I had to do some research because this was a question that was really bugging me. This source (http://www.therefinedview.com/blog/s...to-shakespeare) claims that red was used to represent "Drama" and was the color of the flag flown outside a playhouse to represent the type of play being performed at the time.
According to The Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/me...emorative-pen/) The red and blue on the pen represent sumptuary colors. That is, colors that were mandated to be worn by people of a certain class so as not to dress above their station. Elizabethan color schemes and sumptuary laws state that red (madder. See my other posting from yesterday) and blue were the colors of poor people and servants respectively. Shakespeare wasn't always on the best terms, nor the highest of social circles, so the colors could represent his station in life as a poor writer (http://www.elizabethanenglandlife.co...-meanings.html).
Montblanc only says that the ink "'Velvet Red' recalls the significance of Shakespeare's works in the theater." It is entirely possible that the ink is to evoke the idea of the "red velvet curtain" found most often in theaters. Though, to my knowledge, large velvet or velour curtains would not have been used in Shakespeare's time. The bottle seems to imply that the quill (plus plumage) is where the red comes from. Very likely not. Serious quill usage often has the feathers removed to render the quill looking like a pen or pencil.
Guess we'll never know (unless Montblanc themselves step up to explain their choices).
Any thoughts?
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