Dunhill Fountain Pen

[Woodjoy]

Do we have any Dunhill experts out there?

I came across this stunning Dunhill (Montblanc) gold filled fountain pen recently. Engraved above the cap lip is 'Dunhill 49900' with the Dunhill logo on cap top. The round section is in blue resin, inlaid panel on spring loaded clip and logo on cap top is in blue enamel. The nib is 18K 750 gold. Cap and barrel have a gold pinstripe design. Nib twists to achieve comfortable writing position, as with the Cartier Vendome.

Montblanc made a number of 'Dress' pen's for Dunhill in the 1980's. Despite all my research, I can not find any reference to this model. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Woodjoy

[Dr. Saleem Ali]

What I can say ,Its a very beautiful pen .Congrats .

[jar]

One correction. Both Dunhill and Monblanc are owned by the same holding company but they're still totally separate entities. That pen IIRC was called the Gemline series and I'm not sure but it may well be one of the Montblanc manufactured models. Dunhill also had many of their pens made by Namaki. Historically Dunhill has been more like Tiffany, marketing objects made under contract by other firms.

[Jerome Tarshis]

One correction. Both Dunhill and Monblanc are owned by the same holding company but they're still totally separate entities.

 

Oh, one little correction deserves another. Or, in a friendly spirit, let's call it an amplification. What does "still" mean in this context?

 

I am willing to believe that in the year 2016 Dunhill and Montblanc are in some sense separate entities within the Richemont group.

 

Before Dunhill was acquired by Richemont, however, Montblanc was very definitely not a separate entity. Dunhill began acquiring an interest in Montblanc in some year I could retrieve from the Web, and later increased its interest to the point of taking over the company. One of our stalwarts at San Francisco Bay Area Pen Posse was working at Montblanc when the English took over, and is full of reminiscences.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Jerome Tarshis

[Woodjoy]

My understanding was that Dunhill in the UK acquired Montblanc in 1977. Dunhill along with Cartier and a number of other luxury brands was acquired by Richemont Holdings in 1988.

 

The Dunhill engraved fountain pen in original post was most probably made by Montblanc. Many of the manufacturing processes are reminiscent of the MB Noblesee range. The flattened oblong profile with twisting nib is virtually identical to the Cartier Vendome, however the change in oblong profile to a round section occurs at the base of the barrel with this Dunhill, on the Vendome, the transition from oblong to round occurs in the section itself.

 

I would have to agree that the pen would fall into the 'Gemline' range of Dunhill pens of the 1980's. It is however the use of blue enamel on clip and blue Dunhill cap logo, along with that model number of 49900 engraved below the Dunhill brand name at the cap lip which is making me ask questions. Could the 49900 be a serial number and not a model number? I have searched the internet, and just can't find any reference to this model and style of pen! Any pointers?

[dadbar]

I have 2 pens from the 1970's/80's (pictured)

 

A Dunhill Gemline style pen in gold, and a Montblanc Noblesse in stainless steel. When you handle these pens and examine closely, it seems obvious that they were designed by the same team and may have been made in the same plant. The nib sections have the same exact profile and all of the pieces cross screw and cross post perfectly (the posting has a detent action that fits securely and both pens have this....whether it is in capping the pen or posting it).. They are both really nice pens, too

Edited April 10, 2016 by dadbar

[quiapo]

I have the same pen. The number on the barrel on mine states "23299", so it must be a serial number. There is also a letter "B" at the base of the barrel, which I presume stands for "broad" nib.

 

I understand the pen was manufactured by Montblanc for Dunhill in the 80s, according to Hepworth Dixon, sellers of vintage pens.

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