100th Anniversary editions

[fpupulin]

5 hours ago, Heinkle said:

Thanks for clarifying the platinum trim.

 

Another (perhaps dubious) question - would it be possible to replace the Origins clip for a standard platinum clip without causing a lot of damage? 

 

The position of the Anniversary clip on the cap seems to me exactly the same as the regular one, so I guess that a change wouldn't be a tremendous affair. Nevertheless, I would also suggest, if you are in the moof to try the 149 Origin, to give the new clip a chance. On the desk (I do not post my pens) it looks pretty good...

[fpupulin]

And here is my little affair with the 149 The Origin.

 

At the beginning of June I purchased the pen online from a historic shop in Italy, which I am particularly fond of, the Villa stationery shop in Varese, a splendid center for paper and writing lovers that has existed since 1941. The shop was kind enough to request for me the replacement of the nib with a new one with a broad tip. I have to admit that it was a tortuous path with the Montblanc service, which has apparently moved its facilities or simply was not ready to respond to so many requests. The fact is that in mid-September, during my stay in Italy, the pen had not yet returned from Hamburg. I owe to the tenacity of the exquisite Mrs. Mariaregina, of Villa, and her insistence with the Montblanc assistance center, that the pen returned in time before my return to Costa Rica. Thank you Mariaregina and thank you Villa!

I note, in parenthesis, for those in Europe who are interested in a 149 The Origin, apparently difficult to find, that the Villa shop still has one available in stock (https://www.villavarese.it).

 

I took advantage of a few visits to the store to closely observe all the pens of The Origin collection and in addition to the 149, I found the 145 in green also very attractive. The very kind shop assistants, Mariaregina and Laura, let me "test" all the inks of the Anniversary collection, and I couldn't resist taking away with me also two bottles, the British Green and the Blue (a sort of very light Royal Blue).

 

Well, and what about the pen? The broad nib performs admirably, with its stubbish nature and the subtle variation of stroke between horizontal and vertical, which is more evident on "harder" papers, where I can make an almost calligraphic use of it. Despite the numerous dates and numbers engraved on the nib (100, 4810, 1924, 2024), the nib remains aesthetically "clean" and not overdone to the eye. The pen is certainly black, but because of the lighter streaks on the cap (which fortunately are done very lightly) I have to convince myself every time that it is not a very dark blue color. This is my first 149 in platinum finishes, and it may well be that the "colder" impression of the metal compared to gold leads me to see a blue background where in reality it does not exist. However, I am happy to also have this version of the legendary 149.

 

This pen has already been talked about a bit everywhere (mostly in not very positive tones), but from my point of view, in the balance between what Montblanc could have done that was truly special and what it could have committed that was truly and blatantly kitsch, I feel like saying that the 149 The Origin is a beautiful pen, to look at and to use. I don't know if Montblanc takes particular care in its limited and special editions, but the rotation of the filling cone of my 149 Origin when I fill and empty the pen is comparable in smoothness and precision only to that of my Hemingway and Dumas, the only Limited Editions I own. The metal cone on the back makes the pen slightly lighter on the nib, but in a way that I would describe as barely noticeable.

 

Having had to transport it from Italy, I was very pleased that Montblanc made this fountain pen in a pen box rather than one of those mausoleums that we have become accustomed to in recent years by manufacturers of writing instruments. I can also confirm, for those who may have been unsure, that the "historic" Meisterstück writing on the cap is engraved in the resin.

 

Finally, I, for my part, am happy with it and I am pleased to have purchased it. Since my wife decided that this would be my gift for our twentieth wedding anniversary, I am sure that her generous gesture will make it even dearer to me, for being the symbol of not just one, but two anniversaries.

 

 

 

 

[Uncial]

It's a beautiful pen.  Like the 1912, they have managed a perfect balance of modern and all the right vintage nods without it being a pastiche.  The clip in pictures always looks slightly odd for some reason, but in the flesh it's a perfect fit. 

