The Platinum #3776 Century Review

The #3776 is a marvellous piece of writing instrument that any passionate fountain pen lover would consider absolutely essential, for building up a collection. Sometimes, it’s one of the top five must haves for people like us, available perhaps at the lowest price given the gold nib. As for me, I never sensed any urgency to get one, as there were a few similar shaped pens (Pilot Custom 74, Sailor 1911 & MB 146) with me. I liked the wide flattish nib and had decided to take a Naka-ai writer later, which would address my desires of getting an urushi lacquered pen in Tamenuri finish. With time however, a few #3776s of my friends passed through my hands and then one fine day the wine red Bourgogne seemed to be unavoidable. I didn't like few of the nibs which I had encountered previously, given their low tolerance to even moderate pressures resulting in higher feedback. The similarly sized and shaped Pilot Custom 74 albeit with a smaller nib, wrote like a dream with just the softness and responsiveness one would ideally want in a fountain pen. The pluses were many if I ended up with the right kind of nib, given a great balance, an unique colour and a air-tight sealing mechanism of the cap. 

PRESENTATION (6/6)

The pen comes in a blue faux-leather gift box, packed with one blue cartridge, a converter, a warranty card and an user manual. I like the simple, no-fuss design of the box with the right amount of protection necessary for the pen.

The model number of the pen, in this case tagged to the clip in a small plastic sleeve, PNB-10000 #71, encompasses both the launch price and colour within it. The 10000 refers to JPY 10,000 as the launch price and #71 to Bourgogne, in this case.

DESIGNED - CLASSICAL CIGAR (5/6) 

The #3776 comes with plethora of names and materials ranging from resin to wood to ebonite & celluloids. The ones most commonly purchased across #3776 Century Collection is either the Chartres Blue or the Bourgogne one. The original #3776 series was designed by Japanese playwright Haruo Umeda who was incidentally also known as Mr.Fountain Pen, along with the designers at Platinum, with the intention of creating an ideal fountain pen. The first of the #3776s were made available to general public in 1978. They sold over 150,000 pens in the first six months, gaining popular use. As you might already know, #3776 expresses the height of Mt. Fuji (3776 meters), the highest peak in Japan. This new model however represents the first full model change in over 33 years. You can find a more detailed historical interlude with an amazing review of the Chartres Blue version by Garden Man on FPN.

                 This classical cigar starts with a rounded off finial and a gold plated clip & ring combination, syncing well with concentric cap bands and concluding with a golden dazzle at the end of the barrel. The relatively dark wine red or Bourgogne coloured resin allows light to dazzle through the entirety of the pen. Bourgogne (or Burgundy) is one of France's main wine producing areas. The region is well known for both its red and white wines, mostly made from Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes, respectively. The pen incidentally gleams in revealing wine red and striking golden hues with ambient light and these effects proliferate with light. The converter shines within, revealing the ink-levels inside. The transparency doesn't give in to all ambience of light, and keeps pacing up with the intensity of red wine.

The cap disengages in less than two turns. revealing a golden glaze of the 14k nib. The grip does reveal another knot of glitter, at start of the section here. The barrel further steps down to the section, however it did not affect my writing experience. Injection-moulding threads are somewhat visible at the threads of the barrel and grip, which could have been polished off.

Compared to the President nib, the #3776 nib poses serious competition in terms of size and of course flexibility.

The cap with a rounded off finial preserves a classical look. A few things etched across a thicker centre band include the symbol p for brand name of PLATINUM, model number #3776 and of course MADE IN JAPAN. An concentric narrow band above renders some differential aesthetics. The simple clip is tension-fit and has a traditional shape, with a faint western resemblance. From top, you can also observe part of spring & screw of the Slip & Seal mechanism inside the finial. 

This new air-tight screw on cap is supposed to completely seal off the nib tip from outside air, preventing any escaping vapours. The inner cap ‘Slip & Seal’ mechanism was originally designed for the pull-on caps on lower models. 

