Just wondering how to evaluate the quality of various eras of Montblanc manufacture. Lets take the Meisterstuck series: As I have inquired about the 149s I get some generally stated views from various pen people that the Golden Age pens are magnificent, the 60-70s era are terrific, the 80s-90s represent a down turn in quality both in terms writing ability and the basic structure of the pen, then there is a view of a resurgence in quality today. Now, I know that dealers have an interest in saying that newly manufactured pens are the best they have ever been. Also, antiquarians usually see the past through rose colored glasses (I am guilty of this). I can see how in the "golden age" of fountain pens there were so many more users and correspondingly experts in making the pens that there is some logic to this. I guess what I want to know is, is it really true that 20 year old Montblancs are somehow a lesser pen that say new ones. If so, is this the so called Kooh-e-noor era? Have there been different real manufactures at different times who made different pens according to license from whoever own the copyright? Any thoughts from our Montblanc collectors?

It's an interesting point you make, Cafzal. I think few will dispute that Montblanc has had a couple of problematic periods, most notably in the 80's. That may have been a side effect of the Dunhill acquisition. Later on, the famous Richemont group, a Swiss conglomerate owned by billionaire Johann Rupert, acquired Dunhill taking Montblanc along with it. I don't know if this coincided with the Montblanc quality revival. I have heard reports of improved quality in the recent decade, but some argue it comes at a high price. An interesting note is that Richemont owns Cartier (which has a pen division) and Montegrappa, but I suspect Montblanc performs its manufacturing on its own.

Personally, I would buy vintage Montblanc pens from the 70's or earlier. As for recent times, I like their artist series--they've made some beautiful designs. The innards are pretty much a commodity at this point.

Btw, I think you meant to say "Kohinoor" (the much sought after diamond), is that right?

Ah yes the famous Kohinoor (mountain of light) and its little sister the Daryahenoor (sea of light) both taken by Nasseridin Shah from India to be part of the Persian crown jewels and then some how they ended up in Britain I believe. Sorry about the phonetic spelling. I was referring to the fact my first MB, bought some 20 years ago came with a card for warranty from Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph Inc. and I have always wondered if the pens were being manufactured by them for MB. Perhaps they were only the service agent?

I believe Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph Inc. was the distributer/importer in the US for Montblanc back in the day, from my research/reading.

Koh-i-Noor had no influence to the production of Montblanc pens. They just were (for a certain periode) the distributor for Montblanc in Northern America.

Within the last decade of private ownership of Montblanc by the Rösler family and even more during the Dunhill periode the quallity of the Montblanc products didn't had their best times.

But from 1992 on Norbert Platt, CEO of Montblanc at that time (and now CEO of Richemont), made sure that the quallity – as well as the reputation of the brand name Montblanc – increased to it's high level. Well, one can disagree about the price-performance ratio of Montblanc pens nowadays, but nowbody can deny that todays Montblanc pens are better than Montblanc pens from the 80s od 90s.

But you can't compare modern pens with vintage pens. The difference in material and craftmenship always gives you a complete different feeling to a modern pen. It's nearly the same as to drive a modern car in comparison to an oldtimer (my other hobby). Yes, I do use my Citroën DS21 Pallas from 1966 as my daily car as well as I'm writing with some of my vintage pens. But I would never compare the DS21 with my modern BMW or the octagonal lever filler with the Medici

BTW: Montblanc produces all of their pens in own factories. Most of them in Hamburg (but some Mozart pens also in Paris in a former Cartier factory).
Dunhill pens were made by Montblanc up to the mid 90s. The torpedo shaped pens are using Pilot components.
Montegrappa still has it's own factory in Bassano, Italy.
And Cartier gets (as far as I know) feeds and nibs from Bock in Heidelberg (as many other smaller pen manufacturers worldwide).

Axel

Thank you Axel, thats a very informative reply. It basically confirms much of the conventional wisdom regarding the pre 80s and 90s pens. Its nice to know that the pens themselves these days haven't been outsourced.

Cameron