Enjoying Montblanc Pens — Broad, Oblique, Extra Fine, Le & Bespoke

[Tom Kellie]

Stone Drum Head

Curls and Furls

On a Carved Face

[Tom Kellie]

And the Silver hallmarks either side.

 

~ Matlock:

 

I apologize for my careless writing. You've made it much clearer.

What I should have written to achieve optimal clarity might have been:

“There are two standard silver hallmarks on either side of the 925 and Stød marks. Within the red rectangle to the right is a hallmark showing the twin pans of a balance (scales) with a tiny 925 between them”.

Thank you for pointing out what I neglected to note, in my enthusiasm for the clearly visible balance scales on the right.

In any case, I'm so grateful to zaddick for explaining the presence of silver hallmarks in vermeil pens, as I'd otherwise never have known that.

All of you kind-hearted and patient folks in the FPN Montblanc Forum do so much for those of us with less experience.

Tom K.

[thygreyt]

Last night I took it apart to clean the pen from Graf Von Faber Castell Carbon Black and it is now inked on Montblanc Meisterstuck Grey!

 

I just love looking at the different parts..

 

[Matlock]

 

~ Matlock:

 

I apologize for my careless writing. You've made it much clearer.

What I should have written to achieve optimal clarity might have been:

“There are two standard silver hallmarks on either side of the 925 and Stød marks. Within the red rectangle to the right is a hallmark showing the twin pans of a balance (scales) with a tiny 925 between them”.

Thank you for pointing out what I neglected to note, in my enthusiasm for the clearly visible balance scales on the right.

In any case, I'm so grateful to zaddick for explaining the presence of silver hallmarks in vermeil pens, as I'd otherwise never have known that.

All of you kind-hearted and patient folks in the FPN Montblanc Forum do so much for those of us with less experience.

Tom K.

 

Please don't apologise Tom, it was my mistake as I failed to fully read your post and looked only at the original posting.

[mulrich]

~ zaddick:

 

Schooled again!

Thank you for taking time to explain various subtleties which are unknown to a greenhorn like me.

The many fountain pen transactions in which you've engaged over the years have honed your awareness of what to look for...and avoid.

It's so helpful to have this explained in this thread for those of us unaware of these key details.

You've already provided too much, therefore it'd be churlish to ask for more.

Nevertheless, if someday your BB nib chevron Solitaire with a mother-of-pearl Montblanc star is available for a close-up, it would be a welcome image here.

As ever, only if providing such an image was both comfortable and convenient.

Thanks to your supplemental explanation and the reading of various threads, I'm now better equipped to read and appreciate posts about Montblanc Meisterstück Solitaires.

Step-by-step, the murk in my thinking clears, with sharper understanding gradually effacing muddled confusion.

With Much Appreciation,

Tom K.

 

 

I have the white Solitaire classique and solitaire Blue Hour legrand. I can't say what the outside finishes are made from but the interiors are metal. The legrand is a piston filler so there's probably a lining inside the barrel but it's effectively a metal pen.

[Pen Nut]

Last night I took it apart to clean the pen from Graf Von Faber Castell Carbon Black and it is now inked on Montblanc Meisterstuck Grey!

 

I just love looking at the different parts..

 

MVIMG_20180307_224014.jpg

 

Heres a pic you may find interesting

 

Edited March 8, 2018 by Pen Nut

[amberleadavis]

Did you also get a list of what those numbers mean ( as in the vocabulary list)? I love these diagrams.

[Pen Nut]

Did you also get a list of what those numbers mean ( as in the vocabulary list)? I love these diagrams.

 

Sadly no but lets do it ourselves eh. Right I will start 2.5 = Nib 2.1 = barrel 1.2 = pocket clip 1.3 = cap and thats about it for my contribution !

[CS388]

2.4 = Feed. 2.3 = Feed case.

 

(Thought it might be nice just to do a couple each. I'll be interested to see what people call 1.1? Is it the jewel? Derby?)

 

Thanks

[zaddick]

2.4 = Feed. 2.3 = Feed case.

 

(Thought it might be nice just to do a couple each. I'll be interested to see what people call 1.1? Is it the jewel? Derby?)

 

Thanks

I think in Italian 1.1 is called "Il toppo di cappa".

 

I would say derby in American.

Edited March 9, 2018 by zaddick

[Tom Kellie]

~ In the recent discussion of Montblanc fountain pens featuring vermeil, or silver-gilt, zaddick helpfully pointed out that the sterling silver pen body under the gold outer layer would need to be hallmarked.

