As I said, Kipling is there. In general, writers’ editions tend to be fairly extravagant designs, so you can expect that. Especially in the last few years, MB has been experimenting with decorative elements that are very prominent in these pens (such as the horse’s head in last year’s Homer design). Usually, this is enough to hold me back, as I definitely prefer more conservative or minimalist designs. The Kipling is a very heavy design that tapers strongly from the top of the cap to the back of the pen. It’s a “stout” and bulky shape, much like last year’s Homer Writer’s Edition!
Kipling’s shape feels odd, due in large part to best Writers Edition Homage to Rudyard Kipling Limited Edition Fountain Pen M the flare that the brushed metal cap and barrel cover create. The cap topper, in particular, looks like a giant white superstar – so definitely don’t mistake it for another brand. The cap has the word Montblanc engraved on the metal centre band in a very modern all-caps sans-serif font.
The cap and lid are decorated with the first and last lines of Kipling’s poem “IF”. It’s a good reference to the author’s work, but I find it interesting that they chose to put it there in a slightly different font than the center band. It’s almost identical, but not quite, which to me makes it feel mismatched. It’s a minor detail, but I really don’t like the result. I probably like the cursive font better. Maybe I’m just being picky, I don’t know…
The caps, barrels, and kegs are made of resin in an interesting shade of gray-green that reminds me of old safari gear. The barrel and cap are matte, while the part has a glossy finish. I really like the muted palette of the pen. It nicely offsets the rather bold design of the pen, and I wish they had made the R. Kipling Jungle inks to match -they unfortunately didn’t. As with all writer’s editions, Rudyard Kipling’s signature is engraved on the hat.
Of course, I’ve been avoiding the most important aspect of Rudyard’s design: the tattered wolf’s head on the clip! That’s the element that really makes (or breaks) this pen design. On the one hand, I think it’s too much. I mean, it’s too good! On the other hand, it does define the pen in a bold way (it’s definitely not a safe choice for Montblanc!) , and it actually looks cool. Yeah, honestly, I like that I like it because I usually avoid pens that scream for attention.