                      In the current design, the forward upraised edge of the section pushes up against the inner cap, the inner cap rotates independently of the outer cap till a spring at the end of the inner cap pushes back the distance, thereby removing the ambient air and achieving an air-tight seal, as seen in this video. This last bit of threads on the barrel (almost the last quarter turn) which activate the air-tight seal in the inner cap, keep the nib from drying out for more than a year, according to Platinum. 

Overall, the building materials (resin) and the quality of gold plating seem to have improved. The resin seems reasonably resistant to scratches compared to older models but I do see a cap mark on the end of the barrel as I consistently happen to post the pen.

FILLING SYSTEM (4/6)

As a cartridge converter filler, the supplied convertor is limited by a volume of 0.6 mL although platinum cartridges have an advantage with capacity of more than 1 mL. Unfortunately enough, Platinum stopped manufacturing piston-fillers long back and the last one (70th Anniversary) was released way back in 1989. The #3776 takes in proprietary converters and like all other current Platinum pens and there is an adapter available for international cartridges/converters, whose production is currently stopped.

              The barrel disengages from the grip section with less than three turns, exposing metallic threads of the section (thus removing the eye dropper possibility). The resin barrel carries the opposite threads inside.

The proprietary converter looks cool with its golden trims matching the overall trims of the pen and you can observe the ink levels through streaming transparency of red wine. As you can see, almost the entire converter capacity(albeit limited), remains exposed to your eye. 

NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (5/6)

The nib #3776 is made up of 14k gold alloy and it comes across in several Japanese widths - EF(Extra-Fine), F(Fine), M(Medium), B(Broad), UEF(Ultra extra-fine), SF(Soft Fine) & C(Double broad). Inscribed within the nib is the symbol of Mt. Fuji’s peak.

                A heart-shaped breather hole lies above the imprint of a relatively flatly styled nib. Below the etching of #3776 and the brand symbol p, along with nib alloy (14k), width (M) and gold content(585), rest at the far end of the tail. The peaks of Mt. Fuji start parallel to the tines and achieve their summit towards the iridium tipping. These scrollwork are limited to the tines. JAPAN is engraved on one of the faceted shoulders. The nib lays a wet and smooth line and is a tad forgiving to pressure.

The black plastic feed for the has spacey and stylish fins and even with the cap open for a while, it does not take an effort to lay a consistently wet line. A small feeder hole at the section end provides ink suction for the converter. This is a redesigned feeder which is wider and thicker than the 1978 one, resulting in a stronger nib alignment. The nib and feed are heat fitted and you are advised not to pull out the unit just for fun.

PHYSICS OF IT – RELATIVELY SPEAKING (6/6)

The cigar shape of a pen renders comfort and balance for usage. The cap weighs around 10 grams, and I prefer to post the pen to get necessary heft even for extended writing. To take notes or scribble here & there, I don't usually post the pen. The section with around 1 cm girth is another desirable element for longer writing sessions. Along with the converter, the weight and balance are what you would pretty much expect in most of the nicer pens.

• Length closed ~ 14 cm 
• Length open ~ 12 cm 
• Length posted ~ 16 cm 
• Grip Diameter ~ 1 cm 
• Nib Leverage ~ 3.3 cm 
• Weight (with inked converter) ~ 23-24 g 
• Weight of cap ~ 10 g 

Some snaps of capped, uncapped & posted #3776 with Sailor Pro Gear, Pilot Custom 74 and Pelikan m605 go below for your reference.

ECONOMIC VALUE (6/6)

The pen retails at around USD 176 in the US or around Rs 10,000 in India, although you can find it significantly lower prices in Japan. I bought the pen at around the street price plus shipping which hovers around USD 80-90. The pen reached me from Pensindia Pune office next day, after placing an order. Honestly, if you are end up with the right kind of nib, this pen is the steal of a deal. It cannot get better than this, given the 14k better-sized gold nib, along with a good body in a comfortable shape. 

