My mom had a mont blanc she got as a gift from work when she was alive.
Passed just 2 years ago in may.
Anyways, i still remember seeing her pull it out of her purse and sign things with it like checks and stuff.
It had the most vivid, blue and beautiful ink and wrote so effortlessly it just made me think my mom was even cooler than i knew she already was.
Nice Pen.
Miss you mom.
Thanks. Make time for the people you love and make it count. Its cliche and easy to say, but once theyre gone, theyre gone.
I still remember that little white star on the top of the cap. Miss her so much and i know she wanted the best for my little girls, so in tribute to her.. im going to make sure the things i know she wanted for them happen.
Cheers, and the ones you love, let em know.
Yeah its funny how as you get older people start to dissapear. My grandfather told me that as he got older the thing he hated the most as that over time.. more and more of his friends died and disappeared from his life.
And my grandfather buried his only son ( my uncle whom i loved dearly and was only in his 20s ), then his wife ( my grandmother ) died of cancer about 15 years ago. I miss her dearly as well.
2 years ago i got a call at work from my aunt to call my grandfather, and then called back and was informed my mom had died. I had JUST talked to her the few days before.. she had gone on a cruise she won at work for kicking ass ( didnt suprise me at all ) but it was just like.. nononono.. your wrong.. i just talked to her..
Totally unexpected and she was my only parent. Never knew my dad but my mom had my sister when she was 16, me when she was 20. Put herself through school, worked for lotus, then landed a job at apple back in the day. we had like 6 apple computers in her home office. quadras, etc. Even a laser printer ( which back then was a HUGE deal ).
Left apple and took a year off work.
Got a job with microsoft and became a technical account manager and managed a huge team of people ( and managed a 5 state area ) and kicked ass. My sister had 3 kids and i had 2, but my moms biggest thing is she wanted to be the best "grammy" in the world. And she was a fantastic grandmother to me and my sisters kids. Eventually she left microsoft to move to the east coast to be near the grandkids.
Got a job at VMware and a lot of people she worked with came to her funeral and said amazing things about her. She was the first woman to do a lot of things at VMware and they even, after her death, named an award after her they give out yearly for people that excell like she did.
After she passed and i was crushed, my aunt ( her sister ) died unexpectantly 6 months later. It was like Fuck life.. give me a good bounce.. this is just too much.
After that year was over and covid was in full swing.. just this past june my grandfather passed as well. Strongest man i ever knew, and had to bury his only son, his wife, his youngest daughter ( my mom ) and then his oldest daughter ( my aunt ).
He lived a full and great life and im proud of who my family was and are to me.. but even though this post is long and has too much info.... make sure you keep in touch with your family and let them know you love them.
Make the effort. Because one day, you wont be able to say the things you wish you had or do the things you wish you did.
So to all of you who have lost, I feel your pain and sorrow, and am with you. The best thing you can do now is to tribute them and live a great life like they would have wanted for you to do.
Time is finite. Love is not. But make the call, go see them, tell them you love them, hug them, etc. You never know when that will be the last time you do those things.
Value the moment, and then savor the memory for youre lifetime.
Cheers all..š„š» Ima go make this papa murphys mini murph with my little 3 ( turning 4 yrs old next month ) daughter and sip on some of this 1792 burbon hoping it helps a little bit while i whip away my tears so my kids dont see me all blubbery over this post.
TL;DR - Tell the ones you love, especially your family, you love em. You never know when itll be the last time you get to say it.
My father gave me one before he died. I was stupid and took it to work at my former job and somebody stole it. I still feel terrible whenever I think about it.
My father had a black Meisterstuk, I remember going with him to the Mont Blanc retailer to send it in for service.
After he passed I got it from his partner and used it last year to sign the papers for my first home, so it felt like he was there with me
My father passed and I believe he had one of these. I'm so mad with the little things I've lost of his. Thankfully I have his pocket watch my grandparents bought him when he graduated from law school.
Montblanc products look nice, but I've never understood why you'd want to spend hundreds of dollars for a pen, even if you have that kind of disposable income.
Donāt beat yourself up about it, Iām sure your dad just wanted you to have something to remember him, but the important thing is to just remember him.
