NEW MOA P.A.R.

[ak47]

Hi mb has released the new MOA.

It is marvellous...for me.

[NoType]

4 hours ago, ak47 said:

Hi mb has released the new MOA.

It is marvellous...for me.

@ak47 Thank you for bringing this to our attention.  Here is the direct link:

https://collectorspreview.com/renoir

from the pull-down menu “Choose your edition” in this link: https://collectorspreview.com

 

 

 

 

[lamarax]

Uh... good thing Auguste Renoir's last offspring died in 2008 (correction: apparently he had children). I wouldn't want to suddenly face this... 'hommage', if I were them.

 

Montblanc catches up with Montegrappa really fast 🫣

[a student]

6 hours ago, lamarax said:

Uh... good thing Auguste Renoir's last offspring died in 2008 (correction: apparently he had children). I wouldn't want to suddenly face this... 'hommage', if I were them.

 

Montblanc catches up with Montegrappa really fast 🫣

 

Well; simpler the design, the better I would say

Some of the more coveted Rolexes are the steel ones, not the fancy gold and jewel encrusted kind I now recall

[Lam1]

I don't like the design overall.

But my gosh, IMO that 4810 is in a class of its own! (and not in a good way).

[KAC]

That is simply hideous. Garish. Ostentatious. Verging on functionally useless. Offensive to the "form follows function" concept of an actual useful pen.

[a student]

I can understand that the pressure to produce these novelties, in this case in 5 versions (4810, 888, 161, 92, .. 8 ) every year must create some questions for the those who have to come up with the shortlist of names and others who have to work out the design and the 5 variations on that design. One might recall that this whole MOA and WE started with simplicity of design and has become increasingly complex as well as rather overladen with expensive metal and stone (adding in monetary value rather than aiding in aesthetics). Dare I say that it is moving towards an unacceptable mess?

 

Most humbly, here are some suggestions for MB to consider: 

• Perhaps the MOA be released once every three years to give its "designers" and "artisans" more time to work out their ideas, interact with each other and come up with the product.
• Reduce the number of variations on the design to two, and definitely to no more than three, keeping the precious stones definitely out of this writing business even if the precious metals must be included
• Have some form of consultative process (with its more regular customers?) via inviting names of potential MOA and design suggestions to assist its team to come up with what may be more in keeping with its customer base.
• Of course MB could offer to do a bespoke job for those of its clients who would like an edition of one, piling on gold and diamonds as desired, or even an image of how Renoir might have painted the customer were the artist still up and about
• Precious metal and stone could be offered in cufflinks, broaches, and such, that could accompany the MOA release– that would be more appropriate for those customers who seek a display of "wealth"

Just my tuppence worth

[NoType]

1 hour ago, a student said:

I can understand that the pressure to produce these novelties, in this case in 5 versions (4810, 888, 161, 92, .. 8 ) every year must create some questions for the those who have to come up with the shortlist of names and others who have to work out the design and the 5 variations on that design. One might recall that this whole MOA and WE started with simplicity of design and has become increasingly complex as well as rather overladen with expensive metal and stone (adding in monetary value rather than aiding in aesthetics). Dare I say that it is moving towards an unacceptable mess?

 

Most humbly, here are some suggestions for MB to consider: 

• Perhaps the MOA be released once every three years to give its "designers" and "artisans" more time to work out their ideas, interact with each other and come up with the product.
• Reduce the number of variations on the design to two, and definitely to no more than three, keeping the precious stones definitely out of this writing business even if the precious metals must be included
• Have some form of consultative process (with its more regular customers?) via inviting names of potential MOA and design suggestions to assist its team to come up with what may be more in keeping with its customer base.
• Of course MB could offer to do a bespoke job for those of its clients who would like an edition of one, piling on gold and diamonds as desired, or even an image of how Renoir might have painted the customer were the artist still up and about
• Precious metal and stone could be offered in cufflinks, broaches, and such, that could accompany the MOA release– that would be more appropriate for those customers who seek a display of "wealth"

Just my tuppence worth

@a student Your post has the distinction of suggesting solutions rather than simply presenting complaints, an accomplishment others in the subforum have also achieved from time to time, but the rarity of the contribution maintains the freshness of this sort of participation in a discussion, meriting my thanks.

