A tribute to England’s pre-eminent poet, playwright and
dramatist William Shakespeare - a leading figure of
world literature
Montblanc exclusively pre-launches the Writers Edition William Shakespeare in the UK
5th July 2016 – Montblanc pre-launches the 2016 Writers Edition William Shakespeare
in the UK. Issued every year in a strictly limited edition worldwide since 1992, the
Montblanc Writers Edition pays tribute to the greatest icons of literary history. On the
occasion of the 400th anniversary of his life’s achievements, Montblanc celebrates the
revered English playwright, poet and actor William Shakespeare, creator of Romeo &
Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and many other masterpieces with special edition writing
instruments. A literary genius and magician with words, Shakespeare penned over 150
sonnets and 37 plays, a treasure trove of verbal brilliance that has provided many
expressions and nuggets of wisdom still integral to the English language and culture today.
The diversity and richness of Shakespeare’s work is honoured in the many details of the
William Shakespeare Limited Editions created from the most select materials and
fashioned by highly skilled master craftsmen with meticulous dedication. In a first for
Montblanc, the precious resin cap takes on an octagonal shape reminiscent of the famous
Globe Theatre’s structure. A feat of technical virtuosity and precision, the shape is achieved
by ensuring that the facts and edges are perfectly defined while never losing the highly
polished surface of the resin. Inspired by the shape of the Globe, Shakespeare’s innovative
circular theatre that drew every audience member into the action of the play, the cap of
the writing instrument is octagonal and finishes in a cap top shaped like the ringed roof of
the theatre. In the centre, where the yard and stage are open to the sky, the deeply set
white Montblanc Emblem elegantly crowns the Edition. The engraving on the Au 750 gold
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nib honours the Globe Theatre affectionately referred to by the playwright as the “wooden
O”, depicting the multi-storey stage in the centre of this special universe he created for his
audience.
The design of the Writers Edition William Shakespeare is inspired by the broad spectrum
of Shakespeare’s plays, ranging from dark tragedies to light comedies. The black and white
precious resin combination on the cap and barrel recalls the colours of the flags that were
raised above his theatre depending on the genre staged with white being comedy and
black being tragedy. The body of the writing instrument is engraved with a fine featherlike pattern that represents the quill pen Shakespeare used to write his many works. At
the end of the clip, a golden ring recalls the earring Shakespeare wore in the Chandos
portrait, the most famous portrait of The Bard. In honour of the great dramatist of the
human soul, the writing instrument is encircled with a gold-plated ring embossed with
symbols representing his seven most famous plays. A rose and dagger stand for Romeo
and Juliet, a skull for Hamlet, two chess pieces for King Lear, a crest for Henry V, a crown
for Macbeth, a swirling cloud for The Tempest and a laurel wreath in the form of a ‘C’ for
Julius Caesar.
Limited to 1597 pieces in reference to the year his most important play ‘The Tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet’ was first published, the William Shakespeare Limited Edition 1597 is
inspired by his greatest tragedies. The multi-coloured barrel is embellished with exquisite
guilloche patterns evoking his quill overlaid with precious lacquer, contrasting with the
cap crafted from pure black lacquer. The black and red colours are a reference to the flags
that flew above his theatre to inform audiences of that genre being performed at the time:
red for historical drama and black for tragedy. As well as featuring the embossed symbols
on the cap and cone’s gold-plated rings representing his most famous plays, the William
Shakespeare Limited Edition 1597 is decorated with Tudor design elements reminiscent
of the era in which Shakespeare wrote most of his plays and the longstanding patronage of
Queen Elizabeth I. The forepart of the fountain pen is engraved with his signature, and the
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black resin cone features a Tudor rose at its base, the badge favoured by the Virgin Queen.
The blue lacquer above the cone of the fountain pen refers to the colour defined as ‘Royal
Blue’ because it was worn by royalty, the nobility and members of the Council. The colour
also symbolized heavenly grace within the church, power, importance and wealth. The
octagonal cap mirrors the distinctive structure of the Globe Theatre on the banks of the
Thames in London with gold-coated strips set against the precious lacquer evoking the
balconies that surrounded the stage and gave audiences an unparalleled experience inside
the theatre.
Inspired by the colours of the red flags that flew above the theatre to indicate the
performance of one of his historical dramas as well as the vibrant red quill pen used by the
playwright himself, Montblanc is releasing a velvet red ink to accompany the Writers
Edition William Shakespeare.
To complete the Collection, Montblanc is introducing two pairs of cufflinks with the Tudor
rose as the central motif. The simple elegance of a red rose contrasts with the yellow-gold
PVD finish of the first pair, while a black rose complements the shine of the stainless steel
pair.
Although 400 years have passed since the literary genius penned his final work, his
characters are still as alive today as they were then, and continue to move audiences
around the world. On the one hand his characters are real, relatable and fallible, on the
other; his plays address the human condition touching on timeless themes from love and
friendship to vengeance and loss. Reflecting the Maison’s values of heritage and
modernity, Shakespeare’s work, while based on characters and situations from distant
times, proves to be as pioneering as ever influencing contemporary thoughts and culture.
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The Writers Edition William Shakespeare will be exclusively pre-launched in a
strictly limited edition from 5th July 2016 in the UK and worldwide from 1st August
2016. The issue number engraved on the cap is proof of the uniqueness of every
piece. For further information, visit www.montblanc.com
About Montblanc
Guided by the pioneering spirit since 1906, Montblanc revolutionized the culture of
writing with breakthrough innovations. Today, the Maison continues to push boundaries
and evolve the expression of fine craftsmanship across each of its product categories: the
pinnacle of luxury writing instruments, timepieces, leather goods, accessories, fragrances
and eyewear. With every innovation, Montblanc offers new functionalities and groundbreaking designs imbued with the Maison’s heritage of sophistication and crafted to the
highest standards through the skills of its artisans in each of its manufactures. Reflecting
its on-going mission with fine lifetime companions born from the most pioneering ideas,
the iconic Montblanc Emblem has become the ultimate seal of performance, innovation,
quality and expression of style. With its origins deeply rooted in the culture of
handwriting, Montblanc has set an international standard of cultural commitment, with
the creation of wide-ranging initiatives to promote arts and culture in many forms, while
honouring the modern day patrons who support the advancement of the arts.
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For further information please contact:
Anita Borvankar
PR Manager – UK
[email protected]
All information and images are available to download from the Montblanc Press Lounge:
https://press.montblanc.com/
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