I'd never realized that, so I examined close-up images from the Internet of the vermeil 1994 PoA Louis XIV pen cap which display the hallmarks.

The small inset under a rounded curve, to the left of the clip at the bottom of the cap, has the following:

• GERMANY

• XXXX/

4810

• 925

• StØD

• A balance (set of scales) with 925 between the pans

• A duck floating on a water surface

The International Common Control Mark, or ICCM, is the balance with 925 between the pans, indicating that the metal meets the international sterling silver standard of 92.5% silver.

The floating duck or ente (Deutsch) or canard (Français) is the official Swiss hallmark for 92.5% silver, while a wood grouse (capercaillie) hallmark would indicate 80% silver.

Now that I understand these hallmarks, I'll better appreciate the genuine sterling silver underlying gold in a Montblanc vermeil pen, e.g. the PoA Louis XIV.

Many thanks for the information and clarification which nudged me to investigate this to improve my limited awareness.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

In the Pink

Rosy Glow

Early March Color

Magnolia Heart

Heartbeat

[Tom Kellie]

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/333939-montblanc-pen-factory-tour-article-hodinkee/

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/montblancs-pen-factory-and-museum-in-hamburg

~ The FPN link above is a thread by Lloyd in which he provides a link to an article about a visit to the Montblanc Haus in Hamburg.

With photographs and text, it provides an introduction to the Montblanc Museum.

For future readers of this thread, this is posted here because the article also discusses Montblanc's Bespoke Nib Program.

Having a positive impression of the Bespoke Nib Program, I want to offer this for those possibly interested in learning more.

I'm grateful to FPN member Lloyd for having spotted the article and shared it in the Montblanc Forum.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Platinum 149 OBBB Obverse

[Zdenek]

Hi Tom, that is another article on MB bespoke: http://www.lieblingsstil.com/en/blog/2016/11/22/14930/

[Tom Kellie]

Hi Tom, that is another article on MB bespoke: http://www.lieblingsstil.com/en/blog/2016/11/22/14930/

 

 

~ Zdenek:

 

Thank you so much for providing that link.

It's great to read an article about the process of taking the Montblanc computerized handwriting assessment evaluation.

If I'm not mistaken, the back of the gentleman in the dark suit on the left side of the second photograph is none other than Axel Nier.

I appreciate your kindness in posting this here for future readers to enjoy.

Tom K.

[blottingpaperforlife]

I am having an exceptional learning experience here. The detailed information on Solitaire and its material has been very helpful. For my next purchase, Ill have a BO, or perhaps take it further, in the spirit as described by Ghost Plane and others in the group, and go with a BBO.

[blottingpaperforlife]

I am having an exceptional learning experience here. The detailed information on Solitaire and its material has been very helpful. For my next purchase, Ill have a BO, or perhaps take it further, in the spirit as described by Ghost Plane and others in the group, and go with a BBO.

[Tom Kellie]

 

Heres a pic you may find interesting

 

 

~ Pen Nut:

 

What follows is not at all authoritative, and it should not be accorded much respect.

It's a translation of an Italian language Montblanc staff training manual for “No. 149, 146, 144, 142”, which gives an idea of it's age.

Nevertheless, it may be of mild interest despite lacking official sanction.

1.1 — Head

1.2 — Clip

1.3 — Hood Tube

1.4 — Cap Insert

––––––––––––––––––

2.1 — Tank

2.3 — Junction

2.4 — Feed

2.5 — Nib

––––––––––––––––––

3.1 — Cone with Spindle

3.2 — Mechanism

3.3 — Mechanism Ring

3.4 — Receiver

3.5 — Receiver Holder

Thank you for posting this image. I'd seen it where you'd posted it in other threads.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

I am having an exceptional learning experience here. The detailed information on Solitaire and its material has been very helpful. For my next purchase, Ill have a BO, or perhaps take it further, in the spirit as described by Ghost Plane and others in the group, and go with a BBO.

 

 

~ blottingpaperforlife:

 

Thank you for letting us know that the recent Solitaire discussion has been helpful.

I've had no difficulty in writing with oblique nibs. Nevertheless, the suggestions here to test an oblique nib before committing to a purchase are sound advice.

Whatever you decide, please feel very welcome to share an image of the pen and a handwriting sample, if that's comfortable and convenient.

Tom K.