 

Though all your proposals are well taken — I enthusiastically agreed with the last four bullet points — I wanted to briefly mention that Alessandra Elia, Montblanc’s Director of Writing Culture, disclosed in a video interview (please see the link to the “Montblanc Event” appearing in the first paragraph of the following article: https://inkstable.com/interview-with-montblanc-writing-department-director-alessandra-elia/amp/) that a creative team develops a new pen over a period of years.  The implication being that Montblanc has many irons in the fire, so to speak, each project’s development overlapping others in a staggered time frame.  Montblanc apparently already allows their designers and artisans years to conceptualise and create each pen, and thus the first bullet point seems superfluous.  The third bullet point (consultation with regular customers) may occur at present on an informal basis, but I agree that a more structured approach in this regard could be helpful.

 

Also, please allow me to provide a slight qualification to the assertion that the Patron of Art collection grew more complex over time.  The following photographs of the entirety of the 888 versions (1995-2022), courtesy of Gerardo Foglia’s eBay listing (https://www.ebay.com/itm/204337060062?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=T1IXcBOrSRO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=AvepPp2_Rxa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY), seem to portray a marked consistency of complexity until 2016’s Peggy Guggenheim (first pen from the left, third tray), after which the designs resumed the complexity of 2006’s Semiramis (second pen from the left, first tray).  The 1992 Lorenzo de Medici, 1993 Octavian, and 1994 Louis XIV, released for sale only in 4810 versions, were not significantly less complex to my layperson’s gaze than 1995’s The Prince Regent (first pen from the left, first tray).

 

 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

[a student]

1 hour ago, NoType said:

@a student Your post has the distinction of suggesting solutions rather than simply presenting complaints, an accomplishment others in the subforum have also achieved from time to time, but the rarity of the contribution maintains the freshness of this sort of participation in a discussion, meriting my thanks.

 

Though all your proposals are well taken — I enthusiastically agreed with the last four bullet points — I wanted to briefly mention that Alessandra Elia, Montblanc’s Director of Writing Culture, disclosed in a video interview (please see the link to the “Montblanc Event” appearing in the first paragraph of the following article: https://inkstable.com/interview-with-montblanc-writing-department-director-alessandra-elia/amp/) that a creative team develops a new pen over a period of years.  The implication being that Montblanc has many irons in the fire, so to speak, each project’s development overlapping others in a staggered time frame.  Montblanc already apparently allows their designers and artisans years to conceptualise and create each pen, and thus the first bullet point seems superfluous.

 

Thank you for your kind words. I take your point and I shall try and explain my point of view, which could of course be entirely misplaced.

 

Thank you also for the link. I just read the Inkstable piece and also viewed the linked video. @NoType, what I would say is that Ms Ella is good at her assignment, and to me that seems to be the promotion of a product. The lady brings rich experience from a diverse range of products to her MB assignment (Burberry, P&G, etc), and I would not be surprised to see her in a similar slot in a more prestigious luxury house. 

 

The good fellow asking the questions, Mr Naldi, is very supportive of MB's work, and is inherently committed to promoting the product– being a sales person by profession. Rather than throw a hardball, our good Mr Naldi affords the good Ms Ella every opportunity to explain why the products are at the price point that they are– it is a product Mr Naldi has to sell and this interview should help. 

 

Now if what we see in the current MOA is indeed the work of several high powered designers, in a team of 5 dozen or so, over a. period of years, and yet it seems to fall short of consumer tastes (I take the FPN friends to be a knowledgeable, informed and vocal part of the consumer community), then there is something surely amiss. I do not know where the problem is, and therefore what might be the answer. I would be speculating if I were to suggest that possibly the team of 60 is working on a fair range of products and thus cannot afford to be truly focussed on any single one; results have to be produced in relation to one or more from that portfolio of products every year.  

 

I am leafing through a book How Painting Happens (and Why it Matters) by Martin Gayford The relevant point is "creativity". The interesting bit of relevance is that some artists are forced to "create" even in situations where they would much rather not. And that can hardly help!

 

All that said, I do very much like the MB Maki-e edition; but then that kind of work is not a rarity in Japan- available at a range of prices depending on the motif, the artist and the materials. I would also note that the Maki-e piece exhibits Japanese "creativity"/"high artistry" at work, and not so much those engineering skills that are Germany's forte. 

