Montblanc Writers Edition Homage to Victor Hugo

The Montblanc Writers Edition celebrates the literary giants who have made their mark on world literature through the power and artistry of their writing. The new limited edition pays tribute to the creative talent and cultural legacy of Victor Marie Hugo (1802 – 1885). Considered one of the greatest French Romantic writers, the novelist, poet, dramatist and illustrator developed his own distinctive style of imaginative realism, pairing realistic elements with abundant symbolism.

Hugo firmly believed that his mission as a writer was to defend the less fortunate members of society by documenting injustice, using his work to champion the social and political causes of his time. Among his many achievements, he was elected to the Académie Française in 1841, testament to his influence on French arts and letters.  

While he wrote prolifically in all genres, he is best known around the world for his novels Les Misérables and Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame), that have been adapted in many different versions and have earned an enduring place in popular culture. 

These two colossal works of French literature have inspired the design of the limited edition Montblanc writing instruments. In addition to storytelling elements drawn from the novels, the collection also pays homage to the author’s personal and private life with elegant references to Hauteville House, his beautifully decorated home in Guernsey.   

Crafted in the Montblanc Ateliers, four different editions bring to life the magic of Hugo’s works from the imposing architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to the compelling characters of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. 

The author’s novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is set in Paris during the 15th century, tells the story of Quasimodo, the deformed bell ringer and his unrequited love for the beautiful La Esmeralda. True to Hugo’s passion for social justice, the novel condemns a society that cruelly excludes the likes of Quasimodo and Esmeralda. The characters and themes of the novel are represented in the design of this edition in black precious resin with platinum-coated fittings. Cap inspired by the imposing gothic architecture of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris: 

•  Skeletonized clip inspired by the central rose window of the cathedral with a clip drop evoking the bell of Notre Dame rung by Quasimodo 
• Barrel decorated with a pattern reminiscent of the wooden panels in neo-gothic side from Hugo’s oak gallery in Hauteville House 
• A face behind clip inspired by an original drawing of Jean Valjean, the protagonist in Les Misérables by Gustave Brion 
• A cone shaped like the pillar to which Quasimodo was chained to in Notre-Dame de Paris 
•  Au750 solid gold rhodium-coated nib adorned with a special engraving of a gargoyle from the Cathedral of Notre-Dame -
• Montblanc emblem crafted from precious resin   

Victor Hugo’s works continue to be widely read, studied, and adapted to this day; his heroic characters and the intense emotion capturing the imagination of readers around the world. Through the artistry and skill of Montblanc artisans, his stories are now forever immortalized as collection of limited edition writing instruments.  

Montblanc is available at Rustans Makati, Rustans Shangri-La, Rustan's Cebu, Greenbelt 5, City of Dreams and Resorts World.