What's Your Most Recent Mb Purchase? 2018

[zaddick]

Another little star found its way into my galaxy. The San Francisco pen show is on this weekend and the pen found a new home. I imagine it is quite well traveled. After starting in Germany it was exported to who knows where for a generation, then made its way to Italy and then to me in San Francisco where I bought it off a dealer (and fellow FPN member) from Italy. Pics to follow after a little cleaning...

[AlohaLani787]

Another little star found its way into my galaxy. The San Francisco pen show is on this weekend and the pen found a new home. I imagine it is quite well traveled. After starting in Germany it was exported to who knows where for a generation, then made its way to Italy and then to me in San Francisco where I bought it off a dealer (and fellow FPN member) from Italy. Pics to follow after a little cleaning...

 

 

A teaser to a pen reveal. I'm hoping the week after the big pen show results in lots of reveals with photos of interesting pens.

[Tom Kellie]

A teaser to a pen reveal. I'm hoping the week after the big pen show results in lots of reveals with photos of interesting pens.

 

~ AlohaLani787:

 

You've hooked my interest.

I'm looking forward to your images.

Tom K.

[penmaxwell919]

Fedex just dropped this off.

 

[BillH]

Oh nice. One of my favorite WE's! What nib does it have?

[Michael R.]

Here is the comparison of the recent 128S with some other pens from that period of time (128G, 126S, 104S and 124G):

 

P1400360 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

P1400368 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

P1400387 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

The worst oxidation is removed from the 128S; now it only (still) needs:

• a new cap lip
• the filling knob needs to be re-attached to the filling mechanism; unfortunately it came loos during cleaning. I really need to find a way to put it back on (or find somebody who can ;-) )
• new tipping for the nib
• a new sac will be the smallest thing to do...

 

Cheers

 

Michael

Edited August 27, 2018 by Michael R.

[farmdogfan]

Here is the comparison of the recent 128S with some other pens from that period of time (128G, 126S, 104S and 124G):

 

P1400360 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

P1400368 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

P1400387 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

The worst oxidation is removed from the 128S; now it only (still) needs:

• a new cap lip
• the filling knob needs to be re-attached to the filling mechanism; unfortunately it came loos during cleaning. I really need to find a way to put it back on (or find somebody who can ;-) )
• new tipping for the nib
• a new sac will be the smallest thing to do...

 

Cheers

 

Michael

Beautiful pens you have there!

[specialk0449]

Congratulations Michael R on the recent acquisition of the 128S. It is a great looking pen. Hopefully you will have it restored to its former glory very soon. My main collecting focus is on the 120 and 130 series. In my opinion these pens represent the golden era of Montblanc pen production. My next pen purchase will be the 128S. I have the PL and the Black hard rubber 128 models.

[penmaxwell919]

Here is the comparison of the recent 128S with some other pens from that period of time (128G, 126S, 104S and 124G):

 

P1400360 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

P1400368 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

P1400387 by meisterstücke, auf Flickr

 

The worst oxidation is removed from the 128S; now it only (still) needs:

• a new cap lip
• the filling knob needs to be re-attached to the filling mechanism; unfortunately it came loos during cleaning. I really need to find a way to put it back on (or find somebody who can ;-) )
• new tipping for the nib
• a new sac will be the smallest thing to do...

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

Wow, those are some very unique pens. i have never seem them in the flesh before. What's the difference between the !2x models and the 13x models?

[penmaxwell919]

Oh nice. One of my favorite WE's! What nib does it have?

Thank you for your kind words. It came with a stock medium nib but it will be one of the daily writers so it's going in for a fine after my Homer and Twain return.

Edited August 28, 2018 by penmaxwell919

[BlueJ]

 

Wow, those are some very unique pens. i have never seem them in the flesh before. What's the difference between the !2x models and the 13x models?

 

12x were button fillers (similar mechanism to contemporary Parkers and many others) from before WWII. 13x were the first generation of piston fillers and spanned the war years. There were also second- and third-tier pens (23x and 33x.) I only have a 334 1/2 but I understand all of these pens to be superb writers.

 

Others can chime in with more precise details.

[penmaxwell919]

 

12x were button fillers (similar mechanism to contemporary Parkers and many others) from before WWII. 13x were the first generation of piston fillers and spanned the war years. There were also second- and third-tier pens (23x and 33x.) I only have a 334 1/2 but I understand all of these pens to be superb writers.

 

Others can chime in with more precise details.

