50S Montblanc 264

[jar]

The late 40s and early 50s were a time of change and transition throughout Europe and that was certainly true at Montblanc. Montblanc was changing the designs of their pens from the old dome top to a more streamlined version. The last remaining dome top Montblanc was the 234 ½ and both the prestige 14x series and the quality 24x series pens were now streamlined cigar shaped pens.

 

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In the mid 50s the quality 24x pens were replaced by a new design, the 250 series, that featured a slip on cap instead of a screw cap and a new nib design that resembled a wing or feather.

 

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Not everyone liked the new slip cap or the new nib even though the new wing nib was one of the most flexible nibs yet and so to hedge their bets Montblanc also released one traditional nib screw cap model, the 264.

 

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The 264 looked very much like the discontinued 244, featured two cap bands an a very simple monotone nib, a straight section instead of the concave section on the 14x series and a plain blue ink view window unlike the striped one on the 146.

 

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The 264 was also slightly shorter than the 146 or 256 as expected.

 

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The 264 has withstood the test of time better than the 250 series which tend to develop cracks in the cap lip over time and the nib on my 264 is smooth and soft but without the flex found in the 146 of that period. This particular nib was changed out at sometime during its life, the imprint on the blind cap shows EF but this nib is on the fine side of medium.

 

In all, if you are looking for a lower cost alternative to the celluloid 14X Montblanc pens of the 50s, the 264 is an often under priced and underappreciated option.

 

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[hari317]

Very informative. Thanks!

[kevmar]

Beautiful pens,

great read.

[tenney]

lots of great info, thanks.

But, in looking, I didn't see 264's being too underpriced.

[jar]

lots of great info, thanks.

But, in looking, I didn't see 264's being too underpriced.

 

I see them come up fairly regularly and often for under $200.00 US.

[JazzDoc]

I see them come up fairly regularly and often for under $200.00 US.

Geez, I wish I hadn't just read this...mwaaaaaaaaaaa...........

[georges zaslavsky]

great quality pen

[praxim]

Thread necromancy

 

I see them come up fairly regularly and often for under $200.00 US.

 

Still purchased for US$215 six years later, in 2018, and still an excellent pen with a slightly soft nib. On that history, it may not be your choice for monetary appreciation but it is a pen well worth appreciating as an excellent writer with attractive design. They are not making any more of these ones.

[LUWAN]

I got mine this year as a replacement after lost my vintage MB144 at the airport. Personally prefer MB264's smooth but stiff nib. The size of the pen is a little bit small to today's standard. I wish there also be a size 6 pen just like MB256.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I had sent off an old folks, gymnastic class member's father's old MB 250 to be fixed by Francis. Stuck piston. It had no cracks. I liked the balance on that pen. The next two, I saw at one of my live auction houses, had cracks. 

The 264 was also at that last auction, and I took it as a good substitute. Little did I know.

............................................

And that MB 234 1/2 Deluxe KOB, ('52-54 only) won my balance test when I was a 20 pen noobie,  espite having a back weighted, brass telescopic piston.

Being back weighted, I was astounded when it won. The Deluxe has a different single and wider cap ring, and a Meisterstuck clip, and my feed has combs/rills on the side, not completely flat like the older 234 1/2.

I'd not realized mine was rare and therefore expensive. I do like the balance and the semi-flex nib, so highly recommend buying the older, cheaper version of the 234 1/2.

 

Today it lost The Balance Test to an MB 264. The 400nn is a tad longer, but it is still a medium-long pen, a pen that finished 4th in my Balance Test. A pen set I picked up a couple of months ago in a live auction. The étui is also MB.

 

Both nibs are semi-flex.

The first list is the 234 1/2... KOB Kubal/ball on top (more or less pre ball point), for those who liked writing with a pencil. The last number is nib size. Second is the 264, also a '50's era vintage semi-flex pen in M. And I like the nib better, it leaves a crisper line.

 

closed,................. barrel ......................... cap ............ ........posted ........... weight

47/8ths"/12.2cm .... 4 9/16ths"/11.8cm ...2.3/8th"/5.9cm ...5. 15/16th"/14.9cm....19g.

 

5 1/2"/13cm.............4 3/4"/12cm   ......   2.7/8ths/6cm....  6"/15cm.................. 18g

.......................

Near even Steven on the nib. One is 4 1/2 sized, the other a 4. The 264's nib totally impressed me with both shading and line variation of the semi-flex nib with R&K Altgoldgreen.

The KOB is an oblique and when canted/rotated slightly as it should be it lays a slightly different flair. Both pens like that ink.

 

For well over a decade, that ink sat, unused. The always saying, got to use that odd but great ink....someday. Knowing I'd not used it in a long time, I put it in the 264 and fell in love with the ink and nib combo....and the fine balance of the pen. Wonderful shading and line variation; which seldom happens both at the same time. Nearly Never.

 

I had noticed it was a finely balanced pen. I'd just not realized a new champ had climbed into the ring.