OVERALL (5.3/6)

The medium nib lays a width somewhere between a western extra fine and western fine, graced with a wet and consistent flow. With free flowing inks like Waterman, Pilot Standard ones or specific Iroshizukus, the nib glides over paper with great panache. You may feel a bit of resistance, in case of more viscous/shading inks (say MBTB or even Sailors). I did feel some characteristic spring and a hint of softness with the 14k nib. It felt rigid initially, but with constant writing the nib has started to accommodate my pen-pressure with incremental reflexes. The verticals are almost as thick as the horizontals, showing an absence of any unforced line variation. With a decent buffer capacity of the plastic feed and remarkable sealing off mechanism of the cap, the nib starts like a star and glides over the paper with Iroshizuku Yama-budo ink. The ink takes around 20 seconds to dry completely on MD paper, which also points to efficiency as well as economy of Japanese manufacturing. Overall, I am glad that I have finally bought this pen for myself. 

Thank you again for going through the review.

You can find other pen and paraphernalia reviews here.

REFERENCES

Air-Tight Seal of Cap

Platinum #3776 Century Website
Platinum Izumo - President Nib Review

A Review of Namiki Emperor in Vermillion Urushi

Surely, dazzled by the resplendent allure of a Japanese ED (with the concept of a shut-off valve mechanism), the lust for an urushi lacquered pen vis-a-vis plain ebonite ones (seemingly susceptible to lose shine and colour over time) did keep growing on me for some time, before I took this plunge! I have come to know of an unfortunate experience with a Sailor KOP in Ebonite and have felt that without urushi, ebonite just fails to complete itself. These glamorous reviews from shuuemura and rubyeyespenlover should be banned and blamed altogether for pen-monetary crises, which I kept visiting again & again. These reviews did make me aware of huge dimensions of the Emperor more towards a ‘at rest desk-pen’, with a reassurance of writing comfort. I will keep this review unrated, since beautiful things in life do not need logic or mathematics to impart you with joy. And yes, some call it the Elder Wand(Pen), some call it the Emperor. And yet, it's still called a Lacquer Vermillion Urushi #50 without rings.

So when I got dazzled for long enough, I asked Raul (Engeika/Pensindia) for an opinion regarding the Emperor vs Yukari Royale. Since most of our discussions these days refer to trade economics, Government taxation rather than any real pen discussions, he lazily took two to three days to check with Namiki and confirmed me back with the nib availability for both the pens. He did give me a discounted price (which I shall not discuss) for the Emperor model, more as a friend than a seller. I went ahead with it, because the production of Emperor pen without rings had been stopped by Namiki and it would become difficult to acquire a preferred nib-width. The beauty travelled from Japan and reached me via Pensindia Pune office in less than two weeks.

A JUMBO HISTORY OF 85 YEARS

In early 1930’s, the Emperor existed in the form of No.50 Jumbo. It was decommissioned a few years later. On one rare occasion as referenced here, Nomura securities (estd 1925) had a specially commissioned No. 50 Jumbo pen made for itself, with Dunhill-Namiki engraved (with the classic M-shape logo) in 1936, for distribution among its employees to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the company. Wow! how many companies would do that today?

Pilot reintroduced the pen in 1985 to tap the high margin market, as referenced here. The task was left to Sakai Eisuke to create a No. 50 Jumbo prototype based on the 1920s model. The initial model had a 14k nib with the 14 KARAT NAMIKI <NIB WIDTH> REGISTERED PATENT OFFICE 50 inscription, which later got replaced with a 18k nib carrying a similar engraving. 

These days it comes with Namiki’s standard Mt. Fuji inscription. The finish of these Urushi lines is obtained by using non-oil lacquer for the final coat and a polishing method called Roiro Urushi Shiage (Non-oil lacquer finish) as per Namiki. It’s done by rubbing the pen in raw lacquer after a special charcoal polishing process. And if you look at the plain Urushi line of pens (vermillion & black), the artisan’s name would say Kokkokai. Kokkokai is a continuation of the original group of Maki-e artisans formed in 1931, under leadership of Maki-e master Gonroku Matsuda, who had joined Ryosuke Namiki back in 1926 as Chief Maki-e Designer. Matsuda is said to have designed for Montblanc too.