Thank you for the information. That's very helpful

[Michael R.]

Many thanks for your nice comments!

Yes the 12x pens are older than the 13x series generally speaking but some were available at the same time.

 

12x pens are push-knob fillers, black pens (smooth or with engraving) were made completely from ebonite and very light weight. In addition PL or black and pearl celluloid was available.

13x pens are piston fillers (telescopic), made from a mix of celluloid and ebonite or celluloid only (black only). Also 13x pens all have a striped ink window (short, medium, long). 13x pens came in a variety of design-versions (trim, clip,...).

 

Nibs could be either alloy/palladium or gold.

 

Sizes were similar: xx2K (13x only), xx2, xx4K (12x only), xx4, xx6, xx8, xx9.

Of course both came with overlays as well.

 

I hope I didn't forget anything important!

 

Cheers

 

Michael

Edited August 28, 2018 by Michael R.

[christof]

Congrats to the 128S!

 

Here's my newest - but nothing as spectacular as yours:

 

Montblanc von -C.M.Z-

[zaddick]

Another little star found its way into my galaxy. The San Francisco pen show is on this weekend and the pen found a new home. I imagine it is quite well traveled. After starting in Germany it was exported to who knows where for a generation, then made its way to Italy and then to me in San Francisco where I bought it off a dealer (and fellow FPN member) from Italy. Pics to follow after a little cleaning...

 

Finally got around to cleaning out the old ink and wiping off years of various crud. Here is a shot of my new to me 149.

 

 

I picked up this pen because it had a few interesting to me elements that seemed to coincide with the tail end of the celluloid 149 era.

 

First, there is the green striated celluloid derby threads:

 

 

 

It also had the heat imprinted "made in Germany" on the cap even though the cap band says Mesiterstuck, which leads me to believe it was an export model. What I had not recalled seeing on another pen before was that this one was stamped "Montblanc made in Gernamy" on the cap. My older mid 1950s 149 had made in Germany along the length of the barrel and i have a resin 149 with made in Germany on the cap. Maybe this was used for a short period?

 

 

The nib appears to be a M width or so, but it is stubbish. Maybe it is just a thin B?

 

 

The nib appears a little tweaked, but it is a good writer. I think the left tine is just a little longer. Perhaps this was meant to be a right oblique.

 

 

The star is ambered and crazed which I was surprised by. Here is a shot taken through a loupe.

 

 

Anyhow, a nice little 149 to add to the rotation and use on a regular basis. The pen was already serviced and is inked with Irish Green.

[Tom Kellie]

The star is ambered and crazed which I was surprised by. Here is a shot taken through a loupe.

 

~ zaddick:

 

There is so much fountain pen jargon which is unfamiliar to me.

What does “crazed” above mean?

Is it a combination of “cracked” and “glazed”?

Something else and more rudimentary?

Please pardon my asking, but it puzzles me.

In any case, thank you for such a clear series of images presenting your new acquisition.

It's come to a good home, so now awaits proper housebreaking training.

Tom K.

[Skopa]

Congratulations! What a beauty....

[Michael R.]

Nice! ...two celluloid 149 additions

 

What are the ink feeds, ink windows and imprints like? I have found those to indicate 1st or 2nd generation pens.

18C nibs are most likely export models.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[zaddick]

 

~ zaddick:

 

There is so much fountain pen jargon which is unfamiliar to me.

What does “crazed” above mean?

Is it a combination of “cracked” and “glazed”?

Something else and more rudimentary?

Please pardon my asking, but it puzzles me.

In any case, thank you for such a clear series of images presenting your new acquisition.

It's come to a good home, so now awaits proper housebreaking training.

Tom K.

 

Hello Tom. Crazed refers to a network of fine cracks on a surface. Your estimate of cracked and glazed is well on the right path as crazed is often used referring to ceramics where the network of fine cracks is in the glaze on the surface.

 

To be fair, the most common definition of crazed is to behave in a wild or strange way. Perhaps that is fitting of me on many occasions.

[Michael R.]

PS: to me "crazed" is what has happened to a material or surface to create a craquelure (like on old painting, china, paint, stoneware). Very fine cracks; most likely only in the surface but not deep into the material.

E.g. happens to old casein stars on old Montblanc pens. Casein becomes soft and swells with moisture and when it dries little cracks form.

I'm surprised to see it on the celluloid 14x pens as I was under the impression that those stars were made from celluloid already ?!

Cheers

 

Michael