100th Anniversary editions

[fpupulin]

I, and I assume that many other readers of your story, are breathing more calmly now after the horror of the first photographs and the sight of that cut made with a cutter that foreshadowed the worst for the beautiful box of your 149 Traveller. I am really happy for you and it appears that everything in the end, except for the light black cardboard, is in perfect condition.
I would say that the worst is over, and from tomorrow the pen will be in the hands of a Montblanc boutique, under its responsibility.
Congratulations, @NoType, the pen and its case are beautiful.

[digitorum- Leonardo_W]

 

@NoType Watching the external box and the cut on the black box was announcing that something even worst could have happened on the inside ..

What a relief the inside is almost untouched and still pristine. Congrats again on your new pen, you still have to wait for the nib change, but the pen will travel alone in a more secure way and under the factory supervision and warranty against any incidents. 

[NoType]

33 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

I, and I assume that many other readers of your story, are breathing more calmly now after the horror of the first photographs and the sight of that cut made with a cutter that foreshadowed the worst for the beautiful box of your 149 Traveller. I am really happy for you and it appears that everything in the end, except for the light black cardboard, is in perfect condition.
I would say that the worst is over, and from tomorrow the pen will be in the hands of a Montblanc boutique, under its responsibility.
Congratulations, @NoType, the pen and its case are beautiful.

@fpupulin Indeed, you have articulated, and mirrored, perfectly the dread trickling down my spine when I first laid eyes on the parcel.  I didn’t dare hope that all beyond that slashed thin outer cardboard box was well, but the adage reminding one not to judge a book by it’s cover, occurred to me after I opened the presentation case.  

 

Thank you for your support, your felicitations, and your compliments.  Actually, I plan on making the appointment tomorrow for the boutique visit for the nib exchange; the actual visit will likely be a few days hence.

 

Yet you are absolutely correct that the worst is over.

[NoType]

21 minutes ago, digitorum- Leonardo_W said:

 

@NoType Watching the external box and the cut on the black box was announcing that something even worst could have happened on the inside ..

What a relief the inside is almost untouched and still pristine. Congrats again on your new pen, you still have to wait for the nib change, but the pen will travel alone in a more secure way and under the factory supervision and warranty against any incidents. 

@digitorum- Leonardo_W Oh yes, the condition of the parcel seemed like a harbinger of damage and heartbreak.  It was shocking to see.

 

Thank you for your support and reassurances.  I feel relief that the pen will be in safe hands while shipped to Hamburg for its nib exchange.

[Amit.]

14 hours ago, NoType said:

@Amit. It was my pleasure.  It seems ironic that The Origin 149, the one model that Montblanc anticipated would be the least interesting as merely a “another black 149, but with a metal cone,” would have met with such international success.  

 

(Upthread on page 34, I had written: “. . .I was informed by someone at Montblanc that the project planners did not anticipate the high level of interest in The Origin 149, and so production was on a smaller scale than for the other pens of The Origin Collection.  There was a small increase in production when the planners realised their error, but total output was still dwarfed by the other pens in the collection. . .”)

 

I will try again to reach a boutique manager before the end of the week and then report back.

@NoType Thank you once again and many congratulations for the 149 Traveler set. Hope Montblanc is kind enough to send back the exchanged nib in the shortest possible time frame. Seems like you've already gone through a lot , first the wait for the set to arrive, then the customs scare and now the wait for the nib exchange. Wishing you lots of good luck and gifts in abundance !!

[NoType]

11 minutes ago, Amit. said:

@NoType Thank you once again and many congratulations for the 149 Traveler set. Hope Montblanc is kind enough to send back the exchanged nib in the shortest possible time frame. Seems like you've already gone through a lot , first the wait for the set to arrive, then the customs scare and now the wait for the nib exchange. Wishing you lots of good luck and gifts in abundance !!

@Amit. Thank you very much for your felicitations!  From your lips to Montblanc HQ’s ears!  I do not expect special treatment, however, and there are probably others who have experienced the same or even worse with the shipping of this large pen set — I was very fortunate that everything turned out all right in the end — but it is a nice thought to imagine the nib exchange will happen quickly to make up for the anxiety and worry.  I am prepared to settle in for a few months’ wait, in any case.  

