At the heart of the 18th-century intellectual renaissance stood Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose writings have endured through time. A polymath and towering figure in German literature, he was also a lawyer, government official, theatre director, and avid collector and naturalist. Goethe was a true innovator, relentlessly expanding the horizons of knowledge and perception. His boundless creativity is evident in the profound philosophy of Faust, the nuanced lyricism of his poetry, and the extensive scientific inquiry behind his theories of color and botany—works of monumental importance that reflect the breadth and lasting impact of his genius.
As a poet, statesman, advisor, friend, and lover, Goethe left a lasting impact that continues to inspire. In collaboration with the Klassik Stiftung Weimar and the Goethe National Museum, Montblanc honors this universal genius with the Writers Edition Homage to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Limited Edition, highlighting his literary legacy. Writing was Goethe’s essence; his complete works span 40 volumes, including some 3,000 poems. His drama Götz von Berlichingen appeared anonymously in 1773, followed by a prolific period culminating in The Sorrows of Young Werther, penned in under four weeks and propelling the 25-year-old lawyer to instant acclaim.
The Young Werther established German literature on the European stage, telling the tale of a young man torn between love and duty, passion and societal expectations. This poignant story resonated deeply with an entire generation. Its influence is evident in this Limited Edition: the luxurious lacquer of the cap and barrel draws inspiration from Werther’s vivid marble descriptions, while the barrel ring engraving mirrors the border of a copperplate illustration from an early edition. Additionally, the blue hue and pattern of the lacquer pay tribute to the wallpaper in the Juno room of Goethe’s Weimar residence.
The gold- and platinum-coated fittings evoke other refined interior details, while a delicate cloverleaf pattern engraved around the cap top draws inspiration from a letter Goethe wrote to Charlotte Buff, the muse for Lotte in his Sorrows of Young Werther. This seminal work of the Sturm und Drang era was celebrated as a literary masterpiece. In an 1827 letter, Goethe gave ‘world literature’ a broader meaning, describing it as a global exchange of literary ideas and artistic influence. Much like his incorporation of Persian poetry in the West-Eastern Diwan, he envisioned literature as a universal language that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries.
The cap, shaped like a globe and topped with the Montblanc emblem, symbolizes Goethe’s vision of a global literary conversation, captured in his concept of ‘world literature.’ Faust’s relentless quest for knowledge reflects Goethe’s own deep curiosity about the natural world. In his later years, Goethe valued his scientific contributions even more than his poetry. His Theory of Colours explored diverse fields—from physics to color psychology—offering a groundbreaking understanding of color. He also dedicated himself to optics, anatomy, biology, and geology, meticulously preserving thousands of scientific specimens in jars and boxes.
The cap’s gently curved form, reminiscent of an antique chemist’s glass jar, pays homage to Goethe’s scientific achievements and passion for collecting. The leaf-shaped clip reflects his morphological studies and his concept of a universal plant archetype, famously expressed in his didactic poem, The Metamorphosis of Plants. The Limited Edition’s design, especially the barrel and tip, draws inspiration from the historic writing tools Goethe used to capture his vast knowledge, insights, and boundless poetic creativity.
Domestic Shipping
The Pleasure of Writing is happy to offer free domestic standard shipping for orders over $150. Orders below $150 will be charged the carrier rate calculated at the checkout. Most orders are shipped within 1 business day. Once your order ships, we will e-mail you a tracking number so you may track it at UPS.com or USPS.com. Please note transit times do not include weekends and holidays and deliveries only occur on business days.
We do offer express shipping. Please note express orders will be shipped out within 1 business day. Transit time begins when the order ships and does not include holidays and weekends. Some products are not able to ship express.
For special shipping or delivery requests please write your request in the comment section or contact us by email or phone.
International Shipping
International shipping is available. We offer DHL standard shipping options at the carrier's rate calculated at the checkout. Once your order ships, we will e-mail you a tracking number so you may track it at DHL.com. Please note transit times do not include weekends and holidays and deliveries only occur on business days.
The recipient will be responsible to pay any duties or taxes.
If you need to update your shipping address please email (info@ThePleasureOfWriting.com) or call us at +1 831-626-8828. We will do our best to update the shipping address if your order has not shipped. If your order has already shipped we will not be able to change the shipping address. If the order is returned to us we can re-ship for an additional shipping charge.
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At The Pleasure of Writing, we hope that you love what you ordered. In the event that you are not satisfied, however, we have policies in places for returns, refunds, and repairs.
Upon receiving your order, be sure to carefully handle and inspect merchandise for any damage or defects; should there be a physical problem with the order, let us know as soon as possible by either calling us at 831-626-8828 or via email at info@thepleasureofwriting.com. The window for notifying us is within 30 days of receipt your order. Return requests received following day will be judged on case-by-case basis and may incur a restocking fee.
At The Pleasure of Writing, we hope that you love what you ordered, but if something is amiss with your order, let us know right away. Upon receiving your shipment, be sure to carefully handle and inspect pens for damage or defect.
Should there be a defect, we will work with you on a solution. In certain cases we can work with the distributor or manufacturer to replace the merchandise, in which case all shipping and handling will be covered. In the event that a refund is wanted for defective items, we will refund 100% of the sale to the payment method.
If the reason for return is based on preference, i.e. you received the item and didn’t like some aspect of it though it is fully functional, we will work with customers on a case-by-case basis to determine the best options. In some cases we may offer either store credit or refunds to payment method less a 15% handling fee (to cover the fees we incur from such returns); either way, we are always happy to work with our clients to help them find exactly the right writing instrument.
Once the necessity of a return has been determined, we will issue a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number, which you should write clearly on the outer box. Return shipping charges will be the responsibility of the customer (except in the case of damage/defect); we recommend shipping via insured ground service with a tracking number.
Returns must be received in their original state, and include all original packaging (warranty papers, cartridges and converters, etc.), and of course if you need to return a product because it is damaged or defective, we will apologize for the inconvenience and make it right.
Note that all returns are at the discretion of The Pleasure of Writing.
Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item and the status of your refund; if approved, your agreed-upon refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment within 10 days. Note that some refunds can take time to process depending on banks and credit card companies; if you haven’t received an expected refund, contact your financial institution first.
Note that we are unable to accept returns on any item that came free with another product or was purchased on sale, closeout, or other discounts; additionally, we cannot accept returns on any special-order products that can take many months to prepare, or on pens or nibs that have been modified in any way. Neither can we accept returns on used ink, paper, journals, sealing wax, or other supplies.
Note that we accept inked or dipped fountain pens for return or refund with the 30-day window, but these will incur a 15% fee as we can no longer sell them as new merchandise.
