This new limited edition from Montblanc pays tribute to the creative genius and cultural heritage of Victor Hugo. We've rarely been so dazzled by a pen!
It’s a tradition: each year, the Montblanc Writers Edition collection pays homage to a towering literary figure. For 2020, it’s the novelist, poet, playwright and artist whose work has long extended beyond the borders of his native France to become a global treasure. Victor Hugo owes his reputation to two novels: Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, two monuments of literature that inspired the design and spirit of this limited edition. Beyond allusions to the stories, the collection celebrates Victor Hugo’s private life, with references to Hauteville House, his home in Guernsey.
Crafted in Montblanc’s workshops, these four pen models subtly give life to the architecture of Notre-Dame Cathedral, to Quasimodo and to Jean Valjean. Characters, decor and subjects can be found in the design of the Montblanc Writers Edition Homage to Victor Hugo in precious black resin with platinum-coated features:
- The cap is inspired by the Gothic architecture of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
- The framework clip recalls the cathedral’s central rose window and is embellished with a pendant that evokes the bell Quasimodo would ring.
- The pen’s body is decorated with a pattern that echoes the neo-Gothic wood panelling of the oak gallery at Hauteville House.
- The face behind the clip is inspired by an original drawing by Gustave Brion, depicting Jean Valjean.
- And the nib in rhodium-plated solid gold features an engraving of a cathedral gargoyle.
Price: Fountain pen €980, Ballpoint pen €760
Three ultra-limited editions from Montblanc:
Homage to Victor Hugo Limited Edition 1831
This platinum-coated, red-lacquer edition evokes the story of Jean Valjean. The translucent red lacquer is inspired by the colour of the prisoner’s clothing. The numbers 24601 and 9430 on the cap are the character’s inmate numbers from his first and second periods of imprisonment. The yellow at the bottom of the cone recalls the passport issued when he left prison, which tells people he is a convict. The cap’s dome is engraved with a quotation from Les Contemplations on the theme of redemption: “Chaque homme dans sa nuit s’en va vers sa lumière” (Each man in his night makes his way towards his light)... This edition is limited to 1,831 fountain pens and 1,831 ballpoint pens, the figure 1831 referring to the year when The Hunchback of Notre Dame was first published.
Price: Fountain pen €3,900, Ballpoint pen €3,600
Homage to Victor Hugo Limited Edition 83
The “V” engraved on the cap and the “H” engraved on the body are of course the author’s initials, which also feature on the wood panelling of the Chinese room in Hauteville House. The mother-of-pearl inlay on the cone is a nod to Hugo’s Peer of France sword. This edition is limited to 83 pens, as the author was 83 years old when he died.
Price: Fountain pen €38,000
Homage to Victor Hugo Limited Edition 8
The #SoBARNES favourite is this absolute marvel: an edition limited to just eight luxury pens, a first in the history of the Montblanc Writers Edition. Beyond the materials used (solid gold, diamond and mother-of-pearl), the value of this gem lies in its enamelling, made using a very rare technique: plique à jour. Three-dimensional gargoyles ornate each side of the cap, the solid-gold nib features a finely engraved gargoyle, while the cap and framework body blend precious black translucent resin with solid gold covered in a black PVD finish.
Naturally the price reflects its exclusiveness: €165,000
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