 

I am very grateful for your well wishes.  I wish you happiness, health, and many enjoyable gifts this season!

[Toll]

Let me add my congratulations—aside from the dread of damage as I perused your photos—I delighted in the anticipation and am amazed at how much is packed into that box! 

[Seney724]

11 hours ago, NoType said:

Here is the second episode of my report of the unexpected gift of a 149 Traveller (ident 130327) from a too-generous relative: the delivery.  The parcel arrived after a four-day sojourn at US customs, and I had anticipated by this delay that the parcel would be opened and inspected.  Here are some photos, whose low quality I hope can be overlooked:

 

 

These first three eloquently describe the abused state of the parcel, resulting from the parcel having been opened and then re-sealed with insufficient padding, resulting in unsurprising crushing during shipping.  My heart was in my mouth as I started to open the parcel, not knowing in what condition I would find the contents.

 

 

 

This next trio of photos shows that someone in customs used a sharp knife to slice through the bubblewrap as well as the thin outer carton of the pen set itself.  Fortunately, this damage was limited to the underside of the carton, and the top and sides remained intact.  

 

 

 

This photo shows the intact top of the outer carton (bottom) and completely intact sturdy inner box, the latter containing the presentation case.  At this stage of the unboxing my heart rate slowed down and I began to relax a little.

 

 

 

Lifting the top of the inner box revealed the presentation case, enveloped in slim padding.  Beneath the padding sat a service booklet (separate from the thick manual) atop a sheet of black foam.

 

 

 

The four final photos show the Florentine-style pen case and pen in their own tray, revealed when the lid of the presentation case was lifted open; the two ink bottles and thick instruction manual, revealed when the top tray was removed; the collateral for filling the pen (two ink bottle adapters, cone adapter, and cleaning tool), revealed when the manual was removed; and all the parts laid outside the presentation case.  (In this last photo, the thin edge of the pull tab for removing the manual — better seen in the penultimate photo showing the ink bottles and collateral in situ — takes the form of a strange thin periscope-like object rising above the front edge of the open and empty presentation case.  I had forgotten to remove this pull tab before taking the final photo.)

 

Fortunately, everything proved to be present and accounted for in the presentation case (though the label for one of the ink bottle adapters and the cone adapter faced upside down), and the condition of everything was perfect.  The only damage was to the outer carton.  My relative had asked me if I wished for them to remove this thin outer carton, close it, and package it separately in the parcel to protect the carton, as they feared it was too insubstantial to survive international shipping.  I am grateful that I asked my relative to leave the carton as it had originally been packaged, surrounding the sturdy inner box and presentation case within, because the carton sacrificed its integrity to protect the inner box when confronted by the tip of the blade of what I can only presume was a customs officer with swashbuckling tendencies.  If I had agreed to my relative’s suggestion to package the thin outer carton separately in the parcel, then the sturdy inner box would have been cheek-by-jowl with the bubblewap that was cut by the knife and most likely the inner box would have been damaged in the process.

 

Now that the parcel is in my hands and I can see that everything important is intact, I can rest easier, my nervousness about the shipment having dissipated.  Tomorrow I will schedule a complimentary nib exchange (from M to O3B) with the local Montblanc boutique.  I plan to keep the pen sealed in its plastic sleeve in order to protect it until the boutique visit, after which I will report back regarding the O3B nib exchange experience for this limited edition 149.  In the meantime I will use some invisible tape to discreetly put back together the torn underside of the thin outer carton.  Unfortunately a lasting scar from its contretemps with a customs officer will be unavoidable. . .

Well, @NoType, you have "spun" this story like a great & suspenseful mystery classic.  I, too, was on the edge of my seat anxious to learn what would come next......

I am so happy that the ending was favourable.  And, of course, grateful for the terrific photos.