URUSHI

Urushi, as you know is the poisonous sap of the urushi or lacquer tree (Toxicodendron Vernicifluum) which grows in Japan, China, and Korea and is primarily brown in colour. The sap of this tree polymerises to form a hard, durable, plastic-like substance, when exposed to moisture/air. Liquid urushi can be applied to multiple materials like wood, metal, cloth, resin, ceramics or ebonite as opposed to the best of synthetic lacquers. When it solidifies, Urushi turns into a very hard coating that is waterproof and protects the coated object from effects of fungus, ambient chemical reactions at surface due to heat or humidity or even from caustic acids. Colored urushi such as black or shu (red) are made byy mixing pigments into cured urushi. With natural exposure to air and ultraviolet light (extended UV exposure ends up in discolouration), the urushi layers gradually increase in transparency and the material gradually unveils shades of original bright colours within. 

The birth of the maki-e decoration technique took place during the Nara period in Japan i.e from 710-794 AD, in which gold ''dust'' was decoratively sprinkled on the lacquer surface. So maki-e utensils, accessories and writing instruments have evolved to their present forms from thousands of years ago. Only direct and prolonged exposure to sunlight will cause urushi to deteriorate. Urushi's hardness and durability makes it an excellent protective coating for any object that will be used continously over a long period of time (Paraphrased from Kyotoguide). This all that ends up with a versatile material and with a characteristic hardness, durability, imperviousness and resistance to abrasion. The elegance of ebonite is supposed to endure time and space with the urushi flair. 

PRESENTED BY NAMIKI

The presentation is grand and velvety with a spacious wooden box, capable of packing your sneakers too, which is made out of traditional Paulownia wood. It is protectively packaged inside a cardboard box. The box has a violet thread running across two metal brackets to fasten the upper lid. 

Resting inside is a bottle of Namiki Black Ink (Pilot Black Ink - 50 mL), an Ink dropper with a red bulb encased in a black cardboard box, a red velvety polishing cloth and finally the No#50 Jumbo resting on its bed. I did receive a nice surprise gift from Pensindia - it is a Pilot Somes single-pen pouch. Thank you! (PS : The Emperor would not fit inside this standard Pilot Pouch)

The model number of the pen, in this case FNF-148S-<R/B>-<F/FM/M/B> indicates the launch price and colour of the pen. 148 refers to JPY 148,000 whereas the third digit R/B refers to the red/black urushi product.

DESIGNED CLASSICALLY 

This Lacquer No.#50 model comes in two standard colours - Black & Vermillion (Urushi) with gold plated clips. A newer No.#50 Urushi model available with two concentric rings on the cap, carrying a different model number. The ebonite feels substantial in hand from dual perspectives of dimensions but at the same time the pen does not feel heavy. 

The classical cigar or rather torpedo shaped geometry with Vermillion hue adores itself with light, which when reflected through multiple layers of urushi takes on a electric red tinge on an otherwise conservative scarlet red hue. The work and finish is impeccable and it does not show any signs of being handmade, whatsoever. The simplistic yet elegant design comes with a single golden accent, provided deftly by the traditional triangular shaped tension fit clip with a sphere to anchor into your shirt pockets, if you have that big a pocket. A marked absence of any other decoration like a clip band or ring or anything else on the entire pen, imparts a continued infinity to modes of convergence. Vermillion is considered as an auspicious colour throughout East Asia, where it’s culturally imbibed. It has four synthetic & natural shades as of today: Red-Orange[sRGB (255, 83, 73)], Orange-Red[sRGB (255, 69, 0)], Plochere[sRGB (217, 96, 59)] and Chinese Red[sRGB (170, 56, 30)]. The shades/hue of the pens in red urushi might vary from one other.

The cap unravels itself after one and a half turns. It reveals the beautiful nib with the modern Mt.Fuji inscription which is incidentally 1.1 cm longer than the section itself. The seamless grip goes through a fair amount of taper starting from the barrel and ends up with a smoothly carved out bumper, emphasising continuity. The cap threads on the barrel are carved out with sculpted finesse and the grip section ends up with a small but discernible gap between itself and the barrel (common across the Urushi models). There is a rubber gasket there as the pen holds a considerable amount of ink, for leakage would be a problem. What looks like a gap is really more insulation. The barrel at the other end leads leisurely to the tail where you have the ink-shutoff valve. This picture thankfully captured the tail end, which your eyes might fail to notice, unless you know where you are looking for it.

