The man with the horn never had a chance to see the day. If he had, the bon vivant would’ve appreciated the gesture, and carried one of these Montblanc pens created in his honor.
Montblanc’s limited edition collection of Miles Davis pens is very tasteful, while suggesting the inventive and surprising nature of modern jazz which continues to attract acolytes. As Davis was one of the innovators who brought jazz into the modern stylistic incarnation which remains its most uncannily evergreen manifestation, the line might’ve come across as simply clever marketing, but instead seems really very respectful. But this is not surprising, considering Montblanc’s reputation, and the beautifully evocative designs of other pens in the company’s Great Characters series.
This lineup of three precision writing instruments begins with an entry-level platinum-on-black resin model, which is available as a fountain pen, roller ball, or ballpoint. Pricing for these options runs from around seven hundred dollars to about a thousand.
Pricing for the other entries in the series—the Limited Edition 90 and the Limited Edition 1926—is only available upon request. The 90 (so named for 2016, the musician’s 90th birthday), is shaped, like its brethren, something like a trumpet, with valves on the clip, and a cone shaped like a mouthpiece; the barrel is white gold with a blue resin layer beneath, an homage to the blues. The cap is white gold, with a trumpet-like rose-gold inlay. The 1926 features a platinum-coated barrel and cap, and the same translucent blue underlayer. The Montblanc emblem is black and white agate. The solid gold nib is etched with Davis’s trademark silhouette.
Montblanc is also offering a Miles Davis signature inkwell and stationary notebook.