 

Looking at it all through a different lens, I think the total disrespect shown to you and your gift is disgraceful.  I have to assume that an appropriate value was declared for the content of the package and for a CBP Agent to have so recklessly torn through it to expose its content, knowing its significant value, is inexcusable.  If it were mine, I would file a report with the Agency and put in a claim for the damaged property.  Sure, it was just a cardboard outer box but what do you suppose it would sell for on eBay??  It is definitely of some value and the damage as well as the carelessness which created it needs to be brought to the Agency's attention.

[NoType]

1 hour ago, Toll said:

Let me add my congratulations—aside from the dread of damage as I perused your photos—I delighted in the anticipation and am amazed at how much is packed into that box! 

@Toll Many thanks for your felicitations.  You are most kind.  The presentation case is like a miniature version of one of Montblanc’s leather collection boxes, now discontinued it seems, that stores two ink bottles and a dozen pens in two stacking trays (ident 124026):

 

photo courtesy of Jomashop due to lack of official Montblanc images

[NoType]

56 minutes ago, Seney724 said:

Well, @NoType, you have "spun" this story like a great & suspenseful mystery classic.  I, too, was on the edge of my seat anxious to learn what would come next......

I am so happy that the ending was favourable.  And, of course, grateful for the terrific photos.

 

Looking at it all through a different lens, I think the total disrespect shown to you and your gift is disgraceful.  I have to assume that an appropriate value was declared for the content of the package and for a CBP Agent to have so recklessly torn through it to expose its content, knowing its significant value, is inexcusable.  If it were mine, I would file a report with the Agency and put in a claim for the damaged property.  Sure, it was just a cardboard outer box but what do you suppose it would sell for on eBay??  It is definitely of some value and the damage as well as the carelessness which created it needs to be brought to the Agency's attention.

@Seney724 Thank you for your kind words!  I think that at the time of receiving the gift, being shocked at the state of the parcel, and feeling the need to photograph every stage of the unboxing in case the damage to the contents were extensive, I sort of numbly documented everything and then proceeded to create a post for the forum in almost a stream of consciousness manner, not giving enough thought for how the viewer might feel as they were presented with the succession of captioned images.  
 

I was taken a little by surprise when members like @fpupulin, @digitorum- Leonardo_W, @Amit., @Toll, and now you, mentioned the emotional impact of the series of images, and thus I must admit that my narrative’s effect was not planned in advance to be quite so dramatic and that I cannot accept credit for this piece of storytelling.  I think that it is only now that the shock of receiving this lavish gift and the concomitant rollercoaster of emotions at receiving the damaged parcel are finally beginning to wear off, and I am beginning to see how the post might have been perceived by others.  I wish I could say that I knew how to tell stories — I had simply put together the images in sequential order and notated brief explanations without really thinking it through — but on the other hand I apologise for manipulating the viewers’ feelings in such a seemingly brazen manner.

 

As to filing some sort of complaint with US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), the thought has occurred.  At the very least, perhaps they should receive a little feedback of my experience.  Having given some thought to the damage in the past hours I speculate that an overly enthusiastic and time-pressured agent opened the parcel and then started to cut open the bubble-wrapped contents without first checking their declared value.  Perhaps another agent, having already looked over the parcel’s declaration paperwork, noticed what their colleague was doing and immediately stopped them from cutting further into the bubblewrap.  Perhaps the second colleague suggested that they x-ray the parcel instead.  This strikes me as possible because it seems that cutting into the underside of the thin outer cardboard box was as far as the physical exploration was taken.  Nothing else was disturbed and it appeared that the sturdy inner box within the thin outer cardboard box was untouched.  The same applies to the leather presentation case within the sturdy inner box.

 

Thus, it appears to me that someone at customs may have acted precipitously, and when the error was caught by another, that the agents used alternate means to analyse the parcel, and then hurriedly repacked and resealed the parcel before anyone else was the wiser, in that rushed process forgetting to put back all the padding to prevent future crushing during resumed shipment to its destination.  The only factor that undermines this theory is that four days passed before the parcel was released by customs.  Perhaps the rash agent who cut through the parcel did not quite get away with it, and superiors were debating what to do during those four days.  Or perhaps the parcel was set aside after being resealed and temporarily forgotten.