 

I hope this is helpful in understanding my point of view

[a student]

@NoType Somehow I seem to have missed those images and the accompanying text!!! Strange indeed. Thank you; and I will take a look in a while

You too have a happy 2025, in good health, and in a more peaceful world than we experienced in 2024

[Paul-in-SF]

To the OP: are you facing a pay-by-the-letter fee for your headlines? And even if so, did you consider that "Renoir" has exactly the same number of keystrokes as "P.A.R." as well as being easier to type because you only have to use the Shift key once instead of three times? 

 

Of course, if you don't particularly want people to notice or open your threads, by all means continue making them as obscure as possible. 

[NoType]

44 minutes ago, Paul-in-SF said:

To the OP: are you facing a pay-by-the-letter fee for your headlines? And even if so, did you consider that "Renoir" has exactly the same number of keystrokes as "P.A.R." as well as being easier to type because you only have to use the Shift key once instead of three times? 

 

Of course, if you don't particularly want people to notice or open your threads, by all means continue making them as obscure as possible. 

@Paul-in-SF I believe the OP’s title is a reference to this:

 

from this:

 

(Confusion about conditions of Montblanc’s information embargo may be a contributing factor.)

[NoType]

11 hours ago, a student said:

I would be speculating if I were to suggest that possibly the team of 60 is working on a fair range of products and thus cannot afford to be truly focussed on any single one; results have to be produced in relation to one or more from that portfolio of products every year.

@a student I now see what you meant by your first bullet point of your proposal.  Yes, limiting a Masters of Art release to one every three years would allow designers to focus on one project at a time.

 

 

11 hours ago, a student said:

I do very much like the MB Maki-e edition

@a student I adore Raden and am fascinated by this, Montblanc’s first Meisterstück Calligraphy Maki-e 88 release:

https://www.montblanc.com/en-ch/fountain-pens_cod25185454457517383.html

 

[a student]

1 hour ago, NoType said:

I adore Raden and am fascinated by this, Montblanc’s first Meisterstück Calligraphy Maki-e 88 release:

https://www.montblanc.com/en-ch/fountain-pens_cod25185454457517383.html

@NoType A very nice example of the craft indeed. And the point to note (for me) is that the quality of work and the simplicity of design have great aesthetic appeal; even though (or precisely because) the pen is not loaded up with gold, diamonds, etc., etc.

[Paul-in-SF]

2 hours ago, NoType said:

@Paul-in-SF I believe the OP’s title is a reference to this:

 

Thank you, but I think my point stands, unless it was the OP's intent to limit interest to those who are familiar with the other thread. In which case he might as well just have appended it there. 

[NoType]

41 minutes ago, Paul-in-SF said:

 

Thank you, but I think my point stands, unless it was the OP's intent to limit interest to those who are familiar with the other thread. In which case he might as well just have appended it there. 

@Paul-in-SF Oh, it indubitably does; I only meant to bring up the other thread as a possible explanation.

[lamarax]

I don't think people who have managed to have that kind of disposable income from their work, could be allured by that kind of aesthetics.

 

First of all, those aesthetics don't match the visual research and problematic of such a revolutionary time in art history as the impressionist's time.

 

Those... things are more or less geared aesthetically to the 'nouveaux-riche', i.e. money laundering oligarchs around the world.

 

 

 

[Opooh]

Welk, I am glad for the people that are bewitched with this kind of MB. Best they can do, take a deep breath and lay back. Think about your budget and your boundaries. Except you can print your own dollars , choices have to be made. When trying to get them all, you get trouble with the lady, your bank etc., always say no makes you a frustrated collectionneur. Find the “for  you “ middle of the Road.

it also took me years to arrive at that POINT.

missing one or two of a series Yeah, you can be tempted to ho after them. Missing ten, you loose interest in that series, no more frustration.

and focus on other pens.

[NoType]

30 minutes ago, Opooh said:

Except you can print your own dollars , choices have to be made. When trying to get them all, you get trouble with the spouse, your bank etc., always say no makes you a frustrated collectionneur. Find the “for  you “ middle of the Road.

it also took me years to arrive at that POINT.

missing one or two of a series Yeah, you can be tempted to ho after them. Missing ten, you loose interest in that series, no more frustration.

and focus on other pens.

@Opooh I concur.  This is why my grandfather advised me only to choose what spoke directly to me and not simply because I wanted to fill a “hole” in my collection.  The guidance has stood me in good stead for many years.

[CBK]

Based on these reactions it certainly appears this subforum is full of Manet fans…😂