100th Anniversary editions

[fpupulin]

I'm sorry if I seem to be diverting this thread to the topic of Montblanc's broad nib tips, but the good excuse is that the discussion (and the images) refer to the nib of my 149 The Origin, one of the pens celebrating 100 years of Meisterstück.

 

So here's what the tip of my pen's broad nib looks like under the critical eye of a microscope. The magnification is about 30x, obtained with a Leica Z16 Zoom Apo microscope and a Leica planapochromatic objective with 0.5x magnification. The magnification on my Nikon's full frame sensor is about 11x. The scale in the image corresponds to 1 millimeter, with ten divisions.

 

 

As you can see from the photo, the tip is slightly chamfered in front and on the front portion of the upper sides, with a horizontal inclination of about 45º (on the sides) and a vertical inclination that I would say is around 35-40º. The chamfered parts take up about 1/4 or 1/3 of the total thickness of the tip.

 

None of the edges of the chamfers are sharp, but all are quite rounded, especially the front edges on the right and left and the lateral ones. All the lower edges, which are not chamfered, are abundantly smoothed/rounded.

 

Under the microscope, the workmanship of the nib, which according to Montblanc literature is hand-finished, reveals a high degree of precision and uniformity.

[Seney724]

4 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

I'm sorry if I seem to be diverting this thread to the topic of Montblanc's broad nib tips, but the good excuse is that the discussion (and the images) refer to the nib of my 149 The Origin, one of the pens celebrating 100 years of Meisterstück.

 

So here's what the tip of my pen's broad nib looks like under the critical eye of a microscope. The magnification is about 30x, obtained with a Leica Z16 Zoom Apo microscope and a Leica planapochromatic objective with 0.5x magnification. The magnification on my Nikon's full frame sensor is about 11x. The scale in the image corresponds to 1 millimeter, with ten divisions.

 

 

As you can see from the photo, the tip is slightly chamfered in front and on the front portion of the upper sides, with a horizontal inclination of about 45º (on the sides) and a vertical inclination that I would say is around 35-40º. The chamfered parts take up about 1/4 or 1/3 of the total thickness of the tip.

 

None of the edges of the chamfers are sharp, but all are quite rounded, especially the front edges on the right and left and the lateral ones. All the lower edges, which are not chamfered, are abundantly smoothed/rounded.

 

Under the microscope, the workmanship of the nib, which according to Montblanc literature is hand-finished, reveals a high degree of precision and uniformity.

Wow!  This is amazing to see....and with such clarity!!  Thank you @fpupulin

[NoType]

1 hour ago, fpupulin said:

I'm sorry if I seem to be diverting this thread to the topic of Montblanc's broad nib tips, but the good excuse is that the discussion (and the images) refer to the nib of my 149 The Origin, one of the pens celebrating 100 years of Meisterstück.

 

So here's what the tip of my pen's broad nib looks like under the critical eye of a microscope. The magnification is about 30x, obtained with a Leica Z16 Zoom Apo microscope and a Leica planapochromatic objective with 0.5x magnification. The magnification on my Nikon's full frame sensor is about 11x. The scale in the image corresponds to 1 millimeter, with ten divisions.

 

 

As you can see from the photo, the tip is slightly chamfered in front and on the front portion of the upper sides, with a horizontal inclination of about 45º (on the sides) and a vertical inclination that I would say is around 35-40º. The chamfered parts take up about 1/4 or 1/3 of the total thickness of the tip.

 

None of the edges of the chamfers are sharp, but all are quite rounded, especially the front edges on the right and left and the lateral ones. All the lower edges, which are not chamfered, are abundantly smoothed/rounded.

 

Under the microscope, the workmanship of the nib, which according to Montblanc literature is hand-finished, reveals a high degree of precision and uniformity.

@fpupulin I second @Seney724’s post that the image’s detail and clarity are amazing, indeed.  Many thanks for sharing with us in extreme close-up, the form and configuration of the broad nib of your The Origin 149.  

[ak47]

3 hours ago, fpupulin said:

I'm sorry if I seem to be diverting this thread to the topic of Montblanc's broad nib tips, but the good excuse is that the discussion (and the images) refer to the nib of my 149 The Origin, one of the pens celebrating 100 years of Meisterstück.

