringing them back or you think they would have by now?    

 

The MB business strategy seems to be about how many new pens it can push out to its regular customers; that is where the profits are.  Do you know how much it would cost you if you had to repair a broken Calligraphy nib?  I heard it was 90% of the cost of the pen and if that is true then that should say something about how interested they are in producing high volumes of these wonderful nibs. 

 

 

[NoType]

47 minutes ago, DimitriDiak said:

Do you know how much it would cost you if you had to repair a broken Calligraphy nib?  I heard it was 90% of the cost of the pen and if that is true then that should say something about how interested they are in producing high volumes of these wonderful nibs.

@DimitriDiakThank you for reminding me of this shocking thread: 

Heaven forfend one of us is faced with @twangsta’s situation, and you will not be alone in reaching this grim surmise of Montblanc’s attitude towards wide production of the flex nib, given this information.

[Lam1]

19 hours ago, NoType said:

@Lam1 That was good of them.  (I was alluding to @fpupulin’s report that a retailer had repeated the rumour.)

 

It is unfortunate that your protestations were dismissed out of hand.

 

I share your preference.  Congratulations on your acquisition and best wishes on the high performance of your BB nib!

 

 

 

Sorry that I misunderstood.

And thank you for the good wishes.

 

Like several of you, I also wish they still offered the 3B.

Even if for my use it's probably too wide (I do a lot of math, and that is tricky with very broad nibs).

In fact, last year i found a NOS 90 years and seriously considered asking a 3B nib, since they would put any nib that was offered at the time. In the end I went with an OB, because it is meant to be an everyday carry pen, but I kind of regret not going 3B.

[NoType]

1 hour ago, Lam1 said:

Sorry that I misunderstood.

@Lam1 No, not at all, I was not very clear.

 

1 hour ago, Lam1 said:

In the end I went with an OB

I have also regretted not asking for a 3B earlier, when it was still possible.  I had chosen EF — the opposite end of the size spectrum — on two separate occasions before reading @Ghost Plane’s advice and going to “the Broad Side.”  I draw artistically and technically, and like what you have found with mathematics, a 3B can be a little too much of a good thing.  It was when I was finally ready to ask for a 3B, for the Orient Express 149 LE1883, that I learned 3B was removed from the complimentary nib exchange program, though, strangely, O3B was still available (at least it was last year; I do not know if it still is available now).  So despite the fact that I much greatly prefer right-foot obliques over the left-foot obliques that are part of (the complimentary nib exchange program and) the standard nib size range, I went with a O3B.  Even less useful than a 3B for my needs but I use it for laying down thick lines as needed.  I have B, BB, OB, OBB, and O3B, but still no 3B.  So yes, there is regret on my side, too.

[Amit.]

The 149 seems to be only available against pre booking in most of the countries.

[Centurion]

On 4/27/2024 at 5:21 PM, NoType said:

@Lam1 No, not at all, I was not very clear.

 

I have also regretted not asking for a 3B earlier, when it was still possible.  I had chosen EF — the opposite end of the size spectrum — on two separate occasions before reading @Ghost Plane’s advice and going to “the Broad Side.”  I draw artistically and technically, and like what you have found with mathematics, a 3B can be a little too much of a good thing.  It was when I was finally ready to ask for a 3B, for the Orient Express 149 LE1883, that I learned 3B was removed from the complimentary nib exchange program, though, strangely, O3B was still available (at least it was last year; I do not know if it still is available now).  So despite the fact that I much greatly prefer right-foot obliques over the left-foot obliques that are part of (the complimentary nib exchange program and) the standard nib size range, I went with a O3B.  Even less useful than a 3B for my needs but I use it for laying down thick lines as needed.  I have B, BB, OB, OBB, and O3B, but still no 3B.  So yes, there is regret on my side, too.

What's the price for a 149 3B? It's considered a custom nib now? 

 

I would think it's more difficult and time consuming to make a O3B than a 3B. And also, I would think a 3B is much more standard than an O3B.

 

Are you left-handed and that's why you prefer right-footed obliques?

[NoType]

4 hours ago, Centurion said:

What's the price for a 149 3B? It's considered a custom nib now? 

 

I would think it's more difficult and time consuming to make a O3B than a 3B. And also, I would think a 3B is much more standard than an O3B.

 

Are you left-handed and that's why you prefer right-footed obliques?

