MontBlanc 220

[HyperCamper]

Hi,

 

Does anyone have any experience with the MontBlanc 220? If so, what where they? I've searched the net and FPN, but found no useful information.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited July 17, 2006 by HyperCamper

[Oxonian]

Hi hyper Camper,

Assuming that there is some sort of logic in MB's numbering system, I think that I might be able to shed some light on the 220. In 1970 when I bought a MB221 which is, I hope, part of the same family of designs.

It is a piston filler of rather angular design, squared off cap and barrel end profiles with the bird dropping on either end of the pen. one thin cap edge band and one very thin band a couple of mms above it. The nib is rather like the Reflex school pen's nib in shape and is set back into the section, the feed fits the profile of the section bringing the whole business end of the pen to a very tidy finish, it could be very loosely described as partially hooded I suppose. There is a very narrow, facetted ink view window with the cap clutch ring almost as part of the same assembly just at end of a rather long section.

I have had no problems with it or any of the rest of the set since I bought them, although I have been told by a friend in the US who knows about them from many years experience, that the pens can crack their nib housing at the angles to either side of the nib. Mine has a fine nib and runs a perfectly balanced inked line with neither too much nor too little ink being supplied, I drew with mine for years, wrote letters and reports and all sorts of lengthy epistles, it has never let me down or disappointed me which is more than I can say of some of the more modern MB's that I have used. I hope that this is of some help cheers Oxonian

[HyperCamper]

Thanks, Oxonian! Very helpful!

 

To clarify what we're talking about:

 

Picture 1

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l143/arcis1814/MB220_1.jpg

 

Picture 2

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l143/arcis1814/MB220_2.jpg

 

Picture 3

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l143/arcis1814/MB220_3.jpg

 

By the way, these are not my pictures...

Edited September 24, 2006 by HyperCamper

[Oxonian]

Hi HC, that is the item, the only differences being in trim, Oxonian

[Sparky]

It looks like the MB 220 is a take-off of the lamy 2K in style. Am I the only one seeing that?

[Oxonian]

Hi Sparky, It is quite possible that most of us see it the other way round as the MB is some thirty five or more years old whilst the Lamy 2000, fine pen though it may well be, is only in its first decade I can see some similarity if I take my specs off and hold the pens at arms length and look at them in profile with the caps on. There is little in design that hasn't been borrowed from or as designers prefer to say, been inspired by, something else and at least Lamy had the sense to take a good looking MB for their inspiration, (I wish there was a smiley with the tongue noticeably in the cheek) and not one of the blousy, overblown modern things, with price tags of such a size that the retailers can take cover them in the event of a customer exploding at the sight of the numbers on them; by the way,yes I can see a similarity between them in a certain light and Sparky I hope that you enjoy your Lamy as much as I have enjoyed my MB and for as long. cheers Oxonian.

[Michael Wright]

IIRC, the Lamy 2000 was designed about 1966, so I guess that the Makrolon manufacturers came up with this style of material, and MB and Lamy adopted it. In MB's case, they used it for an established design.

 

The 22x pens are presumably members of the 12/14 family. I bought a 12 (the smaller of the two Meisterstueck models) in 1966, and it has served me well, off and on, except that I did suffer a split in the hood. I think people were starting to use polywhatsit plastics about that time, which seem a bit prone to this problem, after a few decades. The Makrolon (if that is what it is) shouldn't have trouble with splits -- pity MB didn't use it more.

 

Best

 

Michael

[Oxonian]

Apologies one and all. I wasn't aware of the Lamy 2000's long history as I only came across one, apparently bought new by a friend of mine, in about 1995/6, I must admit that at the time I thought that it looked a touch 'Retro' or even a little conservative in its styling for Lamy. I accept that with that date that it is a bit of a moot point as to who was inspired by whom, however the 22x pens are my favourite MBs and the most recent to which I give keeping space, probably as my limited funds prevent me from buying any more recent everyday MBs piston fillers without starving or missing out on other, to me, more interesting pens. Thanks for putting me right on my MB/Lamy history, Michael, as they say one learns something new every day, if you listen. Cheers Oxonian

[Michael Wright]

Apologies one and all. I wasn't aware of the Lamy 2000's long history as I only came across one, apparently bought new by a friend of mine, in about 1995/6, I must admit that at the time I thought that it looked a touch 'Retro' or even a little conservative in its styling for Lamy. I accept that with that date that it is a bit of a moot point as to who was inspired by whom, however the 22x pens are my favourite MBs and the most recent to which I give keeping space, probably as my limited funds prevent me from buying any more recent everyday MBs piston fillers without starving or missing out on other, to me, more interesting pens. Thanks for putting me right on my MB/Lamy history, Michael, as they say one learns something new every day, if you listen. Cheers Oxonian

No worries. As it happens, I bought my MB 12 in a shop in Oxford -- the pen shop in the High Street near Magdalen Bridge. It's still a pen shop, though in different hands.