 

So here's what the tip of my pen's broad nib looks like under the critical eye of a microscope. The magnification is about 30x, obtained with a Leica Z16 Zoom Apo microscope and a Leica planapochromatic objective with 0.5x magnification. The magnification on my Nikon's full frame sensor is about 11x. The scale in the image corresponds to 1 millimeter, with ten divisions.

 

 

As you can see from the photo, the tip is slightly chamfered in front and on the front portion of the upper sides, with a horizontal inclination of about 45º (on the sides) and a vertical inclination that I would say is around 35-40º. The chamfered parts take up about 1/4 or 1/3 of the total thickness of the tip.

 

None of the edges of the chamfers are sharp, but all are quite rounded, especially the front edges on the right and left and the lateral ones. All the lower edges, which are not chamfered, are abundantly smoothed/rounded.

 

Under the microscope, the workmanship of the nib, which according to Montblanc literature is hand-finished, reveals a high degree of precision and uniformity.

This is what one could say...be inside the job.

Thank you franco

You give us un upgrade everytimes you post.

[digitorum- Leonardo_W]

Just found an unboxing video of this 149 - 1924 Traveller 

 

 

[Heinkle]

47 minutes ago, digitorum said:

Just found an unboxing video of this 149 - 1924 Traveller 

 

 

 Indeed, although because the pen isn't a demonstrator, he opts not to remove it from the plastic, so it's mainly an overview of what comes in the box (for £4000)

[digitorum- Leonardo_W]

2 hours ago, Heinkle said:

 Indeed, although because the pen isn't a demonstrator, he opts not to remove it from the plastic, so it's mainly an overview of what comes in the box (for £4000)

It will probably be sold or resold.

The opening of the pouch was really painful ..

[Arcadian]

I really don't get people who buy pens and don't play with them. I also don't get people who don't like chocolate. Both seem equally against the order of nature to me. 

 

That being said, I'm glad he mentioned the significant weight distribution problem with the Traveller. I had the opportunity to handle one last week. The filling mechanism in the cone at the rear of the pen is so heavy that it probably ranks as the most imbalanced pen I have ever held. Maybe with the exception of a couple of GvFC pens when they had the cap posted. 

 

 - P. 

[a student]

5 hours ago, digitorum said:

Just found an unboxing video of this 149 - 1924 Traveller 

 

 

 

Thank you for posting this. I watched it on You Tube, and glanced through the comments. One irreverent poster had made this comment: 

This is like buying a car and getting a factory, car wash and gas station with it. 

 

My own, albeit simple minded, view is that it would be difficult to travel with this Traveller unless there is purpose made travel bag (like the ones made for cameras -an opportunity there for Oberworth?) to carry this contraption in. 

 

My question is whether this is something offered by the same "thinkers" who designed the Cinema wonders?

 

[Seney724]

5 hours ago, digitorum said:

Just found an unboxing video of this 149 - 1924 Traveller 

 

 

No.

Just no.

 

BTW, it appears that the "Environmental Sensitivity" Team must have taken the week off when they designed the packaging! 

That or this pen was determined to be worthy of an exception.

[Karmachanic]

3 hours ago, Arcadian said:

I also don't get people who don't like chocolate.

 

Most people don't like chocolate.  They like the milk and sugar.  Try Montezuma's 100% cocoa dark chocolate.  Xocolatl!  You could ease in with Lindt 90%.

[Amit.]

Anyone over here picked up the 149 LE 1924 ? If so , please share your review.

[fpupulin]

So I checked, in a very unscientific way, the differences in strokes between my 149 The Origin with her broad nib and an older 149 fitted with a BB nib.

 

As you san see in the two photos hereafter, a difference between them does exist, but is barely noticeable. The fact that I used two different inks is of no help in the comparison, but you may observe as - at more or less the same size of writing - the broad nib maintains open the occhiello of the "o" and "a" letters, which is mostly closed when written with the BB nib.

 

 

 

In the second pic, in the few lines written on the top right on Amatruda paper (from Amalfi), you may appreciate more the difference in width between the two nibs. Here it is evident that the B nib (on top) is around 1 mm in width, and the BB surely more than 1 mm (on the bottom).

[ak47]

Always you are over the top.

Thank you franco

[fpupulin]

And here are a few different kinds of "scripts" that I am experimenting with the broad nib of The Origin.