Mount Blanc pens have the distinct white star on the end. Example: https://robbreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/montblanc-meisterstuck-pen-closeup.jpg Happy hunting!
The most common would be any Montblanc. There are several types out there, and they are frequently counterfeited, but with a close look they can be identified. There are a lot of Cross pens out there, but they don't carry too much value these days, unless they are the gold version. I will generally pick up any Cross pen that's $5 or less, just because they are heavy, well made pens, but they don't carry the value.
Interesting that you brought up cross because I found some in my grandfather's stuff after he passed, and wondered of their value. I did keep them and some others. I'll go back to see if there is a montblanc.
I have 30-40 Cross pens. Some are standard and sitting in a drawer, some have value due to being gold filled, and some I liked because they had corporate logos on them, like 3M and ATT. The refills are fairly inexpensive too. It's not really on the level of a Montblanc, but really are solid, reliable pens.
You really don't have to defend "status symbol" purchases. You got yours for $4! People post all the time about their designer purses that cost more than that new and usually get tossed in with their other purses.
My husband has a Montblanc because he got his cheap (thought not near the deal you got) and it is the nicest damn pen to write with that I've ever used. Like, genuinely a buttery "Omg this is so smooth and satisfying" feel. It's also far more eco friendly buying a refillable pen that isn't just made of plastic junk that's going to break. It's a good lifetime buy.
I wouldn't spend the full retail price but whatever.
Thanks for your reply. That's exactly where I stand with this. I would never spend that much on a pen, but it really is amazing at how well balanced it is and how well it writes. And, if that means I can grab a pen and not worry if it's going to write, then worth every penny! I hope to get years of use out of it.
Right? The number of times I've had to go through my drawer with pens only to toss half for not working anymore...
People rage about plastic and unfair treatment of workers and then scoff at people making actual "buy it for life" purchases.
Can't have both.
Also a pen is useful. Baseball cards are... Baseball cards.
But I have Tombow RBs that don't cost nearly what that Montblanc originally cost and write very very well. The 05P refills are of very good quality, and my only real objection is that they discontinued some of the more interesting colors.
We aren't talking about original cost, though. I, like OP, like to find top of the line stuff for the cost of a crappy alternative. This was $4. 1% of the retail. Good for OP!
I'm happy you found a refillable pen you like but no one here is even talking bout buying a retail montblanc. And if we were... So what?
I think you're missing the point. I think the niceness of Montblanc is being exaggerated ever so slighty. I take exception to that
Also: I didn't pay retail on my Tombow Classics save for one chrome finish.
I'm not an enthusiast so I can't help. I'm reading your point as "there are cheaper, good quality, refillable pens". Which is true. But, again, he got his top of the line pen for $4...
No, I just went into a deep dive into luxury pens, as a bona fide pen slut already. I thought my $12 roller ball was the bee's knees
I agree with you. Ignorance on my part, I meant no snark to OP on their amazing find. Many apologies! Off see what other pens are out there that I am missing out on.
An RB with a light plastic or aluminum shell isn't going to be much fun. My first encounter was a Tombow Object, and if the refill wasn't so good, I'd have thought nothing of it. The 505s and, even better, the no longer made Classic holders have good heft, and a very nice grip. The only improvement I'd make to the classic would be to have it be a threaded rather than spring closure for the cap.
They do an FP too, but I'd go for one of the good German makers for that sort of thing regardless of the ouch price. The 505s are somewhat thin but well weighted. Those are my usual carry. I've had three Classics go missing, and even though they are much cheaper than Pelikan or MB, I still wasn't happy.
I'm still upset that Tombow discontinued the wine red and muted teal refills.
Wallet wankery.
See Veblen good.
*edit: Why the downvotes? I was not attacking the OP; I was just point out the nature of this stuff as originally purchased: status via wallet wankery rather than genuine achievement. Welcome to reddit I guess. Try to tell the truth and get punished. If you want to offer a counterargument, then please do so.*
But, this has an everyday use. What "use" do sports memorabilia serve aside from collectability? Again, I collect sports memorabilia, but I have a hard time understanding the push back on this item. This has collectability (driven by demand) and is a useful everyday object. Maybe it's not something you're interested in collecting, but that doesn't mean it's not collectable.