I feel, the cap is itself a subtle piece art made from a single ebonite blank. It carries the valour and brevity of the overall smooth curved design with remarkable panache. The finish is impeccable, with the colours varying between bright and dark with the play of light. The clip is traditional triangular Pilot with a sphere at the end, inscribed with Namiki with the Isosceles Triangle within a Pentagon logo. There is a alphanumeric code inscribed on the upper base of the clip, where it delves into the cap. 

FILLING SYSTEM - The ‘Japanese’ Eyedropper 

A bit of history on it, there were these traditional non-self filling systems or NSF (without any filling mechanism - piston/button/plunger) and luckily enough fountain pens were compulsory during my junior school days. Since the squeeze converters/cartridges did not last long, we used to bank on fountain pens from Camlin & Chelpark which used to offer the capacity of the barrel itself. However, sometimes we did end up with ink inside the cap and sometimes a blue blot on pockets of our white shirts (our school uniform) due to ink burping & subsequent leakage. If I remember correctly, Surf made all the money those days, using this particular advertisement with an ink blot on white pockets in TV media. Seems the burping had mattered to the Japanese first, thanks to their costly Kimonos made of silk, when they had come up with an ink stop - plunger mechanism in early 1912. 

                The term ED (Eyedropper) came into picture after advent of vacuum driven self filling pens with button, squeeze or plunger mechanisms. Now comes the ink-dropper with the red bulb to make an appearance. The section takes almost eternity (read seven complete turns) to reveal one of the most basic fountain pen filling systems. Most of the times, I fear the section would drop off due to my monotony and laziness during unscrewing the section. Once unscrewed, you can see the conical ink shutoff valve inside the barrel and a similar conical concavity with a crevice inside the section, to make the system work. The insides of the barrel & section are all black. With the dropper filled up with your favourite ink, you are supposed to be fill the barrel, until the visible internal threads. Leave the valve shut while filling the barrel, then unscrew one turn to allow air inside the chamber while writing and then close when finished. The entire rod is to be extracted completely, only when you are cleaning the barrel. It's a delicate system, so one must avoid pulling the rod frequently. While using, you can unscrew the tail by 1 mm or so and start writing, although the feed might have a buffer comparable to a converter. After use, you can follow the instruction of screwing back the tail with the nib turned upside. 

NIB - LORD OF THE NIBS

The nib with this Emperor is 18k which weighs more than 2 grams and it came with four stock widths earlier - F, FM, M & B according to the enclosed booklet. It seems F and B nibs have run out of stock for Namiki/Pilot Office in Japan. The nib isn't anything short of grand, but believe me it takes time to get used to it. It’s longer than the section by more than 1 cm. Inscribed is the symbol of Mt. Fuji (also found in #3776 nibs), the upper part symbolic of the snow caps. 

The oval breather hole rests within the snow caps. Below the snow, etched are the Namiki Logo (Isosceles triangle inside a Pentagon), Namiki, gold alloy specs (18k-75%) and Nib width <M>. The nib is sharply curved compared to usual flatter Pilot nibs, at its shoulders & tines, as a continuity of the precision followed by Kokkokai artists, while making the pen.

On the left the #50 nib carries the Namiki Logo Ste PP-F hallmark and on the right it carries the date stamp. Mine is a707, “a” as I understand refers to the machine/plant where the pen was made and 707 as usual refers to July-2007 manufacturing. 

The semi-lacquered plastic feed (red urushi) converges majestically with the overall design of the pen. The big fins ensure levelling ambient air pressure and give you a really worthy buffer (from underside the nib). You can write a few A4 pages with the shut-off valve/tail closed. When I filled the pen for the first time, the feed took some time to respond, but when it did it was with a nice and consistent flow, and after that it was pure performance. 

