The Great Centenarian
More than a century ago, three entrepreneurs envisioned a company at the peak of excellence. Lily Ong documents Montblanc’s journey as a purveyor of timeless lifelong companions
In 1906, two men from Europe travelled to America and were impressed by the technological innovations that they encountered during their stay, including the fountain pen. When Hamburg merchant Alfred Nehemias and Berlin engineer August Eberstein returned home across the Atlantic Ocean, they teamed up with a stationery trader named Claus Voss to lay the foundations for an establishment of a factory in Hamburg, Germany, to manufacture a safety pen. Three years later, the Rouge et Noir pen was launched. Made of black ebonite with a red cap, the writing instrument comes with non-leaking technology and a piston converter. In 1910, they adopted the name Montblanc for their growing company— inspired by the highest mountain in Europe, representing the peak of excellence. The tale of Montblanc’s past was recently told in a contemporary way for its 110th anniversary this year, starring one of the world’s hottest movie stars, Hugh Jackman. The actor, who is also Montblanc’s brand ambassador, narrates a short video spanning less than two minutes, as it chronicles