My Vintage Mb Collection

[AlohaLani787]

Thank you for the scope and depth of your Montblanc history lesson. Reading the series has been most enjoyable and I wish you much luck with future acquisitions to your special collection.

[siamackz]

Thank you for the scope and depth of your Montblanc history lesson. Reading the series has been most enjoyable and I wish you much luck with future acquisitions to your special collection.

Thanks for reading and your good wishes, Aloha!

[Feamat]

Dear Siamacks

 

I want to congratulate you for your fantastic collection, as well as to thank for the generosity in sharing it with us.

 

But beyond that, I admire myself in the meticulousness to put it together, study it, define its pieces, present it, and its enlarge program. You are a true art curator.

 

I am a Mont Blanc collectors, and I have researched a lot the most modern era of the company, my contribution in this forum is the Limited And Special Editions Guide, ( https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/338140-limited-and-specials-editions-guide-ver-ii/ ) which is in its second edition, what I have achieved in a time with a lot of information available what left some merit, so the handling that you demonstrate of all the vintage series, with considerably less information, is absolutely remarkable. I would like to get to understand and handle the oldest lines just a little bit like your do, maybe why I am very structured, being one of the pending things to do.

 

Regards,

 

Feamat

[siamackz]

Dear Siamacks

 

I want to congratulate you for your fantastic collection, as well as to thank for the generosity in sharing it with us.

 

But beyond that, I admire myself in the meticulousness to put it together, study it, define its pieces, present it, and its enlarge program. You are a true art curator.

 

I am a Mont Blanc collectors, and I have researched a lot the most modern era of the company, my contribution in this forum is the Limited And Special Editions Guide, ( https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/338140-limited-and-specials-editions-guide-ver-ii/ ) which is in its second edition, what I have achieved in a time with a lot of information available what left some merit, so the handling that you demonstrate of all the vintage series, with considerably less information, is absolutely remarkable. I would like to get to understand and handle the oldest lines just a little bit like your do, maybe why I am very structured, being one of the pending things to do.

 

Regards,

 

Feamat

Thank you for your kind words! Of course I am aware of your contribution - I have enjoyed and learned from your PDF and have been waiting with great excitement for your next instalment

[siamackz]

UPDATE - 19th Jan 19

 

After two years of searching I have finally found a 256 without cap cracks!! See below, it fits in quite well next to the 342 and 264.

All three pens were made during the same decade and reflect a distinct set of similarity in design - the well rounded cap crowns, minimalistic clip, cap bands right at the cap lip, ink window style, and plastic piston seals. One of the similarities that best defines these pens is that they marked a major switch from older manufacturing processes and celluloid to injection moulded plastics. And, from what I understand, this switch to a more economical and efficient manufacturing process is what led to a closing of the Danish and Spanish manufacturing units - they just could not keep pace with the German technology and hence could not compete with the cheaper pens being made in Germany.

To me, the 25x series has special significance in MBs history also because of its unique nib design. It seems that designers were trying to address the issue of splaying nibs and the extra ink that would flood paper when the majority of its customers used too much pressure while writing. In order to prevent the nib from opening up under pressure its design was changed from the typical curve to a flat front. The result - a wonderfully soft but not flexible nib. My pen has a very interesting KOB nib - round tipped oblique broad! It isnt a common tip, IMHO.

 

Considering my pen has the clear ink window (not blue), and because it has the ski slope feed and piston turning knob 256 inscription and missing inscriptions on the cap ring, I would date this as the earliest 25x models made between 1954-56.

[limt]

Lovely collection - especially Rouge et Noir - could you share more photos of this beauty

[tinta]

What a beautiful historical collection, "siamackz". Congrats for your dedication.

I noticed on your MB advertising brochure that the windows of the 250s seem are all clear, yet my 254 with 14c BB window is a deep blue.

 

As far as my searches went, my pen was made in 1956-57, just as I was emigrating from the Eastern Block. Did MB change the colour of the windows during the manufacture of this edition?

[TLMG]

Your collection is BEAUTIFUL. Not just the specific pens you own... but the deliberate way you have placed them.

Which is your favorite to write with?

[siamackz]

What a beautiful historical collection, "siamackz". Congrats for your dedication.

I noticed on your MB advertising brochure that the windows of the 250s seem are all clear, yet my 254 with 14c BB window is a deep blue.

flugerfeder 3-1.jpg

As far as my searches went, my pen was made in 1956-57, just as I was emigrating from the Eastern Block. Did MB change the colour of the windows during the manufacture of this edition?

You are absolutely right - the ink windows in that brochure and on my pen are clear (not blue). The earliest editions of the 25x are clear and then they switched to blue. Thats why you are correct in dating your pen 1956-57 because mine is dated 1954-56 (they switched to the blue window right around 1956).

 

Enjoy your wonderful pen!

Edited January 20, 2019 by siamackz

[siamackz]

Your collection is BEAUTIFUL. Not just the specific pens you own... but the deliberate way you have placed them.

 

Which is your favorite to write with?