PHYSICS OF IT – RELATIVELY SPEAKING

This is in no way a daily carry pen designed for extensive use as a travel companion. For a daily pen, I assume that a Yukari Royale would fit the bill well, albeit with a smaller nib. I take special care and limit the pen to home use only. The ebonite body keeps the pen warm & comfortably balanced for writing. The pen is in fact quite comfortable to write with, even for an extended period of time. The grip is temperate and soothing, showcasing the better qualities of ebonite, with urushi sustaining its demeanour. Posting the pen is probably an impossibility for me, given the size, finish or value of the pen. I really do not have any pen to compare it with, though I strongly feel that the Emperor deserves a place of its own. A slight disadvantage in my experience occurs when I change back to a m605 or a 3776, and I have a funny feeling of missing a nib altogether, for the first few moments. Figures for weight and dimension run below in case you need to compare it with a familiar pen. 

• Length closed ~ 17.3 cm 
• Length open ~ 15.8 cm 
• Grip Diameter ~ 1.4 cm 
• Nib Leverage ~ 3.3 cm 
• Weight (without ink) ~ 46 g 
• Weight (without cap) ~ 30 g
• Ink Capacity ~ 4.4 - 5.0 mL 

Capped, uncapped Emperor poses with an MB149 and Izumo Tagayasan with an apparent disdain for their great magnitude.

ECONOMIC VALUE 

The Emperor retailed at around USD 1600 in the US, although you can find it at lower prices in Japan. Moreover, the production of Emperor without rings has been stopped now and Raul was kind enough to arrange one for me. Technically speaking, I bought the pen from Engeika’s Indian Arm - Pensindia. 

               Logically the economic value should be equal to salvage value of the pen after a few years of use and I don't think the price will vary by much even after a few years use with proper care, given that someone decides to sell it off. Having said that, even though the pen is one of its kind and the lacquer finish is impeccable, you should give it a serious thought, before taking this kind of a plunge. It will result in a fair amount of money being locked up within the urushi layers! 

OVERALL

The medium nib is graced with a wet flow. It’s neither butter smooth nor with any noticeable feedback, strictly speaking. You will right away know it’s a Pilot nib, in case you have used any of the Pilot pens with a Size#15 nib like a Custom 823 or Custom 845. And it does share its basic DNA with its cousins. I feel that some characteristic spring and softness comes naturally to the Emperor because of the size & shape of the nib, rather from gold content. The verticals grow thicker even with a little bit of pressure. With a high buffer capacity of the feed and its magnificent fins for pressure balance, the nib imparts a beautiful shading to the letters in Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo ink. The ink takes around 45 seconds to dry completely on Tomoe River paper. 

Thank you again for going through the review.

You can find other pen and paraphernalia reviews here.

The Yukari Royale with the Emperor. Notice the difference between the red shades.

SOME CAUTIONARY GUIDELINES FOR URUSHI LACQUER CARE

I felt like including some pointers regarding care of urushi lacquered pens here, since it will help me more than the reader (most of whom are extremely knowledgeable). The points are derived from this FPN Thread. 

1. AVOID Ultraviolet light - direct sunlight, UV lamps, halogen lamps. 
2. AVOID Continuous exposure to visible light which can alter colour, transparency and appearance. 
3. Do NOT soak in water. 
4. Store in a dark place to prevent undesirable changes. 
5. Do NOT store the pen in an excessively dry or desiccating environment for long periods like inside the fridge, with silica gels etc. 
6. Do NOT use abrasive cleaners or polishes, use a soft cloth damp if necessary, to wipe the pen 
7. Do NOT have to apply anything to the surface of urushi: oils, stinky tofu, silicone or otherwise. 

REFERENCES

Dunhill - Namiki Jumbo#1930s

Gonroku Matsuda

About Urushi

FPN Thread on Care for Urushi lacquered pens

A Montblanc Meisterstück 149 in Red Gold

PRELUDE

I was looking to gift my dad with a Montblanc pen for a long time. And it had to be a new one. Personally, I had bought a pre-owned MB 146 (the only pre-owned in my small collection), and I am more or less happy with it. It’s kind of ineffable but the right shape with the right balance, encompassed within a classical look seemed missing in some luxury pens, which I own. Personally, I feel that any pen above $ 100 is never a VFM and it’s rather a self-indulgence in fooling myself when I order one more expensive pen. May be it’s just applying theory of brand relativity when I try to convince myself that a Pilot 823 or a m800 is a VFM pen.