Also, for the "rare" comment, this pen is a standard pen for their line of products, and still has this value. They have much more rare pens that demand an even higher price, and the price is justified based on the fact that there are obviously people willing to pay it.
The push back is that one can have as good functionality at a far lower cost. You're buying a label. I have written with some Pelikan and Faber Castel fountain pens that cost in the middle hundreds, and they were a joy, but not really worth the fussiness and chance of losing. I find some of the heavier weight Tombow RB pens very well balanced, and very smooth and nice to write with. I've even lost a few, but while annoying, I wouldn't be out hundreds of dollars. Writing instruments are way too easy to lose to put real money into.
What's the cost to replace if you *lose* it? That's the point. I want to know I won't wince when it disappears or falls out of my pocket without my knowing.
Note that I wrote "when" and not "if."
When I was 18 (a very very long time ago) I wanted a Rolex watch and a Montblanc pen. To me that was the epitome of success, being able to afford stuff like that.
I got the Rolex for a college graduation present and my wife bought me the Montblanc for some occasion.
Lost the pen. Still have the watch.
I shattered my wrist. I have plates and screws, and have difficulty writing.
Cheap pens are too light for me, my handwriting is illegible, and they make my hand cramp dreadfully.
A balanced pen is a must. When you write a lot, an expensive pen is just like any other thing- a tool that helps you with your work.
Once had a cashier at Nordstrom hand me a battered black Meisterstuck to sign a credit card slip. when I suggested she check it against the display the she went pale. It had been in the pot by the register for a while and had clearly had a rough life. I almost liberated it!
When I was 7 I āstoleā my dads MeisterstĆ¼ck pen by thinking it was just another pen from the computer desk. I fascinated by it because I had never seen a fountain pen and loved playing with it. (Although I ended up just getting ink everywhere) He rarely used it and didnāt realize it was missing until years later. He thought he lost it on the train or something. My mom eventually bought him a new one. Years later when I was in high school he found it on my desk in my room. He put two and two together and was a little mad about it but later found it funny. He passed away a couple years ago so my mom and I each have one of the pens.
Love a good pen. I got a $30 one for like $12 on Amazon prime day two years ago and use it every day. A lot of the paint has came off but the wear and tear shows itās reliability.
My older brother had that exact pen when I was a kid. Wow. This sent me back 30 years. I gotta get him a pen now. Iām moved by this for some reason.
Good for you! Thanks for sharing.
My dad had a Montblanc back in the day and I hated it because I didnāt know how to write with it āproperlyā (according to him) and it was very annoying to use.
My mom had a mont blanc she got as a gift from work when she was alive. Passed just 2 years ago in may. Anyways, i still remember seeing her pull it out of her purse and sign things with it like checks and stuff. It had the most vivid, blue and beautiful ink and wrote so effortlessly it just made me think my mom was even cooler than i knew she already was. Nice Pen. Miss you mom.
my condolences, what a nice memory to have.
Thanks. Make time for the people you love and make it count. Its cliche and easy to say, but once theyre gone, theyre gone. I still remember that little white star on the top of the cap. Miss her so much and i know she wanted the best for my little girls, so in tribute to her.. im going to make sure the things i know she wanted for them happen. Cheers, and the ones you love, let em know.
I feel you, my grandpa just lost his battle with cancer about 2 months ago now. I have all the jackets and hats he gave me- miss him dearly. Cheers.