 

I could be completely off-track with these speculations and overestimating how much thought CBP spared on my parcel, making the common erroneous presumption that just because I care a great deal about something, that others (in this case harried officers) must share my sentiments.  Although I may not have sufficient evidence to deduce deliberate wrongdoing in this case, I will definitely take to heart your suggestion to report the damage.  Thank you very much for your perspective.

[Seney724]

9 minutes ago, NoType said:

@Seney724 Thank you for your kind words!  I think that at the time of receiving the gift, being shocked at the state of the parcel, and feeling the need to photograph every stage of the unboxing in case the damage to the contents were extensive, I sort of numbly documented everything and then proceeded to create a post for the forum in almost a stream of consciousness manner, not giving enough thought for how the viewer might feel as they were presented with the succession of captioned images.  
 

I was taken a little by surprise when members like @fpupulin, @digitorum- Leonardo_W, @Amit., @Toll, and now you, mentioned the emotional impact of the series of images, and thus I must admit that my narrative’s effect was not planned in advance to be quite so dramatic and that I cannot accept credit for this piece of storytelling.  I think that it is only now that the shock of receiving this lavish gift and the concomitant rollercoaster of emotions at receiving the damaged parcel are finally beginning to wear off, and I am beginning to see how the post might have been perceived by others.  I wish I could say that I knew how to tell stories — I had simply put together the images in sequential order and notated brief explanations without really thinking it through — but on the other hand I apologise for manipulating the viewers’ feelings in such a seemingly brazen manner.

 

As to filing some sort of complaint with US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), the thought has occurred.  At the very least, perhaps they should receive a little feedback of my experience.  Having given some thought to the damage in the past hours I speculate that an overly enthusiastic and time-pressured agent opened the parcel and then started to cut open the bubble-wrapped contents without first checking their declared value.  Perhaps another agent, having already looked over the parcel’s declaration paperwork, noticed what their colleague was doing and immediately stopped them from cutting further into the bubblewrap.  Perhaps the second colleague suggested that they x-ray the parcel instead.  This strikes me as possible because it seems that cutting into the underside of the thin outer cardboard box was as far as the physical exploration was taken.  Nothing else was disturbed and it appeared that the sturdy inner box within the thin outer cardboard box was untouched.  The same applies to the leather presentation case within the sturdy inner box.

 

Thus, it appears to me that someone at customs may have acted precipitously, and when the error was caught by another, that the agents used alternate means to analyse the parcel, and then hurriedly repacked and resealed the parcel before anyone else was the wiser, in that rushed process forgetting to put back all the padding to prevent future crushing during resumed shipment to its destination.  The only factor that undermines this theory is that four days passed before the parcel was released by customs.  Perhaps the rash agent who cut through the parcel did not quite get away with it, and superiors were debating what to do during those four days.  Or perhaps the parcel was set aside after being resealed and temporarily forgotten.

 

I could be completely off-track with these speculations and overestimating how much thought CBP spared on my parcel, making the common erroneous presumption that just because I care a great deal about something, that others (in this case harried officers) must share my sentiments.  Although I may not have sufficient evidence to deduce deliberate wrongdoing in this case, I will definitely take to heart your suggestion to report the damage.  Thank you very much for your perspective.

Well @NoType, as usual your commentary is a delight to read and I appreciate your sharing all your thoughts and feelings.

 

However, as for the CBP experience, I respectfully recommend that you do not "overthink" it!  They disrespected your expensive possession and created physical damage to a component of it.

That's it, that's all that one needs to know.

 

Unless people like you report this egregious behaviour it will go on, unchecked.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide and congratulations once again. 

[NoType]

14 minutes ago, Seney724 said:

Unless people like you report this egregious behaviour it will go on, unchecked.

@Seney724 This is an excellent point.  Thank you for reminding me of this moral imperative.

 

You are most kind and I will be sure to follow up and report back after I investigate how to go about filing a complaint with CBP.

[fpupulin]

In the year of celebrating the 100th anniversary of Meisterstück, here is a view of my Meisterstücks (hem... not all of them fit in the photo frame...), featuring two of my favorites: the 149 Calligraphy with its perfect nib, and the 149 The Origin, the only one of my 149s that doesn't look like any other...

