Montblanc Authenticity Check Please

[notional]

Good day all, new member here and I was actually directed here from another pen fourm at the Watchuseek.com pen area. They suggested that I post my query here for you experts. I was wondering your thoughts on the authenticity of this ebay listing for a Bontblanc Calssique: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Classique-Gold-ballpoint-Montblanc-pen-Pristine-/282327210293?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=NpzHTd96SxY3K7sbNlDTb3WpnDg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

It was only after I purchased it and checked the history of the seller that I became suspicious. Thank you for all your help!

[penparadise]

Well, if the warranty leaflet originally came with the pen, it's genuine. FPH is an authorized Montblanc dealer and very reliable.

[Chrissy]

I looked at the seller's feedback and wouldn't buy anything from him.

 

Just because there may be an authentic box and warranty certificate, doesn't mean that the pen currently in there originally came with that.

[niksch]

The pen in the photos is legit. Is it the same pen you received?

 

I also agree with Chrissy that I wouldn't ever bid on any of his auctions.

[notional]

Haven't received it yet. How can you tell if it's legit from the ad? I've been doing research but don't think I can trek until it's actually in my hands. I will follow up with pics. Thanks for the input.

[notional]

Okay. I received the pen and it wasn't anything like the pictures in the eBay ad (go figure). And after checking it out personally, I see that it is indeed a fake. What really gave it away was the serial number. It is a commonly used counterfeit SN (IW1666858). Pics to follow. This has been reported already to eBay.

 

 

[penparadise]

Okay. I received the pen and it wasn't anything like the pictures in the eBay ad (go figure). And after checking it out personally, I see that it is indeed a fake. What really gave it away was the serial number. It is a commonly used counterfeit SN (IW1666858). Pics to follow. This has been reported already to eBay.

 

 

 

Wow, so even the stamp of FPH (fountain pen hospital) is a fake, unbelievable.

[Chrissy]

Sorry to hear it was a fake. However, from that seller I'm not at all surprised. If he sells one fake, then all of the pens he sells must surely be suspect.

 

The pen looks like a decent enough fake from the pictures though. I suspect many would be fooled by it.

[CS388]

 

The pen looks like a decent enough fake from the pictures though. I suspect many would be fooled by it.

 

I'll say! The standard of counterfeit pens is alarming.

 

There's an inbalance between the level of skill required to fake at this level, and the laziness required to keep using the SAME serial no. Still, I'm glad criminals aren't very clever, gives us all a fighting chance.

 

notional: pleased you got it sorted and you'll get your money back and it's been reported. Better luck next time.

[notional]

Thanks all for your input. After everything I read and checked out on the internet, I had it wrapped up as a gift. The serial number kept bothering me for some reason, I thought I saw it before. So I double checked. The serial number popped up on several searches as a counterfeit serial number. But pretty much everything else was spot on. The booklet was quality like some YouTube videos and photos showing 'real' Montblancs, the box, and even the engravings inside the clip! I'm glad I caught it before I shipped it out.

 

When I reported it to the seller, they were 'aghast!' Yeah, right. They wanted me to return the pen. I called eBay and stated that 1) I wouldn't want anyone else to get duped by this pen again, and 2) isn't it illegal to ship counterfeit products?? eBay took care of it. I destroyed the pen, and gave them a statement of such, and they're working on my refund.

[meiers]

Nice.

Thanks for sharing your journey.

[notional]

...the journey is not over. So, I decided to google the serial number some more and came across this ebay ad:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Montblanc-Classique-Special-Edition-Tribute-To-Montblanc-Ballpoint-/182419853325?hash=item2a7912100d:g:x8UAAOSwgZ1XwL7z.

 

I politely informed the seller that he may want to check his pen, as I just purchased the same pen in black with the same serial number! He stated that his was the original that all the replicas must be based on, because he purchased his pen from a Montblanc dealer!

[Cordovian]

Almost all of his pictures were hijacked from reputable dealers...except the blurry ones.

 

I'm not big fan of this model, but was it even available in 2012 as the booklet suggests?

[RoSpectre]

Wow is there anything beyond the serial number that gives away the fake? The fit of the cap to body? The brass inside the pen? The Germany font? My eyes are untrained.

 

I read recently somewhere that MB has reused serial numbers which does not help the problem at all! Duplicate numbers isn't a good sign but it's not definitive in my understanding.

[notional]

I'm not sure what else would give this away as a fake, other than that serial number being well known as a counterfeit. The heft of the pen didn't feel like other pens in my collection - S.T. Dupont and a few Watermans. This was my first Montblanc and it was a gift for my brother - which sadly - I ended up not getting him one, but resorted to getting him an S.T. Dupont which I could identify as real. I would have to defer to the experts on this forum to see if they could spot other variances from the real Montblanc.

[jar]

I'm not sure what else would give this away as a fake, other than that serial number being well known as a counterfeit. The heft of the pen didn't feel like other pens in my collection - S.T. Dupont and a few Watermans. This was my first Montblanc and it was a gift for my brother - which sadly - I ended up not getting him one, but resorted to getting him an S.T. Dupont which I could identify as real. I would have to defer to the experts on this forum to see if they could spot other variances from the real Montblanc.

You done good. I'll take an ST Dupont over a Montblanc any day.

[Chrissy]

Thanks all for your input. After everything I read and checked out on the internet, I had it wrapped up as a gift. The serial number kept bothering me for some reason, I thought I saw it before. So I double checked. The serial number popped up on several searches as a counterfeit serial number. But pretty much everything else was spot on. The booklet was quality like some YouTube videos and photos showing 'real' Montblancs, the box, and even the engravings inside the clip! I'm glad I caught it before I shipped it out.

 

When I reported it to the seller, they were 'aghast!' Yeah, right. They wanted me to return the pen. I called eBay and stated that 1) I wouldn't want anyone else to get duped by this pen again, and 2) isn't it illegal to ship counterfeit products?? eBay took care of it. I destroyed the pen, and gave them a statement of such, and they're working on my refund.

 

Maybe destruction wasn't absolutely essential. After all, it was still a decent enough looking pen that would write.