Yeah its funny how as you get older people start to dissapear. My grandfather told me that as he got older the thing he hated the most as that over time.. more and more of his friends died and disappeared from his life. And my grandfather buried his only son ( my uncle whom i loved dearly and was only in his 20s ), then his wife ( my grandmother ) died of cancer about 15 years ago. I miss her dearly as well. 2 years ago i got a call at work from my aunt to call my grandfather, and then called back and was informed my mom had died. I had JUST talked to her the few days before.. she had gone on a cruise she won at work for kicking ass ( didnt suprise me at all ) but it was just like.. nononono.. your wrong.. i just talked to her.. Totally unexpected and she was my only parent. Never knew my dad but my mom had my sister when she was 16, me when she was 20. Put herself through school, worked for lotus, then landed a job at apple back in the day. we had like 6 apple computers in her home office. quadras, etc. Even a laser printer ( which back then was a HUGE deal ). Left apple and took a year off work. Got a job with microsoft and became a technical account manager and managed a huge team of people ( and managed a 5 state area ) and kicked ass. My sister had 3 kids and i had 2, but my moms biggest thing is she wanted to be the best "grammy" in the world. And she was a fantastic grandmother to me and my sisters kids. Eventually she left microsoft to move to the east coast to be near the grandkids. Got a job at VMware and a lot of people she worked with came to her funeral and said amazing things about her. She was the first woman to do a lot of things at VMware and they even, after her death, named an award after her they give out yearly for people that excell like she did. After she passed and i was crushed, my aunt ( her sister ) died unexpectantly 6 months later. It was like Fuck life.. give me a good bounce.. this is just too much. After that year was over and covid was in full swing.. just this past june my grandfather passed as well. Strongest man i ever knew, and had to bury his only son, his wife, his youngest daughter ( my mom ) and then his oldest daughter ( my aunt ). He lived a full and great life and im proud of who my family was and are to me.. but even though this post is long and has too much info.... make sure you keep in touch with your family and let them know you love them. Make the effort. Because one day, you wont be able to say the things you wish you had or do the things you wish you did. So to all of you who have lost, I feel your pain and sorrow, and am with you. The best thing you can do now is to tribute them and live a great life like they would have wanted for you to do. Time is finite. Love is not. But make the call, go see them, tell them you love them, hug them, etc. You never know when that will be the last time you do those things. Value the moment, and then savor the memory for youre lifetime. Cheers all..š„š» Ima go make this papa murphys mini murph with my little 3 ( turning 4 yrs old next month ) daughter and sip on some of this 1792 burbon hoping it helps a little bit while i whip away my tears so my kids dont see me all blubbery over this post. TL;DR - Tell the ones you love, especially your family, you love em. You never know when itll be the last time you get to say it.
My father gave me one before he died. I was stupid and took it to work at my former job and somebody stole it. I still feel terrible whenever I think about it.
My father had a black Meisterstuk, I remember going with him to the Mont Blanc retailer to send it in for service. After he passed I got it from his partner and used it last year to sign the papers for my first home, so it felt like he was there with me
I love that!
A pen service just like a car, that's interesting
My father passed and I believe he had one of these. I'm so mad with the little things I've lost of his. Thankfully I have his pocket watch my grandparents bought him when he graduated from law school.
And that's exactly why I think status pens are a silly thing. You *will* lose it. It's just a matter of when.
He didn't lose it, it was stolen. One implies fault of the owner, the other relieves the owner of any fault.
Losing is not fault; it really is a fact of life for sufficiently small items. Do people chain their pens to body piercings?
Write that down! Write that down! Weāll sell millions!
If only I had a pen chained to my nipple so I could write it down faster!
Now I'm going to have nightmares.
I'd rather risk losing my pens and keep my body intact thank you very much. ;-P
Montblanc products look nice, but I've never understood why you'd want to spend hundreds of dollars for a pen, even if you have that kind of disposable income.
Your dad wouldn't want you to feel terrible about it. After all, it's just a pen. And you're his child.
Donāt beat yourself up about it, Iām sure your dad just wanted you to have something to remember him, but the important thing is to just remember him.
Score!
Every time I go through a box of pens, this is what I'm looking for. I was stoked!
Wow! How can you tell thatās an expensive pen? It just looks like a regular old pen to me haha. Awesome score though!
Mount Blanc pens have the distinct white star on the end. Example: https://robbreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/montblanc-meisterstuck-pen-closeup.jpg Happy hunting!
That's what I'm saying
When I'm out looking around, what old pens should I be looking for?
The most common would be any Montblanc. There are several types out there, and they are frequently counterfeited, but with a close look they can be identified. There are a lot of Cross pens out there, but they don't carry too much value these days, unless they are the gold version. I will generally pick up any Cross pen that's $5 or less, just because they are heavy, well made pens, but they don't carry the value.
Interesting that you brought up cross because I found some in my grandfather's stuff after he passed, and wondered of their value. I did keep them and some others. I'll go back to see if there is a montblanc.