 

[NoType]

59 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

In the year of celebrating the 100th anniversary of Meisterstück, here is a view of my Meisterstücks (hem... not all of them fit in the photo frame...), featuring two of my favorites: the 149 Calligraphy with its perfect nib, and the 149 The Origin, the only one of my 149s that doesn't look like any other...

 

@fpupulin Everything about this image is noteworthy:

the sumptuous lighting illuminating the scene;

the rich burgundy blotter as the “floor” of the composition;

the tilt of the page encouraging the fortunate viewer to imagine that the writer has just left the desk;

the enchanting writing itself, in two appealing hues of ink;

the elegant Calligraphy 149 and significant The Origin 149, whose caps and barrels frame the calligraphy;

the unique Ultra Black LeGrand and renowned Writers Edition Hemingway just off to the side as if waiting their turn to perform in the writer’s talented hand;

the assemblage of other magnificent implements — including the highly coveted Leonardo Sketch Pen and legendary Solitaire Silver Pinstripe LeGrand — whose placements echo and acknowledge the page’s tilt, as if gently put in those positions by an unseen force radiating from the page, and whose argent and golden hues and accents harmonise with the two favoured 149 pens;

the way the two Florentine-style cylindrical pen pouches escape the frame, tantalisingly hinting at other luscious writing delicacies just out of view;

the luxurious textures and colouring of these pen pouches, different yet related to one another and blending with that opulent bordeaux blotter so well that the background must be mentioned again, atop what the privileged viewer can only imagine must be an resplendent escritoire. . .

what an appropriate commemoration of the Meisterstück’s centenary.

 

Many thanks for this dazzling display!

[sandy101]

The photo clearly shows the midnight blue colour of the centenary 149. 

 

In the low winter sun, it appears to be black, but in brighter light the blue tinge and subtle white swirls become visible.

[NoType]

1 hour ago, sandy101 said:

The photo clearly shows the midnight blue colour of the centenary 149. 

 

In the low winter sun, it appears to be black, but in brighter light the blue tinge and subtle white swirls become visible.

@sandy101 And yet, the barrel is black.  So, when the pen is capped, The Origin 149 appears ever so slightly Midnight Blue, but when the pen is uncapped, The Origin 149 appears plain black.  I find this fascinating to no end.

[singlechange]

17 hours ago, fpupulin said:

In the year of celebrating the 100th anniversary of Meisterstück, here is a view of my Meisterstücks (hem... not all of them fit in the photo frame...), featuring two of my favorites: the 149 Calligraphy with its perfect nib, and the 149 The Origin, the only one of my 149s that doesn't look like any other...

 

fpupulin,  I recognize the two inks used.  What is brand and g/m and color of this particular paper?  Striking photograph and creative arrangement of all the fountain pens.

[maia]

@NoType... those are some nerve wrecking pictures! Glad everything turned out to be ok, otherwise you would now be involved in a great ordeal with the freighter.

 

Enjoy in good health, especially when you receive the pen from Montblanc HQ's with a juicy O3B!

 

Regards,

 

maia

[NoType]

25 minutes ago, maia said:

@NoType... those are some nerve wrecking pictures! Glad everything turned out to be ok, otherwise you would now be involved in a great ordeal with the freighter.

 

Enjoy in good health, especially when you receive the pen from Montblanc HQ's with a juicy O3B!

 

Regards,

 

maia

@maia Yes, I am very relieved that everything important emerged unscathed from the cut open thin outer cardboard box (referred to by Montblanc as “Schutzsleeve,” German for “protective sleeve”) of the pen set.  The protective sleeve did its job in this instance.

 

Thank you for your well wishes!  I will supply a photo in a few months when I receive the O3B nib from Montblanc HQ.

[fireant]

21 hours ago, fpupulin said:

In the year of celebrating the 100th anniversary of Meisterstück, here is a view of my Meisterstücks (hem... not all of them fit in the photo frame...), featuring two of my favorites: the 149 Calligraphy with its perfect nib, and the 149 The Origin, the only one of my 149s that doesn't look like any other...

 

 

Hi, what is the brown ink in your MB 149 Calligraphy? I really like the warmth and shading.