Jacques Marie Mage - Wolves, Obnoxious Acetate and The American Dream

[TR14]

The Clyde is already here. I want to praise Mondello as a serious and reliable seller, all purchases immediately shipped and arrived in one or two days.

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Very pleased with the new wrap-around frame.

One of my favourites.

These were $625 USD when I purchased off the JMM website in 2021. Good times then.

 

[DorianGreen]

One of my favourites.

These were $625 USD when I purchased off the JMM website in 2021. Good times then.

I got them with a Black Friday 20% discount, so possibly even cheaper.

 

[TR14]

I got them with a Black Friday 20% discount, so possibly even cheaper.

Great buy!

 

[MickeyPunch]

Does anyone here own the same colourway (black derivatives don’t count) in different frames?

Also: why wasn’t the Passolini released again? I don’t really care for that model (too steampunk-ish) but second hand prices kinda amaze me.

And relared to this: are the “grail” days gone? PCH lava, Ascari vintage tort, Taos rootbeer, or the aforementioned Passolinis… they became grails not because they were ultra limited editions but because the people really liked them I guess. Have any recent (say, from the last 2-3 years) models reached this status? Again, not because they were ultra limited (e.g. the Wolf 8) but because they were killer models.

 

[ShipItBalla]

Here are my two. Nothing but good things to say about the customer service (I speak passable French but Eric speaks English if you get stuck!) and the quality of their kit. Mine are cobalt blue and sort of cherry scarlet red - grey interiors and chrome hardware. The blue was off the shelf, the red was out of stock so I had to wait a few weeks for it to be made.

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Since I took these pics I’ve acquired Dealans in Stingray and Maraschino (?) and lapis are on the way!

I can see the temptation to have a nice suitcase, but in the end... What's the point. I wouldn't like to carry them around anyways, knowing the sunglasses are still flying around and bouncing in their little compartment. When i actually travel, i take 2-3 sunglasses with me, keep them in their hardcase, covered with a cleaning cloth.
And for the station at home, a suitcase is too small anyways.
So I end up transforming a drawer into this and it's still not enough :/

 

[DorianGreen]

Does anyone here own the same colourway (black derivatives don’t count) in different frames?

Also: why wasn’t the Passolini released again? I don’t really care for that model (too steampunk-ish) but second hand prices kinda amaze me.

And relared to this: are the “grail” days gone? PCH lava, Ascari vintage tort, Taos rootbeer, or the aforementioned Passolinis… they became grails not because they were ultra limited editions but because the people really liked them I guess. Have any recent (say, from the last 2-3 years) models reached this status? Again, not because they were ultra limited (e.g. the Wolf 8) but because they were killer models.

Yes, I have more frames in the same colourway. For example, Molino, Sandro (matt), Apollo, Vendome and Clyde in Camel. Of course, the more frames you own, the more probable is the case.

Personally, I love the Pasolini:it has a very unique shape and is greatly balanced (I have it in Orion).

As for the "grail" models, I don't know, but probably, as you said, their days have gone. I like and have also bought a lot of frames in recent times, but having become the brand more visible and having expanded its offering, it's more difficult that a single model will achieve that status. Also, too many releases in short times.

I think that those mentioned models will always be the grail ones. Of course each of us will also have his personal ones (for me the Fellini Seed, among others).

 

[Facultyofzen]

Does anyone here own the same colourway (black derivatives don’t count) in different frames?

Also: why wasn’t the Passolini released again? I don’t really care for that model (too steampunk-ish) but second hand prices kinda amaze me.

And relared to this: are the “grail” days gone? PCH lava, Ascari vintage tort, Taos rootbeer, or the aforementioned Passolinis… they became grails not because they were ultra limited editions but because the people really liked them I guess. Have any recent (say, from the last 2-3 years) models reached this status? Again, not because they were ultra limited (e.g. the Wolf 8) but because they were killer models.

Pasolini did get re-released but only in a 5 year anniversary triple package.

 

[Facultyofzen]

I think that those mentioned models will always be the grail ones. Of course each of us will also have his personal ones (for me the Fellini Seed, among others).

For me, Fellini Seed also (why did I sell it), the GT in JPS colorway which I had but then didn't after more sticky finger punks, and finally the Yves black fade original (with custom gradient RX) which I also had but lost after a boozy outing. The Felson in Army was also a favorite.

 

[Thin White Duke]

I can see the temptation to have a nice suitcase, but in the end... What's the point. I wouldn't like to carry them around anyways, knowing the sunglasses are still flying around and bouncing in their little compartment. When i actually travel, i take 2-3 sunglasses with me, keep them in their hardcase, covered with a cleaning cloth.
And for the station at home, a suitcase is too small anyways.
So I end up transforming a drawer into this and it's still not enough :/

Well I use mine as storage cases as opposed to for travel. So mine are like a smaller more portable version of your drawer. Nice collection BTW!
For travel I have a rigid leather three slot case with elastic loops in each slot to keep the glasses secure. I was in England for 17 days earlier this year and three glasses was enough so I’m not sure I’d travel anywhere needing more than three. (Saying that it’s usually not sunny in England!)

 

[Thin White Duke]

As for grails - not sure if you mean real or imagined.

Actual in-production grails? I was whining for ages wanting some good frames in blue. Since then I got Herbies in cobalt, Dealan in Vesper (red and blue) and lapis on the way.

Imagined? My favourite frame is Ashcroft and I’d love it if they released more vibrant colours but of course you never know if a particular frame is going to get the ‘Dealan Treatment’ (endless colour variations) or the ‘Fitzgerald Treatment’ (a few interesting releases then just a distant memory)!

 

[whorishconsumer]

Pasolini did get re-released but only in a 5 year anniversary triple package.

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The Pasolini was re-released as standalone too, at least the black one with gold edges. I had my hands on one but ultimately returned them.

 

[JessBob]

Does anyone here own the same colourway (black derivatives don’t count) in different frames?

I also have multiples of the same color. Two VTs (Loewy and Schindler), three reserve (Comanche, Saint, and Belvedere) plus two reserve-adjacent Burgundy (Atkins and Alin), two Kinney (Lacy and Ripley), two Argyle (Ichikawa and Schindler), and soon two Clear (Whiskeyclone and a Taos that should arrive in the near future)

I'm almost sure the Pasolini will come back at some point. However, my uninformed observations about Pasolini is that it's a crap shoot in terms of sales. Many retailers have commented that the Pasolini actually sat on shelves for a LOOOONG time gathering dust until there was an unexpected uptick in hype and they suddenly sold. Who knows what will happen if that Pasolini craze goes away? Ironically, the fact that you're actually seeing them on secondary at bloated prices usually means they're not selling at those extreme markups

Based on eBay sales over the past 3 years, the Pasolini isn't even high up on the list of top 50 sales prices. That's dominated by the Ripley KLR with the occasional LF frame (mostly the Sterett) sprinkled in

At least with that eBay 3 year data, the Ripley KLR would arguably be the only frame to meet the criteria of "grail"

But this is all just spitball speculation...who really knows if/when the Pasolini will come back?

 

[DorianGreen]

I find this Molino in Havana 8 very attractive.

 

[Facultyofzen]

I find this Molino in Havana 8 very attractive.

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I would jump all over that if it were Fellini.

 

[DorianGreen]

I would jump all over that if it were Fellini.

Of course, same for me.

Bothering that Dealan and Molino get all those colourways and Fellini so few.