@Centurion

I believe the 3B for the 149 is priced like a bespoke nib for any model pen, $1500 to $1800 (not including the pen itself), but did not ask when told it was no longer included in the standard nib range for the 149.

 

I thought this as well, and the boutique sales associate had no explanation as to why the O3B was part of the complimentary nib exchange for the 149 while the 3B was not.

 

I am not left-handed, actually.  I learned to write with a “quad-grip” (thumb, and forefinger, middle finger, and ring finger), only changing to the more common “tri-grip” when I started learning western calligraphy earlier this year.  

 

So for most of my life I’ve written with a quad-grip, which forced my pen to tilt a minimum of 15° to the right (from a vertical of 90° to the paper), or 75°.   When I use the quad-grip today my pen still naturally sits at this 15° tilt from vertical, as well as at (an ordinary) 45° angle (towards me), with nearly 0° of rotation. This is the reason I prefer 15° right-foot oblique grinds.

[NoType]

5 hours ago, Amit. said:

The 149 seems to be only available against pre booking in most of the countries.

@Amit. This is also what I was told by the local Montblanc boutique.  Within a week, their stock of four 149s was depleted, and their next shipment was already spoken for.

[DimitriDiak]

6 hours ago, Centurion said:

Are you left-handed and that's why you prefer right-footed obliques?

@Centurion, @NoType I’m also right-handed and prefer right obliques.

 

I naturally write with my pen slit at 90 degrees (and the nib at zero degrees from the horizontal lines on the paper) but depending on the nib i.e. an EEF flexible nib (as opposed to a stub nib) I prefer to rotate my slit to a 55 degrees slant (again with respect to the lines on the paper) to line up the slip of the nib with the slant of my writing.  I think this is what is normally done with copperplate calligraphy.

 

The reason why I prefer right obliques then is to destress the right tine of the my nib.  I find that with soft nibs my right tine takes a beating.  And since I prefer to grind my nibs to an italic I sometimes add a 6 degree right slant.  Now the problem comes with standard left oblique nibs, I now have to rotate to the left like most people normally do.  I find this challenging with today’s 15 degree obliques (i.e. OBBB) but I find it especially difficult when I try to use my OBBB that comes with a 30 degree left oblique on my 149 from 1952.  I imagine it is not just me that has this difficulty with the older MB O3B obliques?

 

 

 

 

 

[NoType]

1 hour ago, DimitriDiak said:

pen slit at 90 degrees (and the nib at zero degrees from the horizontal lines on the paper) but depending on the nib i.e. an EEF flexible nib (as opposed to a stub nib) I prefer to rotate my slit to a 55 degrees slant (again with respect to the lines on the paper) to line up the slip of the nib with the slant of my writing.

@DimitriDiak I confess that I could not follow this.  

 

1 hour ago, DimitriDiak said:

destress the right tine of the my nib.  I find that with soft nibs my right tine takes a beating.

@DimitriDiak I had never considered this before.  I will have to closely examine the tines of my non-oblique nibs.

 

1 hour ago, DimitriDiak said:

I imagine it is not just me that has this difficulty with the older MB O3B obliques?

@DimitriDiak I imagine you are not alone in this, but I cannot corroborate because I only possess modern 15° left-foot and right-foot obliques.

[Todor]

On 4/25/2024 at 12:40 AM, NoType said:

In furtherance of that, could I prevail upon you to furnish an ink sample of The Origin Collection Blue and Masters of Art Gustav Klimt Blue

Here are first impressions of the Klimt Blue:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/375060-montblanc-le-gustav-klimt-blue/
 

And here samples of the 100y LE Coral and Blue:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/374967-montblanc-100y-meisterstück-le-the-origin-collection-—-coral-blue/

 

 

 

[Toll]

38 minutes ago, Todor said:

Here are first impressions of the Klimt Blue:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/375060-montblanc-le-gustav-klimt-blue/
 

And here samples of the 100y LE Coral and Blue:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/374967-montblanc-100y-meisterstück-le-the-origin-collection-—-coral-blue/

 

 

 

Thank you — I had seen your post earlier about the 100 Year LE Blue and the Coral. Even though I have purchased this blue, plus the Klimt (your review I had not seen until now), I have yet to open either of them. I wonder if the Klimt corresponds favorably to the Tolstoy. 
 

Your review of the Coral tempted me to buy it, but I resisted!