Back to the pen and it’s acquisition, the phenomenon was popularly known as the Apshankar hand wave within our small fountain pen group on the Telegram app. Actually, Kapil & Pradeep are the two main agents for urban poverty for many people including Vaibhav and me. Jokes apart, both are really fine people who are passionate about pens & paraphernalia and real good friends. Pradeep was kind enough to place an order for me from LCC & the pen travelled across the Atlantic Ocean with Kapil to finally land in my hand. While I was a bit unsure of the Red Gold trim, aesthetic opinions from both Kapil & Dennis (of LCC) helped me finalise on my choice. 

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING

As most of you would know, Montblanc was started as Simplizissimus-Füllhalter in 1906 by a Hamburg banker, Alfred Nehemias, and a Berlin engineer, August Eberstein. Simplizissimus-Füllhalter means Simplistic Fountain pens and the founders had learnt about fountain pens with ink tanks from the US. By 1908, three other people by the name of Wilhelm Dziambor, Christian Lausen and later Claus Johannes Voss had taken over the business and the company took the name “Simplo Filler Pen Co.” which referred to a fountain pen design with a built-in ink-tank. 

In 1909, a safety fountain pen made up of hard rubber called “Rouge et Noir” was launched, which actually translates into Red and Black. The pen consisted of a red cap and a black body, perhaps inspired from the card-game. You can also find a limited edition of the same. In 1910, the company became Mont Blanc, inspired by the highest peak of the Alps (4810 m) and a pen called Montblanc was introduced with a white tip (which would later evolve into the classical white star in 1913). In 1926, the Meisterstück was launched. By 1929, the nibs were engraved with 4810, the official height of Mont Blanc peak, as an allusion to superior quality and craftsmanship. The flagship Meisterstück 149 was launched in 1952, evolving from celluloid & brass mechanism to resin & plastic mechanism over the years. The 149 was reintroduced with a triple tone 18k nib (they are 2 colours really) somewhere around 1995.

For the conventions of MB, as far as the model numbers XYZ (149) are concerned, it did traditionally follow a naming convention, albeit in a rather loose manner

• X or 1: Tier of pen, 1 - Top class or Meisterstück 2 - Medium range & 3 - Economy
• Y or 4: 0 - Safety filler, 2 - Button Filler, 3/4 - Piston Filler
• Z or 9: Nib size, 9 being the largest

MB has eventually stopped production of all economy pens in 1992.

PRESENTATION (6/6)

The pen came inside a luxury gift box, with an user manual cum warranty card and a 60 mL bottle of Montblanc Mystery Black Ink. I hope that the pictures below will be able to do a justice, especially when you are gifting the pen to someone dear. I am someway bound to appreciate this presentation with a full rating. 

DESIGN - THE CLASSIC CIGAR (6/6)

Glistening with red gold with a non pretentious shine of black preserves a culture, while simultaneously adding a touch of modern luxury. While Red gold, Rose Gold & Pink Gold are often used interchangeably, 18k Red Gold is actually made of 75% gold and 25% copper, Rose & Pink gold add up 2.5% to 5% of silver which balances out the copper. The 149 is available in three delightful trims - Gold, Red-Gold and Platinum. The pen along resting against the shoe shaped ink bottle looks awesome to me.

While the pen does not look or feel hefty, it has the semblance of an oversized pen. The clip starts with a tiny piece of elevated ramp preserving tradition. The thin and thick cap bands along with the piston rings complete the minimalistic design of the pen with grace. The clip is tension fit and carries a serial number and GERMANY along the ring. On its underside carries multiple engravings this day, however the engravings could be completely dependant upon the year of manufacture. There are a lot of Chinese fakes flooding both online and offline channels, which is why Montblanc has to come up with newer and innovative hallmarks with every model. 

A quick pose with its smaller cousin 146 in gold trims. Red Gold vs Gold.

It is oversize but I almost never feel the heft while I hold the pen. The cap unscrews with a single turn revealing a red gold nib with a rhodium inlay. It also reveals the beautiful striped ink windows just above the section threads. The attention to details is kind of amazing. The section ends up with a little bump with a rougher loop of resin, before the mind delves into the dazzle of the rhodium inlaid red-gold nib.