 

I agree, that range of MBs are very attractive and a very practical size.

 

Best

 

Michael

[philipr]

Fellow penophiles, among my MBs I count three pens of the 220 series. A 225 piston filler with brushed black body and brushed silver cap with silver trim and steel point, a 227 piston filler with shiny black body, fluted gold cap, gold trim and gold point, and one which is a mystery to me, cartridge filler, fluted silver body and cap with gold trim (Gold band with white star in black on top and solid gold bottom cap) and gold point. Would any of you be able to tell me which number that one would be? It has the same strange V-form of fitting around the point as the other ones of the 220 series, but no number mentioned on the cap band, only Montblanc and Germany.

[hari317]

Fellow penophiles, among my MBs I count three pens of the 220 series. A 225 piston filler with brushed black body and brushed silver cap with silver trim and steel point, a 227 piston filler with shiny black body, fluted gold cap, gold trim and gold point, and one which is a mystery to me, cartridge filler, fluted silver body and cap with gold trim (Gold band with white star in black on top and solid gold bottom cap) and gold point. Would any of you be able to tell me which number that one would be? It has the same strange V-form of fitting around the point as the other ones of the 220 series, but no number mentioned on the cap band, only Montblanc and Germany.

 

The 225 should have a white gold nib stamped with 585. I have the same pen(your third pen), there is no number on it and it also does not find mention in the Rosler/Wallrafen book.

[philipr]

You are right, hari317. The nib of the 225 has indeed 585 stamped on it. I did not know it was white gold. I hope somebody out there will be able to enlighten both of us with regards to the silver one. I did not place a picture because my camera just gave up the ghost. I will try to post one presently.

[hankosaurus]

Hi Folks.

 

I just posted a picture of a similar pen in another thread, asking what it is. Alexander_K linked to this thread, suggesting that it might be a 220. Here is my pen:

 

 

It looks almost the same as the gray/white-gold one up-thread to me, at least in form factor. So, I guess it's a 220. Mine writes very nicely. However, I do not know when it was made. I am thinking that I bought it in the seventies or early 80s.

 

Hank

[jar]

Hi Folks.

 

I just posted a picture of a similar pen in another thread, asking what it is. Alexander_K linked to this thread, suggesting that it might be a 220. Here is my pen:

 

 

It looks almost the same as the gray/white-gold one up-thread to me, at least in form factor. So, I guess it's a 220. Mine writes very nicely. However, I do not know when it was made. I am thinking that I bought it in the seventies or early 80s.

 

Hank

 

Well, the 220 is not a smooth finish, it had a finish like the Lamy 2000, a brushed finish.

 

As I mentioned in the other thread, the design began with the two digit models of the late 50 to mid 60s.

 

The three digit models like the 221 which is the next version and from the mid 60s into the early 70s had a bright finish, two cap bands with the lower wider band forming the cap lip and the end of the section is rounded and not angular.

 

In the mid 70s and early 80s the model was revamped again and called the Classic and had the section end like yours.

 

Then in the late 80s or early 90s, it was again revamped and named the Generation.

[fhhcpen]

Hi Folks.

 

I just posted a picture of a similar pen in another thread, asking what it is. Alexander_K linked to this thread, suggesting that it might be a 220. Here is my pen:

 

 

It looks almost the same as the gray/white-gold one up-thread to me, at least in form factor. So, I guess it's a 220. Mine writes very nicely. However, I do not know when it was made. I am thinking that I bought it in the seventies or early 80s.

 

Hank

 

 

MB in red! Very beautiful. I think it looks better than the black/gold finish!

[alexander_k]

Being the medium range of the 1970s, the 22x series tends to attract little attention. However, I've found them to be quite good writers, well made and comfortable enough to hold (with my hands I have to have a preference for large pens). As a result, I've bought a few over the years and I'm always on the lookout for a bargain. From what I've seen, I've been able to compile the following list of versions and variations, without any pretence to completeness, consistency or understanding of the Montblanc numbering:

• 220: brushed black body and cap, GT or ST, one cap band, CC or piston
• 221: black shiny body and cap, GT, two cap rings, CC or piston
• 224: brushed black body, gold rolled cap, GT, CC
• 225: brushed black body, brushed steel cap, CT, piston
• 227: shiny black body, fluted rolled gold cap, GT

As for colour, I've seen mostly black pens. This red burgundy colour I'd seen in 3xx pens of the same era or earlier 2x and 3x models. Hopefully someone has a better overview of these quite delightful and reliable daily writers.

[sebsebseb]

Does anybody knows where I cn find the small white star that comes in the rear of the barrel I losted mine from a MB 200.

[sebsebseb]

Sorry its a MB 220.

 

Kind Regards

[Bo Bo Olson]

Send it to MB factory. Don't know the cost. You can ask.

[Scribblesoften]

Sorry its a MB 220.

 

Kind Regards

 

Sebsebseb did you ever find a replacement end cap? My 220 has the same problem and if you did, I need one too. Thanks.