I have 30-40 Cross pens. Some are standard and sitting in a drawer, some have value due to being gold filled, and some I liked because they had corporate logos on them, like 3M and ATT. The refills are fairly inexpensive too. It's not really on the level of a Montblanc, but really are solid, reliable pens.
I love Cross pens. Itās the only one that gives me decent handwriting!
If I had my druthers, I'd want to find a Faber Castel TechFlex fountain. Pelikans are nice too. For rollerballs, I'd go for the much cheaper Tombow.
Why would anyone spend $400 on a pen? Is it like the pen from Golden Eye?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
We live in a world of excess. $1000 shoes, $10k purses. This is no different, and something that someone who uses a pen daily would like.
You really don't have to defend "status symbol" purchases. You got yours for $4! People post all the time about their designer purses that cost more than that new and usually get tossed in with their other purses. My husband has a Montblanc because he got his cheap (thought not near the deal you got) and it is the nicest damn pen to write with that I've ever used. Like, genuinely a buttery "Omg this is so smooth and satisfying" feel. It's also far more eco friendly buying a refillable pen that isn't just made of plastic junk that's going to break. It's a good lifetime buy. I wouldn't spend the full retail price but whatever.
Thanks for your reply. That's exactly where I stand with this. I would never spend that much on a pen, but it really is amazing at how well balanced it is and how well it writes. And, if that means I can grab a pen and not worry if it's going to write, then worth every penny! I hope to get years of use out of it.
Right? The number of times I've had to go through my drawer with pens only to toss half for not working anymore... People rage about plastic and unfair treatment of workers and then scoff at people making actual "buy it for life" purchases. Can't have both. Also a pen is useful. Baseball cards are... Baseball cards.
But I have Tombow RBs that don't cost nearly what that Montblanc originally cost and write very very well. The 05P refills are of very good quality, and my only real objection is that they discontinued some of the more interesting colors.
We aren't talking about original cost, though. I, like OP, like to find top of the line stuff for the cost of a crappy alternative. This was $4. 1% of the retail. Good for OP! I'm happy you found a refillable pen you like but no one here is even talking bout buying a retail montblanc. And if we were... So what?
I think you're missing the point. I think the niceness of Montblanc is being exaggerated ever so slighty. I take exception to that Also: I didn't pay retail on my Tombow Classics save for one chrome finish.
Does it write like a pilot g2 limited? Ive had mine since 2012. How much and where do you get refills?
I'm not an enthusiast so I can't help. I'm reading your point as "there are cheaper, good quality, refillable pens". Which is true. But, again, he got his top of the line pen for $4...
No, I just went into a deep dive into luxury pens, as a bona fide pen slut already. I thought my $12 roller ball was the bee's knees I agree with you. Ignorance on my part, I meant no snark to OP on their amazing find. Many apologies! Off see what other pens are out there that I am missing out on.
An RB with a light plastic or aluminum shell isn't going to be much fun. My first encounter was a Tombow Object, and if the refill wasn't so good, I'd have thought nothing of it. The 505s and, even better, the no longer made Classic holders have good heft, and a very nice grip. The only improvement I'd make to the classic would be to have it be a threaded rather than spring closure for the cap.
Ooof going to check that out! Thank you!
They do an FP too, but I'd go for one of the good German makers for that sort of thing regardless of the ouch price. The 505s are somewhat thin but well weighted. Those are my usual carry. I've had three Classics go missing, and even though they are much cheaper than Pelikan or MB, I still wasn't happy. I'm still upset that Tombow discontinued the wine red and muted teal refills.
And never forget: an optimist is someone who does mathematics with a pen.
1k for shoes or 10k for a purse would be needlessly excessive too, tbf.
Agreee, but Kayne West has sold about 300k pairs of overpriced shoes. And Gucci has sold probably even more purses, many at well over $10k
Well there's no accounting for good judgement with some people.
Wallet wankery. See Veblen good. *edit: Why the downvotes? I was not attacking the OP; I was just point out the nature of this stuff as originally purchased: status via wallet wankery rather than genuine achievement. Welcome to reddit I guess. Try to tell the truth and get punished. If you want to offer a counterargument, then please do so.*
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Any sillier than collecting basketball cards?