[Uncial]

1 hour ago, fpupulin said:

I have to admit that it was a tortuous path with the Montblanc service, which has apparently moved its facilities or simply was not ready to respond to so many requests. The fact is that in mid-September, during my stay in Italy, the pen had not yet returned from Hamburg. I o

 

I suspect they didn't expect the popularity of the model and that so many would request nib changes. They have moved away from offering a full range. At one time you could get a BB nib in a boutique, but not anymore. Broad nibs seem as rare as hen's teeth and fine nibs seem very limited. Extra fine's have gone the way of BB. I strongly suspect that this is a marketing error they may change soon, not because they want to, but because practically speaking, they will have to. Either that or the turn around on exchanges will need to be sped up and expanded, but that may be the more expensive option for the company.

[fpupulin]

Here she goes with the two inks of The Origin Collection that I bought:

 

[Toll]

9 hours ago, fpupulin said:

Here she goes with the two inks of The Origin Collection that I bought:

 

Congratulations! Love the photos and your thoughtful assessment. I agree that it is very nice anniversary contribution from MB. I went with the 145 in green and it has become a favorite for me. I was tempted by this 149 — even more so now! — but I already have a 149 and it simply doesn’t get as much use as my several 146’s or the 145. Love the side notes about the pen store in Italy. Wonderful. 

[Heinkle]

A couple of Montblanc Youtube videos uploaded today (as if the Traveller is somehow for the viewing masses):

 

Refill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moYMFhXyuN8

 

 

Clean:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3S0rWH5ov4

 

 

PS: A great reminder of how cool a demonstrator 149 would be

[fpupulin]

"New releases" of the classic Florentine case, which Montblanc made available for a short time a few years ago, are truly rare items to find in any condition. Montblanc proposed them in colors called "mocha" (an almost black brown), "forest" (sort of golden brown) and may be one other type. 

When preparing for my Italian trip, where I hoped to collect my 149 The Origin, I finally found one of those cases in "forest", and it is now the sweet home of my new 149.

Even though Montblanc refers to the printed leather as "crocodile", it seems to me much more similar to an embossed alligator, with larger and smaller scales. I also prefer, even if it is only a small detail, that the star of the logotype is close to the base of the case, instead of in the middle.

 

[NoType]

1 hour ago, fpupulin said:

"New releases" of the classic Florentine case, which Montblanc made available for a short time a few years ago, are truly rare items to find in any condition. Montblanc proposed them in colors called "mocha" (an almost black brown), "forest" (sort of golden brown) and may be one other type. 

When preparing for my Italian trip, where I hoped to collect my 149 The Origin, I finally found one of those cases in "forest", and it is now the sweet home of my new 149.

Even though Montblanc refers to the printed leather as "crocodile", it seems to me much more similar to an embossed alligator, with larger and smaller scales. I also prefer, even if it is only a small detail, that the star of the logotype is close to the base of the case, instead of in the middle.

 

@fpupulin Thank you for your wonderfully composed and beautifully lit image, which shows off the attractiveness of your modern Florentine case to best advantage along with that of your lovely The Origin Collection 149.  

 

I was not aware of the modern Florentine case release in “Mocha,” which sounds by your description to be darker in tone than the “Chocolate Brown” (ident 107400) that is a deep reddish brown (second from left in photo below - please forgive the image’s poor quality):

l to r:

”Forest Brown,” “Chocolate Brown,” “Black Croco,” “Firenze,” “Black,” and “Black.”

 

The other modern Florentine case of which I am aware is the Masters for Meisterstück Firenze Florentine (ident 114090), limited to 200 pieces, released as a companion to the 2016 Masters for Meisterstück Firenze Special Edition LeGrand fountain pen, and featuring the same leather as the pen (fourth from left in the above photo).  (The case’s Firenze Duomo embossing, identical to that which appears on the pen’s cap, is on the reverse side of the case and not visible in the above photo.)

 

As you correctly point out, it is interesting to note the repositioned emblems of the modern releases compared to the older “Black” and Black “Croco” cases in the above photo.  (There were other colours released in the older Florentine cases, including “Bordeaux” to complement the “Bordeaux” (or “Burgundy”) pens, that are not pictured above.)

 

Also, the patterns of the modern releases are much more complex than that of the older “Black Croco.”  (As far as I know, the patterns were intended to emulate Crocodile — or perhaps Alligator in the modern releases — but the leather for the three patterned cases, both modern and older, is cowhide rather than “exotic.”)

 

If anyone happens to know the model or identification numbers of the older “Black Croco” and “Black” cases, please do not hesitate to chime in.  I would like to add them to my notes for those pieces.  Similarly, please do not hesitate to correct any misapprehensions delineated in this post.

