The Patron of Art Edition for 2014 is dedicated to Henry E. Steinway, the German-born founder of the piano makers Steinway & Sons. The design turned out markedly more idiosyncratic than that of most earlier years, and collectors received it accordingly: opinion was divided.
The way the edition sizes are tiered is unusual. The edition appeared in four of them — 8, 88, 888 and 4810 pieces — with the smaller editions as a rule the more elaborately finished. As with all the large Montblanc editions, the figure 4810 refers to the height of Mont Blanc in metres. The list price of the 4810 version in 2014 was around 2,200 euros; the smaller editions cost considerably more.
To place an individual pen, the engraved edition number and the certificate supplied with it are what matter, since the four versions differ chiefly in materials and appointments rather than in the basic model.