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Penmanship and writing instruments are still very much alive and well in this digital age — and Montblanc’s flurry of new stores prove this. The luxury brand has opened several new boutiques in locations such as New York City, Shanghai and Hong Kong, when brands were closing stores rather than opening them.
Last month, the German company opened one of its most unique spaces yet: Montblanc Haus, located just next to its headquarters and writing-instrument manufacture in Hamburg. It is designed by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos and inspired by Montblanc’s heritage. The building — in on-brand black and white — has 3,875 sq ft of space over three floors dedicated to Montblanc’s writing art.
Naturally, the brand’s expertise in making superior pens — a legacy dating back to 1906 — takes centre stage: Exhibits recount its journey along with its top-of-the-line writing instruments, including its High Artistry pieces and Limited Editions. These include a new collection created for the launch of Montblanc Haus. High Artistry’s “The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc” limited editions (see sidebar) were inspired by the first successful summit of the highest mountain in Europe by hunter Jacques Blamart and physician Michel-Gabriel Paccard in 1786.
Through various artworks and immersive digital experiences, the art of writing is also explored. An Autograph Library features 30 original handwritten notes from luminaries including Ernest Hemingway, Albert Einstein, Frida Kahlo and Spike Lee. In the in-Haus Writing Atelier, you can improve your own penmanship after you form your own opinions about their work.
Limited Edition 86
It is likely that Balmat would have carried his leather-bound diary on the expedition in 1786. That’s why the barrel of this edition is covered with leather, embossed with an excerpt from his account of that historical day. The Limited Edition 86 also has a walnut wood cap, featuring engravings of alpine ibex and chamois, which live on the slopes of Mont Blanc.
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