In the field of high-end writing instruments, [Joon] is unparalleled in terms of creativity.MONTBLANC. In fact, the artist series has been presented annually since 1992, paying homage to French icons who have left a cultural legacy.
The series has paid tribute to William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, and Rudyard Kipling, author of "The Jungle Book," among others, but for 2020 it has chosen author Victor Marie Hugo as its subject. One of the great Romantic writers, he made it his mission as a writer to document injustice and to protect the disadvantaged in society, among which his novels "Les Miserables" and "Notre Dame de Paris" (The Bells of Notre Dame) are world famous.
Both of these works, which are milestones in French literature, have now been incorporated into Montblanc's writing instruments. Please take a look at the sketches of the design work and the lineup.
Victor Hugo Special Edition
Fountain pen ¥116,000+TAX / Rollerball ¥95,000+TAX / Ballpoint pen ¥90,000+TAX / Mechanical pencil *Set sales only Fountain pen and ballpoint pen set ¥297,000+TAX, Fountain pen and rollerball set 1TP9 T302,000+TAX
This one is inspired by the novel "Notre Dame de Paris," which is set in 15th century Paris and depicts the unrequited love of Casimodo the bell ringer and the beautiful Esmeralda, and the society that excludes them.
The body features a pattern inspired by the neo-Gothic style of the Oak Gallery in Hauteville House. . The cap is inspired by the Gothic architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Every inch of the design has been meticulously executed, making each stroke of the pen a wrenching experience.
Victor Hugo Limited Edition 1831
Fountain pen ¥464,000+TAX, Rollerball ¥428,000+TAX , Both limited to 1831 pieces worldwide
This model represents the story of Jean Valjean, the main character in "Les Miserables". The body and cap are inspired by the Gothic architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral, and the coloring is red, inspired by Jean's prison garments.
The numbers "24601" and "9430" on the cap are the prisoner numbers assigned to Jean when he was incarcerated, the former for the first time and the latter for the second. Also on the cap top is "Chaque homme dans sa nuit s en vers verslumière (Each one of us goes toward the light when that night comes.)" (quoted from the "Poems of Stillness"), representing a story of redemption.
Victor Hugo Limited Edition 83
Fountain pen 38,000 Euro (market value) *Limited to 83 pieces worldwide
This one is a representation of Hugo's own personal life. The blue that shows through the gold decoration evokes the blue sky seen from the observation room of his home, the Hauteville House, and his skills as a watercolorist. The engraved "V" and "H" are his initials. And the limited number 83 is his age of death , in memory of his great life and achievements.
Victor Hugo Limited Edition 8
Fountain pen ¥165,000 Euro (market value) *Limited to 8 pieces worldwide
This is the first in Montblanc's artist series, of which there are only eight pieces in the world. The red enamel, which varies slightly in hue, is combined to resemble the rose window decoration of a cathedral, and is finished using a special technique called "cloisonne inlay. Furthermore, it is decorated with brilliant-cut diamonds, making it enchanting just to look at it.
It has been more than a hundred years since the birth of Hugo's masterpiece, but the story, which can be seen as a rallying cry against society, is still loved around the world. The limited edition collection of writing instruments proves that the story has been immortalized forever.