The cap does mention MONTBLANC - MEISTERSTÜCK No 149 etched across the broader of the parallel cap bands in cross-hatched characters, while two thinner bands subtly play along with it. The finial of course carries the white-star. There is a tiny hole in the cap meant to equalise the ambient pressure and avoid inking of the cap. I think it could be a very recent modification. Some of the earlier 149s don't have it. There are some hallmarks including metal written on the underside of the clip to preserve MB’s product authenticity. 

FILLING SYSTEM (6/6)

The piston is distinguished by a red gold band and is very convenient to operate. The piston end unscrews with less than three rotations and as the white piston head moves along the ink-windows. Once screwed back inside the bottle, ink gushes inside the barrel. The brass connector renders some weight to the barrel. The feeder hole assists in efficient ink intake for an oversize nib. The manual carries graphical steps for filling the pen in case your are using a piston filler for the first time. The ink windows still rule my thoughts. The ink capacity is around 1.6 - 2 mL.

NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (6/6)

The dazzling triple-tone nib is tested by hand, and comes in eight different widths including EF, F, M, OM, OB, OBB, B & BB and a signature replacement width of O3B. And of course it looks awesome given its size and glamor content. The size and spread of the nib are just gorgeous.

A bounded layer of spiral galaxies rest within the rhodium inlay while red gold defines the decors in the outer tines as well as the inner body. Then, there is a dazzling red gold M logo resting inside the encircled star, above which rest the height of Mont Blanc peak, 4810 (m). This one is a fine nib and lays a smooth wet line. The tail end specifies the composition Au750 of the gold-alloy and the brandname of MONTBLANC rests above the tail. Between those there is a hallmark of StOD inside a crossed ellipse. There is no mention of width on the nib per se, while a sticker at the piston end of the barrel says it all. 

A black plastic feed (earlier ones had ebonite feeds) with a feeder hole improves ink suction while closely spaced horizontal fins ensure a good ink buffer and promise wet and smooth starts. Even with a dipped nib section, it can a few paragraphs.

PHYSICS OF IT (6/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING

The overall capped length is around 14.8 cm. I would prefer to use the pen unposted as both weight and balancing seem perfect with an awesome nib leverage. The section has a comfortable grip of around 1.3 cm. I feel it’s a very comfortable from an overall perspective balancing amazingly well for an oversized nib.

• Uncapped Length ~ 13.3 cm
• Posted Length ~ 16.8 cm
• Exposed Nib Leverage ~ 2.8 cm 
• Overall Weight ~ 32 g (without ink, cap weight~10 g)

Below are the pictures along with a MB146, Visconti HS Maxi and a Pelikan m805 for your reference.

ECONOMIC VALUE (3/6)

An expensive retail price of above USD 900 puts off people, while getting a pre-owned does save some money, while you keep the charm of writing with a 149. When it comes to the internet, one has to be careful regarding the abundance of fakes in the online marketplaces and the best fakes are costly and are quite difficult to identify without experience. I am not going to discuss the pricing, but I had more than a reasonable discount, thanks to Kapil. And for me it’s a gift (although I could end up using it :P) and the price didn’t matter. Although personally speaking, I would have preferred a pre-owned 149 in a great shape.

OVERALL (5.5/6)

The writing experience is as amazing as the nib looks, with just the kind of control which you would require from a superb nib. Both Kapil & Dennis had tested it before packing. There is spring and softness in the nib and an absence of any line variation between the horizontal and vertical strokes. The lines dry in 30 seconds with a MB Mystery Black ink running on MD Paper. 

                 
                   With other inks the width is good enough to reflect some shading too. The best part perhaps is the balance that Montblanc could find with an oversize nib, so that it does not feel unwieldy. I initially had my own doubts regarding the size but I did try the 149 in a MB boutique then Pradeep’s 149, to be certain. The nib never skips and always lays a wet line, and seems to be one of the best oversized nibs in my small collection. I am sorry I couldn't gather the courage to put some pressure and try flexing some characters out from this one. 

REFERENCES

Montblanc Website

Gentleman's Gazette

Model Numbers

StOD Hallmark



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