Thank you TMLG! My favourite writer is the 146G with an OM nib. Oblique nibs make my handwriting much better than it otherwise is, and the medium tipping is just write for my habdwriting. Most importantly, I have noticed that these oblique 1950s 14x nibs are cut/shaped in distinct angles that leave a line with wonderful variation

[siamackz]

Lovely collection - especially Rouge et Noir - could you share more photos of this beauty

Thank you! Ill try and put some up soon

[siamackz]

UPDATE - 24th Jan '19

 

This pen wasn't on the list, oops! But, its an important addition to my Danish collection. The 216 is the largest pen in the 21x series. It replaced the 20x in 1955, and stuck around till about 1959.

 

I love the coral red celluloid pens. But, I especially appreciate MB designs that diverted from the typical range and were original in some sense. While this pen has the popular torpedo shape, the clip design is distinct.

 

The 216 is a button filler. While I like piston fillers because of how impressive they are in terms of their engineering, I find that pens with sacs are just easier to maintain over the long term - I feel like there are less moving parts and less complications if restoration is required. They are a pain to clean though! Unless I expect the pen to be inked often, I will take out the sac before storing it in order to avoid the sac's fumes affecting the celluloid over time.

This 216 has a lovely extra fine nib with medium flex. While my handwriting suits oblique medium and broad nibs more, I find extra fine nibs refreshingly crisp and responsive!

[spacecoastpenny]

Wow! Just awsome.......I don't want it to stop.........thanks great collection great presentation!

[siamackz]

Wow! Just awsome.......I don't want it to stop.........thanks great collection great presentation!

Thank you! Edited January 25, 2019 by siamackz

[prashant.tikekar]

UPDATE - 24th Jan '19

 

This pen wasn't on the list, oops! But, its an important addition to my Danish collection. The 216 is the largest pen in the 21x series. It replaced the 20x in 1955, and stuck around till about 1959.

 

I love the coral red celluloid pens. But, I especially appreciate MB designs that diverted from the typical range and were original in some sense. While this pen has the popular torpedo shape, the clip design is distinct.

 

The 216 is a button filler. While I like piston fillers because of how impressive they are in terms of their engineering, I find that pens with sacs are just easier to maintain over the long term - I feel like there are less moving parts and less complications if restoration is required. They are a pain to clean though! Unless I expect the pen to be inked often, I will take out the sac before storing it in order to avoid the sac's fumes affecting the celluloid over time.

 

This 216 has a lovely extra fine nib with medium flex. While my handwriting suits oblique medium and broad nibs more, I find extra fine nibs refreshingly crisp and responsive!

What a beautiful pen. Congrats

[siamackz]

UPDATE - 27th Jan ‘19

 

Nothing fancy here - just a modest No. 22 from the 1960s to give company to the No. 34 and No. 72 in my collection. I had a few spare parts for a 22 lying around and so I decided to put them together.

The only thing missing was an interesting nib. So, I bought a broken pen with a nice BB nib which is subbish (a common characteristic in these two digit broad+ nibs). After some tuning it is a spectacular writer. This was a fulfilling project!

[ygv]

What a fantastic collection. Thank you for all the info it is a treasure of knowledge.

[tinta]

UPDATE - 27th Jan ‘19

 

Nothing fancy here - just a modest No. 22 from the 1960s to give company to the No. 34 and No. 72 in my collection. I had a few spare parts for a 22 lying around and so I decided to put them together.

The only thing missing was an interesting nib. So, I bought a broken pen with a nice BB nib which is subbish (a common characteristic in these two digit broad+ nibs). After some tuning it is a spectacular writer. This was a fulfilling project!

I love the vintage MB hooded nibs. Had a lucky opportunity to try out a good number when a friend collected a bunch from Germany.

[siamackz]

I love the vintage MB hooded nibs. Had a lucky opportunity to try out a good number when a friend collected a bunch from Germany.

Yes, they are a very sophisticated design aesthetically, IMHO. And easy to use, easy to clean, nice sized, and relatively economical too.

[siamackz]

UPDATE - 3rd Feb 19

 

I am happy to add to my collection an octagonal safety filler.

 

This No. 2 dates back to the mid-1920s. It has an interesting J imprint on the barrel which means it was made to house the rare J calligraphic flexible nib. I am not lucky enough to have the J nib on my pen, but maybe someday I will find one 🤞The octagonal corners are nice and crisp. The pen is a good size for me, I dont much care for large pens. The nib is flexible when pressed against my fingernails. I will need to change the cork when I have some time, and I will be able to ink the pen only after that. I love the large MB stars on these old safeties! There is a pin inside the cap which ensures that if the user forgets to pull the nib into the barrel before capping the pen then the pin will push the nib in first - preventing any damage that might have been caused to the nib by being pushed against the inner top of the cap. The hard rubber material on this pen has very light oxidisation but I dont intend on re-blackening it using dyes or de-oxidizing chemicals (though I have managed to do this on other pens when required). I quite like the patina on this one. There are many hairline cracks on the cap star but I wouldnt expect otherwise from a 100-year old pen! In fact, I appreciate the character it adds.