 

As it commonly happens with new pens and nibs, The Origin is improving day by day, and I just discovered that the nib also has a bit of flexibility in it.

 

[fpupulin]

3 minutes ago, ak47 said:

Always you are over the top.

Thank you franco

 

Thank you, @ak47, for your kind words.

[NoType]

24 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

So I checked, in a very unscientific way, the differences in strokes between my 149 The Origin with her broad nib and an older 149 fitted with a BB nib.

 

As you san see in the two photos hereafter, a difference between them does exist, but is barely noticeable. The fact that I used two different inks is of no help in the comparison, but you may observe as - at more or less the same size of writing - the broad nib maintains open the occhiello of the "o" and "a" letters, which is mostly closed when written with the BB nib.

 

 

 

In the second pic, in the few lines written on the top right on Amatruda paper (from Amalfi), you may appreciate more the difference in width between the two nibs. Here it is evident that the B nib (on top) is around 1 mm in width, and the BB surely more than 1 mm (on the bottom).

@fpupulin This experiment confirms what was observed in your magnified side-by-side photo comparison previously; that is, that your 1984 149 BB is only a little wider than your The Origin 149 B.  But to acknowledge only this fact ignores the beautifully composed and lit images by which you have recorded this experiment, and the lovely scripts therein wrought by your talented hand, all a pleasure to behold.

[NoType]

27 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

And here are a few different kinds of "scripts" that I am experimenting with the broad nib of The Origin.

 

As it commonly happens with new pens and nibs, The Origin is improving day by day, and I just discovered that the nib also has a bit of flexibility in it.

 

@fpupulin Many thanks for this handsome image.  Your findings that The Origin 149’s performance improves daily is a testament to Montblanc’s product quality — that the broad nib exhibits a little flex is a welcome surprise.

[fireant]

On 8/15/2024 at 7:28 AM, DimitriDiak said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really love your photos of the anniversary 149. I've been searching this thread for the Starwalker edition with the diamond snowflake, its referred to as an anniversay edition but I think it was perhaps not the 100ths anniversay. It also looks like it was a Japan only release. I am honestly not sure if the photos I saw (ebay and google search) are real? 

 

Meanwhile I will keep scrolling here til I (hopefully) find pics/information about it.

[NoType]

On 10/14/2024 at 2:37 PM, fireant said:

I've been searching this thread for the Starwalker edition with the diamond snowflake, its referred to as an anniversay edition but I think it was perhaps not the 100ths anniversay.

@fireant If you are speaking of the Montblanc Soulmakers for 100 Years Starwalker Special Edition Fountain Pen, shown here by an authorised Montblanc retailer:

https://www.truphaeinc.com/products/montblanc-starwalker-soulmakers-for-100-years-fountain-pen-preowned?variant=49675255283987&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOorpq0TNtVKNxK6kAvqIa8kZw7FurEbB1OLQVwYpuP9rjJNc71x_I4o

then you are correct that it is not part of the 100th Anniversary of Meisterstück, released this year to celebrate the centennial of Montblanc’s most well-known line of pens.  Rather, the Starwalker above is part of the 100th Anniversary of Montblanc, released eighteen years earlier, in 2006, to celebrate the centennial of the company itself.

 

Here is the packaging for the Soulmakers Starwalker:

courtesy of a current eBay listing.  The box labels carry a wealth of information helpful for an online search for the pen, including:

Model number: M100267 (“67” missing from the label)

Identification number: 38301

Date of production: 9|05

 

The original retail price in 2006 was $570 for the fountain pen when new, approximately $900 today, accounting for inflation.  A cursory glance of search results shows that secondhand examples are asking $845 to $1726.98.  Although several sellers appear to be based in Japan, this pen was not exclusively a release for the Japan market.  It was a worldwide release; indeed, mine was purchased new in 2008 from a US Montblanc boutique for a discounted price of $455, as at that time the boutique was burdened with an unsold inventory of several examples while contemplating the potential impacts of an impending global financial crisis.  (That transaction was the only occasion when I benefitted from a discount at a Montblanc boutique.)

 

If you are interested in purchasing a Soulmakers Starwalker fountain pen, my personal recommendation is to patronise Truphae because they are an authorised Montblanc retailer and, speaking from experience, a pleasure to work with.