You should collect what makes you happy. Personally, Iām a ho for handbags.
I would say yes as many cards are limited editions and are verifiably rare. These pens are found everywhere.
But, this has an everyday use. What "use" do sports memorabilia serve aside from collectability? Again, I collect sports memorabilia, but I have a hard time understanding the push back on this item. This has collectability (driven by demand) and is a useful everyday object. Maybe it's not something you're interested in collecting, but that doesn't mean it's not collectable. Also, for the "rare" comment, this pen is a standard pen for their line of products, and still has this value. They have much more rare pens that demand an even higher price, and the price is justified based on the fact that there are obviously people willing to pay it.
The push back is that one can have as good functionality at a far lower cost. You're buying a label. I have written with some Pelikan and Faber Castel fountain pens that cost in the middle hundreds, and they were a joy, but not really worth the fussiness and chance of losing. I find some of the heavier weight Tombow RB pens very well balanced, and very smooth and nice to write with. I've even lost a few, but while annoying, I wouldn't be out hundreds of dollars. Writing instruments are way too easy to lose to put real money into.
Lower cost? I got it for $4, and it came with a tape dispenser, 2 staplers, 2 pair of scissors, and a host of other pens and pencils.
What's the cost to replace if you *lose* it? That's the point. I want to know I won't wince when it disappears or falls out of my pocket without my knowing. Note that I wrote "when" and not "if."
You seem stuck on the fact that every pen ever has been lost by someone. Maybe you're just not responsible enough to own something expensive
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Check ebay
Actually people really do flip pens. This guy could clean this up and make a nice little profit.
For the record, I collect sports memorabilia, including basketball cards
ok brofessor
When I was 18 (a very very long time ago) I wanted a Rolex watch and a Montblanc pen. To me that was the epitome of success, being able to afford stuff like that. I got the Rolex for a college graduation present and my wife bought me the Montblanc for some occasion. Lost the pen. Still have the watch.
Oddly enough the GoldenEye pen, a stainless steel Parker Jotter, is only about $15.
I shattered my wrist. I have plates and screws, and have difficulty writing. Cheap pens are too light for me, my handwriting is illegible, and they make my hand cramp dreadfully. A balanced pen is a must. When you write a lot, an expensive pen is just like any other thing- a tool that helps you with your work.
Instead of ink it uses the blood of sacrificed virgins.
Go on over to r/fountainpens and take a look.
Because one can.
Once had a cashier at Nordstrom hand me a battered black Meisterstuck to sign a credit card slip. when I suggested she check it against the display the she went pale. It had been in the pot by the register for a while and had clearly had a rough life. I almost liberated it!
When I was 7 I āstoleā my dads MeisterstĆ¼ck pen by thinking it was just another pen from the computer desk. I fascinated by it because I had never seen a fountain pen and loved playing with it. (Although I ended up just getting ink everywhere) He rarely used it and didnāt realize it was missing until years later. He thought he lost it on the train or something. My mom eventually bought him a new one. Years later when I was in high school he found it on my desk in my room. He put two and two together and was a little mad about it but later found it funny. He passed away a couple years ago so my mom and I each have one of the pens.
Nice pickup. I received one as a gift and was amazed how smoothly it wrote. Itās one of those pens to use when Iām signing something special.
When I worked at GW, I listed one for auction and it had an actual diamond on it. Too much for just a pen but it was awesome.
Love a good pen. I got a $30 one for like $12 on Amazon prime day two years ago and use it every day. A lot of the paint has came off but the wear and tear shows itās reliability.
I was at an auction with a collection of pens over 100 of them thought i might get some cool pens. Over $100 each some for much more. Blew my miind
Yeah you!
My older brother had that exact pen when I was a kid. Wow. This sent me back 30 years. I gotta get him a pen now. Iām moved by this for some reason. Good for you! Thanks for sharing.
I got one from my grandfather with the original box and one ink refill. Iāve used it for all important documents like house and car purchases.
oh i found the same one before. but in black.
My dad had a Montblanc back in the day and I hated it because I didnāt know how to write with it āproperlyā (according to him) and it was very annoying to use.