[fpupulin]

Item numbers, for the more recent Florentine cases, which were introduced in 2012, are:

 

107371 Mocha

107399 Forest

107400 Chocolate

 

This edition only included 1-pen cases.

 

And here is a pic (not mine) of the case in “Mocha” color:

 

[NoType]

1 hour ago, fpupulin said:

 

Item numbers, for the more recent Florentine cases, which were introduced in 2012, are:

 

107371 Mocha

107399 Forest

107400 Chocolate

 

This edition only included 1-pen cases.

 

And here is a pic (not mine) of the case in “Mocha” color:

 

@fpupulin Thank you for this information of 2012 as the release date of the modern Florentine cases as well as identification number and image of the Mocha version.  Mocha does indeed look “black brown.”  Thank you also for mentioning that the modern releases only took the form of single-pen cases.

[fpupulin]

Here are a couple of my treasures, both Special Edition 149s, writing together.

 

The cases are the "Forest", on the left, and the older, plain "Bordeaux" or "Burgundy" on the right. Incidentally, the "new" Florentine cases are a few millimeter longer than the first version.

 

 

[Toll]

24 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

Here are a couple of my treasures, both Special Edition 149s, writing together.

 

The cases are the "Forest", on the left, and the older, plain "Bordeaux" or "Burgundy" on the right. Incidentally, the "new" Florentine cases are a few millimeter longer than the first version.

 

 

Thank you for the new photo — I have the Bordeaux case which I use with my 90th Anniversary 149. 

[NoType]

55 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

Here are a couple of my treasures, both Special Edition 149s, writing together.

 

The cases are the "Forest", on the left, and the older, plain "Bordeaux" or "Burgundy" on the right. Incidentally, the "new" Florentine cases are a few millimeter longer than the first version.

 

 

@fpupulin Thank you for providing us a delightful peek at the bounty on your writing desk, sumptuously showcasing the skilful creation wrought by your talented hand with Montblanc’s masterpieces.  As always, the quality of your image is worthy of the subjects.

 

That the modern release of the Florentine case is slightly longer than the older version is an interesting data point that I am slightly embarrassed to admit had escaped my notice.  

[Toll]

And here is a comparison to the similar style of pen case from Namiki. 

[fpupulin]

21 hours ago, NoType said:

[…] If anyone happens to know the model or identification numbers of the older “Black Croco” and “Black” cases, please do not hesitate to chime in.  I would like to add them to my notes for those pieces.  Similarly, please do not hesitate to correct any misapprehensions delineated in this post.

As per your more specific question, looking back at some images I saved fron the Internet time ago, I found two codes that may perhaps refer to the pouch you are interested in: 14476 and 78946767. Not sure, however, if the codes were referring to the 1-pen. pouch, but perhaps a point to begin with in your search.

 

[NoType]

4 hours ago, Toll said:

And here is a comparison to the similar style of pen case from Namiki. 

@Toll This is an informative image indeed, underscoring that as large as the Florentine case is, Namiki’s Emperor pens need a larger case still.

[NoType]

26 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

As per your more specific question, looking back at some images I saved fron the Internet time ago, I found two codes that may perhaps refer to the pouch you are interested in: 14476 and 78946767. Not sure, however, if the codes were referring to the 1-pen. pouch, but perhaps a point to begin with in your search.

 

@fpupulin Thank you very much for this launching point, most welcome indeed!

[Zdenek]

Franco, big congrats to your new toy. Use and enjoy it in the best health.

As to the Florentine cases, me too have got them. They hide nice 149s. 

[fpupulin]

Here are two of my favorite Mesisterstück 149s, the legendary flexible Calligraphy and the more recent The Origin. I photographed them in what, in my opinion, is their "natural environment".

 

 

 

I notice, however (and I have always noticed), that Montblanc has not put any "special and permanent" mark on the beautiful Calligraphy. I don't think anything flashy, perhaps just a "calligraphic eight" engraved on the cap would have been enough, to be able to recognize it from the other 149s of the regular series. In the photo above, there is no doubt that one of the pens is "The Origin", but the other could be any of the other 149s that I own. It always seemed to me a failed choice on Montblanc's part.