Fountain Pen Identification

[madmath]

Dear Fountain Pen enthousiasts.

 

This little pen was bought several years ago. Can't remember the manufacturer. There are no identification marks except Iridium Point Germany on the nib. This doesn't say much about the quality but it writes very nice. I do use it quite often.

The ink I use is a mix of Pelikan 4001: Royal Blue, some Brilliant Black and some Violet. It takes standard small cartridges that I refill with a syringe.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2528/4172097953_d06891cd28_o.jpg

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2657/4172851828_7e4688ee04_o.jpg

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2227/4172851702_81950d553c_o.jpg

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2627/4172851470_e228d269b6_o.jpg

 

Bought it in a good pen store, Mevri, in Maastricht, to accompany my Pelikan M800.

 

I'm very curious about the origine of this small pen.

 

Length capped: 101 mm

Lenght posted: 111,5 mm

Uncapped lenght: 98 mm

Diameter at widest point (cap): 13,5 mm

Diameter at smallest point (near nib): 8,5 mm

 

Is there anybody who recognizes this little fellow?

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Math.

Edited December 9, 2009 by madmath

[Pfhorrest]

Not sure but looks quite nice. Due to the 'Iridium Point Germany' it may be a handmade or a kit pen.

[Johnny Appleseed]

Probably not a kit pen from the styling - pen turners rarely work with metal like that. IPG nibs are used by many, many moderate-sized brands.

 

Campo Marzio Roma sells a little pen that looks a lot like that. I had one a while back, but sold it to someone here.

 

The band configuration on this one probably brought down the ire of Montblanc.

 

John

[Hugh200au]

Most likely a Chinese made pen.RegardHugh

[penmanila]

indeed, very very likely a chinese knock-off of a montblanc. take note of the plating wear.

[sumgaikid]

indeed, very very likely a chinese knock-off of a montblanc. take note of the plating wear.

 

 

I've seen that kind of capband before on other MB knockoffs. There must be a market for

MB ripoff pieces.............

 

 

 

John

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have four or five black German piston filler mystery pens and a one has only Iridium spitze (point) Germany on them. One Degussa (Deutche smelting) (Ie no iridium) One says Gold Plated in English. Another Edel Chromesthal 1.qual.

Could be Chinese is right...how ever was the gold plating already coming off. It don't take much of a rubbing to get some off.

The main thing is does it write well and function.

[madmath]

Thank you so far for your reactions.

 

I hope it's not a chinese MB knockoff, don't like the idea. And why should a chinese pen have a nib that says "germany"?

 

It doesn't feel cheap at all, except for the wear. The cap caps with a fine "metal snap". The thread is fine and shows no wear after quite some use. The clip is still tight. It never leaked or had uncontrolled flow. It also stays dry after falling down.

 

With a half empty cartridge it weighs 23 gram.

 

I remember it had a name when I bought it, sounded Italian, just don't remember at all what it was.

My knowledge of fountain pens is close to zero, I hope you people can shed some clear lights on this subject.

 

Math.

[shadowsforbars]

My first impression is that it is a Chinese pen. It has a sort of Jinhao look to it and if it is nice writer, then that would be typical of the brand. Also the plating is very thin, typical of very cheaply made pens. IPG is often found on Chinese pens. Why? To give the impression that the pen is a better quality than it is in fact.

 

On the other side, 23g seems light for a Chinese metal pen, most are on the heavy side. You bought it at a reputable western pen store, Chinese pens rarely if ever turn up at that sort of retailer.

 

In short I don't know, but it's an intriguing question.

[Johnny Appleseed]

Wait a minute - is that a snowflake on the top? or is that just a trick of light? If it has a white "snowflake", then it is absolutely a counterfiet Montblanc.

 

Compare it to this Campo Marzio Roma pen that I bought about two years ago. There are a number of similarities, including the IPG nib. The cap-band is different, as is some of the trim, and CMR put their imprint on the cap-band.

 

The Campo Marzio Roma pens may, in fact, be Chinese made - I don't know where they source from, but it has a mass-manufactured feel.

 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/CampoMarzio.jpg

 

 

 

 

I've seen that kind of capband before on other MB knockoffs. There must be a market for

MB ripoff pieces.............

 

John

 

Well, if one is going to imitate Montblanc (and note there is a difference between a counterfiet and a knock-off) than copying the 3-band design makes sense. But it is also a little more complicated than that.

 

I am not sure how Montblanc got trademark protection for the thin-thick-thin cap band configuration, as it is found in many old vintage pens. The Waterman Patrician uses that band configuration, as well as many 2nd tier pens. I have a Good Service Pen Co. pen at home with that cap-band configuration as well (slightly different from Montblanc, but close enough to earn a C&D letter if you tried to do it today).

 

So using the 3-band configuration may or may not be copying MB. There have been some other pens made with a 3-band configuration, intentionally harkening back to the vintage designs and not attempting to imitate MB (I believe Bexeley made one). As I understand it, some have been threatened with lawsuits by MB, even when the rest of the pen did not reference MBs styling at all.

 

John

Edited December 10, 2009 by Johnny Appleseed

[Dan Carmell]

Ditto on John's comments about the thin-thick-thin cap band configuration. When did Omas start using it, in the late 1920s or 30s?

 

Dan

[grandsonwithpens]

I think it's a campo Marzio Roma. I found a match with the original box. It matches this pen exactly.